From maximizing contact patches to optimal pressure adjustments, discover the perfect tire for Land Cruiser 100. A Dive deep into tire complexities, rim selection, and track width dynamics.
- I. Introduction
- II. Selecting the Right Wheel Size and Material for Overlanding
- III. Understanding Track Width and Its Effects
- IV. Factors Influencing the Performance of Overlanding Tires
- V. Wide or Narrow Tire for Land Crusier 100
- VI. Choosing the Perfect Tire for Land Cruiser 100
- VII. Unveiling Excellence: BF Goodrich All-Terrain KO3 Overview
- VIII. Optimal Tire Pressure for BFG AT 285/75R16 on a Land Cruiser 100
- IX. Longevity and Durability of BF Goodrich All-Terrain KO2
- X. Conclusion
I. Introduction
Much akin to the precision demanded in rallye racing, off-road enthusiasts grapple with diverse terrains—from rocky landscapes to wet grounds. The significance of tire selection for off-roading and overlanding mirrors the meticulous considerations made by Rallye engineers.
In both disciplines, tires serve as the vital link between our vehicles and the ever-changing ground beneath. As we delve into the complexity of tires, we realize that, like rally drivers who rely on specialized grips, we, too, require tires designed for the various terrain we navigate.
Just as rally cars benefit from specific tire features, our off-road vehicles thrive when we are selecting the perfect tire for Land Cruiser 100.
II. Selecting the Right Wheel Size and Material for Overlanding
What size rims are best for off-roading and overlanding?
The answer lies in a simple yet effective rule of thumb, one we unabashedly adopt from Motortrend.com. This rule advises maintaining a wheel diameter no larger than half the tire height.
„For off-road performance, we prefer to stick to the rule of thumb of running a wheel diameter no bigger than half the tire height. That typically means 15 or 16-inch wheels for 33s and 17-inch wheels for 35s or so. If you want sufficient sidewall flex on the trail, stay away from lower-profile tires.“
In our specific case for the perfect tire for Land Cruiser 100, we align with this recommendation by opting for a 16″ rim. This choice serves twofold—matching the OEM specifications and being one of the most widely used sizes globally.
How Wheel Size Affects Off-Road Performance?
What size rims are best for off-roading and overlanding delves into more than aesthetics; it intricately influences critical aspects of our Land Cruiser 100’s maneuverability. The perfect tire for Land Cruiser 100 embraces improved sidewall flex, a crucial element for navigating challenging terrains. This flexibility allows for better traction and adaptability.
For off-road dynamics, wheel size becomes the arbiter of sidewall flex, steering response, and body roll. Larger wheels may compromise sidewall flexibility, diminishing the tire’s ability to conform to uneven terrain. This, in turn, affects steering precision and minimizes body roll.
However, the advantage of smaller wheel comes at a cost—a slight decrease in steering precision and an impact on body roll. Fortunately, serendipity favors us once again, as the preferred 16″ rim aligns seamlessly with the Land Cruiser 100’s OEM specifications. By adhering to this ideal rim size, we maintain the vehicle’s geometry, avoiding alterations that could compromise factory performance.
What is the Best Material for Rims for Off-Road?
We advocate for the prowess of forged alloy wheels. In the demanding realm of off-roading, especially in rallye applications, these wheels shine. Their molecularly distributed mechanical and physical characteristics ensure unparalleled strength, stiffness, and weight reduction. These qualities prove invaluable when facing high impacts and stress loads, typical in rugged terrains like those encountered in rallye competitions.
While alloy rims have their advantages in terms of weight savings and aesthetics, the preference for steel rims among hardcore off-road enthusiasts stems from the only fact that steel rims are easier to repair than alloy rims. Which is undoubtly true based on the characteristics of the materials, but in our opinion only applies to extreme offroading.
We prefer the weight savings and, ultimately, less strain on the drivetrain, and believe that carrying a spare wheel is sufficient to reduce the risk of sustaining irreparable damage to one of our rims.
Reasons to Change Wheels/Rims
Given that we are looking for the perfect tire for Land Cruiser 100, changing wheels and rims becomes a strategic decision. The ability to change offset allows for better clearance against mechanical parts when using wider or taller tires. Furthermore, the benefits include increased track width, which provides better stability when the center of gravity has shifted due to increased roof load. Increasing track width reduces the likelihood of tipping over and may aid in navigating through deep ruts.
III. Understanding Track Width and Its Effects
What are the Benefits of Wide Track Width?
Widening the track unveils a spectrum of advantages that intricately enhance off-road capabilities.
- The increased track width minimizes lateral weight transfer during dynamic maneuvers, reducing the likelihood of tipping and enhancing overall stability. This stabilization is vital when traversing uneven terrains, ensuring optimal tire-ground contact for superior traction.
- The broader stance redistributes the vehicle’s center of gravity, diminishing the lateral forces that induce body roll. This technical adjustment is crucial for maintaining optimal tire contact with the ground, promoting predictable handling, and reducing the risk of rollovers in challenging off-road conditions.
- The increased lateral stability and minimized body roll (countering the increased body roll associated with bigger sidewall flex from taller tires) contribute to a larger contact patch between the tires and the ground during cornering. This expanded contact area enhances grip, allowing the Land Cruiser 100 to negotiate turns with greater precision and confidence, a pivotal attribute for off-road enthusiasts seeking optimal performance.
This technical optimization aligns seamlessly with our pursuit of the perfect tire for Land Cruiser 100, ensuring that every facet of the vehicle’s performance is meticulously enhanced for the demands of off-road exploration.
How does Track Width Affect Turning Radius?
A wider track corresponds to an expanded turning radius. The broader lateral distance between wheel centerlines directly influences the pivot point of the vehicle during turns. This results in a larger arc that the vehicle traverses when executing a turn, affecting its overall maneuverability.
The technical finesse lies in tailoring the track width to strike an optimal balance—sufficiently wide for enhanced stability and control yet mindful of not compromising the vehicle’s agility.
Finding the ideal tire for a Land Cruiser 100 has so far only resulted in one potential drawback: a potential increase in turning radius.
We don’t think that a 50mm increase in track width will make much of a difference, given the wheelbase of 2850mm and the axle width of roughly 1940mm.
IV. Factors Influencing the Performance of Overlanding Tires
Contact Patch Measurements: Performance for the Perfect Tire for Overlanding
The contact patch size stands as the most crucial performance indicator for a tire due to its direct influence on traction, stability, and overall handling. This is the area where the tire makes contact with the road surface, serving as the primary interface between the vehicle and the ground. A larger contact patch offers more grip, enhancing the tire’s ability to transfer power, navigate turns, and brake effectively. Variations in length and size between wide and narrow tires are pivotal determinants of off-road performance.
Generally wide tires boast a larger contact patch at street pressure, a phenomenon observed in racing on dry surfaces.
The inherent design of wide tires, at standard street pressure, results in a broader contact patch. This trait is particularly advantageous in dry conditions, contributing to enhanced traction and grip.
Effect of Tire Pressure on Grip
Tire pressure serves as a modifiable variable that can be strategically adjusted to optimize grip. When tire pressure is lowered, the tire’s sidewalls flex. This results in an elongated contact patch – the area where the tire makes contact with the ground.
On challenging off-road surfaces such as mud, sand, or gravel, a larger contact patch is advantageous. Lowering tire pressure enables the tire to conform to the irregularities of the terrain, maximizing the tire-to-ground contact. This, in turn, enhances traction by preventing slippage and improving overall grip.
On the down side, depending on how the tire is made, a lower tire pressure causes the sidewall to bulge, increasing the possibility of damage.
For this reason, when selecting the perfect tire for a Land Cruiser 100, sidewall strength and minimal tire bulge are crucial considerations.
Unsprung Mass and Rolling Resistance
Wider tires contribute to increased unsprung mass and rolling resistance. The additional weight of wider tires affects the unsprung mass, impacting vehicle responsiveness and handling. Moreover, the heightened rolling resistance poses implications for fuel efficiency and overall performance.
Tire Diameter and Contact Patch
Opting for a taller tire with increased sidewall size, either by maintaining the same overall diameter or elevating it, strategically enhances off-road capabilities. This modification grants the tire greater flexibility, resulting in an even more elongated contact patch due to the possibility to air down the tire even further.
Section Width Does Not Equal Tread Width
There is a distinction between section width and tread width. While section width provides a broad measure of tire width, it doesn’t precisely capture the tire’s true footprint on the ground—the tread width. This awareness is instrumental as we navigate the technical maze, ensuring our tire selections align with the Land Cruiser 100’s demand for optimal off-road performance.
V. Wide or Narrow Tire for Land Crusier 100
Selecting for the perfect tire for Land Cruiser 100 means understanding the advantages and drawbacks of wider and narrower tires. Let’s dissect these considerations in a clear and concise table:
Wider Tires: The Good and the Bad
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Better Grip in Ruts | Increased Weight: Adds to unsprung mass and impacts fuel efficiency |
| Potential for More Contact Patch at baseline tire pressure | More Stress on Drivetrain: Strains drivetrain, leading to wear |
| Better for High-Performance Bitumen Work | Reduced Payload: Diminished overall carrying capacity |
| Aesthetically Pleasing |
Pros and Cons of Narrow Tires:
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Less Weight | Limited High-Performance Capabilities: Not ideal for high-speed |
| Less Stress on Drivetrain | Not as Stylish: Affects vehicle aesthetics |
| Increased Payload Capacity | |
| More Fuel-Efficient |
Wide or Narrow: The perfect tire size for Land Cruiser 100
We took our time selecting the right tire size for our Land Cruiser 100. Choosing the 265/75R16 Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S at first worked well, but there were certain drawbacks, especially with stability when the vehicle was working at higher weights and added roof load. But as our off-roading progressed, we found ourselves preparing for increasingly difficult terrain, which led us to upgrade to the 285/75R16 size—a decision we still believe to be ideal for the Land Cruiser 100. The perfect tire for a Land Cruiser 100 is both: Wider and taller.
The perfect tire for a Land Cruiser 100 is both: Wider and taller.
This larger tire added 21mm(~10%) of ground clearance. It is greatly enhancing sidewall dimensions by 11% in addition to increasing width by a meager 10mm(~4%). This subtle change in width provides us with a well-balanced solution. This maximizes the benefits of a wider tire while minimizing its disadvantages. That is ideal for our quest for the ideal Land Cruiser 100 tire.
We discovered during our travels in Western Africa that the additional width even helped to offset the greater center of mass caused by the additional roof load. So much so that in order to improve track width and stability further, we intend to decrease the rim offset by an extra 10 to 20 millimeters. On top of that, the wider tire’s increased weight can be reduced by selecting a lighter rim.
The fact, that all of the data and experience add together to support our conclusion. The 285/75R16 is perfect tire size for the Land Cruiser 100.
VI. Choosing the Perfect Tire for Land Cruiser 100
Should I get mud tires or all-terrain tires?
The debate between mud tires and all-terrain tires is as old as it gets. Our inclination strongly favors all-terrain tires, and here’s why. Travelling through deep mud is a rarity in our experiences, guestimated at a mere 3% of all surfaces when overlanding. The cons associated with mud tires, are increased noise levels, faster wear and decreased fuel economy. That doesn’t justify their use in the other 97% of times they are not needed. All-terrain tires, like the BFG All Terrain KO2, present a versatile solution. They offer solid performance across varied terrains without compromising our on-road experience.
What are the best all-terrain tires for mud?
By definition, no all-terrain tire is excellent or the best in mud. That is because all-terrain tires are a compromise of many specialist tires, such as snow, gravel, or wet sand and dirt.
Large grooves that will force mud outward are often a sign of a great mud terrain tire. Based solely on this, the BFG KO2 All Terrain tire would be our best choice for mud. It features some of the biggest grooves found in AT tires.
What is the perfect tire for off-road driving in a Land Cruiser 100?
Beyond the advantages we previously highlighted, the KO2’s 3-ply sidewall construction sets it apart. It minimizes sidewall bulging during deflation to only 4mm. This robust design ensures superior sidewall integrity, enhancing overall durability and resilience.
To read more about the BF Goodrich KO2 All Terrain Tire we can highly recommend sa4x4.co.za article about tyre deflation:
What is the perfect size tire for Overlanding in a Land Cruiser 100?
This most often comes down to: What size tire will fit a Land Cruiser 100 without a lift?
Fortunately, the solution to both aspects aligns seamlessly, allowing enthusiasts to prioritize tire selection before contemplating suspension changes. This strategic approach enables the accumulation of firsthand experiences. empowering users to make informed decisions about future suspension modifications based on their unique off-road encounters.
The biggest tire you can fit on a Land Cruiser 100 without any suspension modifications is 285/75R16 or 33″ diameter.
Stay tuned for an upcoming article dedicated to the optimal suspension for Toyota Land Cruiser 100. Be sure to sign up for our newsletter to receive timely notifications upon its release!
VII. Unveiling Excellence: BF Goodrich All-Terrain KO3 Overview
Plenty of reviews are available for the KO2. With the newly released BF Goodrich KO3, we will focus on a brief overview of the changes between the KO2 and its successor. We found noteworthy improvements making it a promising choice for off-road enthusiasts looking for the perfect tire for their Land cruiser 100.
All-Terrain Tire Tread Design and Water Pathing
The transition from Center lugs to S-shaped ones enhances road contact and water dispersion. This design minimizes hydroplaning risks, especially beneficial in wet conditions.
The alternating pattern on the outer lugs with better siping and extended design offers improved cornering and less chipping. While less interlocking may enhance mud clearance, real-world testing is still to be done.
All-Terrain Tire Siping and Internal Construction:
More 3D sipes and three-ply sidewalls ensure better grip on ice and water. The internal construction mirrors the KO2’s robustness, maintaining a balance between strength and potential comfort.
With a higher silica content, the KO3 should remain more pliable in cold conditions, addressing winter performance concerns.
In conclusion, the BF Goodrich All-Terrain KO3 emerges as a strong successor, promising enhanced performance and comfort – making it the perfect tire for Land Cruiser 100 owners seeking versatility and reliability.
VIII. Optimal Tire Pressure for BFG AT 285/75R16 on a Land Cruiser 100
During the West Africa Expedition, we fine-tuned our tire pressure strategy for optimal Land Cruiser 100 performance. Navigating varied surfaces, we observed a consistent temperature rise of 0.1-0.3 bar during the day. This insight prompted us to adapt our daily tire pressures accordingly, mitigating previous sidewall damage from overinflation. By constantly adjusting the tire pressure we ensured a smoother ride, even under the Land Cruiser 100’s fully-loaded conditions.
Baseline Tire Pressure Based On Experience
Through practical experience, we adjusted pressures for diverse terrains.
- On Road:
- Original: 2.8/3.0
- Adjusted: 2.6/2.8
- Off-road (Gravel, Sand, Grass):
- Original: 2.1/2.6
- Adjusted: 1.9/2.4
- Soft & Wet Ground, Rocks:
- Original: 1.4/2.1
- Adjusted: 1.4/2.1
Keep Track Of Your Tire Pressure
The Land Cruiser 100 lacks a factory-installed TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System), necessitating the use of an aftermarket solution. We strongly recommend a reliable system like the one we’ve used, offering simplicity in both installation and replacement. Monitoring tire pressure changes in real-time is crucial for immediate detection of any issues during our adventures.
Universal TPMS Bluetooth 5.0 Tire Pressure Monitor
- Very Affordable
- Easy To Install
- Works With Your Phone
IX. Longevity and Durability of BF Goodrich All-Terrain KO2
In our tire odyssey for the perfect Land Cruiser 100, the BFG All-Terrain KO2 stands tall with guaranteed mileage at correct tire pressures. With a commitment to 50,000 miles, our experience echoes this promise, surpassing 20,000 km—12,000 km of which unfolded off the beaten path, fully loaded.
In our pursuit of the perfect tire for Land Cruiser 100, the KO2’s durability adds an extra layer of confidence to our off-road ventures.
X. Conclusion
Here you have it, the perfect tire for your land cruiser 100. For all the right reason, we love this set of tires. If you would like to get your own set, please support us by using the amazon link below.
Have fun out there.
BFG 285/75R16 ALL TERRAIN KO2
- 3-Peak Symbol – All Year Tire
- Excellent Performance
- Durable
