New Tyres for our Prado 120

[Greeeny]

Wow what a response, I'm so pleased with all your help, I generally stay on the black hard top with about 5 - 10% the odd time on gravel.
I'm looking at mostly a road tyre and I'm considering the Pirelli's ATR, the reviews on other forums seems quite favourable.
Thanks to everybody.

 

[BUSH PALACE]

I have have had the Roadstone - anyone want them free........??? (can't even give them away) cheap and nasty crappy things
go out of round in about 30K - 40K - unless they have finally learnt how to make a round tyre........

never liked Maxxis
or Coopers

Thats funny @bigcol the Maxxis is one of our best sellers and have nothing but great feedback on the AT range and getting more ks than the other brands that you have mentioned .The new Roadstone is out now with good reports but too new for a overall look at , yes they are a budget tyre and you do get what you pay for but sometimes it goes in reverse ..

 

[bigcol]

yeah, @BUSH PALACE don't know why I dont like them.......... Maxxis & Cooper,
mind you it stems back to the mid 80's.......

I brought a set of the Roadstone's about 8yrs ago, they lasted on my car for all of 4 months until I had enough money to buy new tyres

I remember years ago this tosser with Coopers was rubbishing the BFG's (mine were about 40% left) and how good his coopers were (was a tyre salesman), until I had to pull him out of the sand at Lancelin, because he was bogged to the chassis - maybe thats why

my Father in Law had the Pirelli Scorpions on his 60 series, used to just dig great big holes and bury him (too aggressive for soft sand) they were 12R's as well

I remember when the Khumo's used to go out of round after about 30K( I had some given to me - and I knew why now), they have sorted those problems out years ago thank fully
tyres I have had / used over the years.....
Mickey Thompson Baja MTZ - pretty good, they surprised me...
BFG T/A KO's- great tyre
BFG T/A KM's - they were noisy, but have been told they are way better now
Bridgestone Desert Dueler 604's - great tyre
Dueler 694 & 697 - not happy on the playdoh's they were on
Dunlop Gran Trek AT22's are on my Cruiser, lovely road tyre....
Yokohama - not sure of the patten, but close to the 604's and BFG's...... not bad
Khumo's - yeah
Roadstone - yeah
APR (not sure of the manufacturer - yank I think) 12R's - yeah

Im on my 14th & 15th 4wd now (1986 was first FJ55), and thinking of updating the Boss's Landcruiser Kakadu (2004 delivered 2005)
I have looked at the cheapies
I have looked at the mid range
I have looked at the pricey ones.......,
as you say @BUSH PALACE sometimes you get surprised by them

 

[Hubble80]

It shows that it all depends on who you talk to and personal preference. I have a mate who swears by Yokohamas and is on on his second set of A/Ts on his 200, yet I have always found Yokohama tyres too soft. Tyres are a very personal thing as I said. Nobody really wants to admit they spent $1000-$1600 on something they don't like!!!

I would go the Pirellis if your heart is set on them and suits your budget. Be sure to let us know how they go though.

 

[achjimmy]

Very subjective subject.

Liked the BFGs on the Pajero and they were wearing well. Hate those stupid little cut like grooves in them that hold every pebble under 8mm that they go over. You then them flicking out at speed with the odd one sticking and wearing into the tyre unless you dig them out.

On the rodeo they have definitely hardened up after two years and don't offer the same road holding.

The d697 s on the cruiser have been great but I don't think they are going to do much better than 50k based on wear so far. Interesting in big cols comment. As the last couple of kms I have felt gibes tearing is a bit lighter and pulling. Was going to get an alignment again and see.

Coopers now make a st max to suit the Crusier on 18"s so that or nittos terra grapplers will most likely be my next tyre as I really want a little bit more aggressive tread.

To the OP. I have also run Michelin in the past. The latitude was a great touring true with remarkable long life

 

[jvp]

I've had several brands of tyres on my 150 Prado & wheel alignments. Its a pig on the road as "bigcol" described. Steering too light, no feel & wanders all over the road. I'm convinced it's the car not tyres. My 90 series had great steering etc. etc.
jvp

 

[mfexpanda]

Maxxis 980 great tyre so far

 

[Hubble80]

I've had several brands of tyres on my 150 Prado & wheel alignments. Its a pig on the road as "bigcol" described. Steering too light, no feel & wanders all over the road. I'm convinced it's the car not tyres. My 90 series had great steering etc. etc.
jvp

My wife was convinced that I was the only one who felt this way about our Prado. After driving a few hours, especially towing the Expanda is was exhausted!!!!

I have since driven two newer style 150's and can say they have much better steering feel and I found them not to be so floaty.

 

[Greeeny]

I took the Prado to Pedders, I had the upper and lower front control arm bushes replaced, also the rear control trailing arm upper and lower bushes replaced and lastly the panhard rod bushes replaced, this really changed the cars feel on the road. I checked the steering rack mounting bushes but they were okay. Changing the bushes actually made the shockers feel new again. The tyres were rotated and I was still not happy with the way the car tracks on road. After much discussion it was felt the Pirelli road based tyres I am currently running and the amount of wear they have giving the poor tracking so this brings me to the question of which tyres I should fit. Once again thanks for all your advise.

 

[bigcol]

over the years, I have found NOTHING beats the Standard rubber bushes
the after market ones dont last, they crack and cost the same.........
I have tried nearly all of them and always go back to STD from manufacturer

my personal observation...............

 

[Bluey]

I took the Prado to Pedders, I had the upper and lower front control arm bushes replaced, also the rear control trailing arm upper and lower bushes replaced and lastly the panhard rod bushes replaced, this really changed the cars feel on the road. I checked the steering rack mounting bushes but they were okay. Changing the bushes actually made the shockers feel new again. The tyres were rotated and I was still not happy with the way the car tracks on road. After much discussion it was felt the Pirelli road based tyres I am currently running and the amount of wear they have giving the poor tracking so this brings me to the question of which tyres I should fit. Once again thanks for all your advise.

greeeny take it to Toyota for an alignment pedders stuffed mine after fitting frount shocks and air bags trust no one else for an alignment !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Greeeny]

Just fitted the Pirelli tyres, what a huge difference, all the driving issues I had were directly associated with the old tyres just as the guy at Pedders suggested. I'm am really pleased with the difference and just how much quieter the Prado is on the road. just fitted a rear view camera from Safety Dave to the Expander and driving lights I bought at the LeisureFest. (spent too much money at all the accessories I "had" to have!!)

 

[Drover]

Been running Pirelli Scorpions for the last 60,000k or so and can't wait to put another set of Geolanders on, these Pirellis while handle as good as the Yokohamas' once they get to 50,000k they start to get noisy and seem to want to track a bit, very disapointed, the Geolanders were excellant all round right up to 90,000k when I swapped them.

 

[Greeeny]

Thanks for your advice, when I get to replace the Pirelli tyres I'll look at the Yokohama tyres. What tread pattern do you suggest?

 

[cruza driver]

Good result @Greeeny new tyres and the driving issue is sorted out too.

Did you get the same size?

 

[Drover]

Thanks for your advice, when I get to replace the Pirelli tyres I'll look at the Yokohama tyres. What tread pattern do you suggest?

Can't remember the pattern number but just the Yokahama Geolander ATR's similar pattern to the Scorpions, its only the noise I have the issue with everything else was fine. I also found I had a tracking issue and fixed it by rotating then went for a couple of weeks towing the van to level out a set which I then put back on the front and all good. I have even turned the tyres around on the rims once to get them to wear evenly, many moons ago it was and goes against all the rules but it worked and the tyres didn't fall off.

 

[Greeeny]

I'm very impressed with the quiet ride, they track really well, the wife drives the prado most of the time and she tells me all the time how good it is to drive. I put on the 265 65 17's. The tracking problem I had has been completely eliminated.

 

[Drover]

Yeah as I said @Greeny just when they got up to the 50 - 60,000k they started to grumble like a diff whine. It's not the diff though, thankfully.