Asking for your thoughts and actual experiences with the 19" option (P400 Defender 110). I would like to know:

1.) What is the OEM tire supplied with the 19" wheel

2.) What is the OEM tire supplied with the 19" wheel if you opt for "off road tires" on the configurator

3.) I'm aware that there are "very limited options" for AT tires in the 19" size. There must be at least one option (I'm assuming it's a Wrangler), since LR is offering one. Are there ANY others?

4.) I've seen the argument made that you're better off to choose 20" wheels because then you can change out your tires and have various aftermarket AT tire options to choose from, presumably better than the OEM tires. My question is this; most seem to agree that the smaller the wheel and the bigger the tire, the better for off-road purposes. Thus some do vehicle lifts, swap out for 18" wheels on P400 vehicles, and do brake caliper swaps and other mods to allow 33" and larger tires. I understand that (setting aesthetic considerations aside) much of this is done to increase the sidewall of the tires and therefore make them "better for offroad use." Tread patterns probably also apply, and there is the issue of snow performance as well. Here's the question: if you're satisfied with the supplied OEM "off-road tire," and don't feel the need to swap out for another option (maybe not available for 19" wheels anyway), then why not just opt for the 19" wheels with the OEM off-road tires? Is this a reasonable choice vs. the extra expense of swapping wheels, caliper swaps, lifts, etc. (setting aside the whole theoretical possibility of impacting your warranty coverage)?

5.) To restate the question, you basically have three options that I can see here:

a.) 19" wheels and the OEM standard tires or OEM "off-road tires," with few or perhaps no aftermarket AT tire alternatives available
b.) vs. 20" wheels with OEM tires vs. numerous aftermarket AT tire choices, with or without a lift depending on tire size
c.) vs. swapping to 18" wheels with numerous aftermarket AT tire choices; this option appears to necessitate a caliper swap or caliper grinding, plus/minus a vehicle lift for certain tire choices, plus/minus any theoretical risk to warranty coverage arising from the above mods

What are the real-world off-road (and on-the-road) impacts from the above choices? I understand that AT tires and larger tires will incur an acceleration/handling/braking/noise penalty vs. OEM road tires. The question is, how much actual off-road performance gain can you expect to receive for the above trade-offs, with the above three choices? In other words, are the 18"wheels with 33" tires and lifts and caliper swaps and what you give up in road manners worth it in terms of extra off-road performance above and beyond options a or b?

I don't pretend to be an expert in any way; I'm seeking knowledge and advice from the many of you who undoubtedly know more than myself.

Thanks!

 

The OEM offroad tires (Goodyear Wrangler Adventure) are garbage. There are virtually zero aftermarket options if you are saddled with a 19" wheel.
LR saw fit to partner with Goodyear and have them produce Wrangler Duratracs in the 18"-20" OEM sizes to give owners an OEM tyre option for offroad. They are a Land Rover OEM tyre, just can't get the car equipped with them from the factory (at least in the U.S.). Nothing wrong with the Duratrac, it has been around for ages but they are far from the latest and the greatest.

 

Thank you! They're god awful, specifically in the snow!

 

Thank you. So for clarity, are you saying they offer Wrangler Adventure for the 19" AT option, but Wrangler Duratracs for the 18" and 20" AT options?

 

Personally, if you want the best off-road option - go with an 18". Go ahead and switch or grind the calipers, whatever you are more comfortable with. If you don't want to go 18" or don't want to specifically target off-roading, then just stick with the 20" and get a MUCH more performant & protected tire for the rim. Pick a brand and size that works well for you and it will CRUSH the Goodyear. Those were chosen by the accounting wing of Land Rover, not the engineers or test drivers. Personally, I shoved 18" under there which I run when I'm going overlanding/off-roading. Then in 20 minutes I switch to the original wheel set. But I'm VERY lucky. I have air tools, pump jack and a place to store the tires. If you have those, go both. If you don't, pick the 18" or 20" but stay away from 19".


EDIT: Just saw your reply. If you want to stay "legit", your best option would be 20" Duratracs. I would have gone that route if I weren't so mentally unstable. But, I am proudly an Off-road Houligan....

 

I got the 19" had have regretted that decision. Since I off-road and wanted some better tire selections, I moved to the 18" and now have a set of wheels that are unlikely I can resell. Go with 20"s.

 

No. In the U.S., the 'off-road' tyre option for every wheel size is the Goodyear Wrangler Adventure Terrain or whatever they call it. It is maybe suitable for some dirt roads but is not really what I would call a true all-terrain tire in that it lacks any sort of tread on the sidewalls for gripping rocks. It is also scary bad in the snow to be honest.

Land Rover partnered with Goodyear to see that they produced D-tated (as in, not true 'commercial grade' and therefore lighter) Duratracs in all the diameters from 18" up to 20". No such luck for the 22s but, seriously, you are not making it a mile down a real trail with 22" wheels. All the trucks in the promotional videos from Africa just before the car launched were shod with the Duratracs. It is a real off-road tyre and competent in the snow, albeit not the newest tire design out there.

 

My rig came with these tires and I have no issues with them to date. I competed in the Trophy competition in Asheville at the LR training facility and all of the vehicles had these tires. While not Moab, the tire proved quite capable for what we put it through (some of which was quite wet and muddy along with some rock runs). As I have always done, in the winter I throw on a second set of wheels with Nokian Hak snow tires, so I can't comment on Wranglers in the snow. I thought about throwing on the Duratracs and still may do so, but will likely wait until the Wranglers are in need of replacing.

 

Scary bad in the snow is an understatement. I'm keeping my 130 stock and is 100% the reason why I'm not getting the Off-Road Pack. I can anticipate the street-style Continental's and Pirelli's being much better in snow conditions. LR should have used the 3 Peak Rated Wranglers at least.

 

My 2020 X came with the 19" and Goodyear AT's. I did some pretty legit offroading (Daniel Boone Backcountry Byway) with a jeep crew, only got stuck once (alebit against 2 trees, but that's another story). The tires managed the rocks fine, but do to constuction the 19" rims got dinged up a bit. IMHO they aren't great in the mud. Limited snow experience, so no comment there. I wish the truck had come with 20's. That said, I'm moving to 18"s with the caliper grind (ironically with the 19" wheels no issues on the front axle) and 275/70R18 BFG KM3s (due in next week yeah) with 1.5" lift.