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Home > Wheels & Tyres > What Tires are on the classic Land Rover 110 ? (pics inside)
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David Brown



Member Since: 18 Jun 2022
Location: Europe
Posts: 7

blackwolf wrote:
The Michelin XZL is the successor to the near-legendary Michelin XCL which was used on nearly all Camel Trophy Landrover vehicles in a 7.50x16 size.

The XZL (and indeed its predecessor the XCL) is an excellent general purpose off-road biased tyre for those from the old school who prefer narrow tyres to wide tyres (a very sensible and intelligent view but that debate is not what this thread is about). It is not, however, a sensible choice for a vehicle which is used mainly on-road, unless the off-road portion is quite extreme. Personally I would not recommend either the XCL or the XZL for anyone who doesn't need them, or who is unaccustomed to the road manners of off-road tyres, or who thinks a Defender can or should be driven like an "SUV".

My SI 86" has been running on 7.50x16 XCLs for the last 25 years, they are OK on the road, epic off the road, but unidirectional which means either two spares or your spare will have a 50% chance of being the wrong orientation.

My Defender runs usually on BFG KM3s in 255/85x16 but on the rare occasions when heavy snow is forecast I change to a set of 7.50x16 Michelin XZL for two reasons. Firstly, whilst the KM3 is a formidable tyre under almost every condition, one of the very few exceptions is in snow where its performance can be startling and not in a good way and the XZL is significantly better in snow, and secondly because I cannot fit tyre chains on the 255s without running a very severe risk of ripping bits of bodywork off, whereas I can fit chains to the 7.50s.

The great majority of Defender left the factory with much more road-biased tyres, since by the Defender era that is what the majority of owners needed. The "hardcore" XZL was always just an option.


Thanks a lot for the input and enlightening info !
Yes, the XZL are hardcore indeed. KM3 also more off road aimed than the BF KO I am currently running.
I am sure those XZL will mean a world different off road than the KO, are the Avon as "hardcore" as the XZL?
Thanks!
Post #955944 19th Jun 2022 4:31pm
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blackwolf



Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 16808

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
No, both the Avon TM and the Avon Ranger (and for that matter the Rangemaster) were tyres with a road bias but OK off-road, similar in terms of intended use to a BFG KO.

Remember that the TM and Ranger were tyres from the cross-ply era, tyre technology has evolved beyond recognition since these were designed. They were very good in their day but nowadays drivers are used to far higher standards of grip and performance.
Post #955951 19th Jun 2022 5:57pm
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David Brown



Member Since: 18 Jun 2022
Location: Europe
Posts: 7

I see, thanks! I will have to decide between the Avon RM and the XZL than. XZL looks like a better choice for utility but I really like those Avons.

I added 2 pics of the appearance with the BF KO for reference (BTW, I am obviously narrow tire old school guy Very Happy )




Click image to enlarge



Click image to enlarge
Post #955959 19th Jun 2022 7:17pm
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I Like Old Skool



Member Since: 23 Feb 2015
Location: Manchester
Posts: 746

United Kingdom 1994 Defender 110 300 Tdi ST Coniston Green
I think the OP has possibly inadvertently led us down a wrong turn? What the question should have been is 'what is a sensible standard tyre for a Puma 110'?
To which the reply would always have been something mild in the 235/85R16 size. Almost anything 7.50x16 is an archaic throwback that is sub-optimal by ANY modern comparison.

7.50r16 is only a size to be fitted for the sake of period accuracy.
Post #955972 19th Jun 2022 9:03pm
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blackwolf



Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 16808

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
^^ Tell that to the MoD, which fits 7.50x16 XZLs to all in-service Defenders! Rolling with laughter
Post #955974 19th Jun 2022 9:48pm
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htb2



Member Since: 02 Nov 2018
Location: aberdeenshire
Posts: 507

Scotland 
Personally I like 7.50 16 on my Td5 hi cap, which is always towing a 3.5 t Ifor, 50% of the time at full load.
Post #955976 19th Jun 2022 9:54pm
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htb2



Member Since: 02 Nov 2018
Location: aberdeenshire
Posts: 507

Scotland 
Duplicate post.
Post #955977 19th Jun 2022 9:55pm
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blackwolf



Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 16808

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
A 7.50 is perfect if you need a tyre which will cut through a slippery top surface to a hard surface below, which is why they're pretty good in snow (depending on what is under the snow) and in most UK off-road conditions, which in turn is why the Army uses them. Flotation is generally overrated and usually unachievable.

If the mud is bottomless you'll sink no matter what tyres you have.

If you want to drive your Defender on the road and like a car, you're better off buying a car instead running on 235/85s.
Post #955978 19th Jun 2022 10:26pm
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kenzle8a



Member Since: 12 Feb 2020
Location: None
Posts: 1074

 
Pretty sure all those old Avons are tubed tyres, I know one of the agri tyre places still does the new version of them and they are for tubed wheels only.
Post #955985 20th Jun 2022 6:40am
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blackwolf



Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 16808

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
TM and Ranger are definitely tubed (There has never been a tubeless variant, I am not sure about the Rangemaster.

Similarly the XCL was only a tubed tyre. Although unfashionable and very "yesterday" there is nothing inherently bad about an inner tube. They even have some advantages.
Post #955986 20th Jun 2022 7:08am
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LandRoverAnorak



Member Since: 17 Jul 2011
Location: Surrey
Posts: 11240

United Kingdom 2013 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 USW Orkney Grey
The Rangemaster is available in radial / tubeless flavour in 7.50x16. It's only speed rated to 87mph (N), which I suspect is technically too low for a Puma. Darren

110 USW BUILD THREAD - EXPEDITION TRAILER - 200tdi 90 BUILD THREAD - SANKEY TRAILER - IG@landroveranorak

"You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought!" - Princess Leia
Post #955988 20th Jun 2022 7:30am
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blackwolf



Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 16808

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
87mph should be OK for a factory standard Puma since they were (at least in theory) limited to 82 or 87 mph in the ECM (possibly for this very reason).

It seems that the implementation of the SL was a bit hit or miss however.
Post #955992 20th Jun 2022 8:32am
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