18" OEM wheels

[Lars Bo Kjeldstrom]

The short story: I came across a set of 18" OEM alloys for my 100 today. And I bought them!

The longer version: Not that easy to find those in Denmark. I knew it was time to bargain when I saw that set of wheels.
The owner of this car breaker place owns a 100 just like mine (same year, color etc.), just his car is more like a car breakers car (always carrying an extra transmission and other oily, seat ripping items thrown into the car!)...also it is the only 100 I have ever seen with black leather seats ....anyway, he wanted to have his car "detailed" after christmas (Detailed: change tailgates, bumbers, hammer out panels etc. -and complete repaint!)...and I happened to have the old front bumber (tucked away in the ARB box), so I picked up the bumber back home and gave him 2800 DKR (320 GBP). I think it was a bargain, so I am happy

Then I asked about the car they came from and a story rolled out..... ....

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

Well done, now you just need to add some tyres

 

[Lars Bo Kjeldstrom]

.........He told me that they got 3 LC100 from the military (Special Forces). They could rip them for parts but they should return the vehicles with 4 rims, 1 frontseat and a some steering wheel. The cars were B6 armored and they wanted to blast them to pieces and see just how safe they were

The weight of a B6 LC100 is 3600-4200 kg ...So doors and panels are not usable. The cars had only 17/46/85.000 km on the clock. They had been stationed in Bagdad. There is a unit called "Protection Team" who had 20 of these LC100, fitted with 18" Wheels and special tires with rubber core (this I read just an hour ago on the web!). I cleaned all the Iraqi yellow silt off the wheels with a powerspray....did wonder what it was...real hard to get of the tires -and not looking at all like danish soil or sand. Now I wonder whether there is a rubber core inside ....I guess they cannot release that kind of tires ???...normally they dont recicle these cars, so time will tell.

Anyway...reading about the history of these wheels made me realize they have a story to tell. Now I will refurbish them into a secret color: Dark Sniper Gray -and we will see about the bullet proof tires ....I can think one quick way to know !!!....

A christmas tale for LC owners...

 

[Lars Bo Kjeldstrom]

...well Jon, I have been looking into that -and I'm not sure what to do.....they are fitted with 3 different types:

2 Falken Ziex S/TZ 01 285/65-18
1 Cooper Zeon XST 285/65-18
1 Yokohama Geolandar I/T 285/65-18

..unless they are of the "unstopable" type I will not keep them, so if anyone needs just exactly one of these......they are free!

Any good suggestions regarding tires are welcome

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

I would say whatever you've been happy with in a 16" size see if you can get in 18". In the UK 18" tyres are more expensive than 16" and there is much less choice of brands and sizes available. I have been very happy with my Toyo Open Country AT's but they wear quite quickly and Camskill who supplied the ones I have don't seem to be doing them any more.

 

[Lars Bo Kjeldstrom]

...so BFG 285/65-18 ....they will just a little smaller than the ones I have now (2,5%)

I can see they are quite expensive in comparison to my 295/75-16 .....290 GBP each ...gotta twist their arms

 

[Julian]

Lars, had you thought of 275 70 18, should be about the same outside diameter as your 295 75 16 but a bit skinnier
I have seen a few tyres in that size

 

[Lars Bo Kjeldstrom]

Julian...I havent seen that size when I checked earlier, but I imagine they would be more "off road" like

Do you know what brand to look for?

Lars

 

[Julian]

have you seen these
http://www.generaltire.eu/generator/www ... er-at.html
General tyres AT, newer version of the AT2
These
http://www.mickeythompson.co.uk/MickeyT ... adial.html
bit of a hybrid between AT and MT
These
http://www.toyo.co.uk/tire/pattern/open-country-at
Jon has these but in a different size

I have to say I like the idea of an 11" wide just over 33" tyre

 

[Lars Bo Kjeldstrom]

Thanks Julian

...looks like all I can get within Denmark are the Grabbers ....-but I like your idea of the 275/70 ...better off road cababilities I would expect!

By the way...I found a photo of my new wheels, while they were stationed in Bagdad

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

I think we need a picture of them on your car Lars

 

[Lars Bo Kjeldstrom]

You are so right Jon. ...This morning I was enjoying a cop of coffee in the garage, refurbishing the wheel nuts, thinking about taking the new rims for a spin...I might just do that!...but with 3 different types of tires you do not want to be pulled over by the traffic officer ....anyway we hardly ever see cops in these parts of the country so I'll take a chance

Will it be okay with a photo later today?

 

[Lars Bo Kjeldstrom]

...being pushed a little by Jon, I tried the new wheels on (would prefer to show them after refurbish and new tires!)...

Though I thought it would be a good idea to see if they were running well before further investments were made

Given the 3 different tires brands and worn patterns (+roadside bombs etc.)....I cleaned the tires from stones, granate fractions and lots of glass pieces ...one tire had a "truck repair" so I put it at the rear

Beside lowering the truck the handling was a lot more firm (285/60-18 vs. 295/75-16) -and direct...very different I think.

I only took it to 100 km/h (65 m/h!) because of the uncertain condition of the tires. I am really happy with the testdrive ...so off they go to the painter (Dark Sniper Gray) -and more digging into choice of new tires.

This one I cleaned with both engine cleaner and powerspray -the fine Iraqi sand still sticks to the rubber


-and on the truck they look like this....after a good spin

I am sure TGE appreciate this early xmas present

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

Those will look very nice in a dark grey

 

[chadr]

Some nice ATs and you'll be ready to rock'n'roll!

 

[Julian]

Lars, looks mighty fine
If you could but a pic up when you have it all together, your choice of wheels, colours and truck colour are pretty spooky.
It is pretty much exactly what I am trying to but together

 

[Lars Bo Kjeldstrom]

Glad you like it guys...

Well Julian, looks like you are a bit ahead of me with lockers already !!! ... -and that JW diff ?...does that mean its a 4.88 prepared by Jon?

Lars

 

[Julian]

Lars
I have done a few things to my truck, however the diff is standard gearing not 4.88
I have been umming and arring for ages about 35" tyres, I think my plan is to stick with 33"s on balance my truck is more about overlanding than off roading, also because it an earlier 100 diesel my stock gearing is 4.1 not 4.3 to keep stockish gearing I would need to go to 4.56 not 4.88, unfortunately nobody makes 4.56 100 series gearing, There is away round it by on balance I am not sure it is ideal.
I am interested in how the 275/70 work out, It seems like an ideal size just over 33" high but only 11" wide, IMHO I think we get pushed down a line with wider tyres which I am not sure help that much, especially in sand or snow where additional drag robes us of power. I guess another benefit for you is if you need them it should be much easier to get chains on with more clearance to the upper A arms (I also think that for overlanding the ideal combination would be good tall and narrow AT tyre with the ability to but chains on for nasty mud )

 

[Lars Bo Kjeldstrom]

I am not having any luck sourcing the 275/70-18 BFG-AT i wish for....so I might have to settle with 285/65-18 which is available here.

Any suggestions?...(though I am a huge fan of BFG-AT after 400K km all together (fourth set) with no flats and ginormously many miles!)

 

[CANEX]

I don't know if it helps but I have just bought a cruiser with 265/65-18 BF Goodrich AT's - so that size is available, no info where they came from though