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Any thoughts on that?
rolling backwards on an incline is totally normal with an auto trans.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S
Then go to the dealer and have them check the rear wheel alignment or do a full 4-wheel alignment. If you don't trust the dealer, then go to a reputable shop which specializes in alignment and suspension.
First of all let me apologize for asking this question which most certainly has been answered already somewhere on this site. I am looking for the new tires for 2006 XC90. I am in New England, MA, so they must be good on snow. My original Michelin dead after 42K. Another question - I notice that some people switch to 18". Would it create any problem with warranty since Volvo recommends 17" for my car? And last - where did you buy your tires from? Thank you!!!
An alternate tire/wheel for at least some years of the XC90 is "lower profile" 55 series, 235/55-18 tires on 18" wheels. This size has the same outside diameter at the tread as the 235/65-17, but at considerably higher cost. To change now to 18" tires would require replacing the current 17" wheels with 18" wheels.
The main reason to choose the 18" wheels is appearance. Some people really prefer it. People have gotten weirdly obsessed with the "look" of low profile tires.
Maybe lower profile tires improve the performance of sports cars on smooth pavement, but I don't think they are appropriate on an SUV. The appearance of the 65 series tires is just fine, and having more rubber and air between the rim and the road is what is wanted in an SUV -- more likely to protect the wheel from impact damage. And for extra traction in winter or on soft ground you could reduce the inflation pressure (within limits) to give more traction.
Many pickups and body-on-frame SUVs (like the Chevy Suburban) are equipped with 70 series tires which have even more air between the rim (i.e. the wheel) and the road.
For those who may not know:
(1) The first number in the tire size designation is the width in mm at the widest point sidewall-to-sidewall with the tire mounted on a specified rim width wheel and infllated to some standard pressure. The tread width is less than this and depends on the tire model.
(2) The next number is the aspect ratio. This ratio is the radial distance from the edge of the rim at the sealing surface to the outside of the tread divided by the width of the tire defined in (1) above. The decimal point is not shown.
(3) The third number is the diameter in inches of the wheel at the bead sealing surface.
So, for example, the tread of a 65 series tire of width 235 mm is at a distance of 0.65 x 235 mm / 25.4 mm/in = 6.0 inches from the sealing surface of the rim. Therefore, the outside diameter at the tread of a 235/65-17 tire is 17" + 2 x 6.0" = 29.0".
For the 2004 XC90 FWD the alternate tire size in the 18" wheel is 235/60-18 (diameter 29.1") and not 235/55-18 (this would be diameter 28.2"). See TireRack.
In a 55 series tire, 255/55-18 is required to give the same 29" dia at the tread as 235/65-17 and 235/60-18. If Volvo doesn't list 255 mm wide tires as an OE choice this could indicate that 255 mm wide tires might be wide enough to rub the insides of the wheel wells in tight turns, especially turns with bumps causing suspension travel.
The diameter of 235/55-18 is 28.2".
It is 235/60-18 that is the same dia and is the alternative size to 235/65-17.
You might look at Post #94 in this thread. So you could consider Kumho Road Venture APT KL51 in the 235/65-17 as an economical alternative to Michelins (or in 235/60-18 if you decide to change to 18" wheels).
Besides performance and length of service, an important criterion for tire choice nowadays is fuel efficency. Some tire models do allow higher mpg than others, and it seems to be difficult to find data on this. However, wider tires almost always give lower mpg than narrower ones. So the relatively wide tires in the 2008 XC90 V8 AWD Sport model (255/50-19 => 29.0" diameter at tread) should contribute to lower mpg than the 235 mm wide tires in the other XC90 models.
With respect to the XC90, I love this vehicle. I've owned Ford, GM, Chrysler, Toyota, and VW over the years and I have to say this car has outperformed all. Probably key to this is the dealer support and we will miss Lehman Volvo of York, PA. Unfortunately, Miller in Lebanon NH are a bunch of incompetent crooks. Lovering in Concord is somewhat better, but can be difficult to deal with at times.
I'd appreciate any responses on the Nokians and experiences with dealer service in NH / VT / MA.
Anyway, after the first snow here in Chicago a few weeks ago I had to get rid of the Pilots. I did find a Nokian dealer local and put 4 of the WR-G2s on. It made a HUGE difference in wet & snow control! I had there perfect chance to test them the past 2 weeks of snowstorms, sleet, & rain we've had so far this December. The tires worked very well in it all. It is still not even close to what I'd try and go through with a real 4 wheel drive SUV but it's pretty good! It does feel more like a truck now as well. Very happy with the purchase.
I know you're not in Chicago but I bought them at Suburban Tire which has about 5+ locations in the suburbs here. The service was excellent and they have nitrogen if you want it...
John
My understanding is that this car is FWD most of time. The rear drive only kicks in when the front wheels slip. We live in a warm climate, so snow/ice is rare. Is it going to do any damage to the drive system to run old tires in the front and new ones in the rear for 6 months or so? Thanks much!
Well, therein lies the problem. Theoretically, the tires with 5/32" will spin at a different rate than the new tires with twice the tread. This can be interpreted by the AWD system as slippage.
By the way, I just ordered 4 new tires for ours from Tirerack. They are General Altimax, which are rated very high in comparisons and customer feedback. All 4 are being shipped to my door for $380. I have 17" wheels, however.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S
As resonated by many owners in online forums, this vehicle chews through tires like crazy. With 18" wheels, replacement options are very limited, which further increases the associated cost. Certainly the biggest frustration of owning this car for us.
BTW, I bought a G35X in May with brand new tires. I had to replace those after about 8K miles because they were nearly bald. Now THAT car eats through tires!
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S
Can some one prove this wrong ? :mad:
I have 05 XC90 with 18" alloy RIMS, wants a spare RIM may be steel ones for winter season. One dealer told me I cannot put anything less than 17-inch and that there are not 17" steel rims for Volvo XC90.
Another dealership says 16-inch rims is fine and he sells those at the dealership all the time about 200$/RIM.
He gave me part number for 16" ones even (8624891).
I am not sure who is right or wrong..
My question is what size of rims should I go with, 16" or 17". Where can I get some rims, don't mind used ones for the winter.
There was another suggestion to get wheels covers for my existing 18" alloys for the winter..
I live in Ontario, Canada, if I can get a local resource/place for the tires then
any input in appreciated.
thanks
PH
Tires: 235/65 R17
Rims: 5 Lug 17" X 7" Rims
Lug patters 5x108mm
Width 7J
Hope that helps.
PH
So just any prospective replacement wheel for an XC90 is 17" diameter with a 5-108 bolt pattern might not fit. Certainly you must be skeptical of any 16" wheels for the XC90. See this.
Check out TireRack.com for wheels for this vehicle.
I like the car, but these tire problems seriously prevent me from buying it again.
I currently have 235/65 R17 on my 2005 XC90 2.5T and was wondering if I could use my old winter tires 235/55 R17 on my car?
Thanks for your help.
Being a proud owner of a Volvo can be a very lonely thing, particularly when it comes to tires (and wheels). I live in Denver, and expecting typical mile-high snow this year, as well as the obligatory trips to the mountains. I wanted to buy a second set of rims to mount winter tires on so I could simply switch them out in the garage as needed, without the hassle of scheduling and waiting at the tire place.
I was originally sold on the Blizzaks, and may still end up with them, but the unique size of the 18" wheels puts us Swedish car lovers in a special group, including pricing. The Blizzaks have been the #1 rated tire for snow for the past several years, because their structure, which, for simplification, has a very soft compound which improves the ride, marginally improves the traction, but mostly makes them wear quickly (most high end performance tires, Pirelli and the like, are also plagued with soft compounds). Add that distinction to an AWD, very heavy vehicle, and you can expect two seasons with conservative driving. You can pick up a set of Blizzaks in the OE size of 235/60R18 for about $115 from TireRack. The new model is rated similarly, and, of course, more expensive,
In shopping around, I have found that the Hankook I Pike is a little more aggressive, but STUDDABLE, the Blizzack is not. The Hankook is heavily siped, and actually looks as though it will handle pooled water better. Although no tire makes iced roads managable, a studded tire will help some.
A word about Michelin (X-ice). If you can afford them, buy them. Hands down, the best tire on the market. The LTX M/S is a fabulous all-season (not quite as good as a true Winter snow tire in heavy snow). My '94 Toyota 4X4 is a tire eater, I put an honest 90,000 miles a set of LTX M/S on a vehicle that typically went through a set almost any other tire in 25,000. I didn't buy another set of the LTX because I don't expect the truck to go the distance (200k+ now) for the amount of $ another 4 would cost. Off-road, highway, snow, heavy Southeastern US rain, they never gave me any trouble. I can't wait for my existing Goodyear RS-A's to wear out, which shouldn't take long.
So, now the wheels. In an earlier post, there was mention about not being able to mount just any 5-bolt wheel to the Volvo. They are completely right. Even the hub size is EXTREMELY important, as is the wheel offset, which is the measurement of the edges of the wheel with respect to where it attaches to the hub. You can calculate the adjustment for the wheel offset differences HERE. For the AWD owners, the wheel slips 1/16 of an inch before the computer starts shifting power, having the wheel fit perfectly is important to keep that system working properly. I looked for steel wheels, no such luck. I have found several alloy wheels in the 18" size, but the hub size is 65.1 (for the XC90, it's 67.1) Here is a very good article about getting wheels and tires for Volvos, including some important specs. I'm still searching, I may end up trying to find some more OEM wheels, but because they're so special, everyone is really proud of them, and not letting them go without a fiscal fight.
Going smaller is an option, but not a good one. Smaller wheels/tires allow for more torque to be applied at the contact point, increasing the chance for slipping on slick surfaces, which is more important when a heavy vehicle is moving, than trying to get it started. It will affect the way the drive system is set up too, and the clearance problems will be significant (even with a replacement wheel of the same size, the offset can cause the wheel/tire to rub or make contact.
Hope this helps. The Blizzaks are good, very good, but the Hankooks will probably last longer. The Michelins will probably be even better.
Kurt
But I am also hearing a Noise when I go over a depression in the Asphalt.
I think that it can not be the Struts because they look alright.
I dont want to Change my Tires Every year because they are Pirelli Scorpion ATR They Cost about 400$ ea . :mad:
Can anyone Help me?
http://www.autobarn.net/xxkleen.html
Here's part of what they say:
"Made of high strength aluminum alloy. This amazing product fits securely between the hub and wheel just like an inside hubcap. The patented turbo-venting design enhances brake cooling.
They are very easy to install, (Fits in the wheel just like an inside hubcap), turbo vented, and most of all, they keep your wheels shiny clean. Once you purchase Kleen Wheels Dust Shields for your vehicle you will never have to scrub your wheels again!"
If they work they are worth it, as I hate cleaning my wheels every week (should be more but don't want to spend more time than that). I'd love to hear if anyone has had any experience (good or bad) with these.
/Jon
I dont hate cleaning my rims but it seems that it is very good
When I bought the car it was pulling slightly to the right so I had it aligned. There were fairly new but cheap tires on the car and those are the ones I am still using. I am not an extremely ruff driver, don't commute much but after about 7 month, I noticed that my right rear tire has extremely abnormal wear and is almost flat on the outer sides. The left rear tire is worn about the same as the front ones.
I had Big O Tires look at it and they said that most likely I hit a curb or speed bump too hard and that could cause one tire to wear like this. Could be, but I am concerned that if I buy new tires now and then get it aligned, that it turns out to be something else and then I have to buy new tires again.
My questions are, should I see a mechanic first to have him find out why only one tire is wearing this much before buying new ones? And second, what is the best recommended tire for my XC90 that will provide me with all the safety and comfort while still being cost effective? Micheline is expensive, but they are also well rated - the other tires I don't know about but if I can prevent spending $1000 for a set of new tires I like to do it - as long as I still get a long lasting good tire for it. Thanks for any advice!
Any comments / suggestions on that? New tires, alignment, leak repair ... here goes my Christmas present :sick:
What was your thinking in changing to 255s?
Do you have any rubbing when the steering wheel is at or near lock? Has the change to the wider tires reduced fuel economy by a detectable amount?
How much heavier are the 255s than the stock 235s? Is the increased moment of inertia significant to the operation of the anti-lock brakes and DSTC?
I have 18, 200 miles on my 2008 XC90 with the Pirelli Scorpion Zero Tires on it from the Factory. Yes, I did have to have an alignment done at the Dealer at around 17,000 but I do remember hitting a Parking Curb a little hard so I think that explains that. Just one of the tires had an extra wear on the outside...a Toe In-Out Problem...
Since then the tires have been OK and I still have excellent wear left on the tires. I rotate every 3000 miles too.
I just wanted to defend the Pirelli Tires a bit. I appreciate all the other owners' suggestions on what tire is a good replacement when the time comes. Amazingly enough the Pielli ATR's are less expensive than the Zero's and have a 50,000 mile Warranty. I never did find out what the raod warranty is on the Zero tire. Does anyone know?
I asked about upsizing but the tire dealer says they have stopped this practice bacause of constant warnings from the manufacturers about voiding warranties, etc.
So I am going with the 235x60x18r stock size for my 2008 XC-90.
Dave
I now have close to 21000 on my Scorpion Zeros and plenty of road wear left. Rotation is the key I think.
I checked with America's Tire and Hankook is a good replacement option. 50,000 mile warranty and a "harder" tire than the Scorpion Zero. With a harder tire you may get more road noise though. The $ 109.00/per tire versus $ 140+ per tire is a big draw too!!!
Call your local America's Tire for their advice. You must buy their Road Warranty on the tires also.....If one tire is non-repairable, on an AWD ALL the tires have to be replaced. The Road Warranty will cover that. I had a 2003 S 60 on a trip to Southern Oregon and ran into nails on the road.....Three Punctures!!! I called America's Tire and they said have the tire replaced and they will reimburse me. I had Michelin Tires and $ 130.00 later I was back on the road. America's Tires paid me when I arrived back home in Vancouver, WA. Good luck with your tires.
If someone could please point me in the right direction it would be highly appreciate.
What is the largest size rims and tires that could be use in this vehicle without voiding the warranty or affecting the vehicle performance. I have read most of the articles and I find the suggestions confusing and sort of vague.
Thanks all
Nik
THE ONES THAT CAME FROM THE FACTORY!
Anything else is not original and can be a cause for a rejection for warranty.
However, this is not to say that ALL of the warranty would be voided or that some of the warranty would be voided, but the warranty conditions ONLY apply to the original tires and rims and nothing else!
So change tires and rims at your own risk!