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coins for tire wear?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by Stevewoods, Aug 1, 2016.

  1. Stevewoods

    Stevewoods Senior Member

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    So, I am about on my third or fourth set of tires for wife's Prius.

    She mostly drives on normal roads to do normal things, but every weekend (nearly) she is at her parent's who live off a long gravel road along Hood Canal (for those not from Washington State, it's the ocean).

    Tires still cover a moderate amount of Lincoln's head. Wife loses traction A LOT on the gravel to her parent's.

    Not enough that she stalls or anything, but, car tends to slide here and there.

    My question, and since she drives it and is mute on the subject and I can't get a good answer from her....

    Does it make any logical sense that MORE tread on a passenger tire would give her more traction on the gravel. Or, as my know-it-all father-in-law insists, does she actually get a bit better traction when the the tread is more worn....?

    In other words, replace tires now, when they are still semi-O.K., or wait until it is "formally time," worn down beyond the XXX inch, which I don't remember, other than if Lincoln's head shows...I guess the real push for this is because, while it is August, winter is coming. No snow, but lots of mud. Hmm, think I answered my own question....
     
    #1 Stevewoods, Aug 1, 2016
  2. Eastside

    Eastside Member

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    On gravel and dirt roads, my mountain bike gets way more traction with heavily treaded tires than with smooth street tires.
     
    #2 Eastside, Aug 1, 2016
  3. 'LectroFuel

    'LectroFuel Senior Member

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    I don't have any bad weather where I live, but I suggest wear the tire out. There's no need to waste money. Take the turns slower. If you get stuck in mud, new tires won't fix it. AWD will.
     
    #3 'LectroFuel, Aug 1, 2016
  4. andrewclaus

    andrewclaus Active Member

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    I suppose you can set up an example where less tread would give better traction. Climbing shoes and dragster tires are slick. But on a passenger car, all in all, considering the long drive on pavement before she even gets to gravel, I'd go with more tread.

    (And you'll never change the way your FIL thinks, so don't even try. It took about twenty years before mine showed me any respect--I took his girl away from him, after all.)
     
    #4 andrewclaus, Aug 1, 2016
  5. Lucifer

    Lucifer Senior Member

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    If traction on the stone road is nominal, at best, better tread saves lives.
     
    #5 Lucifer, Aug 1, 2016
  6. Stevewoods

    Stevewoods Senior Member

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    Ah, I think I have to go with the new tire vote....probably in October before the rains become too monsoon-ish. Mostly because it will *iss-off father-in-law> :p

    Yeah, I know I will be bashed, but go ahead....

    I am ****GASP*** Seriously....

    THINKING * OF * BUYING * A * NON-LRR * TIRE

    Goodyear Assurance UltraTour Tire Review ยป AutoGuide.com News

    Oh, to address Patrick Wongs questions, I also went with a non LRR before -- the Hankook H727 and has gotten about 30K out of them. And I did not have any difference in MPG from the non-LRR Hankook and the other LRR that came before it.
     
    #6 Stevewoods, Aug 4, 2016
  7. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    Having grown up at a place on a gravel road, and still visiting there frequently, I've never been concerned about tread depth versus gravel traction. Sliding on gravel there is a driver issue, not a tire issue.

    In the coastal Pacific Northwest, tread depth is a wet pavement traction issue. Replace tires when that wet traction becomes inadequate. For me, that happens significantly before the tread wears down to the legal minimum.
     
    #7 fuzzy1, Aug 7, 2016
    Last edited: Aug 7, 2016
    GrGramps likes this.
  8. cyberpriusII

    cyberpriusII Prodigyplace says I'm Super Kris

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    So, I joined the rebel revolution and just bought four General AltiMax RT43's. Four hundred U.S. dollars total (tax, license, bag of popcorn -- and O.K., it was actually $397.99).

    No, not LRR, but the TireRack review as well as a review from one of Mendel's countryman in British Columbia, Canada (with a Prius), convinced me to go for it.

    I doubt I will take much of a mileage hit, if any.

    So far, with all of 30 miles on them, they feel great and seem to grip the gravel very well.
    Time will tell.
    Tire Test Results : Will the Kumho Solus TA71 Move to the Head of This Grand Touring All-Season Class?
    kris
     
    #8 cyberpriusII, Aug 8, 2016
    Last edited: Aug 8, 2016
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  9. cyberpriusII

    cyberpriusII Prodigyplace says I'm Super Kris

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    Did the obligatory 50 miles at speeds below 50 mph (that hurt) and no sudden stops at McDonalds, et al and you know these tires feel darn good. Again. NOT LRR, but nice tires.
     
    #9 cyberpriusII, Aug 9, 2016
  10. lifehouse

    lifehouse Junior Member

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    You may want to search if playing with tire pressure will help.
     
    #10 lifehouse, Aug 10, 2016
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