2010 Spain D40 265/70R17 COOPER ST Maxx NO LIFT

[Tiny]

Hi Guys,

I thought i might try and make a post with some photos about my car in the hope it may help someone out there!
I know i did a *LOT* of research, but in the end i just took the plunge.. and well... it's a 50/50 outcome for me.

Background:
2010 D40 STX V6 Petrol Auto - Spanish Build - Factory 17" Rims (40mm Offset? I haven't looked!!)
STANDARD HEIGHT SUSPENSION (As at December 2013).
50,000Kms spot on - so whatever wear and tear comes with that!
Nissan Factory Alloy Bar
ARB Steps and under Vehicle Protection.

This car is 95% urban Warrior and 5% Offroader, but We're setting up for a trip into Victoria in the New Year.

I wanted to stay with 1 set of tyres as i really couldn't be stuffed changing between touring and road rubber, but I didn't want to be let down in the mud or snow. I got a really good deal on the tyres, so the ST Maxx it was.
(This thread isn't about what's a better/cheaper/faster/bigger/tougher/rougher/noiser/sexier tyre... it's a "This is what fit on my car" thread!!)

I went from teh factory Wranglers - 255/65/R17s with an OD (at new) of 776mm.
The Cooper ST Maxx is a larger tyre being a 265/70R17 and the Coopers also put an additional 4mmof tread on giving an overall OD (at new) of 808mm!
That makes it 32mm OVERALL larger or around 16mm each side of rim centreline!

If you think i could find someone to tell me if i would have that clearance all around... NUP! No one will put their neck on the line..

Well... I'm here to tell you ( and show you! See the pics!) that they DO FIT... but only JUST!
with the wheel centred - No dramas... Too easy and they look great!

Turn the wheel and that's where thing start to get hairy!
Turning left hand down puts the outer edge of the tyre within mm of the inner guard where it meets the bullbar under tray. I cant even fit my finger up there so it's less than 10mm! Id be saying 5mm at most.
Turning to hard lock left hand down just shows the same thing. About mid turn gives my car the worst result.

Turning the wheel right hand down, it's also the outer shoulder that gets REAL close to the mud flap... About 5-7mm here...

So the bottom line is... I need a 2" Lift!
But it will have to wait till after our trip... so hopefully i dont stuff teh under carriage!

Hope this helps someone!

1) Before - Straight on
2) Before - Left Hand Down
3) Before - Right Hand Down

After Photos in Next Post!

 

[Tiny]

After Photos:

1) After - Straight On
2) After - Left hand Down - About 75% Lock
3) After Right Hand Down - About 75% Lock

4) - This pic is a close up of the front corner of just hoe close it really is!


I hope this helps someone a bit, I know i looked around like crazy!

My honest opinion to sum it all up...
Go for it... but you WILL need a lift kit to prevent damage at lock!

 

[Cobez]

Yeah man they fit easy. I run 33's with only 50mm front lift and 70mm rear lift and very minor scrubbing and it gave me a crapload of diff clearance etc. Most blokes here run 265's with no lift.

 

[Tiny]

Thanks Cobez,
When i was doing my research, I found that everyone says what you did, but i couldn't find many/any pictures, so i thought i'd chuck some up so it might help others.

My opinion cause i haven't been anywhere to flex it up yet... they will scrub... how bad? I dunno...

I'm definitely going to put 50mm lift all around, but funds don't allow for it just yet!

 

[Cobez]

Nah bud, you shouldnt have any trouble with scrubbing. MAYBE very minor on full lock / flex. But you should be sweet to go. Take off your front mudflaps and heat the inner plastic wheel arch guards up with a heat gun and massage the guards inwards for a bit more clearance.

 

[Tiny]

Thanks dude!
I didnt think of that for the guards, thanks heaps for that!

I'm going to try and get away for a soft trip (not that the real trip is difficult!) but yeah just to make sure we dont have a major issue when away!

Cheers!

 

[Cobez]

All good mate! Just take your time when massaging those inner guards. Even GENTLY use a rubber mallet. Cant help chassis rubbing unless you get body / suspension lift. All in good time though.

I dont do much full on offroading, mainly touring stuff / accessing camp sites with my dirt bike and camping gear when i can. Enjoy mate! There's a tonne of money saving info and helpful blokes on this site that are willing to help.

 

[Tiny]

Thanks for that mate,
This is defintiely one of the best fourms i've been part of! Thats why i thought i might be able to contribute something at last!

I'm definitely not into the full on offroad "Wheeling", I;m definitely more into the touring myself and now that the truck it set up mostly, we will be able to cruise along more often i hope!

I've removed the single side of the rear seat and made a mount for the Engel Fridge, Ive got a blue apple thumper wired in as a dual battery system with an outlet in the tray for lighting / fridge / spotlighting and we're good to go!
Been busy of late.. I'll have to take some photos and update my thread soon!

Cheers!

 

[Cobez]

Sounds the goods mate keep us updated!

 

[harryx5]

Hi guys, I'm just about to get a set of 265/70/17's myself. Can the standard spare tyre still be used safely if needed? Will the different diameter cause any problems in the drivetrain?

Cheers,
Harry.

 

[Tiny]

Hi Harry,
The outside (Rolling) diameter of the tyres are 776mm and 805mm respectively.
This means that if you were to fit one on one side of the axle, and the other on the other side, the smaller tyre would have to roll further than the larger tyre.

This would absolutely destroy the LSD (If fitted to yours!), and i dont know what it would do in a 4wd Low range (Locked diff) situation.

I would *NOT* do it!

My tyre guy gave me a credit for a rotation/balance/align next time for my brand new (3 year old never used) spare!

 

[Tiny]

An UPDATE on my new rubber!

We just got back from a 3604km trip from Sydney to Victoria!
Some of the terrain included:
Highway run down the coast of NSW and to the victorian town of Dargo where we met with our group of mates.
This is where the fun began!
some light duty 4x4 work from Dargo up in to the high country which was mostly corrugations dirt "fire trail" type roads and some more tar.
Then we tackled the fun stuff! The high country tracks. and all i can say is WOW.
These tyres are awesome!
We aired down to 20 Psi just to ensure we dont get any punctures on the rocks and just climbed and descended and climbed again!
We visited a heap of the high country huts via the rough bush tracks, eventually making it to Craigs Hut where we then descended out of the high country to camp at the base of Mt Buller.
We then hit the road and beat feet across country to end up in the grampians. We spent a big day touring the grampians, and a huge hike to the pinnacles. What a view!
Then another cross country janut to the southern tip at warrnambool and 2 full days across the great ocean road, a couple of tracks there but mostly the gorgeous GOR itself.

Even with my standard height suspension, through the really rough stuff of the High Country there was NO rubbing of the tyres!
I *DID* have to screw the inner guards to the bull bar lower plates as on full lock-reverse it did grab the inner guard, but with a few self drillers this was fixed quickly and easily!

Other than this, these are highly recommended!
I was *VERY* scared that the tyres would rub and foul but they absolutely did not!
In fact... the lift kit will be going on... but only for ground clearance as the long wheelbase really caused some MASSIVE belly issues on the high country tracks (I bent both ARB side steps!! the central mounts dug in consistantly and i must have hit a couple of large immovable objects cause theyve both been bent backwards along the chassis and actually kinked the main outer tube! Oh well... something else to fix!)

Cheers for the input on the tyres all, I hope that this thread can help someone else in the future!

 

[pjwooly]

Thanks tiny just what I was looking for as I too have just been looking at these tyres and are keen for them when I can get my hands on some of those 17's for my 07 STX.

Don't want the rubbing issues either but am handy with the heat gun.
From what iv'e been reading it sounds like the 50 mm lift solves this anyway...is that correct? cos I already have that.

how much are these tyres you picked up mate?

Pjw

 

[Tiny]

G'Day PJW,
I didn't end up heating the guards at all, if you have 50mm lift you will be A-Ok!

I did have to put some more screws into the front of the inner guard to prevent it from puling at full lock when reversing (yep... did at at a campsite when maneuvering! a tiny little split is all it got).

I got mine from my local Cooper store, and they were $420 ea from memory.

Glad this has helped someone!
Cheers!

 

[grasshopper]

G'day Tiny,
Does your D40 have a tacho?
How much have the revs dropped in 6th gear now at 100Ks?

Thanks for your posts about your ute.

 

[Tiny]

G'day grasshopper,
Mines a petrol d40 STX auto, so I've only got 5 cogs to play with anyhow!
Unfortunately I can't really answer your question, BUT.

My speedo is with 2-3km of accurate now (by GPS).
My trip meters were reading a best of 17.1l/100 pretty much the whole trip.
I was averaging about 440kms / 65l of 98 octane PULP.
Fuel economy sux!
I did notice the car lugs a bit more down low (needs more throttle to accelerate) but loves the highway. I think the increased rolling diameter is like taking a diff ratio away (numerically lower!).