Tires with extra outside shoulder tread?

[moribundman]

I have in the past regretted choosing tires based on the tirerack's recommendations. I use other sources to inform myself, but I do buy from the tirerack. The Conti Sport Contact has been the best all around perfomer I have used so far. It's biggest weakness (very loud tire once the tread wears a little) is insignificant to me, while others would find the noise unacceptable.

Changing to a different tire is a costly proposition, considering the price of five tires; not to mention it's a gamble, unless I know what I'm getting. I'd rather keep using the equipment that I have been using than risking spending 1 grand on new tires that I don't like.

 

[Quattro Pete]

mori, tires are not meant to be driven on their sidewalls.

Seriously, if the area that you circled is touching the ground, aren't you pretty much sliding through the corner at that point. If so, that area is getting scraped. No matter how much tread you have there, it'll get scraped in no time.

What PSI are you running exactly?

 

[moribundman]

Yeah yeah, I hear ya.

All I'm saying is that if there were a little more tread on that part of the shoulder (It's not really the sidewall just yet!), then this would add thousands of miles to the life of the tires.

I'm usually running 38 psi. More than that and my butt begins rattling.

 

[ewetho]

If that is the portion you are scuffing in blue then you need more Camber, Tire Pressure, or Lower Profile Tires. You are folding the sidewall over in excess of its capabilities.

My Traction T/A's have a design like you are asking for but it is not as pronounced an improvement as you may think.

I still say add .3 to .5 degrees of Negative camber and 3-4 PSI of tire pressure and might even consider a +1 tire and rim fitment to a 205/50R17 setup. As long as camber does not exceed 1 degree by much it should hold up just fine.

Could get Kuhmo's for under 100 then.

But I know the alignment is OK per computer and you may have dialed TOE but seems to me you should still try some camber.

 

[moribundman]

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You are folding the sidewall over in excess of its capabilities.

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But only a little! Nothing 2/32 more tread on the shoulder wouldn't fix!

 

[rpn453]

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The tires must be summer tires, they may be directional but must not be symmetrical. The speed rating should be at least V. Any suggestions?

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Take a quick look at the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S. Unfortunately, they are both all-season and symmetrical, but they appear to have decent rubber on the shoulder and carry a 400 treadwear rating. I like everything about them so far, but I haven't had them on long enough to notice any wear.

 

[wantin150]

How much do you want to spend?

 

[Lorenzo]

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I'm usually running 38 psi. More than that and my butt begins rattling.

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38psi isn't very high for a performance tire. I'm running 42psi on my Pirelli PZero Nero M&S in the same size as you, 205/55-16.

I would also strongly consider ewetho's recommendation for camber, and go to a performance shop for the alignment so you know it's done precisely.

This might not be what you want, but getting a new set of rims and going to 215/45-17 would give you nearly identical circumference and the lower profile should lessen the shoulder roll.

 

[moribundman]

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How much do you want to spend?

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$150 per tire would be about as much as I'm willing to spend.

 

[moribundman]

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I'm usually running 38 psi. More than that and my butt begins rattling.

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38psi isn't very high for a performance tire. I'm running 42psi on my Pirelli PZero Nero M&S in the same size as you, 205/55-16.

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You don't have to drive on Bay Area roads, do you?

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I would also strongly consider ewetho's recommendation for camber, and go to a performance shop for the alignment so you know it's done precisely.

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What do you know about the alignment that I had done that I don't know? Do you think I went to Sears?

 

[Lorenzo]

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You don't have to drive on Bay Area roads, do you?

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North NJ and NYC. Maybe I'm spoiled by our smooth-as-glass roads and pristine highways.

 

[wantin150]

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/Compare1.j...p;x=70&y=14

I have a set on my 2003 Matrix in a 225-45-17. I will have approx 40,000 miles (high side)on them when I replace them. Excellent wet weather performance and very quiet. I'll take pictures of the sidewall area if you want to see wear patterns. The Matrix has an odd alignment set up and these tires have worn fine. My wife drives the car on a daily basis but I tear on it on the weekends when I get the chance. On ramps are my favorite!

 

[moribundman]

The shoulder on the GY F1 seems to have a decent amount of meat. Not sure about the symmetrical tread design. Do you notice any issues with tramlining?

 

[wantin150]

Not really. A little torque steer but that's about it. These tires are incredibly smooth and quiet on decent pavement and only a little worse on the bumpy stuff. My car is noisy at highway speeds so I don't pay much attention to the tire noise.

It's hard to tell from the pictures but when new, all the tread grooves channel to the extreme outside shoulder. As the tire wears, every other groove will terminate at the shoulder so the shoulder tread should flex less and wear less. My theory only.

 

[moribundman]

Interesting. I may want to give those tires a shot then.

 

[wantin150]

Let me clarify the shoulder tread statement. If you supersize the picture, you'll see the tread grooves every second shoulder groove. These are not full depth tread grooves and will wear down to look and function like the shoulder grooves. The wet properties of this tire don't seem to be affected as the water is still thrown out and away, even though it has no direct path to the shoulder. Make any sense to you?

 

[Master ACiD]

mori, when the outside of the tread gets worn down from you drifting around youre hood', have the tyres marked with a perminant marker which direction thay rotate and which side the car was on, and have them taken off the wheels and installed on the other side of the car while keeping them in the same direction.
this way you get brand new outside tread to play with.

i do this on cars with alignment problems.

 

[moribundman]

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Make any sense to you?

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Gotcha!

 

[moribundman]

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have the tyres marked with a perminant marker which direction thay rotate and which side the car was on, and have them taken off the wheels and installed on the other side of the car while keeping them in the same direction.

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No can do, because each tire has an inside and an outside sidewall. I can go front to back and vice versa, left to right and vice versa, or criss-cross.

 

[Master ACiD]

then you have to just deal with it.