Tire for mileage

[CapriRacer]

Just to clarify what H2Guru said:

Increasing inflation pressure makes a tire more prone to cuts and impact type damage. It also degrades the ride harshness to some extent.

However, increasing inflation pressure improves the rolling resistance, reduces the operating temperature (and therefore improves durability), improves the treadwear, improves the steering response, and improves hydroplaning resistance.

Looking at the whole picture, increasing inflation pressure has many benefits and few disadvantages.

BUT, there is a limit to how much inflation pressure should be used. A good rule of thumb is to use 3 to 5 psi above the vehicle placard - if you are using the OE size.

Hope this helps.

 

[mdocod]

If you have a "Discount Tire Co" in your area... consider the michelin destiny... the 13 inch size is about $50/ea+install... I worked em down to $300 even for install +ciping on all 4 tires... The tread life of the michelin destiny is rated very well... I've run them on 2 cars now... on the previous car I put 20,000 miles on it before trading it in, and there was no practically no wear- If things are in alignment, I see no reason these tires wouldn't last over 60,000 miles, possibly 80k if driven conservativally. Milage on our susuki swift went up 2mpg when switching to these tires. (previous tires were cooper 155/80s).

The other benifits- these tires, when ciped, offer excellent traction- on par with much more expensive tires. Ice/water, cornering, braking, all very respectable.

 

[newfordrichy]

Do not, I repeat, do not inflate the tires higher than the maximum pressure stated on the sidewall. This can result in premature failure (blowout). Also, overinflation reduces the amount of tire tread in contact with the road surface. You should inflate the tires to the pressure stated on the vehicle placard.

 

[tuong]

At the track, we over inflate our tire all the time, for better performance. r u sure about this? I dont think the people at the track would tell me to put my S03 to about 42 psi, when the vehicle ask for 32 psi. when I put my tire at 32 psi on my S03, the tire wear does not even go where that arrow is pointed it to be. U know that little arrow on the side of your tire that tells u where your tire should wear at, well i use that, SOmtimes I have to put my tire pressure alitle high to accomadate for that

 

[Mickey_M]

quote:

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newfordrichy:

Do not, I repeat, do not inflate the tires higher than the maximum pressure stated on the sidewall. This can result in premature failure (blowout). Also, overinflation reduces the amount of tire tread in contact with the road surface. You should inflate the tires to the pressure stated on the vehicle placard.

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Increasing the tirer higher than the placard may improve contact with the road surface.

The placard reflects the manufacturer's choice of ride versus tire wear. As Ford demonstrated with the Explorer and Firestone, sometimes the manufacturer overrides the tire manufactuer's earnest recommendation.

The area of the tread contact with the road is basically a function of the tire size and the weight on the tire. Changing the pressure changes the shape but not the area of the tread contact unless you go to dangerous extremes on either end.

The upper limit should be on the sidewall of the tire. The lower limit should be the placard on the car.

To give an example of tire pressure selection, my wife's Camry chewed up the front tires in about 20k miles. The recommended tire pressure was around 30 psi. The sidewall gives a 44 psi limit. I put a new set on the front and inflated the left front to 38 psi and the right front to 36 psi.

Using a treadwear gauge I measured the tires new and at 500 mile intervals.

I got basically even treadwear at 40 psi left and 38 psi right.

Another thing I noted about FWD cars is that the better tires belong on the front. I've been told for years this is heresy, but I see the 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix GXP has 255/45-18 tires on the front and 225/50-18 tires on the rear.

GM ran both computer models and track tests and found that more rubber up front made the car handle better.


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[tuong]

even with rear wheel drive car, the better tires need to be on the front. all in all though, rear wheel drive car, need to keep all four tires better rotated,

 

[Mickey_M]

quote:

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tuong:

even with rear wheel drive car, the better tires need to be on the front. all in all though, rear wheel drive car, need to keep all four tires better rotated,

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So I keep hearing.

But about a decade ago Ford ran tests with a Taurus that seemed to support the theory that the better tires belong on the front.

That has also been my experience.


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[Steve S]

nope the better tires belong in the back.Talk to a tire pro.

 

[Mickey_M]

quote:

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Steve S:

nope the better tires belong in the back.Talk to a tire pro.

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A "pro"?

Do you mean a guy who's read it somewhere and sells tires?

Ford tested the theory about a decade ago and came to the conclusion the good tires belonged on the front. That was heresy, so they didn't advertise it.

GM recently announced an '06 Pontiac with the bigger tires on the front. They tested it and found it worked, Bridgestone didn't believe it, they tested it and found out it worked, and whipped up tires to implement it.

I did my own test with a Honda FWD, two new tires, two worn tires, and large vacant lot after a snow. The good tires on the front worked much better.

Just what adverse result do you think putting the good tires on the front will produce?


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[tuong]

ok, sigh, wow, someone doesnt understand where all the steering comes from. someone doesnt understand that the biggest breaks are int he front. I just dont want to mis imform the idiots out there. EVERYONE, this is his opinion, I go through tires like no tomorrow, I go to the track all the time, I love tires. DOnt listen to that guy.Keep your good tires in front. THat where yous steer and stuff with, the most wears comes from the front, keep the good stuff up there. WOW, what next? There is no good keeping hte crappy ones in front and the great ones in the back.
My friends work at wheel works, and one of the most important thing they talk about the track (driving school)is maintenance of tires. Imma look back after i post this and see if this is the same guy that says u should never over inflate yoru tires. wow, People, this brings and important point, dont believe everything you read or hear, do your own research, That advice could had killed someone. U should keep your bad tires in front in the rainy season, yea everyone try that(that was total sarcasm btw) see how you handle now buddy

 

[Mickey_M]

quote:

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tuong:

..... Keep your good tires in front. ....

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I couldn't agree more on a FWD car.


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[Thatwouldbegreat]

Assuming 4 matched tires.

I believe that the tires with the greater tread depth should be on the rear.

If the tires hydroplane you want the front tires to hydroplane first so that the driver will feel the onset of hydroplaning through the steering wheel...and this will give the driver some warning to slow down.

If the worn tires on the rear the driver may not be aware that hydroplaning is happening until the vehicle is skidding and then it may be too late.

 

[Mickey_M]

quote:

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Thatwouldbegreat:
.....
I believe that the tires with the greater tread depth should be on the rear.

If the tires hydroplane you want the front tires to hydroplane first so that the driver will feel the onset of hydroplaning through the steering wheel...and this will give the driver some warning to slow down.

If the worn tires on the rear the driver may not be aware that hydroplaning is happening until the vehicle is skidding and then it may be too late.

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On a FWD car the weight - often 2/3 of the weight - is on the front tires.

Placing the more worn tires on the front would lead to the situation where traction is lost on the tires that both steer and drive the car first.

Why it would preferable to have steering and drive traction lost on the front tires first to avoid the rear tires hydroplaning isn't intuitively jumping out at me.

The reason why we put the deeper tread on the rear was that the rear were the drive wheels. If you lost traction there you didn't go anywhere, and you could wind up with serious oversteer. With good traction on the back letting off the gas caused the car to stabilize like feathers on an arrow.

That doesn't happen on a FWD car, where the front tires are doing the bulk of the work and where engine braking works on the front tires.

 

[XS650]

quote:

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Originally posted by Mickey_M:

Why it would preferable to have steering and drive traction lost on the front tires first to avoid the rear tires hydroplaning isn't intuitively jumping out at me.

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If the rear tires aren't controlling the rear end of the car, they can very quickly become the fron tires

in normal driving it doesn't matter what the front tires are doing if the rears don't have grip.

If the rear tires are controlling the rear end of the car and the front tires have completeley lost traction, you will at least go in straight line as long as the rear is applying a bit of drag.

 

[LarryL]

You always put the new(er) tires on the rear. If the worn tires up front give up first the car will follow the front and tend to be stable and easyer to get control back. If you loose the rear, the car becomes unstable, may go anywhere, and can be much more difficult to gain back control. As a driver you have more work to do with the rear end moving around and it's easyer to get mixed up. In this unstable condition of having the rear driving you, the abs and stability devices may be of no help at all.

If you have a front wheel drive car and know you are a great driver and don't have accidents you can put the best tires on the front because they wear more and you might get more mileage from those tires.

None of this is speculation. If you doubt this, go to a race track and try it out. Loosing the rear end and trying to stay in a lane can make you look foolish. On the freeway it's a forumla for an accident.

 

[Mickey_M]

quote:

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XS650:

If the rear tires aren't controlling the rear end of the car, they can very quickly become the fron tires ....

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That's just another way of saying the good tires belong on the back.

If the front tires both steer and drive, the rear tires can't become the front tires all on their own.

The right rear tire can't pass the right front tire.

Ford did tests with the Taurus that demonstrated that in the case of FWD cars the better tires work better on the front.

I did my own informal tests with a Honda Civic a few years ago in a snowed in vacant lot and found the same thing.

Unless someone can point to actual tests on FWD automobiles and poor conditions such as rain or snow, I'll continue to put better tires on the rear of RWD cars and on the front of FWD cars.


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[Mickey_M]

quote:

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LarryL:

You always put the new(er) tires on the rear.....

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I don't.

Ford's tests some years ago on the Taurus didn't support doing that.

GM's recent announcement of an '06 Pontiac with the bigger tires on the front seems to indicate things aren't that simple.


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[goodvibes]

I like to keep the higher tread on the driven tires in respect to hydroplaning. The lack of traction on a driven wheel will initiate spin as it can't put the additional force down to the pavement. An undriven wheel will not begin to hydroplane as quickly. Just taking your foot off the gas can induce a spin on car with poor tires on the driven wheels in bad conditions. Driving is a dynamic experience and the extra force required to push or pull the car around is enough to make the driven wheels more important. As for braking when the higher tread is on the back. Weight transfer in braking will help keep the tire in contact. Think about stopping in slippery conditions. The rear always locks up first since the brake balance is optmized for normal driving conditions. By compunding this condition, your only going to spin sooner. The obvious answer is to keep good tires on all 4 corners. Money well spent.

 

[goteegoat]

I am not sure why this is even being argued. If only 2 tires are being installed, new tires always go on the rear regardless of what wheels move the vehicle.


http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=52

http://www.michelinman.com/care/buy_how.html#a3

http://www.goodyeartires.com/faqs/Care.html

http://www.motortrend.com/features/care/112_9903_cc_tire/index1.html

http://motortrend.com/features/consumer/112_0405_tires/index2.html

http://motortrend.com/features/consumer/112_0405_tires/index3.html

 

[oilyriser]

According to Cummins' "Secrets of Better Fuel Economy", worn tires get up to 7% better fuel economy than new tires, in a truck. For a car, where wind resistance is more important, that number might be 4%.