Crappy road tyres. Need more grip on grass!

[Eggski]

Had a great day today, got stuck twice before 10am tipping brash in a field next to where we are doing some tree clearence.

The good thing is the field has got a big concreted area to burn brash on with a concrete sleeper driveway into it, only problem is over the years its got some grass and mud on it and its a 90 degree turn through a 5 bar gate into the lane to get out, the sheep that are in there dont help shitting on it!

My problem is, MY VAN IS sh*t OFF TARMAC, luckily my brother in law who im working with has a 4x4, wasnt to bad after we spent half hour shoveling crap off the concrete, still spun abit but I was getting out on my own.

The tyres are the usual 185 R 15 C, but are there better tyres available that will fit? The rears have plenty of space for better all terrain tyres but the fronts might foul.

Has anyone found some that will work better or know of any?

I never expect to climb a mountain with my van, but its pissing me off. Alot of the time im on grass verges and untarmaced roadways and I need some better grip.

I would love a county tipper, that would solve the problem, but that is not gona happen.

[WildGoose]

Won't be of any benefit or very little, i've carried out similar experiments on my truck. Check the tyre sidewall, If the tyres are labelled as M+S (mud and snow) they are already considered an aggressive tread pattern and will be about the best you can hope for. Even aggressive tread fills up with mud quick enough.

In truth, its the differential that is killing you. As soon as one wheel breaks traction, then all the power goes through that wheel and you are sunk. A limited slip diff would help. A lockable diff would be better (don't think they exist as standard for transits).

I am forever getting stuck in my 7.5 tonne truck at work. We do a lot of muddy fields, woods, farms, unsurfaced yards etc, and as soon as one wheel loses it, that is the end. It is generally only made worse then as the more you attempt to get out, the deeper you dig.

There is a bit of technique that can help, but it's only ever rescued me 10% of the time It's usually time for the long walk to the tractor.

[Eggski]

Mine are just bog standard road tyres.

I use to do alot of offroad driving and know a good few tricks and that an LSD is a godsend, but so are decent tyres, I've seen sparkling new landrovers sat in a field with all four wheels spinning cause they had road tyres on and drivers with no idea, whilst I tootled past in a battered SJ in 2 wheel drive and a smile on my face.

My tyres say 185 R15 C, but dont say the aspect ratio number, ie 185 60/70/80 R15 C.

Does anyone know the aspect ratio of a standard 6 stud transit tyre? Or the Biggest that could be possibly fitted?

[Altransit]

If there is no aspect ratio stated on the tyre, then it is always 80%

[rogerw]

i know there are 4x4 tyres out there that can go on a transit.

Could also try the softer compound they grip much better

[Dave12590]

Hi I have kumho kc11 195 x 14 on the rears of my transit minibus. They are good on mud n snow, try googleing them to get a pic
Dave

[trigger]

What about keeping a set of snowchains in the van? if they work on snow then surely they should work on mud

[matthew2riches]

What about a set of Landy wellers with some fat tyres on?

[Eggski]

Thanks for the replys.

If there is no aspect ratio stated on the tyre, then it is always 80%

I didnt know that but my brother in law said it today, I measured it and it was 80mm, so that would make them 185 80 R15 C.

Thinking that the extra tread would make the tyres larger, im going to have a look for some 70 or 75 aspect and see what they look like compared to my tyres, as the 80 aspect along with the bigger tread pattern would make the overall tyre size to big on the front I think. I'll check the 80 aswell just incase they fit.

195's should be ok I would think but nothing bigger as its twins on the back.

Pity as my bro in law has some nice BF Goodrich 235 80 R15's sat doing nothing.

Ps, Found a couple of all terrains on ebay to fit an escort van, dont think 13" rims will go on mine!

[MinorMatt]

Have you tried dropping the tyre pressure?

[Eggski]

On another point, would you get done if say you had different tyres on the back to the front?

ie, fronts were normal road tyres and backs were mud or all terrain?

My bro in law asked me, I said VOSA or MOT testers would go nuts.

[Eggski]

Have you tried dropping the tyre pressure?

Yeah but unfortunatly its usually the same outcome, plus I would end up pumping tyres up all day.

[Altransit]

On another point, would you get done if say you had different tyres on the back to the front?

So long as the tyres are the same on each end of the axle, different ones front and back (dragster style!) are OK.
I'm not sure about this one, but I think that if you do have different size tyres, the bigger ones have to be on the back

[Dave12590]

Hi,if two different sizes are fitted they must match across axles and widest to rears.
Dave

[teignrower]

When working as an agricultural mechanic in the 80's a pair of town and country tyres were fitted to my works mk2 petrol Transit, made a difference to me driving around fields to break-downs but were noisey at higher speeds on roads. I also put town and country's on my mk5 cortina estate and it dragged my 1 tonne caravan anywhere, even 1/4 mile through a ploughed field when the track we were taking turned into one by mistake, it too was noisier on the road though.

John