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Tires

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Comments

  • SylvesterSylvester Member Posts: 1
    I've put 3 sets of tires on my 1994 Camry, with 4 wheel alignments every time. I've only gotten about 30,000 miles on each set before unusual wear shows up and I have to replace the tires. I check the tire pressure frequently and rotate them. Any ideas on what might be causing my problem?
  • spokanespokane Member Posts: 514
    You have certainly done your part by keeping tabs on the tire pressure and rotating the tires. Presuming that you have purchased mid-quality or better tires and that your driving style and roads are typical, Sylvester, you do have an alignment problem. It could be a loose A-frame, worn ball joint, bad suspension bushing or some other such problem that your alignment shop has not noticed. Suggest that you ask around to find a top-notch alignment shop. A shop that performs collision repair work on suspensions and frames is likely to be the best qualified. Tell them that you suspect something out of the ordinary before they start. Also describe to them in detail the nature of the past tire wear; which tire(s), appearance of the wear pattern, etc.
  • rs_pettyrs_petty Member Posts: 423
    I've been told the best time to get an alignment is just before you get new tires. The tech needs to see how the tires are wearing and can make judgements based on wear when troubleshooting alignment problems.
  • treewhackertreewhacker Member Posts: 3
    If you have Firestone Steeltex A/T on your 4X4 Tell me how you like them? How have they performed off road? How well have they handled off road conditions? What is the condition of the tires after 4X4ing? Is there and sites on the net where you can find a scientific evaluation of tires (performance, wear charactistics, ride so forth)

    Treewhacker
  • KCRamKCRam Member Posts: 3,516
    trewhacker,

    Whuile I can't comment specifcally on the Steeltex A/T, I am running its big brother on my Dodge Ram 4x4 dually - the Bridgestone M773. Both tires are extremely strong - constructed with commercial use in mind. Both tires have a near solid outside rib which cuts down on misalignment wear, and aggressive tread blocks in the center. I have never had a traction problem in any condition with my M773s, and I recommend the Steeltex A/T equally. The M773 even has sidewall ribs to prevent curb/rock abrasion.

    kcram
    Community Leader/Smart Shopper Conference
  • brunnabrunna Member Posts: 53
    Anyone out there purchase a set of Toyo Spectrum tires for their vehicle? What do you think about the ride, noise, etc. I got the price down to $56.70/tire "on the car, out the door" plus $5.67 for the road hazard guarantee. That will beat the BJ's club price by 10%. Great price....are they great (or at least good) tires? I have Toyo A05's on my '99 I30 so I have some experience with the make, but the minivan is a whole different ball of wax, so to speak. Help? Thanks
  • chikoochikoo Member Posts: 3,008
    What size of tyres can I install on my 15" alloy wheels?
    they currently have 195/55vr15 - potenza RE92 series on them.
  • tja2tja2 Member Posts: 5
    I've had these tires for approx. 17,000 miles. They gave excellent performance until last fall when I began to notice excessive spinning in wet weather coming off stop signs and lights. The tires have been rotated twice but the intervals were not consistent; at 3100 miles and 13,900 miles. They have lots of tread and air pressure is checked regularly. There is no sign of excessive wear. I'm driving a 1990 Mazda 626 5-speed in good condition and yes, I'm accelerating moderately in these conditions. Any thoughts?
  • ganggang Member Posts: 16
    How often do you do tire rotation? Do you do it yourself, or have it done by a mechanic? If you do it yourself, do you use a torque wrench? I have never done one with alloy wheels. Is there anything I should pay special attention to? Thanks.
  • ryanbabryanbab Member Posts: 7,240
    Does anyone have a 99 or 2000 silverado who got
    the P265 Goodyear AT/S tires? I have been hearing
    complaints of vibrations and wearing of these on
    older models and wondered if they are problems on
    the new models. I am ordering one soon and it
    will
    come with firestones and i am thinking of
    switching to goodyears and just need some opinions
    on this type of tire. Thanks for the help.

    Ryan
  • butch11butch11 Member Posts: 153
    Put X-One's on my 97 accord about 20K ago and no significant changes in handling or wet/snow/ice performance. I really like the tires-much better handling and quieter than the MXV-4's that came on the vehicle. Don't know what to suggest about post #114. Suggest check out www.tirerack.com and see if anyone has posted any problems about this tire.
  • lucky20lucky20 Member Posts: 35
    How often? Per/tire manufacturers recommendation, or when wear patterns start to show. (usually 2-3 times during life of tires, unless there are alignment problems).
    By whom? Reputable tire store, repair shop (you can trust) or your self. BE SAFE!
    How? With all wheels, (especially alloy) snug all lug nuts then torque with torque wrench by hand, in an approved pattern. In my shop I will not let a mechanic tighten lugs with an impact wrench & no impact wrench at all touches stainless or chrome beauty nuts.
    I have found most tire shops will abide by the customers request not to use air impact wrenches on beauty nuts & alloy wheels.
    Tire rotation pattern; follow tire manufacturers recommendation.
  • ganggang Member Posts: 16
    Many thanks for your detailed instructions. They are very useful.
  • markbuckmarkbuck Member Posts: 1,021
    check your owners manual.
  • bnormannbnormann Member Posts: 335
    I would not buy these tires. Go to tire rack.com or discount tire on line. You can get much better tires there for your $50. The cost of shipping is offset by the tax you would pay at pepboys.

    Just curious, how did you like the Eagle GA?

    your host, Bruce
  • harrupharrup Member Posts: 1
    I am leaning against Goodyear GA's

    They ride and handle well but don't last as long as they used to. I have used them for years and used to get aboout 60,000 miles from a set. The last two sets were lucky to go 40,000. Wonder if Goodyear has changed how they manufacture them. Would appreciate any insight you may have. Thanks
  • ccotenjccotenj Member Posts: 610
    personally, i'd follow my car manufacturer's suggestion.
    for example, bmw strongly suggests you do NOT rotate your tires, because of the unique wear patterns of front vs. rear.
    fwiw.
    -Chris
  • bluejbluej Member Posts: 1
    I was reading all the goodness of way earlier posts and thought I would solve all the percentage ruckus with a little Excel sheet that determines the tire size and relative difference between two user entered tires. I have also entered some tires I would like to put on my Impreza '00 2.5RS for convenient reference.

    http://www.oz.net/~robinr/Tires.xls
  • leogenghisleogenghis Member Posts: 22
    Has anyone ever used Falken tyres (in particular the Ziex 502s) and can comment on them? Of the very few messages I've found on the 'net which refer to Falkens, they seem to be very quiet, grippy and affordable tyres. Thanks for any advice and opinions.
  • ccotenjccotenj Member Posts: 610
    i haven't. but some seem to like them.

    -Chris

    ps you aren't studying are you? lol...
  • spiket1spiket1 Member Posts: 4
    Any thoughts on a P or LT series to replace P series on a Dodge Ram 1500. Trying to maximize MPG.
  • vannutvannut Member Posts: 1
    I have been out to tirerack.com and cannot find any information on Toyo tires. I am replacing Firestone Affinity tires on a 2000 Toyota Sienna, and torn between the Toyo Ultra Z8000 or the Michelin X-One. Both within 50 bucks of each other installed, and with lifetime or 80,000 mile warranty. The Michelin gets a good rating from Tirerack, but they don't carry the Toyo (who gives better service through Les Schwab tires) than the Michelin, and better price. Anyone got either tire on in a similar application -- on a mini-van with front wheel drive? Any input much appreciated.
  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    the A520 is loud and looses quite a bit of grip after a few thousand miles. it's also nowhere near as good as the P7000 SS in snow or ice, but then again it's not marketed as an all-season.

    the a520 is a bit firm, but more loud than anything, so it doesn't do all that well on your comfort chart.

    in the price range you're looking at, I'd go with the P7000 SS unless you'll never drive in snow or ice. if you live in the sunbelt, find a way to budget more $$$ for a set of Michelin Pilot mxx3's or Pirelli PZeros... but toss treadlife out the window!

    -Colin
  • greddygtrgreddygtr Member Posts: 54
    Thanks for the tips. I found that Nitto and Dunlop W-10 also are available in my desired tire sizes at an affordable price. Anybody have experience with either of those?
  • mattchalmersmattchalmers Member Posts: 159
    I am looking into tires for my Cadillac Catera. I would like performance tires, but I am not sure of the best combination of performance/safety/comfort, etc. Any advice on brand or rating?
  • bnormannbnormann Member Posts: 335
    Bridgestones,,, I think they have the best tires at the best price points right now. There are exceptions, of course, but...

    Look at the RE930 or RE730 if they are offered in the size you need.

    Bruce
  • briansbrians Member Posts: 14
    Re: Tire upgrades

    It is entirely dependent upon what you performance you are looking for, and what compromises you wish to make. I drive a late model Integra also, however, I have dedicated snow tires/wheels and summer tires on my alloys. I don't like the compromise all season tires offer due to my driving style...so it's worth the extra cost/hassle. I think I'm in the minority, though.

    Anyway, one of the most advanced designs currently on the market for the Integra (15in wheels) and probably the Catera (16in wheels) is the Dunlop SP Sport 5000. It has the latest compound and tread technology, is W high-speed rated, all-season, and best of all, resonably priced. I would say it's probably the best compromise and value. However, the Michelin Pilot XGTV4 and XGTZ4 are very good as well (a huge improvement over the former XGTV4), although a little pricey ($150+ per tire).

    Also realize an all-season will never match a summer tire in wet performance due to the compounds in the all-season tire to maintain freezing temperature performance (pliability). It's not just tread design.

    My $.02 -Brian
  • rajohnson1rajohnson1 Member Posts: 12
    I have a 91 Toyota Camry with one-year-old Michelins. I forget which Michelins, but I got them from Costco - they might be the X-metric that was mentioned by someone else in this forum earlier. Anyway, everything had been fine until last week when I got a front brake job. A few days after I got new front pads and rotors I started noticing a vibration, first when braking, but then I noticed it while driving at some low speeds also.

    I took it back to the mechanic who did the brakes and asked him to check it out. He said the brakes were fine, but that the tires were "hopping" due to uneven wear. He had me run my hand over the tread in one direction and then the other direction, showing me that in one direction the tread felt smooth, but in the other direction you could feel the bump from each tread. I did notice this, but I'm not sure how this type of unevenness can cause a vibration while braking, or at some low speeds, but not at all speeds.

    Also, he said that the problem was caused by bad wheel alignment. He offered to do an alignment, but I would like to be sure that that is my problem.

    Further background: I bought the same tires about three years ago and after two years they started making a noticeable noise whenever I turned the slightest bit to the right. I replaced those tires with my current set last year. I thought I had gotten a wheel alignment at that time, but to tell the truth, I can't remember if I ever did. I was also getting tires for my van at the same time, and my memory of what I did to each vehicle is a little fuzzy. I looked through my receipts and can't find one for a wheel alignment, so I can only conclude that I didn't have it done when I got the new tires last year.

    Questions:

    (1) Is this what is known as "cupping"?

    (2) Does my mechanic's explanation make sense?

    (3) Do I need an alignment?

    (4) What else could cause the vibration?

    (5) Should I try rotating my tires and see if the vibration goes away?

    (6) Should I stay away from Costco tires?

    (7) Next time, should I try a different tire, like Bridgestone maybe? Or are Michelins good if I stay away from Costco?

    Any advice is greatly appreciated.
  • ryanbabryanbab Member Posts: 7,240
    If your tires are wearing unevenly as you stated that means your alignment isnt how it should be then. My dad got a 2000 blazer 6 months ago and it pulled to the right well they said its due to raod curvature and they checked for tire wear and uneven wear and said thats how they determine if the alignment is bad. Hope this helps

    Ryan
  • beachratbeachrat Member Posts: 3
    I'm in the market for new tires for my 4x4 Blazer.This is the first 4x4 I've owned and am confused as to what type of tire to buy.I live in hilly country that gets 2-3 snowfalls a year of anywhere from 2-11 inches each.I commute 40 miles to work on good highways and don't do any major off-roading,maybe in a field or gravel road.Do I need all-terrain,all-season?Please help!
  • ryanbabryanbab Member Posts: 7,240
    On/off road tires

    Goodyear RT/S are perfect check em out kinda expensive like $90 a tire i beleive maybe more but they are worth it

    Ryan
  • silverzx3silverzx3 Member Posts: 40
    My car has Goodyear RSA 195/60x15 stock. I plan on going to a performance "summer" wheel/tire combo later on this summer. (215/45x17 Brand? on OZ F1 cups)
    I'm thinking of purchasing a set of the Dunlop SP Sport 5000s in 205/55x15 for the stock wheels for DEC- FEB. We get very little snow here but quite a bit of rain.
    How will the Dunlops be for the "off" season? the price seems very good.

    Also, does anyone have an opinion about the summer tires in 215/45x17? light (2400lbs) front wheel drive low H.P. (130) Aggressive driving with a few long road trips per year.


    Thanks,

    Scott
  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    a second opinion--

    I agree with all that Chris said except I understand if you just want appearance and have to have 17" wheels. I don't agree, but I understand.

    The Goodyear RSA sucks, but will serve you for the winter. If you buy 16" or 17" rims, do yourself a favor and get a real summer tire. It doesn't have to be expensive, the Dunlops SP Sport 8000 would be a good start. No all-season has a chance against summer tires.

    -Colin
  • jgard1jgard1 Member Posts: 19
    Just interested in some feedback on these tires. I'm looking to getting some 205/55/R15 rubber for my '97 mazda 626 ES. The O.E. "all season" Michelin XGT H4's are really lousy on anything but bone dry road, and they seem really noisy also.

    I have a set of Nokian Hakka 1's (195/60/R15) on steel rims for my winter driving, (I give a big two thumbs up on these tires for the white stuff!)

    Would the SP 8000'S be a good choice as a three season tire?
  • briansbrians Member Posts: 14
    Even though this tire has been out for many years, it's still a very highly rated performance tire.

    Wet/dry traction and communication is excellent. Ride and noise levels are acceptable.

    Unfortunately, as with other soft compound performance tires, tread life is short-on the order of 18-22K miles, depending on how hard you drive them.

    I personally think they're the best value out there, if not at the pinnacle of technology.

    -Brian
  • ghtrapghtrap Member Posts: 26
    beachrat,

    For mostly road driving and some minor to moderate off roading, The Michelin LTS M/S is absolutely an excellent choice. They aren't cheap, but they are the best and definatley worth it in my opinion. They go on forever.

    If you are going to do mostly craggy off-roading, another tire might be better.
  • prizmanprizman Member Posts: 2
    I have a new 2000 prizm that pulls to the left.
    checked tire pressure,
    checked alignment,
    rotated tires (helped a little).
    Service told me I have radial pull.

    Is this a valid term or just a diversion?
    Thanks
    Doug
  • butch11butch11 Member Posts: 153
    It is bs-if you did all of the above-it is something else-have you checked to see if a brake disc/shoe is sticking. Jack it up and turn them by hand. Have seen tires pull-they do it when the ply is coming apart-can really make the car pull one way or another-tire will soon come apart-you can usually see a lump on the tire where the ply is seperating-generally happens to older tires. think you have a steering or brake problem
  • silverzx3silverzx3 Member Posts: 40
    I ordered them $85.00 ea. I will post results of their wet weather performance after I live with them for a while. Thanks also for the + sizing concerns. It always helps to have several P.O.V.

    Scott
  • greddygtrgreddygtr Member Posts: 54
    If anybody is looking for some good, affordable performance tires i would recommend the Falken Ziex as a pretty good choice. I recently got some 205/40/ZR17's on my Integra and they are way better than my stock 14" tires were. Despite the ultra-low profile, the ride quality actually seems a little bit better than it was before. Of course, dry traction is much improved and turn-in feels a lot sharper. The car might be a little bit slower due to the heavier 17" wheels but it's not even noticeable to me. I would definitely recommend all my fellow econo-car drivers to ditch their cheap 14" and 15" wheels and tires and upgrade to at least 16".
  • spokanespokane Member Posts: 514
    Prizman, I agree that other things should be checked as Butch11 indicated. Another possibility, with tires that are nearly new, is that the belt in one or more tires is defective in a manner that is not visually detectable. Suggest that you do not allow the auto dealer and the tire shop to "pass the buck." Insist on a diagnosis from the auto dealer. If he says the problem is a defective tire, get him to convince the tire dealer than a warranty replacement is needed. The idea is to keep the focus on the auto dealer so you don't get shuttled between the two shops as each denies responsibility for the problem. Good luck.
  • edt4444edt4444 Member Posts: 2
    I am having problems with excessive noise coming from the right rear tire at medium to high speeds.
    Tires are in fairly good shape. Any ideas???
    Bearings???
  • butch11butch11 Member Posts: 153
    Changed a set of rear wheel bearings on a previous honda of mine because of a noise coming fromt he rear wheels. Turned out I did not rotate the tires often enough and they got slightly cupped making the bearing going out noise. Rotate them-use a torque wrench set at 80 foot pounds for the front-do not warp the rotors. Also when you have it jacked up-grab the tires at the 12 and 6 o'clock position and try to move back and forth-repeat from the 3 and 9 oclock positions-if you have a bearing going-you will get some wobble. bet you don't-it is cupped tires. You ought to rotate tires every 10K-some say less-I am lazy and do it at about 20K.
  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    whoa, quick warning...

    do not torque your lugnuts to 80ft-lb if you have alloy wheels. more like 60. yes, most '93 hondas did come with steel wheels, but that's so vague that certainly we could be discussing a car with alloys.

    -Colin
  • pblevinepblevine Member Posts: 858
    I just read the above postings on the Dunlop SP5000 & SP8000 tires. After going to the Dunlop website, they seem to say that their newer SP9000 series is an improvement over the SP8000 tires. That's for wet traction, noise, and turning ability. Does anyone have any experience with this newer series or know of any good reviews?
  • paulinboston1paulinboston1 Member Posts: 1
    I am replacing my Michelin MX4 tires on my '97 Honda Accord. I called NTB to see if they carried them, which they don't.

    Instead they have the Michelin Weatherwise Sport with is made exclusively for them. They say they are comperable to the MX4. Is this true? Does anyone have experience with Michelin Weatherwise tires? Thanks.
  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    re#157,

    I have two acquaintances that tried SP9000's after really enjoying several sets of SP8000's...

    They absolutely felt that the 9000's dry grip was considerably less than the 8000. We don't get all that much rain in Kansas, so they weren't particularly impressed with them. (TireRack and Dunlop said the dry grip would be the same.)

    -Colin
  • tireguytireguy Member Posts: 200
    The weatherwise tires are similar to the MX4s, but they're not the best for your car. I'm assuming you have the stock 185/65R15 size. I would suggest one of two courses of action: If you drive at normal speeds and are looking for a tire which will last a long time and give you excellent traction, I'd recommend the Michelin X-one, or X-Radial Plus, as it is sold at BJ's and Sam's Club. If you drive at really fast speeds for extended periods of time and take corners at twice the marked speed, I'd recommend the Michelin Energy MXV4 Plus in the size 195/60R15. These aren't a high-performance tire, but they'll significantly improve the handling of your car over the MX4s. These tires usually retail around $110. Right now Sam's Club is selling them for $80. Killer deal.
  • tireguytireguy Member Posts: 200
    Listen to ghtrap. The Michelin LTX, that's X, not S, line is the best you can get for a SUV. The LTX A/T is the more aggressive off-road oriented tire, with the LTX M/S being the more highway-suited tire. I'm assuming you have a late model "S10" Blazer, with either 235/70R15 (four-door) or 235/75R15 (two-door). Regardless of the chassis configuration, you can go with either size. If you like the truck look, go with the 75s; if you're seeking good handling, go with a 70. Just know that either upgrading or downgrading your size will alter your speedometer about 4%. You must replace all four if you change sizes. You should replace all four, regardless, with a 4x4. Having more than a difference of 1.5" circumference between the front tires and the back could damage your transfer case.
    Either of these tires will last you close to 80K miles (on a Blazer--Ford truckers disregard this) with regular rotation, rebalancing and pressure checking.
    Sorry Ryan, but I could't disagree with you more. The Goodyear Wrangler RT/S tires are not a good choice. These tires are comparatively noisy, wear out prematurely, and offer poor snow traction. They are overpriced, and usually cost more than the Michelins, which are the unmatched in quality. RT/S's are popular becuase they are OE tires on a lot of trucks, such as Dodge Rams, Durangos, Ford F150s, etc. I don't like them and neither do my customers.
  • ryanbabryanbab Member Posts: 7,240
    I ask people who have goodyear tires how they like them and everyone ive asked said they are great i have heard 0 complaints seriously. The only complaints i hear are on here. I have been really looking at vehicles with the goodyear AT/S because i wanted to switch the firestone that are going to come with my silverado to goodyear but i decided not to i think i can live with the firestone. On edmunds i have heard vibration problems, noise problems, and irregular tread wear. You mihgt say i havent ask many people but i work in a lumber yard where almost every truck that comes in there has them. I dont know what to say im sure if u work with tires you know your stuff but in my case i did a little survey. They are overpriced though i agree very much with that.

    Ryan
This discussion has been closed.