As I wrote last week, I bought a Piaggio Porter 4wd, about the same think of the Daihatsu Hijet. Here, I can drive it on every streets, so I must use only tires of the correct size, and on my veichle registration there is only one size, 155R12C-8PR I need four offroad tires, but not with extreme tread...I bought this veichle for a lot of reasons, I need a little car to go to work, to go into the woods o collect firewood and to carry materials for the association to which I belong. In that size, I can find only a few tires that can be interesting for me... Bridgestone RD713 New tire, 92€/each. Lerma Gomme "Super Track" Remould tire, I don't know the price Vergom "Plus" Remould tire, with my favourite compound between normal (four season compound, semi-hard with good wear resistance), winter (soft compound) and "green diamond" compound, with silicium carbide granules (read here) for better winter traction... With four season compound 47€each with winter compound 50€ each and with "green diamond" compound, 60€ each. I think the Lerma Gomme isn't the best for me, because of the street use... Bridgestone costs about twice the Vergom Plus, and in any case Bridgestone is made of winter compound... What do you yhink of the tread patern of the Vergom Plus? May be a good choice for road use 80% and 20% off-road in your opinion? Any suggestion on other brands I can't find?
I run basic passenger tires on mine. No trouble at all with off road "performance". They are so skinny that there is no floatation, so no need for a wacky tread. With only 6" of ground clearance and a 7" wide tire, you'd best not be looking for trouble anyway. The 4x4 feature of our trucks is the lifesaver offroad. They are tanks when they need to be. Just stay away from the big rocks and deep water. Have fun, /Kris
Tomorrow I try to go up a bumpy "road". It is a small dirt road that leads to the Leno river, near here. is quite downhill, and rough (loose gravel), in the lower part. Furthermore, the flow of rain has created "channels" on a diagonal to the street. Basically when you go up, I had to follow a zig zag to avoid having them both differentials with a wheel with no grip. Maybe I was well accustomed with the Mitubishi Pajero of my ex-girlfriend, but there are locking differentials for these vehicles? However if you avoid getting into a ditch on the diagonal there aren't problems ...
