| Wheels & Tyres |
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| Modifications So Far ... |
Factory Wheels & Tyres The Kia Sportage (past and current models) were release with factory 205x15/75 tyres mounted on 15x6" steel or alloy rims. While generally adequate for general day to day road use they prevent the Sportage from using its true off-road ability. The other issue is the asthetics where the tiny tyre specification leaves the cavernous guards looking very empty and in my opinion, downright silly. The good news is that its very easy to fix this with your existing rims. I've found that in Australia at least there are limited options when it comes to aftermarket wheels. The track is extremely wide so there is no room to have 'dished' rims so fit wider wheels and would foul and ultimately damage the guards (and tyres) if tried. So we have the factory 15x6" option as well as 2 (that I've found so far) aftermarket options in that size. 235 x 15/75 Yokohama Geolandar A/T The tyres I had fitted by the dealer when I purchased the Sportage to replace the road-biased Kumho's were Yokohama Geolandar A/T's in a 235x15/75 series. These filled out the guards extremely well with the standard suspension height and greatly enhanced not only off-road ability (ground clearance) but traction both on and off the road. The additional traction off-road even on steep rough tracks was amazing giving total confidence even on the steepest paths. On the beach there was an improvement but they tended to dig holes very quickly in soft powdery sand if spun so deflating them to 16psi was essential for floatation on the soft surface. They were also very quiet and gave excellent wet weather traction and cornering in all conditions. The only downside was that by 50,000 km they were totally worn but am told this isn't too bad for a 4x4 tyre with a relatively soft compound construction. A note for 'Longbody' Sportages : Another advantage with this size over anything larger is that you can squeeze a spare tyre of the same size in the wheel well under the cargo area floor as long as its almost deflated. Anything bigger won't fit. Keep a 12V automotive tyre compressor in the hatch in the side panel to inflate it as required. Don't forget to buy a 12v extension lead so the compressor will reach from the cigarette lighter to each wheel or even better still get an auto electrician to fit a 12v socket in the cargo area ! 30x9.5/15 BF Goodrich A/T After the Geolandars I fitted 30x9.5/15 BFG's, just about the largest tyres that can be mounted on the 15x6" rim (safely). Again this gave a huge increase in traction off-road and a marked improvement on the sand. On road not much difference over the Geolandars but the tougher tread block compounds and sidewall construction should be ideal for rough track work and beach work while maintaining on-road dynamics, something usually lost with more agressive mud terrain (M/T) tyres. On the beach I'd definitely recommend dropping the pressures to around 12 -16 psi and on-road up to around 32 psi. Deflating the tyres helps them 'float' by increasing the contact patch on softer surfaces. Most A/T type tyres bag out lengthways due to rigid puncture resistant sidewalls while road biased tyres bulge out sideways which is actually often better for soft sand. The surprising thing was that the Geolanders were dearer. Around $250 each (trade price) isn't cheap but as a firm believer in 'you get what you pay for' thought was a fair deal. However the BFG's were around $200 (trade price) and in my view a better bargain. This isn't to say the Yoko's are a bad tyre; in fact they were great and recommend them to anyone who wants the 'look' and wants a quiet grippy tyre on road and is a frequent user of unsealed roads and tracks. As the pictures show the 30" tyres fit with no fouling of the bodywork and fill the guards out well. I do have a + 40mm spring lift but this isn't essential for the larger tyres as it isn't the vertical clearance that restricts larger tyre sizes. While there is still lots of room around the rear tyres (even with side steps) theres only about 15mm left at the front of the front wheel which is about as close as you should go unless you remove the bumper. The rear shock absorbers and the fuel filler pipe running inside the drivers rear guard did show some light scuffing after some heavy 4WD work but isn't really an issue. The 30" tyres still articulate upwards inside the rear guard at heavy compression and extreme articulation angles without damaging the guards. A spring lift and Polyair inserts in the rear coils further reduce this light scuffing. Larger Still .... ??? I've recently found there is to be a 31x9.5/15 which is an unusual size (most 31's are 10.5" wide and not suitable for a 6" rim) but only in a 'Caterpillar' style of tyre suitable only for soft clay/mud and 'rockhopping'. Expect to pay around $300 AUD each but guaranteed to be the ultimate in traction for those willing to go further than ever before ... They're due in Australia early 2003 last I heard. Stay tuned. If you are willing to sacrifice the front and rear bumpers, considerably raise the body/suspension and source some deeply dished wide rims then the sky is definitely the limit. I've seen some pictures from the US, Thailand and Korea of tyres as large as 33 - 35" ! Maybe not the way to go for your spotless pride and joy but if you're serious about extreme off road then the Sportage could be the perfect choice. |
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| 30x9.5/15's leave lots of room above the tyre even without the 40mm spring lift. Theres not much room in front of the tyre or inner guard so basically going any bigger is out of the question unless the bumper is removed. There is no fouling of suspension or bodywork. |
| Plenty of room around the rear tyres ! Even the sidesteps don't come close to the 30's. Slight scuffing of the upper section of the shocks and fuel filler pipe are evident but only at extreme axle articulation and doesn't cause any problems. A set of longer springs or Polyair inserts reduce this even further. |
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