On our 4x4 we've 15" wheels but we've heard it will be very diffucult to find new tubes if needed for this size in africa. Should we change them into 16" inch wheels (budget..) or can we leave this way?
Any experience with 15 inch in africa? (tunesia/libya/cairo....capetown)

Ive certainly seen them for sale in Cairo, though I am on 16s so havent paid that much attention. Id expect they would be around but perhaps not common. What vehicle is it?

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'91 LR 110 Def/Disco hybrid "Elsa"
Bring me the horizon....

I dont think its that hard. Every TLC in Libya comes with 15s (as I found to my cost) and they are common on other Jap cars.
Start with 6 new tubeless tyres, what size, and you wont even need tubes

Ch

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Adventure Motorcycling Handbook 8 • Morocco Overland 3 • Overlanders Handbook 2 • Twit

Yeah, dont worry about the wheel size so much - just use what you have got, invest the money on the best, toughest tubeless tyres you can (In my opinion BF goodrich or Michelin are the best) and a good Repair Kit/Tyre levers/Air compressor.
Carry a couple of good quality spare inner tubes in case you split a tyre badly. (you can get them repaired very easily, but then have to fit a tube)
For 'normal' punctures on the tread pattern use repair 'strings' which you push into the hole with a special tool, they work very well - just make sure you clean out the hole first, A modern good quality repair kit will have these - and you can leave the tyre on the wheel !!!
The manufactors of these reccomend you use this as 'an emergency repair only', In practice if you do them properly they are great - though if you use them on a front tyre then maybe swop it to the rear if you are doing any fast tarmac driving (you should swop your tyres around anyway to make them wear evenly)
For any punctures on the side walls you must demount the tyre and patch it from the inside, the tyre sidewalls get worked very hard and produce a lot of heat - especially on corrogations, at speed or in the sun -or all three !
Most Punctures (apart from an object piercing a tyre) are caused by friction between tyre and inner tube - thats why tubeless are so good.
Your tyre pressures are very important, they should be checked daily (cold -first thing in the morning to make sure they are even, to aid even braking) after you change the pressures for sand or piste through the day (sometimes 10 times a day !!!), they will be a little uneven as they will be at different temperatures due to load and the sun, so it is good practice to check them every morning.
If you keep the pressures at the right level for the terrain and protect your sidewalls you should have few problems.
If you need any more info no problem, Cheers, Grif.
Drago/Eo Driver, Land Rover and DR650 overlander.

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Cheers
Grif

'11 KTM 450 EXC
'09 Suzuki DR650
'00 Discovery Series 2 V8
'95 Defender 90 300 Tdi Overlander
http://gipperstravels.blogspot.ca

I run, and always will run, R16s - just because you can get them everywhere.

Perhaps I should invest in better tyres in the first place, though??!!

Sam.

Im another fan of R16s, and I lurve Michelin XZLs, even for soft sand. Wonderful things. (Mind you as a confirmed Luddite I put tubes in them)

Has anyone tried those Aussie Tyreplier things for getting tyres off? With Billing approaching I feel a Money Liberation Day coming.....

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'91 LR 110 Def/Disco hybrid "Elsa"
Bring me the horizon....

Hi
I'm using Michelin XZLs on 16" LC steel split rims, fitted with Michelin Airstop tubes. I also use the Tyreplier repair kit (tyrepliers and 2 x tyre irons) as the two irons I bought from Matt Savage's were not up to the job. With this kit and a bottle of cheap Fairy liquid a tube change takes 10 minutes or maybe less if your in a real hurry. The only problem is that you MUST ensure that tubes and dust flap etc are absolutely clean. I learnt this through personal experience and three flats in as many days!

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Enzo
BUNDUBASHER.com

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Enzo

Hi,

On a slighty different topic.
The Nissan Patrol in Portugal used to come with 15" rims as a fabric standard.
When I bought my second-hand Patrol, it came with 16" rims and with 205R16 tyres.

Now I wanted to raise the car, just for a couple of centimeters.
I have been suggested that this could be easly done by fitting 7.50R16 tyres instead of rebending the suspension or adding one or two extra-leafs.

I'm concerned that using taller tyres might damage, in a long term, the transmission.

Any opinion?

Thanks,
José

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Desert Crocodiles of Mauritania: http://cibio.up.pt/crocodilos/en

Unlikely to damage the transmission, unless you go for a *much* larger diameter tyre. And bigger diameter is better for most off-road conditions. I am almost certain that 7.50-16s would fit into the wheel arches in a Patrol.

Michael...
www.expeditionoverland.com

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Michael & Sandy
http://www.expeditionoverland.com