Aidan, Ta...

Post by **amazingdave** » 10 Jul 2008, 20:04

Aidan,

Thanks very much for your advice/ expertise about my VC and clutch at SP5...

You'll be glad to know that Al and I tackled the clutch today and all the noises etc. seem to have departed with the knackered thrust bearing and very worn friction plate.

Changed the gearbox oil too, strange two tone oil came out nice new oil in...

Plus, more confirmation of a good VC, when refitting the prop I could turn the prop by hand to line up the rear flange bolts.... Hoorah!

Dave

Post by **Aidan** » 11 Jul 2008, 18:43

cheers Dave glad it's all good, should be good for many miles now, treat it to some new rubber for next winter perhaps.

Post by **amazingdave** » 11 Jul 2008, 20:35

Aye, I've been trying to find the fabled 14" bf goodrich tyres, unfortunately I have a brain like a sieve and can't remember what you said about them to aid my search.

Post by **Aidan** » 12 Jul 2008, 08:22

Glen got some, but if you look on the BFG uk website they don't show the 14", 27x7.5 iirc, but someone who knows will be along shortly....

Post by **Aidan** » 12 Jul 2008, 08:32

found it 27X8.50R14LT 95 R BFGoodridge All terrain T/A KO , nominally that load rating is lower than our recommended sizes, this size isn't actually in our list, but pretty dam close to a 205/70/14 which is acceptable and they are truck tyres so I would think these would be a good choice, but take advice from the tyre supplier and someone who runs them. The americans would I expect run these as compromise choice for westy syncro that doesn't does get the miles on unsealed roads and sleepyspotting.

Post by **RussGwag** » 12 Jul 2008, 12:05

amazingdave wrote:Aye, I've been trying to find the fabled 14" bf goodrich tyres, unfortunately I have a brain like a sieve and can't remember what you said about them to aid my search.

North Shropshire Tyres Oswestry have always been very helpful for me.

BTW I see you on the Trefonen Rd quite regularly (big red syncro fire engine hard to miss

I'll give you a wave next time I'm in the G (also hard to miss!)

Russ

Post by **amazingdave** » 12 Jul 2008, 12:25

I've asked P and B tyres to ring the BFG on monday for me about those tyres. The load rating is pretty close....

Who's glen? Is he running the 14's on and off road or just off the tarmac? I'd be interested to hear what he's got to say about them....

Russ, Flash wave honk, I'm not at my most alert on my way to work!

Dave

Post by **Al Housman** » 12 Jul 2008, 18:53

BH Dave.Haven't you had enough of people flashing at you?

Post by **amazingdave** » 12 Jul 2008, 19:53

I can't get enough of those flashers Al....

Post by **Les Harris** » 16 Jul 2008, 08:50

BFG ceased manufacturing that tyre some time back, sadly.

They continue to make the 215-70-15, and I had a set of 15" wheels made so that I can continue to use them.

Les Harris
Australia

Post by **Mudlark** » 16 Jul 2008, 09:58

From what i remember, the price of the BF 14's when they were available made an upgrade to 15" wheels the only sensible option. I put 15" merc steel wheels with BF Mud terrains on my Tristar 3 years ago. Recommended.

Post by **Ye Olde Syncrospares** » 16 Jul 2008, 14:41

27x8.50-14 bfg,obsolete,although you might find the odd one,ive been trying to put a set together for 6 months now,215-75-15 bfg all terrain on indefinite back order from bfg so good luck,try goody wrangler or pirrelli scorpion,or kumho,cj.

Post by **Syncro G** » 10 Aug 2008, 00:33

What do I think of 14" BFG's? I like them, think they suit the syncro perfectly as they work really well on the road (as good if not better than most tyres with off road ability) without detectable road noise and aren't completely useless off road though they aren't MT's - I have some of them on my landy so don't need any more. For the all round use of the syncro (well, what I'd like to be able to use it for) its perfect. To be honest I think they are actully better road tyres than the cheep road tyres they replaced (off road ability is definately better as they actully have some) and certainly make the steering lighter and ride better. Gearing works well on them too as I have a stock JX which is a bit overworked with any higher gears. They are about the size of a 205R14 (as factory fitted to the 6J rims) not the smaller 205/70R14. I run them as my only set of tyres as I don't like the idea of having to keep change from road tyres to off road tyres and back again as I'll be anoyed when I get stuck and wish I was on the other set, plus don't have the storage. Load rateing is close to the limit I know but these aren't car tyres and give an axle loading of about 1.4t which sounds resionable. BFG know how to make a tyre withstand some sereous abuse if events like the paris dakar is anything to go by. Remember they fit proper nice thick rated 6J VW rims and not some crappy 15" rim made of recycled kitkat wrapers (merc steelies) - doesn't matter how strong the tyres you fit to them, they'll still colapse.

How did I get them? Found out about them from asking CJ as he has some pictured on his website. In November when I got them and I think still they are listed on the BFG website in 14" for AT pattern only. I ordered them from a local tyre place in Rotherham as they were on the list of distributors on the BFG website and actully understood that I wasn't making up the size. They were on backorder then as there was 2 in the country. BFG/Mitchalin seem pritty useless at giving stock and delivery dates on these tyres which I think deturs most traders from even ordering them "as they won't turn up". These people just told me they could get them for £68 and they would arive at some time and I should ring them up every couple of weeks. I said I'd have 5 and rang them a month later to see if they knew anything, I was rather surprised when they said they'd been delivered 2 weeks ago, infact they were rather relived I'd phoned back as they didn't have my details (they just ordered them anway!) and were probubly unlikely to be able to shift them in a hurry.

My advice, if a tyre place says they aren't avalable make sure they are actully trying to order them and not just saying there are none on the stock computer and no delivery date, there probubly won't be but that doesn't mean they definately won't come if you actully place an order. Don't ring round 3 tyre dealers and think they each have one or two in stock, they are all talking about the same lone tyre on the stock computer that they could get shipped in from Mitchalins central warehouse if they picked up the phone.

Also worth a look I think while I was looking I herd Hankook might do a 27x8.50R14 with an off road possubly more agressive tread. I didn't bother looking into this as I found the BFG's were on their way and they are perfect.

Post by **Les Harris** » 10 Aug 2008, 00:53

As a relevant aside, the BFG AT has a feature that few people are aware of and which BFG themselves rarely mention.

Look at any BFG AT and you will see that the sidewall overhangs the edge of the rim substantially. The function of this is to help prevent rim pinch, which happend when hitting a big rock, ledge or even a fallen branch.

Only a few other tyres in the world have this feature and I have had first hand experience of the benefits during the years when I was a vehicle development engineer with GM.

Les Harris
Syncro_T3_Australia

Post by **amazingdave** » 21 Aug 2008, 17:56

Well, I ended up buying some 15" rims from syncronutz and stuck a set of Bfg AT on....

They're a good tyre so far. Handling is not as good in the corners but still ok. Steering is lighter and they grip well in the mud.

The gearing is a little long but bearable, had to use third a few times on the motorway, not had that problem before.

Need a 2.1 engine to go with them now!

Dave

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