Thinking of a new Gypsy: EDIT: Now Bought

[Jaggu]

Steel rims should do well, especially since these days installation is done properly (using machines) unlike olden days. Even tubed tires can be made tubeless thanks to the improvement in the manufacturing quality of the rims and tires.

Gypsy rims have pretty decent lips also, so fitting will be snug, only thing is invest on good quality valves for the rims, some of those bling chrome ones are not great at holding pressure. So i would recommend good ol rubber OE necks.

To the other offroaders, what do you guys prefer? Tubeless or tubed tire set up?

[Parm]

Originally Posted by Jaggu

Steel rims should do well, especially since these days installation is done properly (using machines) unlike olden days. Even tubed tires can be made tubeless thanks to the improvement in the manufacturing quality of the rims and tires.

Gypsy rims have pretty decent lips also, so fitting will be snug, only thing is invest on good quality valves for the rims, some of those bling chrome ones are not great at holding pressure. So i would recommend good ol rubber OE necks.

To the other offroaders, what do you guys prefer? Tubeless or tubed tire set up?

in Indian driving conditions offroad or onroad for a offroad 4x4 vehicle, i would use tyres with tubes because not many road side mechanics can repair punture in a tubeless tyre and those who can, dont do it professionally enough to guarantee that the puntured part!

i would further like to advice those people who are using tubeless tyres in their vehicles to get their punture repaired from an authorised tyre dealer like dunlop etc!

[akshay4587]

Originally Posted by Parm

in Indian driving conditions offroad or onroad for a offroad 4x4 vehicle, i would use tyres with tubes because not many road side mechanics can repair punture in a tubeless tyre and those who can, dont do it professionally enough to guarantee that the puntured part!

i would further like to advice those people who are using tubeless tyres in their vehicles to get their punture repaired from an authorised tyre dealer like dunlop etc!

each and every mechanic is equipped to repair tubleless puncutures.
and its way easier to handle and fix a tubeless puncture.

Sidewall rupture would be differenct scenario in case of tubeless tyres.

[Sawyer]

Originally Posted by Jaggu

Gypsy rims have pretty decent lips also, so fitting will be snug, only thing is invest on good quality valves for the rims, some of those bling chrome ones are not great at holding pressure. So i would recommend good ol rubber OE necks.

That was my concern that led me to think alloys, the seal at the bead. More than one of you have not had any issues with tubeless on the OE wheels, I read, so I will stick to the OE rims. Personally, I think they look better than alloys on a Gypsy. To my mind, the less pimped up a Gypsy, the better it looks.
Besides, unlike the tyres, there is no financial incentive to switch to alloys on day 1.

[Sawyer]

Copied from another thread, looking for advice:
Michelin has recently put out Latitude cross AT( claimed to be) tyres, that are available down to a 215 section. The LTX are not available smaller than 235. Has anyone here use them in anger, and if so, any feedback? If the LTX was available in 215/75/15, that would have been a default choice for me, but they are not, and these are the closest from Michelin. They are also a new product globally, so there aren't that many reviews elsewhere.
So now it is Michelin v Yokohama v BFG.
On a separate subject, when the tyre maker says his tyre is 65% highway 35% off road, what exactly is he trying to convey? To my mind, when I am off road I am 100% there, and the same for highways. I can understand a description of all terrain as 50% highway and 50% off road, but tweaking those percentages around further seems meaningless to me. How is a 50/50 all terrain different from a 65/35 one??? Maybe I am just stupid and can't figure this one out!!

[GTO]

Originally Posted by Parm

i would use tyres with tubes because not many road side mechanics can repair punture in a tubeless tyre and those who can, dont do it professionally enough to guarantee that the puntured part!

An option : Carry an extra tube along. That's what I do when out on the highway (tubeless tyres on all my cars), thus you get the best of both the worlds. In case of a puncture in a small village, local tyrewala can fix the tube into your tubeless tyre in 5 minutes. Works well as a temporary solution.

[Sawyer]

Originally Posted by khan_sultan

Do understand that ride quality in a stock Gypsy will NEVER = a car. However it is can be made reasonably comortable by various ways like better seats, better suspension etc.

The rest of what you wrote was very helpful, and thanks again.
On improving the ride on tarmac, what are the specific things you would advise on the suspension front? Or on tyres?

[GTO]

On improving the ride on tarmac, what are the specific things you would advise on the suspension front? Or on tyres?

Composite Fiber leaves (Composite Fibre Leaf Springs: Can they be used for off-roading?) - Initial reports suggest that they greatly improve the on-road ride of the Gypsy.

[Sawyer]

Originally Posted by GTO

Composite Fiber leaves (Composite Fibre Leaf Springs: Can they be used for off-roading?) - Initial reports suggest that they greatly improve the on-road ride of the Gypsy.

Much obliged, this sounds very interesting indeed. I have just driven a 15 year old Gypsy King with the carb engine, to get used to it, and I can see that getting the suspension sorted out will be priority number 1, although I am hoping the new car will be a tad better than this one that has tubed radials, which also seem over inflated to me. Air con can wait!
I also think that the Michelin Latitude Cross terrain will be a better idea than the BFGs. As in everything else in life, there is a price to be paid for this, in this instance the looks!

[NIP]

Just curious, what is the on-road price of the King and what are the colour options ? This thread has got me thinking now...

[Jaggu]

Originally Posted by Sawyer

I also think that the Michelin Latitude Cross terrain will be a better idea than the BFGs. As in everything else in life, there is a price to be paid for this, in this instance the looks!

I have Michellin latitude dont remember the exact series name on the Crv. They are soft and may not be ideal for OTR's, also they are slightly expensive is what i feel.

Geolanders are best VFM to performance option i have heard from offroad guys.

[Sawyer]

Originally Posted by Jaggu

I have Michellin latitude dont remember the exact series name on the Crv. They are soft and may not be ideal for OTR's, also they are slightly expensive is what i feel.

Geolanders are best VFM to performance option i have heard from offroad guys.

These are a new variant of the Latitudes, Cross, with an asymmetrical tread. I am pretty sure that these are not the ones you are referring to.
@NIP, the price including insurance and RTO in Pune is Rs 5.6 lakhs for a soft top, in white, red, blue and silver. There is still some debate around the green that I still am to get an update about.

[Sha]

Originally Posted by Sawyer

There is still some debate around the green that I still am to get an update about.

You will get answer NO, Hope atleast you get the Green Color which I was excepting.
Screw them up then only they will act fast otherwise all funda stories you will hear.

[Jaggu]

Yup mine are NOT cross, 100% sure, but Michellin's are soft rubber, so be careful. Check with offroad gurus they would be the best to advice on this i guess.

[Sawyer]

Originally Posted by Jaggu

Yup mine are NOT cross, 100% sure, but Michellin's are soft rubber, so be careful. Check with offroad gurus they would be the best to advice on this i guess.

I have posted there as well, but I think this is a brand new release by Michelin globally as well as in India, so there isn't too much user experience abroad to read about. And the Michelin LTX are very well spoken of tyres, so it is not a generic issue that Michelin has in this category, of being too soft. I still have some time before I get the car to decide, so maybe there will be some input in that time. The only negative about the tyre is the looks, it does not look the type - the LTX AT does, as do the BFGs and the Geolandars. On the other hand it is the first all terrain I have seen that has an asymmetrical pattern, and it looks like Michelin have something of a breakthrough developed for all terrain applications.