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Replacing Tires

2

Comments

  • jackson43jackson43 Member Posts: 15
    KC, thanks for the input regarding the 255 x 70 15's. The add'l road contact is more important to me than increased heigth. I appreciate your thoughts on sway bars, my Chevy Van G20 only has them in the front, and I am considering adding rear ones before our long RV trip.

    For those interested, I am pulling a 7,500 - 8,000 LBS RV travel trailer w/a 1989 Chevy conversion Van. I have added a Modine engine oil cooler (increased oil capacity by nearly 2 quarts, replaced the stock 700R4 transmission pan with a Derale (not sure of the spelling) pan that added about 2 add'l quarts and has 8 cooling tubes running through it for added cooling plus I have two transmission oil coolers in front of the radiator. Pulling this past weekend in Florida's 94 degree temps, the tranny oil temp never exceeded 190 degree's even in stop and go town traffic, and engine ran 195. I replaced the origional 10 bolt rear end w/a 12 bolt (a little larger axles) and put in a 3:73 gear with limited slip, gas air shocks and rear spring boosters. This old 350 motor and van really does a great job handling this load, and we enjoy the van for the added space for others plus the TV/VCR while on the road.

    John
  • frankkfrankk Member Posts: 35
    I have used Bridgestone Blizzaks (the original ones) on a Mustang GT. They made a major difference. Ans with no studs!
  • someyaksomeyak Member Posts: 19
    On a new maxima se 17 inch alloys, I was told that puttinging snaow tires on smaller rims (15 inch)would help traction. Will smaller diameter tires get better traction? Also won't this mess up odometer readings? finally is there a place that explains what say P215/75SR15 means (I think I got the 15 part)
    Thanks
  • ccotenjccotenj Member Posts: 610
    way up earlier in this thread there's an explanation of the numbers and how to calculate the correct tire size for the smaller rims to not screw up your odometer readings... good luck...
    as far as the smaller diameter, yes, it does get better traction. apparently it has to do with the smaller contact patch, but danged if i know the physics behind it. probably someone here does though.
  • someyaksomeyak Member Posts: 19
    Thanks ccotenj, that helped a lot.

    On a differnet topic. when test driving the new Accord EX even my wife noticed excessive road noise. The dealer suggested that we could change tires and reduce the noise. I do remember in the old days of my Pinto that the snow tires were noisier than the summer tires, but is there that much of a differnce among al weather radials? Are there any rules of thumb like "thinner tires are quieter? Or is the Honda dealer just trying to sell us a noisy car?
    Thanks
  • ykm1397ykm1397 Member Posts: 4
    I just purchased a pre-owned '96 bmw 328i. I'm thinking about replacing the tires. An auto tire salesmen recommended FULDA. Has anyone heard of this brand of tire? Any recommendations?
  • butch11butch11 Member Posts: 153
    Accords are fairly quiet on the road-some tires however are not. Had Michelin MXV or MXV4's on my 97 accord-changed to Michelin X-one and what a difference. Much lower noise, better handling and vastly better performance on wet roads. Some dealers will work with you to find a tire dealer that will switch tires on a new car. Suggest you check out www.tirerack.com and look at the tire ratings. I put 40K per year on and tire performance really matters to me.
  • jsalangajsalanga Member Posts: 2
    Hello everyone,

    I have stock Michelin XGTV4 P195/55R15 on my Integra and all four seems to have reached its end ( pretty soon, anyway :-)). I was wondering if I could replace these tires with a size of P205/50R15. Is this change okay as long as the load handling/temperature of the new tires are the same or better than the stock tires?

    Please post your responses.

    Thanks,
    jsalanga
  • spokanespokane Member Posts: 514
    Jsalanga, your proposed change will provide a tire diameter that's only 1.6% less than your current tires so you are OK in that regard. As you indicate, you also need to verify the load rating of the prospective tires.

    However, there are other things you should check with a shop that specializes in performance modifications on the Integra; most tire dealers are not likely to have this information:

    * Will the additional tire width clear suspension and fenders in all types of turns, bumps, and maneuvers?
    * Will this tire cause poorer directional stability on the Integra? (The very low profile tires do cause directional stability problems on some vehicles.)
    * Are your present wheels the proper width for this tire? (Tire and wheel-width mismatch can cause handling problems and rapid tire wear.)
  • rkcrawfrkcrawf Member Posts: 3
    I just purchased a pre-owned 318i. The rear tires are Michelin MX4's P185/65R15 88T. The front tires are a different Michelin make (X Radial Plus, I think), and are the same size except they say 86T. The manual and door-jam sticker say nothing about 86T. Do I need to get 88T's for the front, especially if I rarely ride with a full load? Will I hurt my car if I don't. Please help, I fear I want get an unbiased answer from the dealer or tire place. Thanks!
  • brentg1brentg1 Member Posts: 10
    I have the Firestone FR680 tires on my 2000 Toyota
    Sienna LE. Has anybody driven these in rainy
    weather? They do not get good ratings in the
    survey at www.tirerack.com. However, we haven't
    had any significant rains here since I got the van
    (June 30). I am thinking about replacing them
    before winter sets in.
  • dmgdmg Member Posts: 3
    I had the FR680's on my Toyota Corella and felt that the car handled poorly in wet or snowy conditions. Changed to Pirelli 600 M+S and was quite impressed with the improved handling. This car certainly isn't a sports car but the new tires made it better to drive. Currently replacing the Pirelli's with possibly the Michelin MXV4Plus or the Goodyear Eagle RSA. Haven't used either one, but the P600's are hard to get and these tires seemed to have good reviews. I've found the better handling tires wear faster, so I don't expect high mileage, i.e. 35K+.
  • tomcivilettitomciviletti Member Posts: 207
    Suggestion: a low price tire with good overall performance, long wear, and great wet performance [personal experience] is Pirelli p400
  • compaqesccompaqesc Member Posts: 4
    I have some of these tires as well, in the 195/55-ZR14 size. They are the best performance tires that I have ever had for the money. Traction is good in wet and dry weather (I haven't tested them in snow or ice yet). I highly recommend them.
  • SPYDER98SPYDER98 Member Posts: 239
    It's time for new tires. I drive a 98 spyder gst, and I can not wait to get the piece of crap goodyear rsa's off this thing.

    I'm looking for the BEST all season tire available. Price not being an issue. I will be maintaining the same tire size 205/55 R16.

    I've done some research and came up with a couple of choices.
    1) Michelin Pilot XGT Z4
    2) Perilli/P7000 Supersport

    I'm leaning towards the michelins, their 30 bucks more a tire compared to the perilli. I don't really care I just want the best tire out there.
    There are better tires out there, but I just can't find them in my size.

    Can anyone recommend any other tires, or tell about the experience with the tires above?

    Thanks...
    Rob
  • tarcoractarcorac Member Posts: 1
    I have a 1998 SVT contour that's showing uneven tire wear on the front tires: the inside front tires, specially the right one, are wearing out considerably faster. I read somewhere that front-drive cars tend to wear out the inside of the front tires faster, due to camber angles used in conjunction with a front wheel drive configuration. Is this true, or should I spend the money to have the wheels re-aligned. The car has about 25,000 miles on it, and I don't think the alignment is off, as the car tracks straight.
    Thanks for your thoughts on this topic.
  • spokanespokane Member Posts: 514
    Suggest that you do have the alignment checked, tarcorac. Surprisingly, on FWD cars, tire wear associated with misalignment can occur even though the steering/tracking seems to be OK. With the SVT Contour's outstanding handling, I would expect this to be particularly true. The problem could be camber adjustment, toe adjustment, or a combination of the two.

    As you indicate, front tire wear is usually much greater that rear tire wear on FWD vehicles. However, with proper alignment and inflation, the wear on each tire should be uniform across the surface.
  • vac23vac23 Member Posts: 118
    You might also want to get your front end checked. Make sure it's not loose. A damaged ball joint can also wear tires prematurely
  • ecnirp1ecnirp1 Member Posts: 13
    Has anyone else purchased these tires from one of the warehouse clubs? If so what kind of ride do you get?
  • moonkatmoonkat Member Posts: 265
    Excellent All season tires; quiet, smooth riding, good handling and extreme mileage, utqg 640! I have 50K on mine and look good for another 20-30K.

    See tirerack.com. This is probably the highest rated tire for custormer satisfaction in their survey.
  • olegphilolegphil Member Posts: 30
    I've purchased a set of Michelin X-Metrics from SAM's Club in '96 for my wife's Corolla. I'm overall happy with them. There are two problems that I've noticed. Their cornering and braking performance significantly decreases when they are underinflated (check your tire pressure, when fall comes!). They weared faster then Michelin MXV4 Energy purchased at the same SAM's Club. Though this might be attributed to the fact that MXV4s went to a 2 year old car, and X-Metrics went to 5 year old car that had 2 struts replaced in '98 and two in '99.
  • jrct9454jrct9454 Member Posts: 2,363
    My first recommendation in this class is ALWAYS Michelin MXV4s...they ride better, wear better, are usually rounder (better quality control) than anything else. They are never the best handlers...if you want to go around corners faster, there are lots of better alternatives. For me, any car that came with OEM Goodyear touring tires will benefit from a switch to Michelins. Tire Rack and Costco will sell them in the 220x60/16 for somewhere in the region of $115-$125, maybe a bit less. www.tirerack.com
  • igloomasterigloomaster Member Posts: 249
    My ongoing debate, is whether or not you really need 4 snows in the winter if you have a front wheel drive car. It seems to me that you wouldn't need 4, so long as your snows are mounted on the front. Anyone have anything to add to that?
  • vac23vac23 Member Posts: 118
    That depends on how much snow your region gets. If you only gets an inch or 2 here and there 2 tires should do. But if you live in the snow belt like I do 4 is better-provides better traction.
  • fjm1fjm1 Member Posts: 137
    inflation has driven the price of opinions up....

    Just put a set of Sumitomo HTR4 on my '00 BMW 323 sport because the Dunlops are summer tires.
    I expected the Sumitomos to be a noticable compromise. WRONG! These tires have very good grip, no noticable tire noise at speeds well in excess of 100mph, and they are all season to boot.
    I might just sell the OEM Dunlop SP2000's and leave the cheap Sumitomos on year round.
    The added bonus is, that when I abuse these tires they are only $80 apiece to replace versus $140 apiece for the Dunlops.
  • mrlmrl Member Posts: 2
    Sumitomo owns Dunlop. Looks like the additional $60 is for the Dunlop name printed on the sidewall.
  • pakxpress1pakxpress1 Member Posts: 1
    Has anybody else had problems with the front tire cupping on 97 & 99 Chevy express vans ? Does anybody have any suggestions? We have had alignment checked , shocks checked , tires rebalanced, rotated tires still cup but only on the front. Any help would be appreciated.
  • cadrivercadriver Member Posts: 2
    Hi. I have an Integra GS-R with 15 inch stock rims. The original equipment tires are P195/55R15

    I'm thinking of using P205/50R15...Can I do that?
    How about P195/60R15
    Also, what's the difference in performance?

    Thanks for your help
  • banzibanzi Member Posts: 2
    I drive a '96 Nissan Quest Van. Last year I put Dunplop SP40s on it and the car has chemwed them up after only 20K. Can anyone recommend a set of 4 good tires for a van? Any opionions on the Fireston Supreme Si (advertised locally by Olson Tires buy 3 get 4th free). Comments most welcome.

    Banzi
  • pblevinepblevine Member Posts: 858
    I've seen very good reviews for the Dunlop SP8000 series tires here (and from my brother-in-law). Dunlop claims even better traction, lower noise, etc. for their newer SP9000's. Can anyone confirm this?
  • mkishimomkishimo Member Posts: 1
    Has anybody had any experience with Firestone SH30's or the Toyo Proxes HR?

    I'm looking for good wet weather tires. (I'm currently using Goodyear Eagle GA's).
  • dunn3dunn3 Member Posts: 29
    I've had Toyo Proxes HR before (great tires). Almost as good as Michelin MXV4s. They last a vey long time as well (make sure you get the H and not V rated if you want them to last). Never had the firestones, but its hard to think that they would be better than the Toyos. Have Eagle RS-A right now; hate them; not as good as the Proxes or MXV4s. What kind of car do you drive/how do you drive/what are your priorities in driving?
  • butch11butch11 Member Posts: 153
    Had to replace Michelin MXV4's on my Accord at 73K-got some road damage-they still had at least 10K left on them-do all highway driving. Replaced them with Michelin X-One tires-what a difference. Much quieter, vastly improved wet traction-the MXV4's were marginal in wet conditions, much better handling on dry roads and no squalling around tight corners. No snow experience yet but would expect them to do well.

    Check out www.tirerack.com for more info on tires-they have ratings and the X-One does well. Anybody got any experience with Michelin Pilots.
  • azdavidazdavid Member Posts: 1
    New user here--this is my first post: Can anyone foresee any problems with replacing the 245/40ZR-17 tires with 255/40s on the rear of my 97 M3? Seems the tires I'm considering (Pirelli P 7000 Supersports or Yokohama AVS S4s) are not available in 245. Would mounting the 255/40s screw up the suspension or rub? Anyone with any experience regarding this?
    Thanx, David
  • sosterhubersosterhuber Member Posts: 5
    I have these on my new ('99) Accord. Until they warm up they're like "Flintstone wheels". After warming up they're great, low sidewall flex,fairly sticky, medium amount of road noise. They do well in the rain, also.
  • traveller1traveller1 Member Posts: 2
    I'm impressed with the quality or expertise and courtesy of the folks posting here. :-)

    I wanted to share with you a problem and it's solution. Tall tires look great on trucks/SUVs and have a functional calling to some drivers. But they can throw off your speedometer readings.

    When choosing a new "custom-look" tire for your vehicle, try to keep to the truck manufacturer's specs. If you go to a taller or shorter tire, then the speedometer readings will be affected. Why? The speedometer gets its readings from a gear or sensor on the transmission output shaft. The auto maker calibrated the speedo (speedometer) to read relative to the revolution rate ("angular velocity" for you physics cognicenti) of the transmission output shaft and an expected tire height. If you change the diameter of your tire, then you affect the revolution rate.

    To understand this, compare an amusement park ferris wheel to the wheel of the child's tricycle wheel. One revolution of a rolling ferris wheel in 1 hour would cover more distance than 1 revolution of the tricycle wheel. Yet both did 1 revolution in one hour. Without my going into the high-school-level math, this means that the taller (larger diameter) tire covers more distance per revolution. Bottom line: Taller "custom" tires cause lower speedo readings.

    Speeding ticket while paced?
    Before I go further, let me emphasize that I do not condone speeding where against the law. As I said, the taller tire could cause your speedo to show a legal speed when, in actuality, your car was traveling faster. If you are pulled over for speeding and the law officer claims to have "paced" you (traveled behind you and watched his/her own speedo) as above the speed limit, then it's still remotely possible that the officer is in error, as well. (Questioning this is probably best left for "Trial by Judge" than "Trial by Roadside Jury.")

    Here's why. Tire diameter is affected by air pressure as well. On cold days, the tire pressure is lower (remember the Ideal Gas Law from Chemistry and Physics?). If the tires' pressure is lower. then the diameter of the tire is shorter (roughly akin to a slightly flat tire). This, in turn, causes the law officer's speedo to read higher than the actual MPH that you might have been traveling. Tread wear on the tire has a less dramatic effect on this diameter problem, but exacerbates the problem nonetheless. I should also note that driving warms up tires.

    Solution to speedo error.
    Try to keep to the manufacturer's recommended tire height (don't mistake this "tire height" to mean the "height of the sidewall"). Keep the tires properly inflated. If you go to a taller/shorter diameter tire for your car or truck, then consult the tire shop or your local "speed shop" for a solution to correct the speedo reading. Usually, the solution involves reconnecting the speedo cable first through a little (after-market) drive-gear assembly. This assembly changes/corrects the cable's rotational-speed ratio to the speedo. If you've got an electronic sensor on your transmission that informs your electronic speedo then you've got more expensive problems that I can't help.

    Have fun! Be courteous out there! :-)
  • victoriankvictoriank Member Posts: 2
    Hello all,
    I am new to Edmunds Town hall and I'd greatly appreciate your assistance.I have found that the original tires on my hundyai accent don't function well in heavy rain, slick and snow
    covered roads. I am talking about a few inches of
    snow. Has anyone else had this experience and what type of snow tires do you recommend? Also, can I go back to the dealer with this problem since the car is only six months old or do I have to remedy the situation on my own.
  • bnormannbnormann Member Posts: 335
    victoriank,

    The sad fact is that most manufacturers put crummy tires on their new vehicles. They make a deal with one of the tire companies and the overriding concern is PRICE, not QUALITY. My VW Golf came with Goodyear Eagle GA tires. This is a very popular OEM tire with several car companies. They are so-called "premium" tires; if you go to a tire dealer and try to buy them, you will pay a lot. That doesn't make them good, I think it is just a marketing ploy. Goodyear made deals with the car companies and gave them cut-rate prices knowing that many people will take their car to get replacement tires and ask the tire dealer to replace them with the same tires it came with. That works if they are good tires, I wonder how it has worked for Goodyear. I sure didn't ask for them when it came time to replace my tires. I bought a better tire at a cheaper price.

    You are definitely "on your own" if you want to upgrade the tires. It is still a good idea, tires are a good investment IMHO.

    your host, Bruce
  • fuji_hi_ltdfuji_hi_ltd Member Posts: 12
    has anyone else had problems with kelly springfield tires in the wet weather? i have had two diffrent cars with this brand of tire, and both have scared the heck out of me on many rainy days. one car, a 1991 ford taurus, and the other 1976 vw beetle. tires were in new shape, on both vehicles. most recent car to have kellys on it was 1993 ford taurus, still problems stopping in wet conditions, and slide out on curves. mind you i am not traveling fast, nor above posted speed limits. i change tires to some cheapo like general, and the 1991 taurus did great. the 1993 taurus had the explorer by kelly, while the 1991 had the navigator. the beetle has the kelly metric tires on it.
  • briansbrians Member Posts: 14
    Q45Man:

    Actually treadwear rating would not translate to wet-weather traction. It can certainly seem that way, though, since summer tires are usually ultra-performance tires that have low treadwear numbers. Still, "Treadwear" is only a measure of how well the tire compares to another tire in a mileage wearing test. The "Traction" rating on the side of the tire defines wet traction. One would want an "A" or "AA" at best. Keep in mind a Michelin XGTV4 is a 220 treadwear...and absolutely horrible in the rain due to the fact that it's an all-season rated tire (M&S). Most ultra performance summer tires now carry a AA traction rating...because their compounds do not have the additives needed to keep flexibility when cold, so they are great in the rain

    However, the rest of your explanation is first rate.

    Regarding the earlier post on the GS-R tires. 205mm 50 aspect ratio tires are a legitimate plus1 sixe increase, which is easily accommodated on the 6.0 inch wide rim, and requires no speedometer calibration as it maintains almost the exact diameter.

    -Brian
    -Brian
  • q45manq45man Member Posts: 416
    I agree about M+S but new silicon enriched binders seem to improve wet traction with medium treadwear index though still 10% poorer than pure Summer tire.
    It is my understanding that the traction rating (AA or A) is still derived from a dry sled friction measurement. To my knowledge only the tire rack test show any info about wet performance.
    Luckily the XGTV4 (a 10 year old design) has been replaced with the Pilot H4 (A,A,400)which is better in rain but better still the new Dunlop Sport 5000 W rated (AA,A,360) if you must have a M+S tire.
  • briansbrians Member Posts: 14
    The traction rating of a tire is a function of braking on a wet road. I have included a site that gives you more than just my word on it.

    http://www.toyo.com/tire_basics/utqg.html

    -Brian
  • jsterjster Member Posts: 112
    mrb9:

    Tire retailers will give you an allowance toward new tires if your OEMs are in very good shape? Didn't know that was possible.
  • q45manq45man Member Posts: 416
    UTQG Ratings numbers are created by tire manufacturers (with the help of marketing dept) supposedly following a US Gov outline of a testing proceedure. They are to be used when comparing tires within a single brand line. There is absolutely no correlation between companies as they each may do the test in slightly different ways to enhance their numbers.
    All an A traction rating means is the tire stopped in a relatively equal distance on both Concrete and Asphalt surfaces wet or dry individually, it does not mean the tire stopped in the same distance wet or dry. There is only a straight line deceleration measurement. Turning grip (wet cornering is not tested).
    Thus even an AA rating only means that this a better straight line stopping tire tire than others in the line. (Which may be very bad compared to other manufacturers).
    The point being that without wet handling numbers (accident avoidance)you are blindly plowing ahead.
    Compare tire by wet roadcourse time is the only safe way. Different size tires of the same model may have different tread patterns the same UTQG, but perform quite differently under exactly same conditions.
  • sweinmansweinman Member Posts: 3
    I need to replace the tires on my 1995 Acura Integra LS coupe and wanted to see if I could get any suggestions. I liver in Galveston, Texas where it never snows and I am primarily interested in handling and performance on dry and wet roads.The original tires are Michelin XGT-H4 tires 195/60R14 85H and I have been pleased with them. They handle fairly well and with my driving style I got 50K miles out of them. I was considering the Pirelli P6000 Sport Veloce or the Dunlop D60 A2. Does anyone have any experience with these tires or would you recommend something else.
    -Steve
  • briansbrians Member Posts: 14
    I would agree that the UTQG traction rating is somewhat outmoded, with the level of technology present in many tires. However, I don't think I would term this rating a "myth." What it boils down to, is that there need to be some new metrics established for tires. The treadwear rating is still an important data point for any tire purchase, as is the temperature rating.
    -Brian S.
  • q45manq45man Member Posts: 416
    Since your car came with Michelin H4, I expect the manufacturer settled on these as a good all around choice. Look at the brand new Michelin Pilot H4. It seems much better in wet than the old design and 400.A,A.
    We are using this tire on Q45 (we service over 2,000) as a general replacement for those that want good mileage and decent wet handling. If a tire will hold up here it will hold up anywhere.
    The trick is to find a tire that stays in balance longer to minimize rotating and rebalance costs) A2 and Pir P6 seem lacking in many long term attributes but again your car weighs less.

    Remember that an H rating only means that a tire will not destroy itself at 130 mph @60F for 10 minutes. When the road temp goes up to 120F the tire may reach a critical temp reducing its tread life by 30% or more and reducing the safety margin to 100 mph. Those who drive long distances on freeways at 80 mph in hot climates need H or better rating tires.
  • ccotenjccotenj Member Posts: 610
    hmmm... 80K treadwear for 50 bucks...
    here's a good bet (and i have no experience with pep boy tires).
    they will ride like crap (hard rubber).
    they will handle like crap (cheap hard rubber).

    as far as quality, don't know, but with most things in life, brand name vs. non-brand (and brand name sold at the brand name store vs. brand name sold at walmart) can be a large difference in quality.

    how much longer/how many more miles do you plan on putting on the car? if you aren't planning on getting past another 40k, you'd be better off with less treadwear warrantee, better tire.

    my 2 cents, anyway.

    -Chris
  • hok1hok1 Member Posts: 8
    How will tires on a full time four wheel drive vehicle wear differently than the front wheel drives that I am used to? Any good generalizations here?
  • q45manq45man Member Posts: 416
    Which vehicle --lots of difference between Porsche and RV or Mercedes Station wagon.
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