Tire Upgrade

[Boo]

Originally Posted by dwreed3rd

Thanks Boo! Lucky if we ever get the call. On the list since May. Ditto on handling/safety. On our third set of Michlein MX's on our 2000 Avalon XLS w/107k, Original+2. Avg about 40K per set. I really believe tire pressure and regular rotation really helps, although bigger factor is driving habits. In my younger and much less wiser days, I'd be lucky to get 7K on my '67 Cougar XR7 with the Holly 4-barrell carb and wide ovals. It was automatic and would lay a strip of rubber on the start and in both shifts 2nd & 3rd. On of the best habits to lenghen tire lif is to never scrape you tires. My dad taught me that back in the 50 years go. Alot of tire wear can occur under 10 mph.
1. Check you tire pressure regularly and rotate!
2. Try not to turn your steering wheel without tire rotation. When parking or leaving a parking spot, you will see people turnig their wheels before the car is moving. You can see the rubber they leave on the pavement. This can wear as much rubber off as many miles on an interstate. This really scrapes the rubber off. If you let the tire move ever so sightly, the rubber will give as you turn the wheel thus avoiding the scraping. Try it with the palm of your hand on concrete if you want to feel the difference.
3. Left or right turns from a stop or under 10mph. You're probably already saving rubber here since your avoiding jack-rabbit starts. Let the car increase speed slowly and flow smoothly though the turn until you staighten out the wheels, Then if you want to step on it, it's just gas mileage you're sacrificing not your tires. I truely believe that unless you're sliding it through every corner, a good portion of tire wear happens under 10mph. And I don't mean burning rubber. This is why people who drive mostly on freeways, expressways and interstates tend to get more mileage on a set of tires, even at high speeds, than those who do most of there driving around town in traffic.

Anyway, Thanks again. Sorry for the diatribe but maybe it will help someone get a few extra miles on their set of tires.

Yea re the '67 Cougar. I had a "sixty-nine Chevy with a 396 ..."

Thanks for the wise tips on tire wear. They make a lot of sense.

Here in NYC where we frequently have to pull in and out of parallel parking spaces that are only a foot or two longer than our car, we tend to turn the wheel a lot while the car isn't moving. I'm going to try to avoid doing that whenever I can.

[dwreed3rd]

Yea Boo! Parallel parking's rough on tire wear. Just let it inch/creep a little to release the rubber as you turn the wheel.

[Genoz World]

DWREED3RD - hey, i just saw this thread on tires. i recently purchased the bridgestone potenza's. they're awesome! good wear (supposedly) and good traction, dry and wet. i would recommend them. makes the car handle on rails without a big hit on the mpg.

my car is NOT an original touring, it's been converted. so, with the integrity's, i was getting about 47.4-47.5 mpg, now, it's at 47.2. i know i lost some mpg's, but my goodness, it's a super handling car.

[lilrdwgn]

Michelin Pilot Exalto A/S
Be very careful buying these as replacement tires.
I have been disappointed with these tires (noisy and bad high speed handling) and I am still a Michelin die hard (have other Michelins on my other 2 cars).
I bought 195/65/15's to replace my original 185/65/15's half worn Goodyear's thinking I would get a quieter tire (Michelin) AND better handling (wider tire).
These Michelin's are almost as noisy as the original Goodyear's BUT they do handle better in WET traction. I feel a lot more confident in rainy weather than the Goodyear's that came on the car. I have NOT driven them in Winter weather yet.
Just realize that my experience is having to run them at lower pressure of 33 lbs vs. any higher pressures (had 35 in them from the day I bought them new at Sam's Club) due to handling issues at high speeds (65 mph and over). Handling is HORRIBLE with the prior mentioned speed and tire pressure of 35 lbs. The car darted and was hard to hold on the road period. Anything lower than 60 MPH I could not tell any difference in handling with either tire at either pressures. My opinion.
Since recently lowering the pressures to 33 lbs they handle fine now at 70 mph on dry roads but I would say no better than the Goodyears (remember I am now talking dry pavement).
I will NOT buy these Michelin's next time but would spend more ($93/piece) on other Michelin's now that I know what I know about Pilot Exalto's A/S.

[apriusfan]

Originally Posted by lilrdwgn

Michelin Pilot Exalto A/S
Be very careful buying these as replacement tires.
I have been disappointed with these tires (noisy and bad high speed handling) and I am still a Michelin die hard (have other Michelins on my other 2 cars).
These tires are as noisy as the original Goodyear's BUT they do handle better in WET traction.
I have to run them at 33 lbs vs. any higher pressures due to handling issues at high speeds (65 mph and over). Handling is HORRIBLE with the prior mentioned speed and tire pressure.
I recently lowered the pressure to 33 lbs and they handle fine now at 70 mph.
I will NOT buy these Michelin's next time but would spend more ($93/piece) on other Michelin's now that I know what I know about Pilot Exalto's A/S.

Out of curiosity, what size tires & wheels were you running to get your comments above? Any mods on the car for handling (things like Tom's Suspension Braces or the BT Tech plate)? Were the tires mounted correctly (they are directional tires; they have to be mounted with the molded arrow on he sidewall facing in the direction of rotation)? Not trying to get in your face, but I have had completely different experience with the Pilot Exalto A/S tires on my Prius.

[lilrdwgn]

Sorry I did not post in the earlier version.
In regards to the Michelin Pilot Exalto A/S tire, I have NO mods to the suspension of my car nor the body (braces) but have wondered if the tower or lower/ under car brace would help? in my car's handling?
And yes, the tires are correctly mounted. I watched the installer and he showed me if I ever had them rotated or repaired somewhere else, to make sure they were put on the car in the correct direction. Thanks for telling me to edit my original post. I still like Michelins, just not Pilot Exaltos on Prius's.

[apriusfan]

Originally Posted by lilrdwgn

Sorry I did not post in the earlier version.
In regards to the Michelin Pilot Exalto A/S tire, I have NO mods to the suspension of my car nor the body (braces) but have wondered if the tower or lower/ under car brace would help? in my car's handling?
And yes, the tires are correctly mounted. I watched the installer and he showed me if I ever had them rotated or repaired somewhere else, to make sure they were put on the car in the correct direction. Thanks for telling me to edit my original post. I still like Michelins, just not Pilot Exaltos on Prius's.

As regards improving the handling of the car, adding the braces will definitely improve the handling of the car. I have the Toms's upper and lower front braces and the Tom's rear braces (2 components - an A-shaped brace along with a C-shaped brace) on my car. The result is probably 80% of the handling capability of a MINI. Combining the suspension braces with the 205mm tire width of the Pilot Exalto A/S tires, I have zero susceptibility to cross winds as an additional benefit.

I am able to run higher inflation pressures than you are (38F/36R; I have gone higher, but the 38/36 number seems to be a nice compromise between higher mpgs vs. ride harshness) with no handling problems, so something is amiss.

You haven't mentioned the tire or wheel sizes you are using. Could you provide that data?

[mrblaise]

Where did you buy the suspension braces? Do you have the website address? Also, did you install them yourself? Thanks!

Originally Posted by apriusfan

As regards improving the handling of the car, adding the braces will definitely improve the handling of the car. I have the Toms's upper and lower front braces and the Tom's rear braces (2 components - an A-shaped brace along with a C-shaped brace) on my car. The result is probably 80% of the handling capability of a MINI. Combining the suspension braces with the 205mm tire width of the Pilot Exalto A/S tires, I have zero susceptibility to cross winds as an additional benefit.

I am able to run higher inflation pressures than you are (38F/36R; I have gone higher, but the 38/36 number seems to be a nice compromise between higher mpgs vs. ride harshness) with no handling problems, so something is amiss.

You haven't mentioned the tire or wheel sizes you are using. Could you provide that data?

[apriusfan]

Originally Posted by mrblaise

Where did you buy the suspension braces? Do you have the website address? Also, did you install them yourself? Thanks!

URL: Sigma Automotive – Toyota Hybrid Prius 2004 - 2009 OEM & JDM auto accessories There may be a SoCal Toyota dealer (Carlson?) that sells the Tom's bits, but I have no experience with them.

Re. Installation, the front suspension braces are pretty easy to install. The rear brace (A-frame shaped item) requires some spacers to be able to clear the gas tank. I used flat washers and longer bolts to get the necessary clearance. After installing everything, I would have the car's alignment reset in case anything got shifted during installation.

[mrblaise]

Thanks for the info! Do you need to install both or can you just install the front braces for the steering?