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PART 3

GUNNA GET SOME RUBBER

Even though you may have a plan on how you are ‘gunna’ modify your pride and joy – right down to the exact order to do it – things invariably change.

Tyres. Even though we would love nothing more than riding on new tyres straight away, there is a suggestion worth making. For the sake of getting your money’s worth, use the tyres your vehicle came with until they are worn out.

There is one exception. If you bought a new truck, try swinging into your local tyre dealer ASAP and trade the OE rubber in for a more appropriate set. You will get good money for the new ‘second-hand’ ones, which saves a few bucks.

This ’Cruiser, Project Gunna, came complete with 750 tyres on steel split rims. Close to 5000km was clocked up on these tyres with no changes whatsoever to the truck, and it was all in the name of getting to know it.

Two of these skinnies unfortunately need changing now, which is no doubt due to lack of tyre rotation from the previous owner. While these types of tyres do the job, we were keen to swap to something slightly larger.

Anyone want three half-worn tyres and five splitties?

DECISION TIME

Road tyres: No way. They just couldn’t cut the mustard on this truck. Not with all the off-road action planned for work and play.

Muddies: These are great for the off-road stuff for sure, but the truck will also be clocking up huge blacktop distances. Plus, it will hit the local pavement to and from work everyday. A bit of a waste and a comparatively noisy option.

All terrains: The great all-rounder, but some are more ‘all-terrain’ than others. We wanted to err on the side of off-road terrain while still maintaining good on-road manners – a hard ask indeed!

Looking at all the brands on offer, it was hard to go past the Cooper Sure Trac (ST) tyres. They offered one of the most aggressive ‘all-terrain’ tread patterns available while still offering longevity and safety to passengers, which in this case are family and workmates.

The chosen tyres are a 285/75 size (32in in the old money). They are a light-truck construction (ensuring durability in the scrub), have a speed and load rating of 122/119N and claim to offer excellent wet and dry on-road handling.

This last ‘claim’ is just that – a claim. However, we have been lucky enough to steer quite a few 4WD’s shod with these tyres and can vouch for that claim.

Look back at issue 99 when we had six twin-cab utes all wearing Cooper STs. We pushed these utes far more than most owners ever would, and most people in our expedition commented ‘how bloody good were those tyres!’.

This drive (from Adelaide to Alice Springs, via the Oodnadatta Track and Old Ghan Railway), along with more research and fortunate driving adventures, convinced us to hand over the hard earned. The tyre would help protect a young family as well as take us through most off-road sojourns without trouble.

For more information on these tyres, check out www.coopertires.com.au.

DOWNSIDE

The only downside to purchasing these tyres is that they don’t fit onto the skinny split rims. So, that does mean more money from the pocket. In the long run, it will be worth the outlay, but it is hard to kiss all that cash goodbye.

It’s time to go in search of some 16in rims. We will see if the whole show fits under the guards of Gunna, the ’Cruiser, without any suspension lift.

WHAT RIMS?

Thanks for all your suggestions on tyres on our forum. How about you guys and girls make some suggestions as to what type of rim you’d like to see long-term tested?

Keep in mind this is a family tourer –cum– Outback adventure machine, and it doubles as a workday commuter. So, let’s leave those ultra-heavy-duty beadlocked numbers out of the equation.
If you have any other ideas you’d like to see fitted, give us a ‘hoy’ via our forum at www.4WDAction.com.au. Head for the general discussion pages and look for the ‘Project Gunna’ thread.

Just because you own a different model or brand of 4WD, doesn’t mean this project isn’t for you. Take driving lights for example. Any brand of light can be fitted to any brand of truck for testing, so get your suggestions in via our forum.