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ZUKIWORLD Discussion Forum => Suzuki 4x4 Forum => Topic started by: r3cc0s on December 26, 2004, 10:20:44 PM

Title: American wheeling vs European
Post by: r3cc0s on December 26, 2004, 10:20:44 PM
I have noticed, with alot of zuki enthusiasts or offroad enthusiasts from other parts of the world, mainly europe
tend to not favor using outrageously large tires

they seem to wheel alot on even just 235's, to perhaps around 32" at most

I wonder why this is?
Title: Re: American wheeling vs European
Post by: keith on December 27, 2004, 12:40:33 AM
I've noticed that too.  Maybe they have more regs about what you can do to a vehicle.  I think one of our Austrailian members said something like that.
Title: Re: American wheeling vs European
Post by: TinTopper on December 27, 2004, 01:57:42 AM
Purely a matter of local law and vehicle inspection.

Just like why more people in Florida have 44's-52's than people in New Hampshire... not legal up there...
Title: Re: American wheeling vs European
Post by: 92Sidekick4x4 on December 27, 2004, 02:24:53 AM
Quote
Purely a matter of local law and vehicle inspection.

Just like why more people in Florida have 44's-52's than people in New Hampshire... not legal up there...


awesome, 44"s-52"s thats awesome here in BC canada the largest size tire you have have is a 44
Title: Re: American wheeling vs European
Post by: red_baron on December 27, 2004, 02:25:59 AM
I think its mainly the lack of availability of realy large tyres in the uk and also the lack of mods available to us uk zook owners.
The other thing is that by law we have to make sure the tyre tread is covered by the bodywork.
Title: Re: American wheeling vs European
Post by: mudfkr on December 27, 2004, 05:20:41 AM
We'll down here in New Zealand you can run what ever tire size you like as long as the tread is covered by some type of flare but you do have to have it certified  by a Land Transport Safety Authority approved engineer. He will take into account things like are the brakes/bearings etc sufficient for th extra loads created by bigger tires so 44"s on my Escudo are out  ::)


My Escudo with 32"s has more clearance underneath and better approach/departure angles than alot of other bigger rigs  with 35"s etc so by sticking with the 32"s I maintain a lower COG and still have better all round clearance and still out wheel the big boys   ;D
That combined with the gearing issues and extra breakages  of bigger tires (33"s and up)  is why I went with 32"s.

Different horse's for Different course's really  thats why theres so many tire sizes available ;D
Title: Re: American wheeling vs European
Post by: Speedracer7c on December 27, 2004, 06:53:32 AM
Quote
Purely a matter of local law and vehicle inspection.

Just like why more people in Florida have 44's-52's than people in New Hampshire... not legal up there...


You can have as big of a tire as you want, but the bottom of your frame can't be more than 30 inches off the ground. THats what it used to be they may have changed it since then.
Title: Re: American wheeling vs European
Post by: explosivo on December 27, 2004, 11:01:56 AM
Makes it easier to get in and out of the vehicle for tea-time. ;D ;D
Title: Re: American wheeling vs European
Post by: TinTopper on December 27, 2004, 11:15:03 AM
Quote


You can have as big of a tire as you want, but the bottom of your frame can't be more than 30 inches off the ground. THats what it used to be they may have changed it since then.


If you're talking about Florida you're wrong. Largest road tire is 52", headlights bulbs 54" or less, taillights 72" or less, 5" or less bodylift, no front blocks, no stacked blocks, no full hydro steering.

Frame height is null in FLA.
Title: Re: American wheeling vs European
Post by: wildgoody on December 27, 2004, 11:15:10 AM
That's shade for lunchtime  ;D
Title: Re: American wheeling vs European
Post by: explosivo on December 27, 2004, 11:19:54 AM
Quote


If you're talking about Florida you're wrong. Largest road tire is 52", headlights bulbs 54" or less, taillights 72" or less, 5" or less bodylift, no front blocks, no stacked blocks, no full hydro steering.

Frame height is null in FLA.

That's it, I'm moving to florida.

52" terra-tires *drool*
Title: Re: American wheeling vs European
Post by: Cwkick on December 27, 2004, 01:37:57 PM
No snow either!  ;D

Cwkick
Title: Re: American wheeling vs European
Post by: explosivo on December 27, 2004, 06:25:12 PM
Quote
No snow either!  ;D

Cwkick

Fuck yea. Plus lots of mud ;D
Title: Re: American wheeling vs European
Post by: SiKiD_01 on December 27, 2004, 09:02:28 PM
well i guess its kinda the same everywhere (in the world, maybe except US) the rule is, tyres gotta be covered by flares or body.

and i heard once that wheels and tyres cannot differ from factory specs by more (or less) than one inch in width and or height. or else it needs to be certified or engineered.

31" - 33" seem to be max for Vits here, but i have seen and know a lot of vits that just stick with the 235/75R15, (thats what i started with). with the smaller tyres and wheels, there's less stress, less likely to break something, and the vits fly with the smaller wheels and tyres.

Title: Re: American wheeling vs European
Post by: mbmarkyb on December 28, 2004, 05:44:15 AM
i run 33" here in the UK and  if i remember rightly 54" is the legal limit.

Reason i only run 33s is down to stress on the drive line . and i dont want to be too tall due to the challenge competions i enter as i wouldnt get under some of the stages they set out. some very tight spots.

I toy with the idea of 35" but to gain 1 inch isnt worth the cost of probbaly around $1000 if not more for new rubber.
Title: Re: American wheeling vs European
Post by: bandit86 on December 28, 2004, 12:20:24 PM
maybe no big tires because there is no big 4x4s in europe.  Remember, big chebs, fords and dodges ar not as common as here, they have lots of ladas and suzukis, which dont need bigger tires
Title: Re: American wheeling vs European
Post by: LawDog on December 29, 2004, 09:11:33 AM
Availability here and there isn't really a valid point.  Guys in the UK can order the same stuff as us US guys via the web, right.  Local laws? wheels covered by flares? Come on! I got the real reason.  The UK drive-thrus ar much smaller.  If you can't get your KFC or Mickey D's without gettin out of your Zuk, there's gonna be problems ;)
Title: Re: American wheeling vs European
Post by: Speedracer7c on December 29, 2004, 11:47:50 AM
Quote


If you're talking about Florida you're wrong. Largest road tire is 52", headlights bulbs 54" or less, taillights 72" or less, 5" or less bodylift, no front blocks, no stacked blocks, no full hydro steering.

Frame height is null in FLA.


Nope NH i live there.....
Title: Re: American wheeling vs European
Post by: explosivo on December 29, 2004, 12:04:47 PM
Quote
Availability here and there isn't really a valid point.  Guys in the UK can order the same stuff as us US guys via the web, right.  Local laws? wheels covered by flares? Come on! I got the real reason.  The UK drive-thrus ar much smaller.  If you can't get your KFC or Mickey D's without gettin out of your Zuk, there's gonna be problems ;)

Shipping large items within the US is a bitch. I don't even want to guess how much it'd cost to ship a set of 35"+ tires from the US to Europe :o
Title: Re: American wheeling vs European
Post by: bandit86 on December 29, 2004, 01:34:59 PM
remember, people in most european countries dont earn as much as their northamerican counterpart.  gas is 3 or 4 a liter too
Title: Re: American wheeling vs European
Post by: LawDog on December 30, 2004, 07:50:21 AM
Yeah, I thought of the shipping explosivo, but when you're spending a thousand bucks or so for new bolognas, whats a couple hundred more to get 'em to your door step.  It could relate to gas prices though.  I mean, we have zuks that get 25+ mpg on 35's, but that doesn't accound for the bigger vehicles, or lack there of.