Consumer Reports Jan '06 Issue Proves My Point

Consumer Reports Jan '06 Issue Proves My Point on Tire Profiles.

Amazingly some of these utility type vehicles are being fitted with -55 and
-50 tire profiles. For you out there who don't know what this
specification means, I am referring to the new low profile tires, usually
fitted to oversized wheels.

When you see a car or truck that looks like its riding on its rims, it has
those abdominal low profile tires installed. Its a pure gimmick on the
part of the auto makers.

A neat side effect is instead of $35 tires, your replacement is going to
cost about $150 or more.

How does C.R. prove my point? Easy. Every one of these cars rode "noisy".
That's because the stiff sidewalls of low profile tires telegraph all the
noise into the cabin. Also, because there's little air cushion, the rides
are harsh.

Not to mention its impossible to wear a wide imprint tire evenly. Its also
impossible to maintain alignment and avoid cupping, that's why cars which
are perfectly aligned start pulling hard to the right after the tires wear
into a pattern, then bounce like crazy. This NEVER happened when tires
were -90, -80 or -75. When tires were -70 or less, that's when all Hell
broke loose and cars no longer where the comfortable conveyences we had
grown to love. They're all bastards now, one and all and its due 100% to
low profile tires.

Here's another proof and its an unrefutable foolproof proof. All airplane
tires, from the littleist Piper Cubby to the great big Airbus Double Decker
all have -90 to -100 tires. If low profile tires were so good, they'd put
them on airplanes (and it would save them precious space in the wheel
well). They don't, so that proves it, once and for all.

Do not throw your money away by buying cars with those stupid tires.
Boycott all makers until they get the point and start putting real rubber
back on our cars.

 

What point... did they liken them to the one on top'a your haid?

yawn... snip!

Who buys $35 tires? And where can you GET $35 LT's?

I dont, I wont and the only time I ever DID was when I was a kid without
a job.

Yeah! Back to them 6.50 - 16's!!!

And Doughnut white sidewalls

But, say... back then, didnt they all wear out the tread at 25,000
anyway?

Say again? You mean like .. it's bogus?

uh.. you forgot NASCAR tires

Or not... just let me have the last word on "dizum.com", here!

Then we can boycott him.

 

Apples and oranges. There are synergistic huge savings in using high
profile tires on aircraft:
(1) The tire/wheel combined weight is less with high profile tires (of a
given tread OD) - weight is much more of a premium on aircraft than on
automobiles.
(2) The tire/wheel combined moment of inertia is less for a high profile
tire (of a given tread OD). This does two things:
(a) The shock to the tire when it contacts the runway on landing is
less to spin the tire up in a matter of milliseconds, and
(b) The landing gear can be designed to be less bulky (lighter) to
absorb the shock of the tire contacting the runway on landing due to
(a). This in turn leads to even more weight savings than *just* the
tire/wheel combination (hence my previous comment about the effects
being synergistic in light of the premium put on weight savings in
aircraft design).

While similar effects are seen on automobiles, they are orders of
magnitude less than on aircraft. On cars, people are willing to pay the
penalty (higher unsprung weight, decreased acceleration due to higher
moment of inertia, harsher ride) for some reason. On aircraft, there is
a significant overall cost and payload capacity impact - not so with the
automobile (and in automobiles, you do get improved steering response
with low profile - not a factor with aircraft; aesthetic improvement -
real or imagined - may also play a part - not a factor with aircraft).

Bill Putney
(To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
address with the letter 'x')

 

OK... now that you have decided what kind of tires I like, can please tell
me my favourite colour and what my favourite dish are...... I've been
waiting for someone to tell me oh, so many things for such a long
time.......

 

My 6.50x16, Firestone Champions on my 1940 Royal Coupe ride smooth! I
agree with you on the profile. I am going to change to a 75 series tire
on my wife's 2005 PT Cruiser Convertible when the originals go south.

 

NO! PLEASE! NO! NOT AGAIN Nomen!

 

Its the fucking fault of the rappers and ricers.

 

On Wed, 14 Dec 2005 00:40:06 +0100 (CET), Nomen Nescio

Sorry couldn't resist so here goes

The "gimmick" as you refer to it, is required to allow clearance for
larger disc brakes and components while retaining a wheel small enough
to not impair acceleration or carry undue inertia. Everyone wants a
car that will stop on a dime, offer razor sharp steering, snappy
acceleration from a rest and most importantly "look like a race car".
Hence lower profile tires on larger rims

Not if you are able to fit smaller rims and tires on your vehicle

I do believe that you are confusing the speed ratings requirements
with air cushion. " Z" rated tires require a much stiffer sidewall
than an "S" rated tire. Sports car performance = sports car tires.

this is news to me

Might want to think back, Think of the Goodyears that came stock on
the Chrysler "K" cars.... I could give countless other examples
(continental Contacts on some VW's etc, etc, etc.

You give too much credit to the tires. Don't forget the changes in
suspension and engine tuning. Most car buyers at the moment have a
hard on for the "European Engineering" Not realizing that European
cars handle like they do because their roads are shit, Europeans are
willing to trade a louder, stiffer ride and more money in their cars
in exchange for a car that can take an unmarked 90' corner at 60 MPH
and come to a sudden stop at the other side when a farmer with muck
covered lights backs out into the road

People already are doing that. Take a look at the dealers sales of
SUV's and Pickup Trucks. Most do not come with 40 series tires.

Having said that..............
I partially agree
My Vehicles have 70 Series tires

 

Manufacturers make and sell what people buy, plain and simple. They
wouldn't be there if there wasn't a market. Sensibility doesn't go very far
in the American market place. Remember Studebaker & Rambler?

PoD

 

Not quite. No auto maker puts those on their trucks.

True, but you generally get better performance.

You also get better turn in. It's a trade off. You give up some noise to get
better reaction to steering inputs.

BS. If you keep them properly inflated they will wear evenly.

Again, BS. My Dodge Omni GLH Turbo ran on 50 series tires and I never had
any wear or alignment issues. Since the car was so light, even fast wearing
high performance tires lasted a long time. I had that car for over 110k miles,
so I have plenty of experience with it.

Tires are only part of the what makes ride quality. So you can't blame the
tires entirely.

What a stupid statement. If you haven't noticed airplanes only use their tires
in a straight line or when they turn very slowly.

Nothing is stopping you from buying the kind of tires you like. I'm sure there
are lots of folks that would more than happy to trade your high performance
tires for the crap you prefer to ride on.

 

Those are tires. Those are rubber rim protectors.

 

I know when a prospective buyer comes to the car lot and sees a
vehicle that has
low profile tires on it, the first assumption is that a kid owned the
vehicle previously
and they don't even take a second look.

the only people that buy lowered vehicles or vehicles with big rims
and low profile tires
are kids,and usually vehicles like that have had a stereo system that
a kid installed and messed with
the wiring and they have electrical issues.

in other words it is *MUCH* easier to sell a vehicle with those crap
tires that you speak of rather
than one that some kid monkeyed with.

vehicles don't come that way for a reason.




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Consumer Reports is so utilitarian that they probably think we should all
be driving one model of car fit to some generic class of needs.
I presume they allow for at least a few different classes, although I gave
up reading them for automotive purposes, where there is some form to go
with the function. Toaster reviews, maybe.

They don't like convertibles, they don't like sunroofs, I am not surprised
that they don't like low profile tires.

 

And your point?

 

A lower profile tire would fit on a bigger wheel, keeping the same tread
diameter. That isn't obvious?

This proves that Nomen Nescio doesn't think.

 

A tall ratio tire as opposed to a wide ratio (thin) tire is what you want
when a plain's tires hits the runway at speed with great force. Think about
it!

Richard.

 

My only question is: What are abdominal tires?

Airplane tires have to absorb the shock of landing -- slight difference.

 

Abdominal tires are what us old f*rts have around the middle!

Steve R.

 

Also called a spare tire.

Bill Putney
(To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
address with the letter 'x')

 

Love handles? (... to move a bit more OT...)

DAS

For direct contact replace nospam with schmetterling