Another Tire Thread

[Kevin M]

Originally Posted by cody

They'd last twice as long though...and behave better on trips.

Yeah, but you can get that for a lot cheaper elsewhere. It's probably a moot point anyway- the image you showed said there were fewer than 8 left. Doubt they have 4 at this point.

[cody]

But arguing over moot points is the force that binds us together!

I can get better tread wear and comfort but no other UHP tire at that price point does so well in so many categories in the TR and CR tests as the Maxx's. It seems like a very well rounded tire, just too expensive even with the $75 rebate. If they were available at that price in 225/45/17, I'd buy them.

[cody]

Hey, now we're talking.

[cody]

Any input before I pull the trigger on the Maxx's above?

[sperry]

Originally Posted by cody

Any input before I pull the trigger on the Maxx's above?

Falken 912's are better.

I have no data, nor will I define "better".

(Let me know how the Maxx's work out, I still need to buy tires for Lisa's Saab.)

[cody]

They're probably better as 4 season tires in Reno, but that's not my application. I wonder which tire has better tread wear?

[sybir]

Fender roll day is as easy as "hey, Aaron, I'm going to be rolling through Sac, can I borrow the roller for a few weeks?"

Jesus christ, roll your fenders and throw on some decent tires
My wagon, which has less space in the fenders than Cory's car, is running 245/40's with no rubbing, under load and with more junk in the trunk.

[cody]

I'll definitely be shooting you a PM this Summer, Aaron.

[cody]

Originally Posted by cody

Hey, now we're talking.

I just picked these up. Even with the $75 Amazon card (today was the last day to take advantage of this) they were way more expensive than the Kumho SPT's would have been at $74 each through a friend who gets wholesale at TR, but these should last a lot longer and be much better for daily driving/road trips. The number of reviews on Tirerack where the Kumho's blow out from the tread seperating as well as bubbles forming freaked me out too.

[sperry]

Originally Posted by cody

I just picked these up. Even with the $75 Amazon card (today was the last day to take advantage of this) they were way more expensive than the Kumho SPT's would have been at $74 each through a friend who gets wholesale at TR, but these should last a lot longer and be much better for daily driving/road trips. The number of reviews on Tirerack where the Kumho's blow out from the tread seperating as well as bubbles forming freaked me out too.

Define "these". All I see is that "now we're talking" about something in a 215/45/17 for $119/each.

[cody]

"These" are these: http://www.seccs.org/forums/showpost...6&postcount=82

Dunlop SP Sport Maxx

[cody]

Update: The Dunlop SP Sport Maxx tires have really impressed me. They're incredibly sticky even in the narrowish size I bought. But somehow, they don't tramline anywhere nearly as bad as the less sticky AVS ES100's they replaced. I've only put around 1500 miles on them but they seem to really be holding up as the etched lettering is still in the center tread bar.

One thing I knew going in was that they have soft sidewalls. This definitely effects the responsiveness negatively but it's totally worth it because they're just as comfy as my 16" Wintersport 3D's, only more quiet.

9.5/10 (Excellent)

Too bad you can't trust user reviews.

[Dean]

You are comparing worn out heat cycled tires you have convinced yourself suck to new full tread fresh rubber.

And "tramline"ing is a symptom of a high level of traction and little sidewall play of high performance tires.

So, you are rating a clearly inferior tire 9.5/10. Thus a perfect reason to discount user reviews.

[cody]

No.

I was never happy with the Yokes. When new, I thought they were barely better than the narrower RE92's in the dry and wet which seemed odd. They were not grippy for a UHP, yet they lunged for any crack in the road--more so than my much wider RE01R's which I've driven tons on the street. As a matter of fact, I feel like they gained grip as they became bald, surface area I suppose. The tread design is very steep which may be the issue. They did well in straight line deceleration.

Maybe you didn't hear me. The sidewalls are extremely soft at 36PSI. The placard recommends ~32 PSI for this optional size. I'm going to try 38 one of these days.

I mean, believe whatever you want, but you're wrong.

[Kevin M]

Tramlining is primarily a function of tread design, then sidewall, then compound. Responsive tires tramline more than softer, squishier tires.

[Dean]

Originally Posted by Kevin M

Tramlining is primarily a function of tread design, then sidewall, then compound. Responsive tires tramline more than softer, squishier tires.

So, I think you just made my point that his old tires were more responsive, right? And Yes and no depending on what you mean by squishier. Squishier could mean stickier compound...

Let's be more specific.

Hunting, or Tramlning is what happens when the tires follow the groves in the pavement. since the only thing operating is tread block to asphalt adhesion/friction, it is the primary cause. Alignment can exacerbate it, but is not the cause. Anything that permits lateral displacement of the tread blocks or sidewalls can reduce it's effects.

Take a racing slick. There is very little ability for the next rubber that will be contacting the road surface to move left or right of that which is currently in contact, so they tend to continue in the same direction. Only actual slippage of the tire really permits it to move laterally.

With a new all season with tall, thin and thus flexible tread blocks, the next tread block could easily land a mm left or right of where the last one currently in contact did assuming the later is being deflected by the lateral pull of the surface. No slippage is really required for this.

If the groves are fairly straight and parallel to the direction of travel, the sidewall flex can also dissipate the hunting as long as it does not exceed the sidewall's ability to deflect. The mass of the car want's to keep moving in the same straight line. If the sidewalls can flex left and right to permit that without transmitting much force to that mass, the driver will feel it less even if the contact patch is actually hunting all over the place.

If two tires have the same tread, but one is of a less friction/adhesive compound, that one will hunt less as the blocks are more likely to slip.

So, as I said, a tire with larger shorter tread blocks and stickier rubber in that order will tramline more.

And Cody, go right on convincing yourself tire A is better than B. Unless you actually drive them in the same condition back to back against a clock, your opinion is just that. No one can make a remotely objective comparison of their worn out old tires to whatever they just put on and spent much money on. Thus user reviews are marginally better than a poke in the eye.

And if you honestly believe AVS 100s do not kick the RE92s ass in every performance respect except maybe snow traction and "comfort", you need to have your butt accelerometer adjusted. The data says you are very, very wrong.

[cody]

There are plenty of examples where the CR data conflicts with the TR data. You especially have to take things as subjective as noise and harshness with a grain of salt.

The Yokes were better than the RE92's in the dry and wet...just not by as large of a margin as I had expected. When I replaced the 92's with Proxes 4's, I was amazed at how much of a difference it made. I loved the P4's. However, I ran the P4's in 225/50/16 so I can attribute some of their grip to the extra width. But I honestly liked the P4's more so than the 215/45/17 Yokes. Although there was a bit of sidewall flex, they were as sticky as the Yokes in the dry and wet, yet could safely be used to go over the pass in deep snow.

[cody]

They're great in the wet too. Got to test them out in the heavy rain/hail yesterday. Didn't have deep water on the freeway to comment on their hydroplane resistance but they grip wonderfully in the wet. Even engaged ABS a couple times and was really amazed. Love these tires.