What type of performance issues in good weather am I going to experience outfitting a commuter car (Saturn S-series/Cobalt/Cavalier) that originally speced a higher speed rating (S/T/H I believe)?
Commutes contain 5 to 25 miles of highway travel at >=75mph and perhaps a handful of highway trips 200+ miles.
"Q" Rated Snow Tires and Highway Driving
- Thread starter 99Saturn
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How good is good weather? One of the big killers of a Q-rated tire will be heat. If you're planning on driving them to Florida, I'd go with a T- or higher rated tire.
Originally Posted By: 99Saturn
What type of performance issues in good weather am I going to experience
"Q" rated tires are good up to a sustained 99mph iirc, so that in itself shouldn't be a problem. Winter tires, because of their soft tread compound, large tread blocks and lots of siping will feel a bit less responsive and "squishier" than all-season tires. This will be most evident in steering feel, but it shouldn't be a big deal. They may be slightly noisier than all-season tires as well.
Winter tires typically don't have as long a tread life as all-seasons and, as the other poster mentioned, warm/hot weather will accelerate tread wear considerably.
JHZR2
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I've driven between DC, Chicago, and Boston, that triangle of the USA on Q and H snow tires plenty. Can't say I've practically noted any real difference.
If anything, a q tire with a likely softer tread and sidewall may ride more comfortably.
You won't notice much of a difference in feel, the Q will just wear out more quickly and/or be more likely to blow out.
Originally Posted By: 99Saturn
What type of performance issues in good weather am I going to experience outfitting a commuter car (Saturn S-series/Cobalt/Cavalier) that originally speced a higher speed rating (S/T/H I believe)?
Commutes contain 5 to 25 miles of highway travel at >=75mph and perhaps a handful of highway trips 200+ miles.
You'll be fine. I had such tires on my old Buick LeSabre. A little mushy on dry roads. Otherwise, they drove fairly normally.
The higher speed rated tires do tend to be a little quieter. That's important for spending a lot of time in the car, as I do/have done.
there is a slight feel difference. You can feel slightly more tread squirm when you hit a curve or change lanes.
If you're one of those people that constantly swerve in and out of traffic, you will definitely feel the squirminess in the tires.
I'd buy tires for your application and weather.
Maybe a sport winter tire, or michelin xice xi3
I have michelin xice xi2 175/70r14's on the 2010 accent. at 30F it handles almost the same as the michelin defenders that are on it for the other 9 months.
Originally Posted By: Danh
"Q" rated tires are good up to a sustained 99mph iirc, so that in itself shouldn't be a problem. Winter tires, because of their soft tread compound, large tread blocks and lots of siping will feel a bit less responsive and "squishier" than all-season tires. This will be most evident in steering feel, but it shouldn't be a big deal. They may be slightly noisier than all-season tires as well.
Winter tires typically don't have as long a tread life as all-seasons and, as the other poster mentioned, warm/hot weather will accelerate tread wear considerably.
I thought that CapriRacer had explained that speed rating is largely independent of the tread.
So the speed rating doesn't necessarily correlate with handling or performance. Granted - I think it's far more common for winter tires to have lower speed ratings and the inherent nature of a winter tread is going to mean a squishy feel. However, this doesn't necessarily correlate with speed rating. I've also noticed that I can't find many V speed rated tires in the 205/55R16 size for my car. There used to be several on the market.
Quote:
http://www.barrystiretech.com/speedratings.html
In speed rating tests, failures are almost always belt area separations - and in particular "belt leaving belt" separations. In other words, tire construction, not tread compound, seems to be the limiting factor.
** **
To get a tire to pass an H speed rating almost requires the tire to have an overlay - commonly called a "cap ply" and nylon is a commonly used material.
This overlay restricts the growth of the tire due to centrifugal forces as well as the movement caused by the standing wave. Not only does this result in reduced stresses in the tire, it also reduces heat generation.
Adding further overlay layers results in higher speed capability. That is, you achieve higher speed capability with just changes in construction. Rubber compound changes are almost incidental.
I think above statement from Capri is generic and may not apply to Q rated winter tires. I do think that their Q ratings come from tread not from construction. Or rather since tread cannot sustaing high speed no need to make carcas handle it either.
Krzys as usually opinionated
Originally Posted By: y_p_w
I thought that CapriRacer had explained that speed rating is largely independent of the tread.
So the speed rating doesn't necessarily correlate with handling or performance. Granted - I think it's far more common for winter tires to have lower speed ratings and the inherent nature of a winter tread is going to mean a squishy feel. However, this doesn't necessarily correlate with speed rating. I've also noticed that I can't find many V speed rated tires in the 205/55R16 size for my car. There used to be several on the market.
Quote:
http://www.barrystiretech.com/speedratings.html
In speed rating tests, failures are almost always belt area separations - and in particular "belt leaving belt" separations. In other words, tire construction, not tread compound, seems to be the limiting factor.
** **
To get a tire to pass an H speed rating almost requires the tire to have an overlay - commonly called a "cap ply" and nylon is a commonly used material.
This overlay restricts the growth of the tire due to centrifugal forces as well as the movement caused by the standing wave. Not only does this result in reduced stresses in the tire, it also reduces heat generation.
Adding further overlay layers results in higher speed capability. That is, you achieve higher speed capability with just changes in construction. Rubber compound changes are almost incidental.
Originally Posted By: krzyss
I think above statement from Capri is generic and may not apply to Q rated winter tires. I do think that their Q ratings come from tread not from construction. Or rather since tread cannot sustaing high speed no need to make carcas handle it either.
Originally Posted By: CapriRacer
When I read what I wrote, and applied it to the subject here (winter tires), I realized that winter tires are very likely the exception to the rule - that tread compound DOES play a role in the speed rating.
Originally Posted By: leeharvey418
Originally Posted By: CapriRacer
When I read what I wrote, and applied it to the subject here (winter tires), I realized that winter tires are very likely the exception to the rule - that tread compound DOES play a role in the speed rating.
Originally Posted By: CapriRacer
When I read what I wrote, and applied it to the subject here (winter tires), I realized that winter tires are very likely the exception to the rule - that tread compound DOES play a role in the speed rating.
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