Time for new tires... choices

[SnatchedHatch]

Thank you all for the advice and suggestions.

 

I'm looking at different tires and tire reviews at Tirerack. Given I'm looking for something decent for $500 or so for a set, the Goodyear AltiMAX RT43's seem like good all around tires, even in winter. I'm comparing them to the Michelin Defenders we put on our Legacy last year (which after 13,000 miles seem decent, but weren't really great in the snow last year). A lot of reviews for the Defenders were saying people were only getting 40K miles from a tire rated for $90K,

which hardly seems worth paying $650 for a set (it was $550 for the set 14" tires on our Legacy).

 

One local tire place is quoting $472 a set installed for the AltiMAX and I'll have to check with the other place we deal with in town. For me, that seems like a good price for a tire I might expect to get 50K miles out of (they are rate dfor 75,000 miles).

 

Given you don't hoon around (as you mentioned), I'd say those General's should last you more than 50k.

Only the Michelin's get the .5 factor of stated mileage haha

[SnatchedHatch]

Double post

Edited November 19, 2014 by SnatchedHatch

[SnatchedHatch]

I'm going to have to disagree.  Siping introduces new "edges" into the tread, which helps wet and snow traction by providing more "teeth" to dig into the water/snow.  While helpful for traction, these new "edges" will wear from sharp, new edges, to blunt, radiused edges.  The cuts introduce a new point of wear at the surface of the tire and these new surfaces wear, just like the rest of the tire.

 

In addition, you're cutting up the tread blocks.  Now, all tires have tread blocks.  These will distort as you hit a bump, roll over a pot-hole or go around a corner.  When you sipe a tire you are weakening the tread block at the point where it touches all these irregularities in the road.  This can cause little chunks of rubber to tear away from the edge of the sipe (called "chunking") and not only will that reduce the surface area of your contact patch, but it further weakens the tread block.  It's a visious cycle.

 

It will not extend the life of the tire.  Period.  Now if you can show me an SAE whitepaper that proves otherwise, I will certainly change my tune, but the fact reamains that if you cut up the surface of a tire, that surface has been weakened and will wear more quickly.  Maybe not by a huge amount, but every little bit helps.

 

Les Schwab doesn't care if your tires meet their treadlife ratings.  Most people don't remember the treadlife warranty anyway.  Think about what Les Schwab and how they make money.  They want to sell you more tires and siping is just an upsell they can make to fatten each transaction.

Sorry to be digging this up, but I've been away from USMB for a bit.

Just wanted to add that Discount TIre/America Tire NO LONGER SIPES tires.

 

They currently have the machines off line and quite possibly will get rid of them. I came in to get two of my winter's siped, as they were getting there and I needed them to last the season (oh a unique instance of it being worthwhile )

 

Some yahoo cut open his hand operating the machine, and someone from my local shop had broken their hand in the same manner years ago.

They usually do make drastic changes when even one incident nationwide occurs, but I feel it just shows how the cost analysis turned out for what they made on siping.

 

Just FYI. You may return to your normal programming

[mikaleda]

Sorry to be digging this up, but I've been away from USMB for a bit.

Just wanted to add that Discount TIre/America Tire NO LONGER SIPES tires.

 

They currently have the machines off line and quite possibly will get rid of them. I came in to get two of my winter's siped, as they were getting there and I needed them to last the season (oh a unique instance of it being worthwhile )

 

Some yahoo cut open his hand operating the machine, and someone from my local shop had broken their hand in the same manner years ago.

They usually do make drastic changes when even one incident nationwide occurs, but I feel it just shows how the cost analysis turned out for what they made on siping.

 

Just FYI. You may return to your normal programming

A tire shop isn't the safest place to work. lots of things that can happen just getting tires switched on rims if someone isn't paying attention just my two pennies in

[SnatchedHatch]

A tire shop isn't the safest place to work. lots of things that can happen just getting tires switched on rims if someone isn't paying attention just my two pennies in

Are you KIDDING me?!

You need to look up tire explosions on youtube, laughs will not be had!!

This incidents are not limited to just the dummies, had a regular hit the gas instead of the brake on a full size truck while in position to be lifted. That kind of work gets to you man!

 

Even with a tire cage per lift, well..    ...you tire doing it day in day out with the risk of blowing your ear drums                              ...from across the shop.

[spazomatic]

Just some anecdotal evidence regarding siping;

On my 84 GL i had some brand new BFG ATs siped at discount tire (several years ago) and it did make a pretty big difference when driving on ice, or polished snow. But they totally did fall apart faster. All the edges at the sipes became beveled, and after a while i noticed chunks missing all over the place, and the snow performance wasnt as good as when they were new.

Just throwin that out there.

 

Hankook I pike is by far my favorite snow tire. I especially like how well they handle heavy rain and slush

[SnatchedHatch]

Had the WinterForce (Firestone subsidiary I think) on my '87 Standard, they were brand new too!! AWESOME, but after a month of hooning there was a noticeable drop in performance. Not bad, they still worked great, but now I understand why they weren't awarded the best ratings on TireRack.

 

I have MasterCraft Glacier Grip II's now, by Cooper Tires, I'll let you know how they fare. They're priced around Winterforce, maybe a bit higher.

[mikaleda]

Had the WinterForce (Firestone subsidiary I think) on my '87 Standard, they were brand new too!! AWESOME, but after a month of hooning there was a noticeable drop in performance. Not bad, they still worked great, but now I understand why they weren't awarded the best ratings on TireRack.

 

I have MasterCraft Glacier Grip II's now, by Cooper Tires, I'll let you know how they fare. They're priced around Winterforce, maybe a bit higher.

I installed alot of mastercraft glacier grips when I was working for a shop, they seemed to be a good tire for the price. They definatly wear faster than a hankook I pike, but you get what you pay for

[SnatchedHatch]

I installed alot of mastercraft glacier grips when I was working for a shop, they seemed to be a good tire for the price. They definatly wear faster than a hankook I pike, but you get what you pay for

I don't doubt that, last I checked Consumer Reports, Hankook makes some damn good Winter Tires.

 

Well, my Glacier Grips are studded and were a bargain so as long as they last two seasons I'll be satisfied. I'd post an update on how they will do in the snow, but again... studs.

Edited November 20, 2014 by SnatchedHatch