Tyre "failure".... eek!!!!

[TommyC]

What tyres are people running on with 17" wheels fitted??

I've just had one "fail" :eek: (pics to follow tomorrow) that came on some RS6 5spoke reps as part of a wheel & tyre package. It's an Italian made Scudo Stunna 205/40 R17 speed rated to 140mph+

I'm quite shocked/p1ssed off about how it's "failed" because the carcass has split at the shoulder!!! The other shoulder is showing signs of cracking at the edges of the tread blocks. It has approx 1.5mm of tread left before the wear indicators. I realise it's not a top quality tyre but i only fitted the wheels last June.

After exhaustive and inconclusive enquiries about pressures, i resorted to running standard pressures for the car.

I am looking to replace the front pair at the moment and the rears in a few months (even though they have hadly worn!!) with something more mainstream, Pirelli, Michelin, Continental etc.

Does anyone know of a good tyre to recommend that will give good grip (wet and dry) and last a decent amount of time? I'm fed up with replacing tyres frequently because i used to with my old car (roughly a pair every 6 months!!!!:thumbdwn:).

Here's some pics (and some showing the reason i got the new wheels in the first place - some **** tried running me off the road on the M25 near J4 anti-clockwise and i hit something :confused: (curb?) at about 80.....)

[skudmissile]

Thats abit sh!t mate.

Toyo T1-R, i wouldnt go back to anything else, i have uniroyals on atm and they are pants in comparison.

[sharkrider]

don't buy federal 595's or avon zz3's, I've had both of these tyres fall apart... luckily changed them after realising something was wrong, but the tyre "technition" showed me the tyres in question, and explained how they could have gone "pop" at any time....

I noticed something was wrong, with wierd noises and vibration both times.....

edit: I'd reccomend bridgestone potenza's, but they're hugley expensive......

[TommyC]

"Toyo T1-R, i wouldnt go back to anything else, i have uniroyals on atm and they are pants in comparison"

How long do they last though?? I do 200 miles per week on my commute. Including weekends i reckon i do between 12k and 15k per year.

I was thinking of Goodyear Eagle F1's or Pirelli P zero's, if they don't cost too much more than £100 each......

[jasc1988]

Your running the wrong size anyhow (IMO)

215/40/17 are a bit wider and offer more protection + look better.

I have used Goodyear Eagle F1's but these are pricey at around 80quid a corner.

I stuck some Uniroyal Rainsports on and i think there ace, absolutely amazing in the wet which is good when you live in Scotland

[TommyC]

Your running the wrong size anyhow (IMO)

215/40/17 are a bit wider and offer more protection + look better.

I have used Goodyear Eagle F1's but these are pricey at around 80quid a corner.

I stuck some Uniroyal Rainsports on and i think there ace, absolutely amazing in the wet which is good when you like in Scotland

Sorry, they are 215's, i posted from memory last night and obviously got it wrong!!

[jasc1988]

Sorry, they are 215's, i posted from memory last night and obviously got it wrong!!

It's not actually the wrong size the 205 its actually closer to the OEM rolling radius of the tire than the 205's i just thought they looked a little stretched on the rim :eek: and offer no rim protection :P

[skudmissile]

"Toyo T1-R, i wouldnt go back to anything else, i have uniroyals on atm and they are pants in comparison"

How long do they last though?? I do 200 miles per week on my commute. Including weekends i reckon i do between 12k and 15k per year.

I was thinking of Goodyear Eagle F1's or Pirelli P zero's, if they don't cost too much more than £100 each......

Your allright asking me I got 2k out of a set plus a track day but i drive with the wheels spinning everywhere!

The set that were on before the hybrid did about 12k.

Goodyear eagles are the best tyre you can buy IMHO. The traffic cops run them on their volvos round here, which to me says alot.

Not cheap tho, but you get what you pay for

[TommyC]

Your allright asking me I got 2k out of a set plus a track day but i drive with the wheels spinning everywhere!

The set that were on before the hybrid did about 12k.

Goodyear eagles are the best tyre you can buy IMHO. The traffic cops run them on their volvos round here, which to me says alot.

Not cheap tho, but you get what you pay for

Well i thought you'd give a similar response, spinning wheels, big #11's etc but thought i'd be able to gauge from there

I realise the goodyears will be expensive but, like you say, get what you pay for!! 12k sounds good though, so I might go for the Toyo's.... Depends on the quotes i get for both.....

[Hannibal]

I can concur that the uniroyals are amazing in the wet - I live in Wales. I do however seem to get only 8k from them :-(

[Sonic_Vrs]

Arent those the OEM Fab vRS alloys? In which case 16" are the ones you are looking for...

I got Kumho KU31's - as good as Ive ever had...

[jasc1988]

Arent those the OEM Fab vRS alloys? In which case 16" are the ones you are looking for...

I got Kumho KU31's - as good as Ive ever had...

Op states thats why he had to get new ones after he was run off the road

[TommyC]

Op states thats why he had to get new ones after he was run off the road

Yeah, was gonna cost £140 for a new alloy and i was quoted £250 for two tyres (seriously bulged the other tyre on the same side). I was also gonna have to wait 10days for the new wheel to be delivered whilst running around with no spare and a bulged sidewall.

I decided £500 for some tidy looking 17's with tyres, delivered the next day, was not only far safer but a good excuse for a little indulgence!!

Camera phone pics, but not bad considering

[ming]

I've no hesitation in recommending Falken 452''s.

Performance in wet and dry is impressive and wear resistance is excellent. I fitted a set of 205/40/17's 6K miles ago; the fronts show slight wear on outside edges and the rears are like new.

No doubt Eagles and Toyos will be fine but will set you back a few more quids.

[Mossman]

Tyres are the one item where I will spend money. What else is in contact with the road? Quite. Just tyres. Buy the best you can afford and then some.

[skudmissile]

Tyres are the one item where I will spend money. What else is in contact with the road? Quite. Just tyres. Buy the best you can afford and then some.

100% agree with Jon.

My top tyres for the fabia would be

Toyo t-1R Brill Tyre, good wet grip, good dry grip, good wear and good price

Goodyear eagle f1 (only second place due to cost over the toyos but IMHO a better all round tyre than the toyos)

Uniroyal rain sports, but get the XL rated ones, I have the normal ones on atm, and i have to run quite high pressures as the sideways are just too spongy for the heavy oil burning lump under the bonnet.

[TommyC]

Cool

Thanks very much for all the input people. I'll let you know what i choose in the end, and it will depend on price. Not the cheapest mind, but the best ones i can afford

[GlacierNR]

I concur with Sharkrider... Bridgestone Potenzas. I had a set on a Turbo Volvo and they were the best tires I've had. Next, I would go for Yokohamas, then Dunlops, then maybe Michelin, Kumho, etc... Just say no to Goodyear and Firestone.

[TommyC]

I concur with Sharkrider... Bridgestone Potenzas. I had a set on a Turbo Volvo and they were the best tires I've had. Next, I would go for Yokohamas, then Dunlops, then maybe Michelin, Kumho, etc... Just say no to Goodyear and Firestone.

Any particular reson why you say no to firestone and goodyear??

I've had Kumho before and the ate themselve from the inside out in a similar way to the above pics. The steel brading used to reinforce the tread stopped at the shoulder inside the rubber. With the cyclic load when driving, with reference to a spcific point on the tyre, the braids slowly wore their way through the rubber until they found the light of day i.e. knackered tyres!!!

Yokohamas are too soft. Had them before, only got 6k out of them. Was a very grippy 6k, but only 6k.

Falkens seemed to do the same.

Not had bridgstones yet,

Or michelins,

I've got dunlops on my Kawasaki Ninja ZX6R, but thats a different beast .

[jasc1988]

I think Goodgear's are pretty spot on.

Basically go for a decent make and you really cant go wrong... Buy cheap buy twice and all that

[GlacierNR]

Tommy C...

I have had 3 or 4 sets of Goodyears - both regular and performance models. For me, they wore quickly, were crap in the wet and got lumpy fairly quickly. Oh, and all of them seem to have good rubber compound for the first 2 to 3k, then traction goes seriously downhill which is due to the (longer life, read: cheap) secondary rubber compound - even in the performance models.

Firestone: this is more of personal objection due to safety. I had one set of which two, on two different occasions, with a well sorted car, blew up on me on a highway off ramp. They had great all round traction, but were manufactured with sidewall problems. (Then there's that whole Ford Explorer thing a couple years back that makes me wonder if they are still trying to use cheap materials).

I am sure there are good and bad versions at all tire manufacturers. My recommendations come from personal experience (I have probably bought 25 to 30 sets of tires in the last 15 years.)

For me, the major buying factors have been all weather traction/cornering/breaking, decent wear life (with rotations), at least an "H" rating, a decent brand safety record.

Cheers!

Nate

[KLM]

I do about 25K per year and also use T1-R's. They seem to last very well (if you don't abuse them) and are well priced.

I too have gone for the 215/40 over the 205/45. They make car look better, grip better, better wheel protection and are about £10 a corner cheaper.

[ap0gee1978]

The only thing I'd say about the Proxeses is that they need to be a kept a few psi above standard, otherwise the shoulders would wear really badly (I'm not the only one who's noticed this). But I got a good 10k out of them on a 250-mile per week commute, changing with a good 2-3mm left on the centre tread (perhaps down to 1.5-1.6mm on shoulders for above reason)

Replaced them with P-Zero Neros this time round, as I couldn't countenance being a dad with having tyres that left >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> marks on the drive whe it was wet (sad, I know!) I found the Pirellis quite skittish at first, but now they're worn in (and I've also had the front bushes replaced / upgraded), they seem really good and make the Toyos seem quite stodgy in comparison...

I'm definitely another that wouldn't touch a budget tyre with a bargepole, however...

[KLM]

The only thing I'd say about the Proxeses is that they need to be a kept a few psi above standard, otherwise the shoulders would wear really badly (I'm not the only one who's noticed this).

Agreed. Good point to make.