Oversize tires for 2020 Defender

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m_lars

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I dont have a problem with modifying a vehicle, I just question why you put lower profile tires with 20 inch wheels on such a capable truck . And I get the idea of mods if you want to fit oversize tires and need to lift a vehicle, but required to swap out calipers to simply avoid 19 or 20 tires ...that’s just disappointing. Trick me by at least calling it a defender sport or something, but when you replace an icon like the original defender, having wheels that come stock on a Tesla or Panorama misses the boat, no matter what the creative after market community or our members can come up with. I mean isn’t Out the box off road ability supposed to be what differentiates the defender from the popular more luxurious vehicles that occupy the rest of the product line. At least the 5th tire is on the door! I like the truck and when I replace my LR4 it’s the only vehicle I would think of if I stay with the brand (I have had at least one since 1997) but I would have liked more differentiation from their other lineups
Broader appeal is the reason for offering the choice in wheels. Honestly it’s all a moot point when they do offer an 18” wheel. Maybe you can’t get that in the package you want, but the option is there and you can likely mod your package to the smaller brakes. My point about the Toyota lift is that the defender won’t need a lift and a brake swap is easier than a complete lift kit install. Mercedes does the same thing with the g-wagon. They are incredible off road vehicles, but they are almost exclusively seen with low-pro street tires.
 

bromhead

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Well, I think getting a bigger engine is a bit more than simply being limited in the option packages but I get your point. I just saw the defender moving at least one of the Land Rover NA options back towards a more off road focused vehicle, like the 1997 NAS Defender. Getting the more substantial engine with very limited wheel/ tire choices does not align with that...and yes, the Bronco announcement was a bit of salt in the wounds. For those of us or don’t want to mod the hell out of the vehicle, simply having an option to put some tires with decent sidewalls on a car that was intended to go off road was not a big ask.
 

m_lars

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I just saw the defender moving at least one of the Land Rover NA options back towards a more off road focused vehicle, like the 1997 NAS Defender. Getting the more substantial engine with very limited wheel/ tire choices does not align with that...and yes, the Bronco announcement was a bit of salt in the wounds. For those of us or don’t want to mod the hell out of the vehicle, simply having an option to put some tires with decent sidewalls on a car that was intended to go off road was not a big ask.
I also get your point, they should offer a more offroadable wheel size on all engine types, but a brake change is not modding the hell out of it. For the LR3 it’s literally brake caliper brackets and rotors, the equivalent of a brake job. From what I’ve read/heard it’s very apparent that Land Rover engineers did focus on it being off road capable and had reasons for what at first appears to be a compromise. I’m curious if there’s a requirement/advantage, on the lines of CAFE standards, for the bigger brakes? No matter what the reason, I do see a smaller manufacturer having to have a broader appeal with all models. JLR set a new record in 2019 with 125,787 units in the US, versus Ford’s 2.4 million! Jeep is always going to sell wranglers because Jeepers are sheep. Ford Bronco sales will be a drop in the bucket compared to total sales. They don’t need to compromise on those models like Land Rover.
 

Sdawg11

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JLR wanted to be able to have a large towing capacity, this required bigger brakes. You can't have 18" wheels and a large towing capacity. Compared to the 2021 Bronco, that vehicle has about half the towing capacity but it can fit as small as 16" wheels.

If you tow 4k lbs or more, obviously the choice is easy.
 

m_lars

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JLR wanted to be able to have a large towing capacity, this required bigger brakes. You can't have 18" wheels and a large towing capacity. Compared to the 2021 Bronco, that vehicle has about half the towing capacity but it can fit as small as 16" wheels.

If you tow 4k lbs or more, obviously the choice is easy.
That would make sense. Standards must have changed in that regard. Back when I was a landscaper the duramax trucks we had were 16” wheels, but those were early 2000’s trucks.
 
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bromhead

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Pls correct me if I am wrong as I have never owned a LR3 (I have a 2012 LR4 with 19 wheels) but didn’t it come with 18 wheels and a 7700 capacity. Furthermore , doesn’t the p300 with std 18 wheels have the same towing capacity as the p400 with 19 or larger wheels?


I thought the bigger wheels were to clear the larger calipers for better on road performance...that nasty trend to sporty SUV’s! Although larger brakes make sense while towing but I haven’t seen lower specs for the LR3 or base defender when equipped like that

I probably missed the footnote :)
 

Sdawg11

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That would make sense. Standards must have changed in that regard. Back when I was a landscaper the duramax trucks we had were 16” wheels, but those were early 2000’s trucks.

yeah, you are correct, I didn't mean that you physically can't tow with small wheels, just in terms of how JLR builds their vehicles these days. If only they had a "big brake option" for increased towing capacity, making big brakes an option.

I'm in the same boat with my 2011 LR4 at the moment, downsizing from 19" for more tire options. I'm sure with due time people will test fit some of the 18" wheels already available for the Discovery 4 and 5.
 

m_lars

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yeah, you are correct, I didn't mean that you physically can't tow with small wheels, just in terms of how JLR builds their vehicles these days. If only they had a "big brake option" for increased towing capacity, making big brakes an option.
I knew what you meant, I was talking in terms of braking performance required by governing bodies. Maybe it has nothing to do with governing bodies, but that Land Rover knows their customer base. I’m way more comfortable with the abilities of some dude to slow down towing an excavator in an old duramax than some yuppie who’s first towing experience is picking up his new Pavati wake boat with his new defender!
 

m_lars

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Pls correct me if I am wrong as I have never owned a LR3 (I have a 2012 LR4 with 19 wheels) but didn’t it come with 18 wheels and a 7700 capacity. Furthermore , doesn’t the p300 with std 18 wheels have the same towing capacity as the p400 with 19 or larger wheels?


I thought the bigger wheels were to clear the larger calipers for better on road performance...that nasty trend to sporty SUV’s! Although larger brakes make sense while towing but I haven’t seen lower specs for the LR3 or base defender when equipped like that

I probably missed the footnote :)
18” wheels, ~1900 payload and 7700 towing capacity. The V6 also has the ability to run 17” wheels due to smaller rotors and caliper brackets, the calipers are the same. Unfortunately, finding 17” wheels (that fit) in the US is tough.

But again, the 3 is an old vehicle and had different requirements and/or expectations.
 

John Deerkoski

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I have an SE with the P400 and 20" wheels. Upgraded and added 1.5" Johnson Rods and put on the 265/60R20 BF Goodrich KO2 tires. These are 32.5" in Diameter and 11" wide, they are basically half an inch larger in both diameter and width. The truck handles fine on highway and is awesome off road. I have a little rubbing on the front classic mudflaps with the wheels turned all the way to the side. It is worse in reverse when turned. I am trimming the side of the interior portion of the mudflap mount a bit...this should stop the rubbing. Also looked at tires that were 33" in diameter and a bit wider...not sure I would do that.....you would have to use say a 2" Proud Rhino Lift and would definitely have to remove the mudflaps. Got the info on the 275 and the Proud Rhino Lift from LR Denver...check out their You tube videos
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