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Replacing Tires
A continuation of Welcome Conference Topic #323.
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Hey I didn't know you own a Acura CL, guitarzan. I was going to get that but it's just a bit slow and pricy. I was going to get the Accord coupe EXV6 but they were out of stock. So i bought the Solara instead. I love it very much. How's the CL doing??
I knew there was more to this story! Supercharger, eh? That would be GREAT for the CL. I got the 2.3, because I refuse to drive an auto
What did the charger cost? (I figure a similar one might work on my car.)
Higher pressure gives a harder ride, generally better handling and braking, and less flex, so less heat buildup.
TOO high or low, of course, will drastically affect tread life because only a part of the tire will contact the road fully. Too high a pressure will cause rapid wear in the center, too low a pressure will wear out the edges.
Racers use something called a tire pyrometer. It measures tread temperature. You take readings across the width of the tread, and adjust tire pressures so that temperatures are even across the tire. (This is a basic rule--there are exceptions, of course).
I'd guess that as long as you don't go below 32psi you're probably ok. If you don't mind the stiffer ride, 34-35 will probably give you a little better handling and braking. Since you probably don't have access to a pyrometer, get a tread depth gauge, and monitor tread wear at the center and edges. If the tire seems to be wearing faster in one place, adjust pressures accordingly.
HTH,
Bob
Thanks in advance.
Temp varies for the same reason over or underinlating a tire affects the wear pattern. If the tire pressure is too low, the center of the tread actually "collapses" to a degree while driving, so that part of the tread makes little contact with the road. Over time, you see this as rapid wear of the outside edges of the tread compared to the center.
If the pressure is too high, the reverse happens. The center of the tread actually "bulges," so the edges of the tread aren't in good contact with the road. Over time you see this as excessive wear i the center of the tread.
It's true that on a street tire, minor changes in pressure probably won't have much effect on tread temperature, but it will occur. It may also be true that steel belted radials will be less affected by overpressure than other types, but I don't know that for a fact.
One interesting aside: There are now remote, infrared sensing tire pyrometers that can be mounted in the fender wells of a car to measure tread temperature in real time, while the car is being driven. I don't know if they are sensitive enough to detect differences across the tread, or only average temperature. I am, however, certain that they are very expensive.
Is the width measurement the width of the tread, or the section width. That is, the width at the widest part of the tire? Probably not a significant difference, in either case.
I'm sorry about my post, and glad you corrected me. The first number on the tire is the section width like BJ said.
http://www.tires.com/discount_readsidewall.html
example: P185/75R14
P - passenger car tire, can also be LT for light truck, T for temporary.
185 - section width in millimeters. measured from the widest point of an unladen tire (as opposed to the bulge width of a loaded tire)
75 - aspect ratio - the section height of the tire divided by the section width. Section height is generally recognized as the distance from the bead to the outside point.
R - radial construction. Can also be B for bias-ply
14 - whell diameter in inches
after the diameter, some tires will also show a load rating. P-tires are generally expressed as SL (standard load) or XL (extra load). LT-tires usually have the load rating expressed in a letter; each letter represents in its numeric form 2 tread plies per letter. Example: B is 4 ply, E is 10 ply.
Any thoughts on why the back tires would wear faster on a FWD car? I've always experienced it the other way around. Would the suspension have anything to do with it?
The "scalloping" of your rear tires does indicate excessive ( I believe the right term is:) camber. That is, due to wear the rear tires are "splayed out" and shims (probably) are required to correct this.
www.canadatire.com
This is the website for a Canadian mail order house for tires. They also have retail locations in Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto. I haven't used their services yet, but I am looking at making the switch to studded winter tires or rims next year.
Example. If OriginalTire uses 27 psi, then it's supporting XXX pounds. Thus to support XXX pounds, NewTire should be at YY psi.
p600's 225 x 60 r15 (zr rated) in the back, and kelly 225 x 60 r 15's in front (turns out one is HR rated andthe other is VR rated).
sounds like i have a major handling / safety problem if i stick with the current combo. i am looking more for tires that last long (at least 70,000 miles or so) with reasonable performance.
any suggestions between michelin, dunlop, yokohama, continental etc. (brands and models) or should i stick with the pirelli's (they are awful in winter). thanks
I and others have found that a full tank of gas and a couple of bags of kitty litter at the far rear of the car keeps the rear more firmly planted to the ground. I drive a FWD car, but still do this as I like/want predicatibility and control.
You could always get the MXV4's, and see how the winter goes. Then, only if necessary, you get a set of snows fitted. Again, just a thought.
i'm going to try the kitty litter technique as well. i understand that kitty litter is also great at picking up oil stains on the garage floor (someone told me that if it was made of clay granules, it should make for one hell of an industrial absorbent).
I am looking to exchange my current 15" wheels on my 1998 Integra GS-R for larger 17's with better tires.
In the Posts above there is a formula for making such a change to maintain speedometer aspect ration. However, the formula uses a number, "12.7 (<--1/2 Inch in MM)" which is not defined.
My question is, is the "12.7" a constant or a variable?
See the Tirerack link referenced above. They may have that tire. They update often.
Thanks for the site info, tirerack has done their job well. And yes, they did review the Dunlop 9000 series. Although no direct comparison was made, the Dunlop 9000 series looks very good.
Might be a problem with something other than the tires. Try this little test. Push down on the bumper of your van. If the car keeps bouncing up & down & up & down, its your shocks (which sounds like it might be your problem.) However, shacks and tires are both supposed to outlast 6K miles. That might just be the way your van handles. Suspension tweaks could be the best solution.
I like the tire because they really seem to have good sidewall stability for the big van (I've used them for years), and they work well with the travel trailer. I just went to this trailer from a 5,300 LBS unit, and am considering going to a slightly larger size, 255 x 70 15 for a little more ground clearance and additional width on the ground. I have begun wondering if this tire will handle the added "hitch" weight, which also went from ~ 600 LBS to 1,000 LBS. I've pulled it about 2,000 miles so far and seems ok, but am taking a 7,000 mile trip across country next spring. I tried to find a Multi-mile web site, but no luck..
Thoughts.....Thanks, John
Years ago, my favorite manager at Wholesale Tire in Cleveland told me this: All Weather tires are not made for snow. You need snow tires to protect yourself. I wholeheartedly agree.
I drive an Integra for 5 years here in Cleveland. The stock Yokahama's slid all around during the winter. Your Civic is a similar car, and I HIGHLY recommend a dedicated set of snow tires.
One other recommendation I have are the Bridgestone Bliztecs. I had such a horrible experience sliding in the Integra, and these tires are doing a great job on my dad's car. Mom says she can hear them sticking and peeling off of ice patches!
guitarzan
Community Leader/Vans Conference
btw, tires are for a 95 325iC.
any opinions?
A 255/70 is barely taller than a 235/75 (the rolling radius is only a half inch higher), so that will not give you more ground clearance. It will give you a wider contact patch, and that should help reduce a little sway, but I would also recommend some stiffer shocks, and if your van doesn't have them, look into stabilizer bars as well.
kcram
Community Leader/Smart Shopper Conference
can you shed some light now on what "wheel offset" might be? and how to measure? thanks.
kcram
Community Leader/Smart Shopper Conference