New to G Wagen - 230 ge G460
Folks
I am based in Co Down and have very recently bought a 1990 230 GE G Wagen. I have owned Land Rovers all my life (currently have S1, S2 and 110 models) and fancy something a bit different. Looking forward to getting the vehicle home and seeing what it can do. From what I can see there from the forum are a few other owners this side of the Irish Sea.
I collect the vehicle in the south west of England next week and come home via Liverpool. Couple of very basic questions.....
1. What gear oils does it use (main/transfer box, diffs etc)
2. It needs new tyres ordered for it. What size does it take - will 235/70 R16 fit? Don't know what I am doing here as classic LR tyres really only come in 2 sizes and G Wagens seem to have more options!
Looking forward to the forum - sorry about the really basic questions but I really don't know much about these vehicles.
In terms of my 4x4 interests.... I used to do RTV trials etc but in recent years have moved more towards the "classic" end of things. Currently working on SI Land Rover rebuild and just finished a SII rebuild. Everyone has their own approach and mine is to keep things pretty much original - it will be the same with the G Wagen.
Regards
Phil
Looks the same as my wheels ! they are 15" (but i'm not sure i've attached a photo. they are the same ain't they ?) these 15" alloys were pretty much the standard between 86-90
My tyres are :-
255/ 75/ R15
But maybe just wait til you get her home and check. or call the seller and ask them to check ?
Neil.
Hello and welcome!
For the transmission oils:
Rear and Front Diffs: An SAE-90 Hypoy / EP type oil to GL-5 (1.2 litres front and 1.8 litres rear).
Transfer Case: An SAE-80 gear oil to GL-4
Manual Gearbox: Automatic Transmission fluid (ATF) - 2.5 litres
Auto Gearbox: Automatic Transmission fluid (ATF) to Dexron-II spec - 7 litres
Below is a list I'd prepared for someone else with a similar question (based on oils available from a particular retailer).
Item |
QTY |
Description |
1 |
2 x 5 Litres |
Valvoline 5W-40 synthetic engine oil |
2 |
2 x 5 Litres |
Semi-synthetic Auto Transmission Fluid (for transmission and power-steering) |
3 |
1 x 5 Litres |
MB Approved G48 concentrated coolant (all G-Wagens, but better for W463) MB Approved G05 concentrated coolant (Better for W460) |
4 |
1 x 5 Litres |
De-ionised water (for above) |
5 |
1 x 1 litre |
Castrol DOT-4 Synthetic Brake Fluid (for brakes and diff-locks) |
6 |
3 x 1 Litre |
Castrol Syntrans 75W-90 Fully Synthetic MTF to GL-4 (for transfer case) |
7 |
4 x 1 Litre |
Castrol Universal 75w-90 semi-synthetic gear oil to GL-5 (for front and rear diffs) |
8 |
1 x 500g |
Silkolene PRO RG2 Racing Grease -500gm (for prop-shafts) |
9 |
1 x 500g |
Castrol Multipurpose Lithium Grease -500g Tub (for front swivel housings) |
|
|
|
As for the wheels and tyres, I think your wheels are no 4 in the list below
http://www.rubicon-trail.com/G-Class/wheels/start.html
In which case they will run 225 70 R16 tyres
However if they are the standard 15" versions (as Neil mentioned) that were fitted to the W460 with wheel arch extensions, then the standard tyre for these is 255, 75 R15. But you will find only a very limited number of manufacturers still making tyres in this size and most of them are to outdated tread patterns. Goodyear Wranglers are still available and one of the better tyres. There may also be some additional choice from finding the US equivalent size in inches.
The 16" rims have infinite choice in comparison.
Phil,
I had pirelli scorpions on one of my Range Rovers.
They are expensive and their ratings no better than a euro equivelent (which can be much cheaper) If you've got the 15" rims you will be limted to choice. I think cooper make them for those rims still ?
What do you want nice quiet road tyres or something chunky ?
If the tyres are perished how did it pass an MOT ? (don't ask mate mine had 12 months MOT but no wiring into the rear door !!!) Dealers can get MOT's !
Ask the dealer to read the size off the existing tyre wall and just google serach to find your options.
Good luck buddy and welcome to a life living with "G'Bola" !!!
neil.
Actually, I may be wrong about the 16" tyre size, It probably is not 225 70 R16
I know that for the 15" the tyre size is definitely 255 75 R15
For 16" rims , which I think you have, the size 225 80 R16 will give the same rolling radius.
maybe someone else can confirm the 16" tyre size.
I know that sometimes 245 75 R16 are fitted, but too wide a tyres will add rolling resistance and reduce perfromnca e from the 230GE.
http://www.gwoa.co.uk/forum/tyre-advice-please
you can use this calculator to compare rolling circumference to the 255 75 R15
MY 89 300GD HAS /HAD 16 INCH OEM BUT IT DEPENDS ON IF 6.5 OR THE WIDE 7.5 WHEELS ARE
FITTED ON THE 230GE I HAD THE 6.5 SKINNY WHEELS AND WHEEL ARCH FLARES STD
TYERS THE WIDEST I FITTED WERE COOPER 235/70/16 ORIGINAL 205/70/16
Arnie is right !
Your rims don't look the same as my 15" yours have got the edge of the spokes rolled over not flat with the rim edge so do appear different. Maybe they are 16" ?
I need some new boots for my 15" (mine are getting a bit old and don't match on all four corners. but I want the white writing on mine for my own aesthetic reasons so these might be my option = http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/255-75R15-KUMHO-KL78-4x4-Tyres-x-4-four-2557515-255-75-15-Top-Brand-Value-/201035439048?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&fits=Tyre+Width%3A255%7CAspect+Ratio%3A75%7CDiameter%3A15&hash=item2ecea55bc8
Neil.
COOPER LOW NOISE AND GOOD ON OFF ROAD SPIDER USES THEM ON HIS V8
AND IF I REMEMBER RIGHT 75 GBP EACH
http://us.coopertire.com/Customer-Care/Tire-Selector.aspx?searchType=met...
Hi Adrian,
If he has the 15" rims cooper are not offering the 75mm profile in the correct width on their website line up ?
But if he a cost effective solution was needed for the 15" rims and aesthetic doesn't matter (i.e the white writing on side wall) then these good year wrangler are cheap as chips !!! http://www.tyreleader.co.uk/car-tyres/goodyear/wrangler-ultra-grip/255-75-r15-110t-303673
Goodyear ultra grip is a winter tyre
Yeah i had noticed that Arnie ! But have you looked out the window today !
By the way. If you look at imperial sixes you increase your options. I have 31x15x10.5's. These are on 7inch wide rims though.
They won't cause any rubbing issues. People fit 33inch tyres without any mods.
This is just my personal opinion but the 5.5 inch diameter wheels always look lost in the G wheel arches. Can you wait until you get it home before you splash out and consider your options?
One last thing. Slightly larger, as you've pointed out can be good from a gearing perspective. Go too mad and you'll suck what little power you have out of a 230 and it'll be a dog to drive.
Every, factory-option wheel has an officially-specified tyre size. The 460 came mostly with the steel 16" wheels (6"wide) or, with the 15" wheel (7.5" wide), if the wide-wheel-arch option was specified.
Therefore, the 16" alloy wheels you have are somewhat rare, but I would try to find out what the factory tyre size would have been for those wheels. That way you will not mess-up the gearing (these cars are geared on the low-side anyway and you don't really want to make it any lower) or the speedometer reading.
My guess is that these 16" alloy wheels should take a slightly wider tyre than the steel wheels which I believe had a 205/80-R16 tyre. (Probably a 225/75 R16 is right for these alloys.)
If no one here can verify the original factory tyre for these 16" alloy wheels, then you could go with one that is close to the rolling circumference of the 255 / 75 R15 tyres (on the 15", wide, alloys)
The 235 / 70 R16 size seems to be about as close as you'll get to that.
Bear in mind that the the tyre width should not be less than, but also not much greater than the rim width, which for these wheels is 5.5". That is two inches or 50mm less than the 15" wheels which take 275mm width tyres. 50mm less than that would give a tyre width of 205 mm
I would say, therefore, that a 235 /75 R16 tyre would be fine, but don't go wider than that.
The 235 / 75 R16 is closer to the diameter of the wide, 15" alloys / tyres
The 225 / 75 R16 size is closer to the diameter of the stock, steel wheels / tryes.
I have a feeling, though, that given the relatively narrow, 5.5" rim width, the correct size for these 16" alloys should be
225 / 75 R16.
diameter /cm | circum / cm | |
205 / 80 R16 (460 Steel wheels) | 73.44 | 230.7 |
255 / 75 R15 (460, wide alloys) | 76.35 | 239.9 |
235 / 75 R16 (option-1) | 75.89 | 238.4 |
225 / 75 R16 (option-2) | 74.39 | 233.7 |
my w460 G was delivered new with 16 inch alloy 205 / 70 /16 and factory fitted wheel arch flares
Adrian, that's interesting because that is a difference of around 10%, which is quite substantial. (205 / 70 R16 gives a diameter 69.3 cm)
Which model of alloy wheels did you have? Wide or narrow?
The standard 265 / 70 R16 on the W463 has a 77.7 cm diameter
the skinny ones but i ended up fitting 235/70/16 over size
looks much better with the hutchinsons 265/75/16 BF GOODRICH
Hi Phil ,best of luck with your new purchase looks tidy,,would love to see you and family at the Donegal event where we are expecting at least 10 g wagens including another 230 owner who is taking along his 2 young sons.You will get to know fellow owners who have had years of experience owning these fantastic vehicles .Contact me for more details Eunan .
those are the same narrow 16" alloys that I had on a ge280, I think the original rubber was only 205 but your tyre dealer should be able to tell you how far you can go, nice looking truck
those are the same narrow 16" alloys that I had on a ge280, I think the original rubber was only 205 but your tyre dealer should be able to tell you how far you can go, nice looking truck
i had the same 16 inch wheels 300gd deliverd with 16/70/205 tires
went 16/70/ 235 cooper tires no problem but would not go bigger IMO
Thanks for the replies guys. I went for stock tyres save for the width which is now 215. I understand this was an option for these rims during the eighties.
Currently trying to track down a front (nearside) rumble over about 45 mph that sounds like a wheel bearing - but there is no play whatsoever in the wheel. I am going to grease the prop shafts and see if that makes any difference but if there are any other bright ideas... they would be gratefully received
Regards
Phil
Come to Carndonagh Donegal at the weekend we'd all love to see you and your G
Gordon
Folks
As per last email - photo of rim attached. No idea of what siz tyre goes onto this
Regards
Phil