I've used XZY in the past, found them good on road and they deflated well off road as well (in 7.50x16). They are very thick and have lots of plys so reistant to punctures. Heavy buggers though.

I'm using Cooper Discoverer STT now as well and am very impressed - very tough and long lasting and grip really well on all surfaces.
Maybe a tad aggressive for lots of dune/sand driving, as you could really feel the tread biting into the sand rather than floating, but they do a less chunky ST version.

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www.simba4x4.com

Just found these michelin 7.50 XZY's on 130" rims in Hampshire, not much time left though (well, 13 hours as of 20:23hrs GMT 12/7/09 )

In the latest edition of Australian 4x4 Action magazine there is a great comparison of a bunch of brands of off road tyres. BFG Mud KM2's got the best results....

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Dawie du Plessis
www.pictureafrica.org
www.photographersa.co.za

Not there anymore - I just won them

Anyone want some 'heavy duty' landrover rims ?

Rich

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Rich

Iveco Turbo Daily 4x4 40-10
Ex Owner LR101 300Tdi Ambi 'Tiggurr'

I have only used Michelin XZL's and XZY's in the last 9 years. Mainly because in the UK it is possible to get them like new from the Military via companies like Vass for about 75 pounds each.

XZL's are an aggressive tread that are great off road (rock/dirt roads etc) but not great on tarmac ( a little noisy) or wet tarmac ( you need to keep your speed down a little and watch cornering carefully).

So they are a great tyre for a trip across Africa.

But after 50,000/60,000km they will need to be replaced. They wear quickly on tarmac, hence only about 55,000km.

I've since replaced them with XZY's which are more like a truck tyre (14 ply though, like the XZY's) and so much smoother on tarmac. Although they are not as good in mud etc - they have the fantastic virtue of lasting at least 100,000km and even then being regroovable.

I've just put on a brand new set and Matt Savage has the old set that he is going to use - he was amazed that I was taking them off as after 40,000km they still look like new.

So both good, but if they are the same price I'd go for the XZY's because they last twice as long, even if you get stuck once or twice more (though the XZL's clog up with mud pretty quickly) - both tyres are as tough as you get, hence changing them in the wild is a challenge.

I've had a few punctures in 100,000km (valves going when I ran tubes, huge metal spike in the side wall) and a few car tyre places have given up trying to get the tyre off the rim (too much effort when you are used to puny car tyres ;-)

If they work out at hundreds of dollars each, then go for the XZY or something cheaper I would recommend.....

Good luck! As long as they go round they are at least ok ;-)

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Kiwi, 7 years around Africa. Overlanding channel:https://www.youtube.com/c/roamingyak

wahey, well done mate!!

I just sold a set of those rims this weekend (Well, ebay auction ended this w/e) with 7.50 XZL's on them.. i built them up as a spare set for my 110, but painted them in white smoothrite, and they were WHITE, almost dazzling against the green 110, looked daft, and SWMBO was moaning about them too, so had to let them go.

If you don't want those rims, i reckon they'll get a bit on ebay, although Vass flog them for £20 each

Well anything i get for the rims is a bonus off the tyres, won't fit my iveco, i'd be very happy for that price

With those tyres means i've got a full set of reasonable xzy / xy for my next trip and a second set of tyres on the truck for uk running around

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Rich

Iveco Turbo Daily 4x4 40-10
Ex Owner LR101 300Tdi Ambi 'Tiggurr'

Just found a couple more Michelin 7.50 XZY's on ebay, should anyone be on the lookout:

one in Bury, lancashire

T'other in Southampton