zyewdall Posted November 16, 2006 Share Posted November 16, 2006 Hmmmm. I just took a look at the Blizzak's on the front of my '89 GL wagon, and they are about toast. The rears still look fine. About 12,000 miles on them I think. I suspect that this is a combination of 1) using them on dry roads alot (for example, even today, we had snow packed roads about 4 miles down from my house, and bare and dry for the other 60 miles or so I drove below that, plus I ran the blizzak's all summer :-\ though I drove the VW rabbit most of the summer instead of the subaru) 2) driving very fast around corners on the canyon roads on dry pavement. I've been accused of driving like a grandma, till I get out of town on the mountain roads, when everyone starts hanging on. I drive the same canyon almost every day, so I know exactly how fast I can take each turn, and my old GL can outrun alot of newer vehicals with twice the HP to weight ratio but not as familiar with the road. I suspect this hard cornering doesn't help the wierd camber the front wheels already have. Anyone else noticed that front tires wear out really fast. Or do I just drive like a nut? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted November 16, 2006 Share Posted November 16, 2006 i'm not very knowledgable about tires but winter tires are very very soft rubber, not meant for summer driving. it doesn't surprise me at all that the fronts would show it worse/first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zyewdall Posted November 16, 2006 Author Share Posted November 16, 2006 yeah... Colorado is hard on winter tires, because even in the winter, our roads are mostly bare and dry and warm. But then once in a while, anytime between September and June, we get a foot of snow, and all season's don't work well..... It was so much easier in Washington, when you didn't get as many wacky storms in late spring and early fall, and you had pretty much snow covered roads all winter, so it wasn't to hard on the tires. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syonyk Posted November 16, 2006 Share Posted November 16, 2006 Hmmmm. I just took a look at the Blizzak's on the front of my '89 GL wagon, and they are about toast. In my research here before buying snow tires, I discovered that a lot of people complain about the Blizzaks not holding hard cornering/etc very well wear-wise - if you're driving hard, the Nokian Hakappalitas apparently hold up a lot better. My Blizzaks look fine, but then again, if the roads were dry, I drove my motorcycle last winter. So they were literally snow/ice/slush tires all winter. With maybe 1000 miles on dry pavement all winter, they didn't wear much at all. -=Russ=- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted November 16, 2006 Share Posted November 16, 2006 Definately Nokian FTW. GD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Durania Posted November 16, 2006 Share Posted November 16, 2006 I would suggest getting another set of cheap wheels and putting different tires on them for summer and just switch them out when the seasons change. Eventually you will save some money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the sucker king Posted November 16, 2006 Share Posted November 16, 2006 that's how it goes. just keep rotating them. when i lived in jamestown i went through a set of tires every year. now i change tires so much it's hard to tell how much i get out of them. i drive the same kinds of roads as you and i agree with what you said. i'm about to put studded hankooks on my wagon. i'll take them off in the spring. i got your pm, i'm gonna call you soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the sucker king Posted November 16, 2006 Share Posted November 16, 2006 i should add that i did get 3 winters out of a set of studded cooper weathermaster II's, only rotating from year to year. it's good around here to have a flippable tire. i probobly could have doubled their life by turning them around. these hankooks are not so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RONAN Posted November 16, 2006 Share Posted November 16, 2006 On the Loyale wagon, my Blizzaks have held up very well. I`ll buy another set when the time comes... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heartless Posted November 16, 2006 Share Posted November 16, 2006 if you have front end issues already, then, yeah, you are gonna wear those tires a LOT faster. Hard cornering with the softer rubber will also wear them faster - they werent made for that kind of driving. the pair that i just recently bought are Bridgestone Winterforce tires - they are currently on the back end of the 88 coupe we have with decent all seasons on the front. Dont even have a weeks worth of driving on them yet, so hard to say how they will wear. I do about 100 miles a day to work and back. hasnt snowed since monday (see wild ride post) so roads have been clear, mostly dry since... if it were mine, I would be getting it in for an alignment check at least. (and slow down a little in that canyon!! LOL) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted November 16, 2006 Share Posted November 16, 2006 perfect excuse to get another soob! a solid soob can be bought for next to nothing, dedicate it for snow driving and nothing else. save your tires, spread out your miles, get a multi-vehicle insurance discount.....all will save you money in the end. and...having an extra vehicle makes it nice if you need to take one down for work or waiting for parts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the sucker king Posted November 16, 2006 Share Posted November 16, 2006 also if your struts are cranked all the way up you will wear the outsides a lot quicker. maybe it's a good idea to drop them down for the winter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zyewdall Posted November 17, 2006 Author Share Posted November 17, 2006 perfect excuse to get another soob! Actually, I AM buying another one this weekend. An '87 GL wagon with wiring issues. Seems pretty solid otherwise -- new tires and carbureator and not too much rust. He's asking $350. Only thing is that it's not really going to be mine -- my business partner doesn't have a car right now, and I finally convinced him to get one instead of borrowing mine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flowmastered87GL Posted November 17, 2006 Share Posted November 17, 2006 my gl with 321K ate front tires like crazy.... turns out the suspension bushings were toast. When I watched them pull it into the tire shop I could see the suspension going forward and back when they engaged the clutch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prospeeder Posted November 17, 2006 Share Posted November 17, 2006 alignment will eat ur tires up fast, my Mazda 323 had the alignment off bad and it ate right through the front tires in like 3 thousand miles, like theres only abit of tread in the middle. Also air pressure, low pressure eats up the sides, too much eats up the middle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davalos Posted November 17, 2006 Share Posted November 17, 2006 I just had to replace my front left tire - new in March ... hmmm... Question ... what are the possible parts could be going bad when it comes to getting an alignment? I have these visions of going to the alignment shop * theyll say "Well, we can't do it because you need x, y, and z. That'll be $49.99 please" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prospeeder Posted November 18, 2006 Share Posted November 18, 2006 usually if u hit a big pot hole or smash a curb it just throws the alignment off, but other times if you hit a curb or somthing too hard it starts bending suspension parts, and thats what throws off the alignment then wich will have to be fixed for a good alignment, chances are your fine, just go have one done Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zyewdall Posted November 19, 2006 Author Share Posted November 19, 2006 Thanks everyone. Well, I hit a softball sized rock in the road going about 50 tonight, and blew the right front tire out... so I'll get a set of hakkapalitas for the front Monday and see how they do. And I might have them look at the alignment while I've got it there. I don't think it's the alignment though, since it rides really nice, even at 75 or 80. My friend's new wagon ('87 GL) definitely needs an alignment though.. pulls strongly to the right on the highway. I was driving behind it on the way home this afternoon, and it looked like he was driving in a strong sidewind. Z Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chazmataz Posted November 19, 2006 Share Posted November 19, 2006 i've been running blizzaks since may on my 84 gl wagon (its my daily driver), they are still looking good but i do have to rotate them every couple of months. iam running with my front struts and rear torsion cranked up. as far as handle they corner alot better on wet pavement then on dry ( they feel swishy, if thats even a word) but they are not showing any signs of odd wear at all. they work really well offroading to, seems to grip rocks well with all the siping they have and mud no traction problems at all. i will say this front wheel drive cars are hard on front tires they need to be rotated to even out wear and alignment are important to help combat tire wear also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heartless Posted November 19, 2006 Share Posted November 19, 2006 things to look at before alignment... shocks/struts ball joints tierod ends wheel bearings suspension bushings any one of these items being worn/damaged, or a combination of them will cause tire wear problems - even if the car does go "straight" down the road. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chazmataz Posted November 19, 2006 Share Posted November 19, 2006 yep. thank heartless. i forgot to mention those things and thats what i look for and fix all day long on cars at work besides doing the alignments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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