better tyres for mud

[SimonFisher]

I've currently got four Pirelli Scorpion ATR tyres on a Land Rover Discovery 3 (size 255/55 R 19 111 H).

The mud in the wood is proving a bit challenging these last few months and given the coincidence of a puncture today which has resulted in one of the rear ones now needing replacement anyway, I'm wondering about replacing the other rear tyre too and going for something that might give better traction in the mud. However, the vehicle does spend most of its life on tarmac, usually driving to and from our woods, which is fifty miles each way up and down the A3, so I do want to be mindful of the larger proportion of road use, and not fit something that is too inappropriate for that.

So, any suggestions?

Also if fitting only two, is the rear the best place for them?

[SimonFisher]

Sorry to hear that. How badly were you hit? How fast was he going?

[Stephen1]

Hi Simon

In really sloppy mud I've found there really isn't much difference between any off-road tyres. What does help though is chains. Once you've put them on and off a few times you'll be suprised how quickly you can do it.

[Chunkymunky]

Hi

As a Landy owner I might be able to help you out a bit here.

If you do a lot of road driving you won't want anything too extreme because this can make the steering a bit vague. I currently have all terrain tyres on. These are ok for general off road work but if its mud you are going to struggle. Woods I get into have this leading to

And it was a real struggle. I have a set of insa Saharas which are a little more extreme but not too bad on road. Contemplating putting them on or selling and going more extreme as I deal with bad mud.

Thing to remember with driving off piste is if it look bad get out and look before going through it. Consider getting a tirfor winch. A t32 would be best really. Also very useful for moving logs or getting you out of a bind. Check out YouTube on how to do it properly.

Allister

[SimonFisher]

Many thanks to all for the replies and suggestions. I've ended up staying not-too-extreme by going for a set of four General Grabber ATs. The tread pattern looks to be a little more 'serious' than the Pirelli Scorpion ATRs that came off, but as they were getting quite low on tread anyway, a direct comparison isn't easy. Hopefully I haven't sacrificed road driving too much. Quite frustrating trying to decide what to go for. I saw one particular tyre that I thought looked interesting only to discover it wasn't available in the size I wanted. The Pirelli Scorpion ATRs that I had on previously are reportedly being discontinued. My local tyre shop could only source two of them.

[Meadowcopse]

I get 40,000+ miles out of the General Grabber tyres on a Defender (renewed them last week), which includes trackways, damp fields, urban and motoways.
Only had one stuck scenario, near the end of their tread life when t'other half drove further into a saturated ordinary pasture field than expected and stopped. Not sure explaining a plough-pan from before living memory helped at the time, but an hour on the shovel and a bit of pushing eventually sorted things.
They aren't exceptional tyres, but with sensible driving on and off road, they are adequate and long lasting with road type pattern and not too noisy.

I used to have 9.00x16 military bar-grip tyres on a Landrover 101 - you could lose an inch of tread and they were still road legal!
Even with full tread, for a visually chunky tyre they weren't significantly better than the general grabber tyres on the Defender, particularly on muddy tracks or damp fields. Again what you drive into and how makes the difference.

Random youtube off-road clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPQAqmcsJo4

[Chunkymunky]

General grabbers are very good tyres. Certainly keep you out of most trouble. I keep a fold up spade in the back of my 90. Most other problems can be solved. Always found putting fit brush in deep ruts a good get out in emergency

[Landpikey]

We drove into the woods and found that the Traction Control on our 2003 Defender doesn't work. Only a slight slope but quite a high clay content in the mud (it seems to have been worked over before and flattened out) so we were almost stuck - we had to use difflock and plenty of rocking back and forth to get enough momentum to get out. As the friend who owns the wood across the road also has a 110 but with super mud tyres on it (I will check what they are and report back) and drives through the old tractor ruts with no problem whatsoever I can see us upgrading in the near future. After we get the TC fixed of course.

I'm keen to be able to drive closer as "base camp" is 100 yards into the woods and I seem to insist on taking far too much stuff for each visit.

[Chunkymunky]

Defenders dont have traction control.

Low range, diff lock lift to bite and let it pull. Get a tirfor winch in the back in case

[davetb]

Defenders DO have traction control. It started on the top spec Td5's. it is available on the higher spec'ed cars.
If you google it you will see loads of moans about it.
I have a Defender 90 300tdi on BFG MUDs and a goldfish winch - with no traction control.
In wet clay on a slope you need a winch.
I also have a VW Amarok with lockable rear diff on general grabber all terrain which is slightly better than the Defender in the Clay.
However I'd much rather the Defender with sideways sliding ( plus the winch option ).
Sideways in a new truck with shiny bodywork is still too scary for me.