New Tyres

[Tracy Dee]

Falken ZE 914 225/50/16.

 

[Low Rider]

Falken ZE 914 225/50/16.

Interesting I've just checked your Falken size and your right they are XL tyres.

Yet when I check my Falken 245/40/17 they aren't XL even though they are both the same Falken Ziex ZE914

 

[Stevo7682]

Interesting I've just checked your Falken size and your right they are XL tyres.

Yet when I check my Falken 245/40/17 they aren't XL even though they are both the same Falken Ziex ZE914

What is the speed rating and load index of the rear compared to the front Steve.

 

[Low Rider]

What is the speed rating and load index of the rear compared to the front Steve.

My rears are 91W
And Tracy's front are 96W

 

[Stevo7682]

That'll be the difference can tracy get her front in 91 that will probably be standard load 96 will be xl .
Once you go beyond certain size and profile they will all become extra load

 

[Nodzed]

No, this is not a 'Which Tyres Should I Buy' thread but a bit of info on my previous ones. I have just been looking at the mileage the previous tyres have done. Like some on here I was running Maxxis MAZ1s all round. I had to replace the rears 18 months ago but couldn't get Maxxis again so went for Falkens (914s). I have just changed them all and the Maxxis have covered 30,914 miles on the front and the Falkens 17,597 miles on the rear. Pretty pleased with that. I must be driving too slowly

Well that's just depressed me I've done just over 7k on my rear conti's and will need new ones before the Euro run and no I don't drive it like I stole it (well not all the time) really unimpressed with the continentals for wear but once I got used to them they're pretty grippy. Guess its always a trade off between miles or grip

 

[Stevo7682]

Well that's just depressed me I've done just over 7k on my rear conti's and will need new ones before the Euro run and no I don't drive it like I stole it (well not all the time) really unimpressed with the continentals for wear but once I got used to them they're pretty grippy. Guess its always a trade off between miles or grip

Naill im afraid you can't have both the harder the compound the better the wear rate but at the expense of grip. conti's are a soft tyre bags of grip wear rate not so great.

 

[Low Rider]

Well that's just depressed me I've done just over 7k on my rear conti's and will need new ones before the Euro run and no I don't drive it like I stole it (well not all the time) really unimpressed with the continentals for wear but once I got used to them they're pretty grippy. Guess its always a trade off between miles or grip

You've never really rated those tyre's Niall

 

[Stevo7682]

In a 225/ 50 / 16 tyres come in 92 and 96
92 seems to come in xl and non xl but all the 96 i saw were all xl but you might get a 96 in non xl

 

[Stevo7682]

@Nodzed at 7k how were they worn as in generally right across the tread or centre or inner edge

 

[Nodzed]

@Nodzed at 7k how were they worn as in generally right across the tread or centre or inner edge

Little more worn in the centres edges are very even

 

[Stevo7682]

Little more worn in the centres edges are very even

What rear pressure do you normally run at

 

[Nodzed]

What rear pressure do you normally run at

2.2 front 2.4 rear (bar) that's about 32 front 34 rear in old money, its high but I tried lowering them and the car handles like a greasy pig

 

[Stevo7682]

I was going to say centre wear is over inflation drop the rears by 2 psi.
Alternatively get all your tyres filled with nitrogen as it is more stable to temp difference

 

[Nodzed]

I was going to say centre wear is over inflation drop the rears by 2 psi.
Alternatively get all your tyres filled with nitrogen as it is more stable to temp difference

yep I know but those are the correct pressures and I have tried running lower but the contis are quite soft side-walled compared to the Dunlops that came off and don't handle well at lower pressure, really noticeable, nitrogen filled is interesting though does that make that much difference?

 

[Ianmc]

I found nitrogen makes no discernible difference whatsoever on a road car. If tyre wear is central the tyres are overinflated.

 

[Nodzed]

I found nitrogen makes no discernible difference whatsoever on a road car. If tyre wear is central the tyres are overinflated.

They're not over-inflated according to BMW pressure guide, the difference is about 1mm from the outer thirds to the center third hardly worth worrying about as I posted earlier they are a Little more worn in the centers the tyres are wearing reasonably evenly, its the overall wear that is surprising hence not impressed with the Continentals.

 

[Stevo7682]

My skoda's factory pressure is 35 fr and 33 r
When i run them at that centres wear now run 33 fr 31 r wear much better .what you could try drop rear by 1 psi if wear difference not excessive that'll do the trick
As for conti like i said last night soft compound out the branded stuff Bridgestone and Dunlop then probably pirelli as the harder compounds

 

[Bozzy]

With all this talk of tyre pressures,I thought I'd best go and check mine.
Removed the rear valve caps to discover they hadn't been replaced when the tyres were fitted,as I'd had to cut the old metal dust caps off with a dremel,leaving some cuts in the actual valves so pretty obvious .
Because of this I couldn't get the pressure gauge to seal to get a proper reading .
Yes all my fault I know,but the damage was done when the old tyres were still on,knowing that new tyres were imminant and the valves should be renewed at the same time.

So got the receipt out and new valves are listed on there .
After a phone call the offending garage,who were very good about it,I took the car to them and they promptly fitted new valves .
Got home and checked the pressures.........40 psi ......ffs !!
But at least I can easily adjust them now,which I have done.
No big shakes I know,BUT if I'd got a slow puncture in the middle of no where it would have been a problem as I couldn't have got tyre weld stuff in,or got the 12v compressor to get air in fast enough.
Rant over .

Steve

 

[Stevo7682]

Thats been a bit if bad practice there Steve.
Valves should be replaced as a matter of course any time a tyre is off along with re -balance of wheel.
Valves are rubber same as tyres so age and degrade just as the tyres do not to mention the many other things that befall them.
My other top tip would be stay away from fancy especially metal caps they will just end up seized at some
point . Not on our cars but on newer stuff metal caps and alloy tpms valves really bad mix and expensive if goes end up seized then the valve breaks.