Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!

Ford Freestyle Tires

24

Comments

  • saabturboidsaabturboid Member Posts: 178
    stevedebi,

    I think you may misunderstand how the term 'profile' is used in reference to tires. The 18" Pirellis are actually a lower profile tire than the 17" Continentals. Profile refers to the height of the sidewall on any given tire. The bigger the wheel size for any given vehicle the lower the tire profile needs to be by necessity to keep the same tire circumference. That is why as wheels get bigger the sidewalls get smaller.

    Also, the profile of a tire has nothing to do with how long they will last. That is mainly a function of the rubber compound used to manufacture the tire. Typically lower profile tires are more performance oriented and therefore a softer rubber compound is used. This soft rubber affords more cornering grip, shorter braking distances, and better overall performance, but will wear at a faster rate than a tire with a harder compound rubber.

    This is an area of one of the biggest misunderstandings about tires. Many people believe that the longer a tire is designed to last the better the tire. Many people pay huge premiums to buy tires that are advertised to last 60 or 80 thousand miles. What they fail to realize is that in order for a tire to last that long a very hard rubber compound is used making the tire LESS SAFE. A hard rubber compound will not only offer less cornering grip, but it will slip much sooner and will not allow a vehicle to stop as quickly in hard braking situations. These characteristics are amplified in cold weather and as the tires age. Both cause the rubber to harden even further. Just some food for thought.
  • bobw3bobw3 Member Posts: 2,989
    A hard rubber compound will not only offer less cornering grip, but it will slip much sooner and will not allow a vehicle to stop as quickly in hard braking situations.

    Maybe you should drive with snow tires all of the time :P

    All you have to do is look at the test results with the standard tires, but low mile tires does not equal to higher quality or safer tires...they could just be poor quality tires so they don't last as long. The lifetime miles of a tire does not indicate safety or quality necessarily. So if you think the 50,000 mile tire is safer than the 90,000 tire just because of the shorter life that's a mistake.
  • freealfasfreealfas Member Posts: 652
    sorry bobw3, saabturoid is spot on with his points. He wasn't comparing the "quality" of a tire as a poor quality tire is a poor tire regardless of mileage rating. He was pointing out the differences between higher and lower "mileage" rated tires which could be from the same manufacturer having no impact on the perception of quality in his points.
  • bobw3bobw3 Member Posts: 2,989
    I just don't agree that a tire with a higher mileage rating is necessarily any better or more safer than a tire from the same manufacturer with a lower mileage rating.

    Lower mileage rating doesn't equal to a better or safer tire even from the same manufacturer.
  • stevedebistevedebi Member Posts: 4,098
    "Profile refers to the height of the sidewall on any given tire."

    Sorry, I meant lower. You are correct of course.

    I was basing my observations on what I have seen about lower profile tires not lasting as long as higher profile. Maybe it is because low profile tires are built for performance, and thus the rubber is softer... but this is what my research indicates for tire longevity.

    I am glad I don't have the 18", due to the fact that the owner's manual states that the 18" tires cannot be used with tire cables in the winter.
  • mschmalmschmal Member Posts: 1,757
    The Federal Government actually made it easy for non experts to compare different tires for the features that matter to them.

    You need to read this brief article.
    http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=48

    Mark.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    The last I heard, you can only use the UTQG ratings to compare tires within a single brand; in other words, a 600 tread wear rating for a Michelin may not correspond very well with a 600 rating for a Firestone.

    Maybe they changed the process?

    q45man, "Replacing Tires" #95, 20 Feb 2000 5:53 pm

    tireguy, "Tires, tires, tires" #31, 24 Apr 2000 8:51 am

    I went over to Tires, Tires, Tires and asked for an update. (link)
  • saabturboidsaabturboid Member Posts: 178
    That is true, the tread wear ratings do not correspond correctly between brands. In my experience the best way to determine how long a tire might last is to look at the manufacturers tread life warranty which is generally more reflective of the expected life than the UTQG ratings.

    You may notice that most performance tires do not have a mileage warranty. This is because the manufacturers know that a performance tire using a softer rubber compound is not going to last a terribly long time, so no warranties are offered. The Pirellis on the Freestyle Limited are a mild performance tire so they are by their very nature not going to last a long time. The Continentals on the other Freestyles are not really performance tires, but their tread life seems to be on the low side anyway.
  • gerrythegreatgerrythegreat Member Posts: 6
    I have a 2005 sel front wheel drive with oem continentals that need to be changed I have 40 000 km on them. I live in Canada but close to us border so I am planning on buying my tires in the us.
    My car is the second year of a 3 year lease and we are considering keeping it after or at least buying another freestyle so the tires would last me more than 1 year.

    We have a fair bit of snow and these tires will be used in the winter. we dont have far to go for work and only travel about 20 000 km a year.Here are the models I am looking at. I dont know much about tires and your imput will be greatly appreciated.

    good year assurance tred
    toyo versado lx
    yokohama trz
    falken 912
    michelin hydroedge

    and lastly the continentals oem that I can get for way cheap but that are average on a good day,

    what do you think?
  • coldcrankercoldcranker Member Posts: 877
    I went to www.tirerack.com and got the OEM 17" Continentals (with puncture resistant goo inside) for $52 each. They are TR speed rated and rated "A" in both temperature and traction, not bad, and above average. People complain about the tread thickness, which does limit their life, but they are good performing tires, appearing as OEM on Porsche Cayennes SUVs. I'd recommend them. For more treadwear, I'd recommend the Goodyear Assurance TripleTred you mentioned above the rest. Another excellent choice in a premium tire is the Bridgestone Turanza Serenity, an asymetrical tread tire with excellent speed/traction/temperature ratings and it is the latest tech. www.tirerack.com 215/65-17
  • freealfasfreealfas Member Posts: 652
    has anyone tried 235/55/18's on stock rims???

    wondered if anyone has had any luck with that fittment as I'll be buying new tires before winter.

    thanks,
  • jimcat11jimcat11 Member Posts: 20
    34k and change.. just replaced them.. did some searching and got the Yokohama YK520 Tires 65R17 R17 65R.

    Reviews on this tire seem very favorable, with a supposed 60k tred warranty.

    Jim
  • saabturboidsaabturboid Member Posts: 178
    I also replaced the original Continentals with the YK520s. They have good grip and hopefully will last longer than the stock tires. My only complaint is the Freestyle rides quite a bit firmer with these tires because they are H rated. If you prefer a soft couch like ride then these are not the tires for you.

    Chad
  • jimcat11jimcat11 Member Posts: 20
    As the Freestyle is not a luxury Auto..I do not think any tire will give you a real cushioned ride there.. I have had them for a day now and have over 126 miles on them, more to come tonight.. but I like the firmness. The Freestyle in general feels tighter with these tires.

    Jim
  • passat_2002passat_2002 Member Posts: 468
    Please share how much you paid, and where did you buy them?
  • saabturboidsaabturboid Member Posts: 178
    I bought my set almost a year ago. I don't recall the exact price but with mounting, balancing and tax it was around $600 for the set of 4. I believe the YK520s are only available through Discount Tire where I bought mine.

    As far as my firmness comment. I was only trying to relay that compared to the stock Continental tires the vehicle rides firmer with the YK-520s.

    - Chad
  • jimcat11jimcat11 Member Posts: 20
    I paid 496. a few days ago. At Discount tire.. even though my original quote was for 642.. less the 100 sale they have going thru today Ocotber 27th.

    How did I do it.. I searched the net and on Ebay.. Discount tire has a store there.. delivered the price was going to be 404. But one would have to get em mounted and balanced etc. I got the road hazard insurance ( I called the Ebay discount tire place and they offered it for all 4 tires at 8.00 a piece) I then said let me call the local store and see how much to mount them. Discussions with the local store, met the 404 delivered price. they met the 8.00 per tire insurance.. with everything all said and done.. 496.25 for all 4.

    Jim
  • bruneau1bruneau1 Member Posts: 468
    I would appreciate any comments about the YK520s and road noise. The Continentals seem noisy on coarse pavement. What pressure are you using? Would the 520s benefit from a slightly lower pressure. I find the recommended 34 in the back too thumpy. I use 32 since I never have heavy loads back there. Thanks.
  • saabturboidsaabturboid Member Posts: 178
    The YK520s are not noisy at all, but all tires increase in noise as they age. This is why so many people think that what ever new tires they buy are so quiet compared to the old ones. This is so because the new ones are...well... new and the old ones were ...well... old.

    As far as tire pressures. I have tried different pressures but it doesn't seem to make much of a difference in ride quality. The YK520s are H rated, and in order for a tire to be H rated they have to have stiffer sidewalls to sustain the 130mph tests. These stiffer sidewalls are going to firm up the ride no matter what the tire pressure.

    - Chad
  • bobw3bobw3 Member Posts: 2,989
    I just bought the OEM 17" Continentals for my '05 SE FWD for $50ea at tirerack. Total of $244 for the set including shipping. I have almost 60,000 miles on my original Continentals and I've been satisfied with them, so that's why I'm buying another set, even though they get a bad rap.
  • davexpertdavexpert Member Posts: 9
    I have a 2006 FWD SEL and about 30K miles on my original Conts. Live in St. Louis, MO - so snow comes about 5 times a year and we had a major storm last weekend... in the snow storm, I renamed our Freestyle the Ford Futile because of it's inability to get up a relatively minor hill in the snow. I'm hoping the tires are to blame and now am searching for some decent ones that I can put on their for year-round use, but will definitely be much more effective in snow/ice weather conditions.

    Given this, are there any particular ones that seem to add a much better snow-readieness to a FWD Futile, I mean, er, Freestyle? Thanks!
  • jimcat11jimcat11 Member Posts: 20
    Well we had 10 inches of snow.. preceeded by a little Ice here in Indiana.. I did not have any difficulty at all with those new Yokohamas I purchased in November.

    I went up a little hill or two, that were not really plowed and got up just fne.

    Jim
  • mschmalmschmal Member Posts: 1,757
    The tires aren't bad for the money. Some people just might want a little more performance.

    Mark
  • glenncofglenncof Member Posts: 6
    http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8AcOGzhu4aNXPQ

    See picture at above site.

    These are General Grabber UHP. They fit with no modification to factory 18" rims.
  • jwgasnerjwgasner Member Posts: 12
    Glenn - let me know how you like the Grabber UHPs. I'm here in MN and I like the looks of those better then the OEM's on my Freestyle. Will most likely need to replace mine next fall before winter sets in.
  • saabturboidsaabturboid Member Posts: 178
    I wanted to post an update on the Yokohama YK-520s I've had on my AWD '05 Freestyle for about 15 months now. One of the primary reasons I bought these tires is we only got 30k miles out of the stock Continentals and the YK-520s were rated as 60,000 mile tires. I'm sorry to report I doubt there is any way I will get that many miles out of these tires unless I run them the last 20,000 completely bald.

    Since purchasing the tires we have put 22,000 miles on them and have rotated them three times. I was shocked to see as I looked more closely at the tires last weekend that the tread had already worn to within a few mm of the wear bars. This rate of wear indicates I may only have 10,000 miles left on these tires. This means they will likely only last a few thousand miles longer than the Continentals. Based on the 60,000 mile warranty I would have expected much better.

    I'm am now curious if the AWD system of the Freestyle somehow causes more wear on the tires than perhaps a FWD vehicle might, or if these tire tread-wear estimates are simply marketing driven and wildly optimistic.

    In any case, I believe my next set of tires will be required about 2 years sooner than planned and will be needed before next winter. At this point I'm leaning towards Goodyear TripleTreads. I have these on another vehicle and are happy with them and they do come in the Freestyles size. I'm beginning to wonder if it will ever be possible to get even 40,000 miles out of a set of tires on the Freestyle.

    - Chad
  • richfig23richfig23 Member Posts: 15
    I believe its a combination of the fact that the freestyle is so heavy and the AWD system. I too have experienced premature tire wear on my 06 limited, but I have accepted that this will always be the case, Fortunately, I typically don't dirve more than 10-15K miles per year
  • coldcrankercoldcranker Member Posts: 877
    saabturboid (Chad): Certainly the fact that we run 215 mm width (215/65-17) tires in a 4000 lb vehicle does wear them out a bit faster. Instead of the Goodyear TripleTreds, try the Bridgestone Serenity, since it has a very thick tread (700 vs. your Yoko's 520), and you get an assymetrical tread design like your Yoko's. Assymetrical treads are really better, since the inside of your tread has different requirements than the outside edge (cornering). The ultimate thick-tread tire seems to be Michelin's HydroEdge, a 90,000 mile warranty tire!
  • freealfasfreealfas Member Posts: 652
    90k tire, you might as well have tires carved out of solid rubber mounted... that's just a silly, silly idea. UV, road conditions, weather conditions, heat cycles, 7+years @12k a year, that makes no sense whatsoever to expect out of a tire. tires harder over time to begin with, start with a hard compound and keep it for that long, you are just asking to drive into a ditch...
  • saabturboidsaabturboid Member Posts: 178
    I think you are onto something with the width of the tires only being 215s. It seems this vehicle would be better suited to have 225s, so for my next set I may try going with a 225/60/17 tire. This would make the tire slightly wider than stock allowing the wear to be distributed over a wider contact patch while keeping the sidewall relatively the same height.

    I am not in agreement that the Freestyle is that heavy of a vehicle. The Freestyle is one of the lightest crossovers on the market and many family cars these days are approaching 4,000lbs. I suspect the biggest issue is the tire is simply undersized and wonder how much of an impact the AWD system has.

    - Chad
  • coldcrankercoldcranker Member Posts: 877
    saabturboid (Chad): Instead of 60, go with 225/65-17, since you only raise the vehicle by about 1/4 inch with those. The 60 aspect ratio will actually lower your vehicle about 1/6 inch vs. the stance of 215/65-17 (standard) and the tires might be undersized in the wheelwells. I agree that the Freestyle is not really overweight, only that 4000 lbs combined with 215 mm width is a little skimpy. In fact, if one looks at the weight of the latest Saturn Vue, for example, its a smaller vehicle that is heavier, like many others. Its probably because the Volvo-derived chassis of the Freestyle/TaurusX is better optimized for higher strength/weight.

    About those Michelin Hydroedges, they have a UTQG of 600AB, which means they are very thick and have good traction (A). Interestingly, the Pirelli 4seasons have the best tread thickness, at a whopping 760, followed closely by the TripleTreds and Serenity (my favorite), so they all should last.
  • bruneau1bruneau1 Member Posts: 468
    I would appreciate any feedback on the Y520 for ride comfort and noise which are more important to me than long life. I intend to go with the 225/65/17.
  • saabturboidsaabturboid Member Posts: 178
    bruneau1 asked:

    I would appreciate any feedback on the Y520 for ride comfort and noise which are more important to me than long life. I intend to go with the 225/65/17.

    I can't in good conscience recommend the YK-520s for the Freestyle at this point. I believe they are likely better suited for small sporty cars. Not only am I disappointed with the tread life, but after only 22,000 miles they have become noisy and the ride has always been a bit harsher than I would prefer. The stock Continentals definitely offered a more compliant and pleasant ride and now I know after the fact that they last just as long as the YK-520s. I think I'm only going to get about half the 60,000 miles I expected out of the YK-520s.

    - Chad
  • bobw3bobw3 Member Posts: 2,989
    I'm on my second set of OEM Continentals and I think they're fine. The first set lasted 2 1/2 years and 50,000 miles, and I bought a new set online for $65each including shipping, so they're a great deal too.
  • saabturboidsaabturboid Member Posts: 178
    bobw3 wrote:

    I'm on my second set of OEM Continentals and I think they're fine. The first set lasted 2 1/2 years and 50,000 miles, and I bought a new set online for $65each including shipping, so they're a great deal too.

    Is your Freestyle AWD or FWD? I'm trying to figure out why some here can get 50k miles out of the stock Contis when others are worn out by 30,000 miles or less.

    - Chad
  • bobw3bobw3 Member Posts: 2,989
    Mine is FWD. And when I replaced them they weren't bald or anything, but I just wanted new ones before winter (I bought them last Oct). Maybe driving conditions make a difference. Or geographic location (eg...are those not getting many miles living someplace really cold or really warm all the time?). I was living in Virginia and now Ohio, so the temps aren't too extreme. I also keep my tire pressue at about 35-37PSI.
  • saabturboidsaabturboid Member Posts: 178
    Mine is AWD and seems to eat through tires much faster than it should. Perhaps it is an AWD vs. FWD issue.

    I think an informal poll is in order:

    If you have purchased new tires for your Freestyle or Taurus X please list whether you have AWD or FWD and how long your stock tires lasted.

    - Chad
  • freestylistfreestylist Member Posts: 3
    I have AWD and Continental tires. After 5000 miles/ 1 month they were half way done. Now I have about 10000 miles on them and was told that they are good for another 2000 at most. I'm talking about front tires,I have same tires on the back that lasted 40000+ Why are the front ones wearing so fast? Maybe just simply bad set of tires? THanks!
  • saabturboidsaabturboid Member Posts: 178
    Even though AWD Freestyles can put power to all four wheels, unless slip is detected I believe 90% of the power goes to the front wheels. From that standpoint the fronts will wear much faster than the rears just as with a FWD car. Plus the front tires take more wear from turning and braking that puts more force on the front. You MUST rotate your tires frequently. This is even more important with AWD than FWD because it is very important to the proper function of the vehicle that all four tires are the same circumference and have the same wear. Even with all of this it seems your tires are wearing even faster than others here have experienced, but it does support my theory that the AWD Freestyles are for some reason very hard on tires.

    - Chad
  • barnstormer64barnstormer64 Member Posts: 1,106
    Even though AWD Freestyles can put power to all four wheels, unless slip is detected I believe 90% of the power goes to the front wheels.

    It's 100%.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    AWD Freestyles are for some reason very hard on tires

    FWD Minivans have brake equalizing gizmos to shift some of the braking force to the rear wheels. They are still hard on front tires. I seem to remember people saying that the Freestyle has the same kind of gizmo - may be something to check to make sure it's working.
  • asa203asa203 Member Posts: 10
    I too have found that the Continental Touring tires only get about 30K before needing replacement. The performance has been good, even in the snow, but that it what I expect from AWD. I am now in the market for some new treads.

    Anthony
  • kpevavkpevav Member Posts: 41
    Has anyone tried the Cooper CS4 Touring tires? They have the correct size for the Freestyle and have worked well for our Subaru Forester. I am considering them as replacements for the Continentals that need replacement at 31,000 miles.
  • freestylistfreestylist Member Posts: 3
    Just bought Goodyear assurance triple treads. Best tires I've ever had!! And had a good deal on them ,too.
  • bruneau1bruneau1 Member Posts: 468
    How do you compare them with the originals in terms of ride and quiet? Thanks.
  • hbranschhbransch Member Posts: 8
    I have 100k mi on my 2006 Freestyle SEL. FIrst set of Conti's went 33k before the noise got too bad from cupping. Second set (with factory rims off ebay) went about 32k, again from cupping and noise. Still had 5k mi of life on both sets.

    Went with Goodyear Triple Treads. Loved them at the start. Snowstorm last winter, with 18-20" of snow, no problem in 4 to 6" of infrequently plowed road, amazing in wet, and reasonably quiet, with a stiffer sidewall (and turning) than Conti's. Now, after 30k, lots of tread (much more than Conti's), but the dang cupping and constant road hum is back. Worse after a rotation.

    All the tires were rotated, inflated and aligned to spec. The triple treads were rotated every oil change.

    Tire guy says the shocks and struts are 'weak' and need to be replaced to the tune of $1k. HELP. This can;t be so. How did the original set cup so much?

    Any thoughts about this. Is it me or this vehicle?

    Have pictures of originals with cupped tread block if interested.
    =H
  • bruneau1bruneau1 Member Posts: 468
    Is your Ford awd or fwd? Awd has the load-compensating shocks. in any case, after 100 k miles, it is not at all unreasonable to need new struts and shocks.
  • alramalram Member Posts: 1
    Hi,

    I want to change the tires of my Ford Freestyle 06 moving from the
    ones that came with the car to a 225/65R/ 98H B. I prefer wider tires. Is it going to have a negative effect on the car's performance? Is it safe? Any comments?

    Thanks

    Al
  • coldcrankercoldcranker Member Posts: 877
    225/65-17 is fine. It closely matches the 225/60-18 in the Limited Freestyles. It only increases ride height over the 215 by about 1/4 inch, and the width is only an extra 1/5 inch bulge on the sides. Not a problem. I doubt if the handling is affected much.
  • bruneau1bruneau1 Member Posts: 468
    As already stated, the size (225/65/17) is not a problem. I have heard from people who have done this. The real question is what brand? At first I was going to go with the Yokohama k520, but some say it is too firm. Any other good ideas out there? I think Freestyle owners would not be happy with an SUV type tire since they tend to be more aggressive = noisier and stiffer.
This discussion has been closed.