Continental hcs 14r20?

These tires were on the winning truck class in the Dakar.
Has anyone tried them, or any Continental truck tires?

Michelin has weak sidewalls....
Goodyear's go egg shape...

There has to be an alternative

Conti's are used world wide. Many European Mogs run them. Just remember that highway speeds in other parts of the world are not same as here. So hard to compare across continents. While we are not fastest or slowest.... (I think) USA is most steady speeds for long distant on highway 55-75 and that heats up tires. Thus why hard to compare.

Also for conti's there is very few trucks in USA that use that size so they don't sell here as much.... well..... conti's whole tire market does not fit in with the USA needs to well; so they just don't sell here as much is all.

The xl was the weak sidewall usa 14r2o tire... that problem was much remediated in the xml and xzl which is basically their improved versions meant to replace the xl. xzl is newest if recall correctly

So the 14R20's wont fit on the 1078, right ? Front and rear ?

Simp you seem to know a bit about various world of truck tires pretty well. Hope I can pick your brain some more for everyones benefit.

What is the most used tire in the size range between the 49's or 53's and does it come in 24ish, 22is or 20 rim". I know it is a bit stupid..... but if was on a trip to say Alaska or south america for example..... I would like to have a tire size that; if I need too can find easy. One that a commercial truck place might even have a used abused one on hand I can limp along on until I get to someplace where a new one awaits me. Something dump trucks, busses, other commercial trucks run semi commonly. I fear no such animal exist... but.... won't know without asking around wise folk as yourself.

Example you mentioned a 24 size tire previously..... but when I looked it up could only find it in chinese brands so while right size..... it didn't seem to common in US... or I was searching wrong


My apologies to you ohiobenz..... I see now I just hijacked your thread with this question. Let me know if you prefer and I will edit it out and start a new thread..

1951M1078 said:

So the 14R20's wont fit on the 1078, right ? Front and rear ?

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It has been previously reported that 49" tires (14r20 for example) fit with maybeeee a little modification to fender flares. The next available size up is 53's and folk have/do run them too on FMTV's, but they require more trimming and you are limited on turns cause front's hit the chassis and springs in places when you try to go full lock in a turn.

Issue most with 14r20 size is they are getting scarce. The most common source was NOS military tires.... but military no longer uses that size... so the supply is drying up. This is why 49's cost a good bit more than its larger brother 53's

Thanks. Would love to have anyone chime in on their experience using the 53" on a 1078 with stock power and stock gears.
Anybody ?

Great thread - I have basically asked the same question - from a different angle. Check these threads out:

Check pages 2 and 4
https://www.steelsoldiers.com/showt...neral-Misc-and-Drive-Train-Conversation/page2

(Not me - but I think what we are both asking - at least at some level)
https://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?111149-newbie-question-FMTV-wheel-bolt-pattern/page2

I ran across the Continental tires too.

It seems to me that ideally it would be great to have long haul OTR type tires that were easily accessible and also the standard wheel and something like the Goodyear mvt 395/85/20 tires.

Thanks!

1951M1078 said:

Thanks. Would love to have anyone chime in on their experience using the 53" on a 1078 with stock power and stock gears.
Anybody ?

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someone posted recently about this though I do not think he has stock gears but the upgrades. Pretty much all he said was.... (synopsis) "got 4,000 miles?? on them and all is good". no real details

REDee said:

...It seems to me that ideally it would be great to have long haul OTR type tires that were easily accessible and also the standard wheel and something like the Goodyear mvt 395/85/20 tires.

Thanks!

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MVT's in size on FMTV's are not hard to find and won't be for long long time it appears. There is no issue there. You just may have to wait it out couple days for delivery which most everyone with a larger overland vehicle would have to do anyway.

24s were used by the military and came on the first generation m916 series and bigger trucks. They upgraded to 24.5s after awhile and then to 22.5s. 24 5s are common in our market but not others. There is some folks that have 1400s in Europe. They are made by alliance. They come on some trucks in Europe and Africa. I actually have one of them brand new. Pretty aggressive but can be used tubed or tubeless. Most commercial truck tires in the world are in the 10R20 or 10R22.5 or 11R22.5 which is much shorter than we run. But you can use them in an emergency by dropping the front driveline

simp5782 said:

24s .. upgraded to 24.5s after awhile and then to 22.5s. 24 5s are common in our market but not others. There is some folks that have 1400s in Europe. They are made by alliance. They come on some trucks in Europe and Africa. I actually have one of them brand new. Pretty aggressive but can be used tubed or tubeless.

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Mucho thanx for info. My Unimog had the alliance on it. They were fine tires. No issues. Mine didn't like tubes though. Worked better as tubeless surprisingly

simp5782 said:

... But you can use (smaller tire(s) on one axle) in an emergency by dropping the front driveline...

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Well sorta lol. not on the AWD trucks. You drop the front driveline in our AWD twuks..... you do not move at all. Now if you put it in 4wd... you will move.. just Vewy Vewy swow which like you say.... for true emergency.... ya dooz what tya gotta dooz.

did find some 14r20 chinese clone tires. ones on amazon are NOT... DOT but they do make some also (not sold on amazon) that are DOT supposidly. But minimum order would require a good number of us to order and have them imported sooooo that would be a group buy thing. Not sure if Simp or anyone in particular is interested in that risk. (organizer often ends up with unexpected big cost from folk whom back out and unplanned expenses)

I have found 2 places - CA & NY that list the Conti HCS 14R20... my reasons for that choice are A) Newer currently made tire B) Bigger but not a 53" C) Not found that they have issues.
I would consider newer Goodyears or Michelins in the 14R20 but those seem hard to find except in older take-offs.

Ohiobenz said:

I have found 2 places - CA & NY that list the Conti HCS 14R20... my reasons for that choice are A) Newer currently made tire B) Bigger but not a 53" C) Not found that they have issues.
I would consider newer Goodyears or Michelins in the 14R20 but those seem hard to find except in older take-offs.

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Not sure whom you found in CA but I do know that https://expedition-imports.com/ sells them. Would highly recommend for two reasons..... he is a good guy...... and he supports with wisdom and understanding us big truckish... militaryish and overlandish kinda people and has done so for decades.

Would not be surprised if https://www.eurotruck-importers.com/ in GA is not also a Conti dealer. would recommend also supporting this biz for same reasons as above. Have dealt with both for long long time.

Ohiobenz said:

I have found 2 places - CA & NY that list the Conti HCS 14R20... my reasons for that choice are A) Newer currently made tire B) Bigger but not a 53" C) Not found that they have issues.
I would consider newer Goodyears or Michelins in the 14R20 but those seem hard to find except in older take-offs.

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Anyone who is a continental tire dealer can sell their tires. Even your local tire shops can order them directly from them

But getting them mounted......

c

Ohiobenz said:

But getting them mounted......

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big rig truck shop should have no reservations and the right tools

Ohiobenz said:

But getting them mounted......

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Takes about 10min per tire to dismount and mount em back up. Not hard at all. Especially with a counteract stud cleaner. It really helps on all the beadlock bolts

simp5782 said:

Takes about 10min per tire to dismount and mount em back up. Not hard at all. Especially with a counteract stud cleaner. It really helps on all the beadlock bolts

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had to look that up.... pretty cool.... a battery terminal cleaner on a drill basically

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cuEzNg4g770

That is pretty cool tool and time saver! I know, I installed some hubcaps on fmtv wheels and bought a die nut to clean the threads for the rim halves. This tool would have made that a snap and to also clean the mounting studs just makes good sense.

I think everyone in our hobby needs one of these gizmos. A little pricey but looks like you can interchange the brushes for different diameters.