Gotta laugh and hopefully don't end up crying . . .

Daughter is racking up the Km in my TL wagon and I don''t get to see it too often. She has done 12,000 Km in the last 6 months.
I've checked the front tyres for wear periodically, but tonight, because it is dark, I used a torch and discovered . . . . uneven wear!

The fronts, Firestones have done 36,000 km and show dangerous wear on the inside of the tread.
The rears, Daytons have done 56,000 kim and show bad wear on the outside of the tread.

Basically, the 4 tyres are all not legal as they are all down to the tread wear indicators and possibly dangerous due to the shoulder wear, close to letting the steel belts show through.
They haven't been rotated since the Firestones were put on.

I will take the car off her, by force if needed, next week and attend to it - she can slum it in the TJ for a while - 4 new tyres and a front and rear alignment for the TL wagon.

Questions: (size is 215 X 60 X 16", on TJ alloys.)

What is a good tyre to put on, do Bridgestone do a "4 for the price of 3" deal at the moment, and what is a set of tyres + alignment at both ends going to cost me?

(I'm assuming the Bridgestone shop can do a decent job on the alignments)

EDIT: 4 for 3 deal currently on Turanza Serenity plus and Supercats.

Gotta laugh and hopefully don't end up crying . . .

Daughter is racking up the Km in my TL wagon and I don''t get to see it too often. She has done 12,000 Km in the last 6 months.
I've checked the front tyres for wear periodically, but tonight, because it is dark, I used a torch and discovered . . . . uneven wear!

The fronts, Firestones have done 36,000 km and show dangerous wear on the inside of the tread.
The rears, Daytons have done 56,000 kim and show bad wear on the outside of the tread.

Basically, the 4 tyres are all not legal as they are all down to the tread wear indicators and possibly dangerous due to the shoulder wear, close to letting the steel belts show through.
They haven't been rotated since the Firestones were put on.

I will take the car off her, by force if needed, next week and attend to it - she can slum it in the TJ for a while - 4 new tyres and a front and rear alignment for the TL wagon.

Questions: (size is 215 X 60 X 16", on TJ alloys.)

What is a good tyre to put on, do Bridgestone do a "4 for the price of 3" deal at the moment, and what is a set of tyres + alignment at both ends going to cost me?

(I'm assuming the Bridgestone shop can do a decent job on the alignments)

EDIT: 4 for 3 deal currently on Turanza Serenity plus and Supercats.

Yes it hard to find someone you can trust to do a wheel alignment, I replaced outer tie rod ends and a drivers inner tie rod end on my KH and done a wheel alignment myself using chassis stands and some cotton, found it on you tube how to do it, made the car drive good and the steering wheel is pretty straight and after about 5,000 k's no uneven tyre wear on the front but maybe not perfect so I would like to get an alignment done just to make sure its right.

The Serenity Plus seem like a decent buy.
I bought Pirelli P7 Cinturato for my KJ2 and I am really pleased with them. Very good wet weather grip.
And they were only $115 fitted each for the 16" size in Sydney

I put turanza serenity plus on my TL about a month ago, got the 4 for 3 deal.

Mine are 235/45/17.

Very quiet, good dry grip, haven't had much chance to try them in the wet. Probably not a premium tyre like the Turanza ER300 was, but still very good quality IMHO.

Supercats have always been Bridgestone's budget line, and I find while they wear fairly well, they become noisy and the rubber hardens quickly over time and loses grip even with little wear on the tyres.

Bridgestone dealers like any reputable brand name dealer, will do an excellent alignment. They also use torque wrenches for the final tightening, which most places don't.

Only a mug would buy new tires without getting a computer wheel alignment. It's inly $60 or so to potentially double the life of your $600-$1000 investment.

Seeing I don't get to see the car too often and the sorts of open road Km she does, I will leave it to the experts.
I have tried the DIY wheel alignment in the past, but not this time. Not with a brand new set of tyres on it.

I put turanza serenity plus on my TL about a month ago, got the 4 for 3 deal.

Mine are 235/45/17.

Very quiet, good dry grip, haven't had much chance to try them in the wet.

Supercats have always been Bridgestone's budget line, and I find while they wear fairly well, they become noisy and the rubber hardens quickly over time and loses grip even with little wear on the tyres.

Yes, I thought the supercats might be the cheapskate option. I will go for the Turanzas then.
The local Bridgestone shop can do wheel alignments too, if I buy the lot there they should be able to fix any problems that crop up later - like funny tyre wear - without quibbles.
Will ring tomorrow and get a rough quote. $500 should cover it, I guesstimate.

I put turanza serenity plus on my TL about a month ago, got the 4 for 3 deal.


Got a pair of these in 205/65 R15 and for the money they are quite good. Grip in the wet is decent and they are quiet. For the wheel alignment I would goto a suspension place as they are the experts. I've had a few experiences with tyre shops not doing alignments correctly and then blaming something else. Took it to a Pedders or independant suspension shop and they sorted it out.

Seeing as you don't get to see the wagon that often Max, can you be confident that your daughter is monitoring the tyre pressures?
Granted that you mention only one shoulder is worn, but wrong pressures could quite easily be as detrimental to general tyre wear as a bad alignment.

Gotta laugh and hopefully don't end up crying . . .

Daughter is racking up the Km in my TL wagon

.....

EDIT: 4 for 3 deal currently on Turanza Serenity plus and Supercats.

@MadMax

It's a free country and all that, but I'm wondering why have you decided to start a new thread about tyres?

There are sooooooooo many threads already on this forum and adding new ones about subjects already covered in reasonable detail makes it just a little bit more difficult to find relevant information.

It seems that you are looking for information about 16" tyres, correct?

Earlier this year there have been at least 2 started concerning requested feedback on mainly 16" tyres.

http://www.aussiemagna.com/forums/showthread.php?t=105159&highlight=tyres

'Best 16'' tyres for a Verada'

http://www.aussiemagna.com/forums/showthread.php?t=104885&highlight=tyres

'TW: any suggestions for tyres?'

You have even participated in both of them.....and contain lots of pertinent and recent information.

So, a suggestion from a new member trying to wade through all of the information available.....(24,000+ threads on 3rd. gen alone! - not including AWD), I respectfully ask that members please try to search, and then add your comments or requests for information to threads that already exist and that possibly already contain the information you are seeking.

*WHERE POSSIBLE, OF COURSE*

You haven't been in here for 12 months yet so I don't think your in a position to be handing out criticism to a long standing member.

I put on b/stone serenity plus on a TW wagon: v happy. Quiet, good ride, good grip.

You haven't been in here for 12 months yet so I don't think your in a position to be handing out criticism to a long standing member.

It's not criticism, it is a suggestion to make the finding of information easier.....for ALL members.

I put on b/stone serenity plus on a TW wagon: v happy. Quiet, good ride, good grip.

Yes, I get the point about starting a new thread when not necessary. Will follow the good advice given today and let this thread die a natural death.

Moderators can nuke this thread if they feel so inclined.

You haven't been in here for 12 months yet so I don't think your in a position to be handing out criticism to a long standing member.

You were saying?

Yes, I get the point about starting a new thread when not necessary. Will follow the good advice given today and let this thread die a natural death.

Moderators can nuke this thread if they feel so inclined.

Or just merge the posts with pertinent information in this thread into either of the other two threads.

Information on pricing and specials in older threads won't be relevant today so a new thread is justified ...the way the forum is going we need all the interaction we can get..it's like a ghost town compared to the old days.

Threads started less than 12 months ago are hardly outdated.

An extra post in an already commenced thread will be just as visible as a new thread.

And again I say, use the search function.....and then decide if a new thread is beneficial.

Considering the posts in the other 2 existing threads I linked to, there's a wealth of pertinent information about 16" tyres, for which I am also in the market for shortly.

I have to admit I was freaking out last night thinking about my daughter + 4 grandkids driving around blissfully unaware the tyres had gone that bad.

I started a new thread because adding to an old one is often ignored, while a new thread draws more attention and more up to date information.

Simples!

Anyhow, Mr Leadfoot Sir, stop acting like one of the grumpy moderators, because you AREN'T!!! (grumpy, yes - moderator no.)

You haven't been in here for 12 months yet so I don't think your in a position to be handing out criticism to a long standing member.
Sorry mate but I don't agree with this at all. What you are ultimately saying in your subsequent posts is fair enough but please never, ever criticise (or glorify) someone because of the duration of their membership here. It's this kind of attitude that will drive members away and turn the place into, as you say, a ghost town.

You all make valid points though so let's just carry on with this thread. If you have an issue with the thread you aren't under any compulsion to reply.

You all make valid points though so let's just carry on with this thread. If you have an issue with the thread you aren't under any compulsion to reply.

OK, let's proceed then! lol

Local Bridgestone guys can do 4 Turanza Serenity plus and wheel alignment both ends for $570, which sounds good to me.

(Date and location data for future reference: Bridgestone select, Salisbury, Adelaide, July 10th 2015.)

I've advised my daughter to look around Waikerie, where the car is at the moment, for a tyre shop that can do the same job for around that price. That would be a safer option than her driving on those tyres back to Adelaide.

Hopefully that will go ahead. I still want to give the car a good going over to see if there is any mechanical problems that are a possible explanation for the weird tyre wear though - tie rod ends, balljoints front and rear, etc.

Aren't these cars somewhat notorious at wearing tyres unevenly when/if some specific bushes are worn?

If the person doing the alignment has half an idea, they will advise you if the suspension needs work.

Local Bridgestone guys can do 4 Turanza Serenity plus and wheel alignment both ends for $570, which sounds good to me.
If you take off say $70 for an alignment you're left at $125 a tyre. I think that's pretty bloody good for a brand name tyre in that size.

I'd still be inclined to take it to a suspension specialist if you are concerned about uneven wear though.

I bought some Kumho sense tyres about a year ago, over 30,000km later and still going strong.
They are nothing special....HOWEVER......
With a treadwear index of a massive 520 I am pretty sure they will last a loooooooooooong time. Check out the treadwear number on your tyres, it makes a huge difference. New tyres on my old Toyota kluger from factory (Bridgestones?) was only 280...strangely they were RS after 40000km.
You can find the number somewhere near the temp and speed rating info on the sidewall of your tyre...
Bigger the number....more km out of the tyre..

From what I understand though the treadwear rating scale is not uniform and hence varies from one manufacturer to the other.
My Pirellis are 260 I believe yet from the review I read they are praised for their longevity.

From what I understand though the treadwear rating scale is not uniform and hence varies from one manufacturer to the other.
My Pirellis are 260 I believe yet from the review I read they are praised for their longevity.

You are correct....but it still tells you the wear compared to tyres of the same manufacturer.
Your Pirellis at 260 may last longer than my kumhos at 520....but what you can do is compare the wear between 2 Pirellis or 2 kumhos.....so when u go to mr tyre dealer and have a choice between 2 tyres from same manufacturer, at least you can have a stab at what will last longer.
Sorry for confusion.

Last set of tyres I bought were Bridgestone Adrenalin RE002s - got them fitted just to realise they had a treadwear rating of 220! Nearly shit a brick when I saw that. But they had plenty of tread when I sold them, and I reckon they would be good for at least 50,000 km. On the other hand I ran some Michelin Pilot Sport 3s beforehand (and again now) which have a treadwear rating of 320 - and neither set will last as long as the RE002s. Given they are all performance tyres though I'm pretty happy with anything over 40,000 km a set.

tl;dr I wouldn't worry about it much - go by user reviews instead

The 225/45R18 Federal Formoza FD2s I have fitted to the sedan have a treadweat rating of 420.
They have 51,000km on them (fitted at 218k, now 269k) and still have plenty of life left. For a modestly priced tyre, I couldn't be happier with them.

If the person doing the alignment has half an idea, they will advise you if the suspension needs work.

Yes, if he is worth his pay he will be able to tell from the angles that need correcting if the uneven tyre wear is due to hitting a curb once too often or wear in suspension components.
Hopefully I can quiz him on that and get some ideas.

I bought the car at 136,000 km and fixed a few problems, then passed it onto my daughter. Unfortunately she is the type who drives a car until it goes no further and then wonders if something might be wrong.
The car is now at 183,000 km and has only had the most basic of services since Feb 2013.
I'm really itching to get the car back for a few weeks to check it over thoroughly. Preventative maintenance - do girls not understand that concept?

/end Dad whinge.

I think to girls a car is just another inanimate appliance, like a washing machine.

Being a wagon a four wheel alignment is overkill. It has a beam axle and no adjustments can be made, even so the only adjustment that can be made on the front is the toe adjustment anyway.

All that would be required, at most, is a thrust alignment which takes into account the rear wheels when measuring the front.

As for tyres, there's been alot of recommendations for performance tyres. If it's a family wagon only, there's nothing wrong with the non performance tyres out there, just steer clear of the no name stuff from the independents.

My TH wagon had Bob Jane All Rounders (made by Bridgestone) up till a year ago on the stock 15 inch rims. Nothing wrong with them, no squealing, held on in the wet. Put them on the car when my eldest was 6 months old (he's now 6). The only reason I replaced them is that I bought some alloys that have Yokohama C drives on them. I still have the rims and there is still 2mm of tread above the wear bar left after 60,000km. I've never done a wheel alignment on the car, but I have made sure the tyres a rotated every 6 months and tyre pressures checked and adjusted regularly (36psi cold).

Why not take it to Murph06 at beaurepaires Edwardstown if he is still there. He will look after you. I have had wheels and tyres from him for quite some time now. He also did the die grind on the front to change the camber.

Anyhow, MMAL did the cheap on the 16" wheels. Ideally, 215/60R16 tyres should be fitted to 6.5" to 7" wide wheels and not 6" wide wheels. There is too much bulging of sidewall even at 40PSI. I no longer had uneven wear issues once I upgraded to 225/55R17 on 17x7" wheels and then later to 235/45R18 on 18x8" wheels. If you want to 16" wheel/tyre combos then get a cheap set from a AU+ Falcon. They run 215/60r16 on 6.5" wheels.

On the low km TJ Solara I run Toyo tyres. I got them for a hundred bucks each as a dealer special. Very nice tyres. Good handling, low noise. On the other TJ Solara (many more Kms than the one with Toyos) I bought Chinese "Sailun" tyres. They were around $85 a pop, from memory. Why Sailun? Well the dealer I bought them from reckons that Sailun has a technology tie-up with Michelin in China. Also, I ran a set on my old TS V6 wagon and they were great. Good handling, wet or dry, low noise and very good wear.

Daughter ended up getting the job done locally. The guy did a good job on the wheel alignment, specs weren't too far out so the funny tread wear is obviously due to a lack of tyre rotation.

Unfortunately she ended up with 4 "Ovation" tyres rather than the Turanzas I was planning to put on the car for $30 more. See how long they last.
Chinese made crap with poor wet weather performance, apparently.
Why country tyre dealers sell second rate tyres when good stuff is available, is beyond me. Probably a "buy low, sell high" proposition.

I recently put a full set of the Serenity Plus on my Awd. I'm not that impressed with them. They seem to grip fine so no problem there, but I find that they ride very hard compared to the std Turanza's Ive had before. The serenity plus really accentuate the Awd clunks and rattles in the front end. Ive evern reduced the tyre pressures to try and soften the ride a bit. I've found over the 10 years Ive owned an Awd that running the tyres at around 42psi evens out the tyre wear a bit. Ive dropped the pressure back to the factory recommended 36psi with the serenity plus. My wifes Awd is running std Turanza's and it rides much nicer.

regards
peter

Its not the serenity tyres that destroyed the transmission was it?

last 3 sets I've had, KTAS Good year optilife, Turanza T001, good year Assurance

The Assurance were good but wore quick, as too the Turanzas were very disappointing life wise but very grippy especially taking off in the wet, current optilife ride is better, noise ok, less grip 50000k life guarantee. Will be amazed if they get that far.

Its not the serenity tyres that destroyed the transmission was it? hah hahahahahahah. ahh goodonya - that made me laugh.:D
Who knows, nothing surprises me anymore.

peter

Why not take it to Murph06 at beaurepaires Edwardstown if he is still there. He will look after you. I have had wheels and tyres from him for quite some time now. He also did the die grind on the front to change the camber.

Anyhow, MMAL did the cheap on the 16" wheels. Ideally, 215/60R16 tyres should be fitted to 6.5" to 7" wide wheels and not 6" wide wheels. There is too much bulging of sidewall even at 40PSI. I no longer had uneven wear issues once I upgraded to 225/55R17 on 17x7" wheels and then later to 235/45R18 on 18x8" wheels. If you want to 16" wheel/tyre combos then get a cheap set from a AU+ Falcon. They run 215/60r16 on 6.5" wheels.

Does the 215 tyre on a 6" rim affect the handling as well? would a 205 tyre be better on this rim?

Does the 215 tyre on a 6" rim affect the handling as well? would a 205 tyre be better on this rim?

Yes but goodluck finding 205/60R16 tyres with the correct load rating for decent price. It would be a lot cheaper to find a decent set of 16x6.5 wheels from an AU+ Falcon and put your existing tyres on it.

I fitted the CJ Lancer 16" wheels on my KJ2.
They are 6.5" and suit the car really nicely.
Centre bore and offset is identical to stock wheels

I fitted the CJ Lancer 16" wheels on my KJ2.
They are 6.5" and suit the car really nicely.
Centre bore and offset is identical to stock wheels

Thanks Spetz, will check those wheels out