Make Driving Fun with Performance Tires & Wheels

In a recent blog post titled "Goodyear Marathon Radial vs. Power King Towmax STR Trailer Tires," I covered the difference between two trailer tires we carry. Now, what about the tires used on the trucks to pull those trailers? Many full-sized pickups and cargo vans require load range E tires. If your pickup truck or van is a 2500 or 3500 (commonly called 3/4 ton or 1 ton), your vehicle falls into this category.

Load range E tires are the equivalent of the older 10-ply rated tires and are often still referred to as such, even though tires no longer have 10 actual plies in them. Regardless of what you call them, Tire Rack has what you're looking for. Below are two of my favorite recommendations for premium load range E tires:
 

Michelin LTX M/S2

Michelin LTX A/T2

If you're someone who does mostly street driving with some light off-road use and requires light snow capability, I would recommend the Michelin LTX M/S2. This tire is currently the top-rated option in its category according to our customer survey data and the customer reviews are outstanding. 

"I just put these tires on the Yukon. I knew they would be good tires, I had no idea they would transform my vehicle. It rides like new! A Yukon Denali already rides well for its size, but this rubber, you'd swear it was a Cadillac!" -- Tire Rack Consumer Review, 2005 GMC Yukon Denali XL

"Best set of tires I've ever owned. The only thing better would be riding on a cloud of air." -- Tire Rack Consumer Review, 2003 Chevrolet Avalanche 2wd

If you need a tire with a bit more off-road capability or desire a more aggressive tread pattern for cosmetics, then consider the Michelin LTX A/T2. This tire also offers better snow traction and the LTX A/T2 stands out for reliability, wear, wet traction and ride quality.

"Two snow seasons in Tahoe and tons of additional highway, city and off-driving - this is an awesome tire! When this set is gone, I will for sure get another." -- Tire Rack Consumer Review, 2004 GMC Yukon 4wd

"I will likely buy another set when these wear out. I am impressed overall and really like how they handle the load when I have my 3,500 lb. camper on the truck. Awesome tire." -- Tire Rack Consumer Review, 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 HD 4wd

The nice weather is here and many trailers are hitting the road with spring projects. Are your trailer tires in need of replacing? Until recently, Tire Rack only carried the Goodyear Marathon Radial trailer tire. For information on this Trailer Service tire, read my previous blog post, "Trailer Tires are Available at Tire Rack."
 

We now offer a few more tires in this performance category, including our newest option, the Power King Towmax STR. Like the Goodyear Marathon Radial, the Towmax STR tire is designed for use on campers, boat trailers, fifth wheel trailers and even some larger utility trailers. The tires also share some common design features, such as a symmetric tread pattern and twin steel belts with reinforced nylon caps to help increase overall durability. 
 

Unlike the Marathon Radial, the Towmax STR is produced in the popular 235/85R16 load range E size that many full-size trailers use. Another unique application is the 225/75R15 size that's available in an E load range versus only a D load range with the Goodyear Marathon Radial. 

 

Listed below are the available sizes for the Power King Towmax STR trailer tire:

• ST175/80R13 C    
• ST185/80R13 C
• ST205/75R14 C   
• ST215/75R14 C
• ST205/75R15 C    
• ST205/75R15 D
• ST225/75R15 D   
• ST225/75R15 E
• ST235/80R16 E   
• ST235/85R16 E

Trailers will be more stable and pull better on tires designed specifically for trailer use. Special Trailer tires are constructed with heavier duty materials and are tougher than typical passenger vehicle tires. To gain a better understanding of the driving requirements of Special Trailer tires, read "Trailer Tires vs. Passenger Vehicle Tires."

Since the warm weather has come upon most of the country earlier than normal this year, I've recently been receiving many inquiries for new performance tires and alloy wheels. While much of your wheel choice comes down to your own cosmetic taste and price, wheel weight and quality are also important factors to consider. 

 

Lighter wheels can make a noticeable difference in the handling of low torque, lightweight vehicles, like my 1994 MAZDA Miata. Looking for a light, high quality and attractive performance alloy wheel for my vehicle, I took a look at the options available from Kosei. While many of their styles look great, I chose the K1 Racing. Below is a photo of my vehicle with the wheels.

Many racers, autocrossers and drivers in the SCCA STR use this wheel due to its great combination of durability, weight and affordable pricing.

 

When it came time to choose the right tire, I went with the Firestone Firehawk Wide Oval Indy 500 due to its impressive ratings in our Tire Survey Results. I'm going on my seventh year with these wheels, and the silver paint with clearcoat finish still looks like new. I haven't had any issues with bent wheels and to me, the style still looks fresh. 
 

The warm weather is here, so enhance your vehicle's look with a Tire & Wheel Package today!

Not only do Hoosier's racing tires provide outstanding performance on the track, but they're also produced right here in Indiana. Experienced road racers and autocrossers who get great performance from this Midwest tire company will tell you to look no further than Hoosier for your race tire needs.

Hoosier's racing tires are popular for competition use in the following events:

• Autocross
• Road Racing
• SCCA Racing
• Time Attack Racing

Hoosier A6

Hoosier R6

If you're chasing cones in an autocross event or have a very light road race car and want maximum grip at the cost of some wear, choose the Hoosier A6. The tire is an exceptional choice for autocross events because it heats up very quickly for the short runs. As mentioned, Hoosier A6 tires can be used at the track on a lightweight vehicle, but will wear quickly due to its very soft rubber compound. 
 

For heavier cars and most track driving applications, the Hoosier R6 is the proper choice. With a more gradual warm-up time and consistency lap after lap, the tire is well suited for lapping sessions and competition driving.  

When viewing the tires, you'll notice that both the A6 and R6 have the same two groove shallow tread pattern that's designed for maximum dry grip and reduced tread squirm. The difference between the two is in the rubber compound.
 

For detailed information on each tire's temperature recommendations, initial run heat cycle, tire pressure recommendations for competition and more, download "R6 & A6: Tire Care and Safety Guidelines" (PDF). 

Note: Hoosier A6 and R6 tires meet Department of Transportation requirements for marking and performance only and aren't intended for highway use. And like all Track & Competition DOT tires, these Hoosier tires are not intended to be driven in near-freezing temperatures, through snow or on ice. It's also essential these tires be stored indoors at temperatures maintained above 32 degrees F.

The warm weather is upon us here in the Midwest and it's time to take my winter / snow tires off of my 2009 MAZDA CX-7 in favor of my all-season tires.

 

When performing my annual pre-season inspection of my all-season tires, I found that the factory Goodyear RS-A tires were only at 5/32nds of tread depth. While this is enough tread depth to be legal, it isn't optimal for wet traction or hydroplaning. To see how your tire's tread depth is affected by wet conditions, watch "What Honest Abe Doesn't Tell You About Minimum Tread Depths."

 

Given these issues, I decided it was time to replace the old Goodyears with a new set. My wife primarily drives this vehicle and we also take it on long trips. Safety in wet traction, a smooth and quiet ride and long wear were the main priorities in my decision.  

 

I had considered the Yokohama AVID ENVigor (H&V) for its good combination of handling, steering response and wet traction, but I ultimately decided on the Michelin Primacy MXV4. Why? The Michelin Primacy MXV4 has a softer and quieter ride while still offering great wet traction and longer wear than the ENVigor. Also, when comparing prices in the 235/60R18 size, they were very close. 

 

My first impressions driving on the new set matched exactly what I expected. The aforementioned characteristics were noticeable right away. The tires also performed flawlessly in a recent heavy rainfall, confirming the great wet traction I experienced during our testing. To top it all off, my wife is very pleased!

Before too long, the RV season will be in full swing. While Tire Rack does not carry a large variety of RV tires, we do have two great choices from Continental. Both tires are newer, updated designs that have a chip-and-tear resistant tread and are designed for reduced stone retention.

 

Continental HSR

Continental HDR

 

For the RV that doesn't see snow and only encounters light off-road conditions, the Continental HSR is available in a 225/70R19.5 size. Typically, these tires are used on the vehicle's front axle. If your RV needs a tread with more bite for snow traction and some off-road use, consider the Continental HDR. The tire is available in both a 225/70R19.5 and larger 245/70R19.5 size. Both sizes are normally installed on the drive axle of the RV.
 

Shop by size to find your next set of Continental HSR and HDR tires.

I've been seeing more posts and questions about the Enkei Tuning Series Raijin wheel on the BMW forums. Enkei has been producing high quality wheels since the 1950s and is well known by racers and tuners.
 

This lightweight performance wheel is hub centric for the BMW 3 Series in most sizes and offers outstanding quality. The wheel even carries a lifetime structural warranty. One particularly popular fitment is a staggered 18" setup for 2006-2012 BMW 3 Series cars (often referred to as E90 and E92 on the forums). This 18x8 front and 18x9.5 rear set-up weighs in at approximately 21 lbs. per wheel. The wheels allow for use of the popular sizes of 235/40R18 up front and 265/35R18 on the rear. 
 

The wheel is available in three finishes:

• Black Painted
• Gunmetal Painted
• Hyper Silver

Raijin Black Painted

Raijin Gunmetal Painted

Raijin Hyper Silver

 

The Enkei Tuning Series Raijin is available for many vehicles besides BMW. Audi, VW, even Nissan 370 Z and Infiniti G37 car fitments are available. The warm weather is here; so enhance your vehicle's look with a Tire & Wheel Package today.

Concerned about where to have your new tires installed? No worries, we have an extensive list of Recommended Installers who are ready to handle your installation needs at a great price. Also, this list just got quite a bit larger! 
 

We are pleased to announce that all 800+ Sears Auto Center locations have joined our Recommended Installer program as of February 1, 2012.

This addition represents the first time we'll have an installer group strategically located within mainstream shopping destinations, as Sears Auto Center locations are directly connected to shopping malls. These new locations to our program will add to the convenience of getting your tires installed, but also help you pass the time with many stores and shops near Sears Auto Centers. 
 

Not only will these new locations be convenient, but they also offer a very competitive price. To see prices, view the chart below. Note that the "Series" of the tire is the second part of the tire's size. For example, a 205/65R15 is a 65 Series tire. More information on sidewall aspect ratio can be found by reading "Tire Size Guide."

• 60 Series and up        $12.00
• 50-55 Series               $12.00
• 40-45 Series               $15.00
• 35 Series and lower    $19.00

We have also added an enhanced map feature showing the locations of each installer along with the corresponding number of where they rank in the listing based on ratings and distance. Also, you can link directly to MapQuest for exact directions to the installer’s location. This new feature will help ensure that the installer you choose is close to your home or office.

 
 

 

 

 

If you own one of the many popular sporty cars like the BMW 3 Series, BMW 1 Series or MINI Cooper, you probably already know that your options for all-season run-flat tires are quite limited. Until recently, the best run-flat tire with all-season capabilities for these vehicles was between the Continental ContiProContact SSR and the Bridgestone Potenza RE960AS Pole Position RFT. 

 

While both the Continental and Bridgestone are good tires, there is now another option available. The already popular and successful non-run-flat Yokohama AVID ENVigor is now available in a run-flat design, the Yokohama AVID ENVigor ZPS.  

 

The AVID ENVigor has performed quite well during our testing. We consider the tire to have an excellent blend of road manners and street handling. It has also been praised by our customers for its great combination of ride comfort, treadlife and performance.  
 

The following sizes for the Yokohama AVID ENVigor ZPS have been released and are currently in stock for immediate shipment:

• 195/55RF16 - MINI Cooper
• 205/45RF17 - MINI Cooper
• 225/45RF17 - BMW 3 Series
• 225/50RF17 - BMW 5 Series and Lexus GS
• 245/40RF18 - BMW 5 Series and Lexus SC

To learn more about pricing and availability for this tire, view here.

When considering Crossover/SUV Touring All-Season tires, Pirelli is typically not a brand that comes to mind for many consumers. However, the same company that makes high-end performance tires for Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Ferrari and others, also designs a fantastic tire for trucks, SUVs and crossover vehicles.  

 

The Pirelli Scorpion Verde All Season is currently the top-rated tire in the Crossover/SUV Touring All-Season category. It receives the highest marks in its class in several areas:

• Wet Traction
• Hydroplaning Resistance
• Cornering Stability
• Dry Traction
• Steering Response
• Light Snow Traction
• Ride Comfort
• Treadwear

While this isn't a tire designed for off-road use, it's a very smooth and quiet riding tire for those who drive mostly on paved roads. If you're shopping for the best replacement tires for your crossover, truck or SUV, this tire is definitely worth considering. 
 

Looking for Pirelli tire reviews on the Scorpion Verde All Season? Then take a look at our consumer reviews.

 

Tire Rack now carries a small number of Toyo tires that come as Original Equipment on a handful of vehicles. 
 

Take note of the special buy currently on the 245/55R19 Open Country A20 (O.E. for Toyota Highlander) which has been reduced significantly. Since there are very few tires available in this size this new offering is very appealing. 
 

Below is a complete list of the Toyo tires we carry:

Ultra High Performance Summer Proxes T1 Sport Ultra High Performance All-Season Proxes 4 High Performance Summer Proxes J33 Proxes R28	Passenger All-Season A20 A22 Proxes A05B Proxes A18 Proxes A18A Proxes A20

Highway All-Season Open Country A20

Toyo and Tire Rack FAQs:

1. Can Tire Rack get non-Original Equipment Toyo tires? No. Our selection is limited to O.E. part numbers . 
    
2. What about warranty coverage? Tire Rack will support warranty coverage for any tire we sell.

Shop by vehicle to find the tire that's a match for your vehicle. 

 

I received the following question in one of the forums I help moderate: "I have 137,000 miles on my car.  I've heard that some people experience sagging springs. Under what conditions, if any, do springs wear out and how can I tell other than a lower ride height?"

Springs support the weight of a vehicle and over time can certainly sag and result in lowered ride height and reduced body control. While you may never "need" to replace springs (short of one being broken) on your vehicle, 137,000 miles is quite some time for the Original Equipment. You would likely see a noticeable improvement by replacing your springs after this amount of driving and time supporting the vehicle's weight. While you're replacing these suspension components, consider the Eibach Pro-Kit Spring Set.

Below are a few areas that will improve by replacing worn out springs with a new set of lowering springs:

• No more bottoming out
• Reduced body roll
• Reduced pitch and dive when braking and accelerating
• Better handling and steering feel

For more information about lowering your vehicle, take a loot at "A Look at Lowering."

A close relative of mine recently needed replacement tires for her 2006 Nissan Murano. She was replacing the Original Equipment Goodyear Eagle LS tires. If you've reviewed our Tire Survey Results, you'll see that there are better options available. Here are three of the top tires I recommended for her in the Murano's factory tire size of 235/65R18. 

BFGoodrich Long Trail T/A Tour

Continental CrossContact LX20 with EcoPlus Technology

Bridgestone Dueler H/L Alenza

Which Nissan tires did she choose? After discussing options with her, she chose the BFGoodrich Long Trail T/A Tour for its combination of treadwear, wet and snow traction, quiet ride and reasonable price. 

I had the opportunity to drive on a set of these tires for a couple of days and must agree with the positive customer feedback and survey data that praises this tire. The ride was indeed smooth and quiet and had good snow traction during the 10-mile commute on snow-covered county roads. Here's what a few customers had to say about their experience with the BFGoodrich Long Trail T/A Tour:

"Living in the buckle of the snowbelt in Upstate NY, I researched carefully for tires to replace my OEM's and I have not been disappointed. The Long Trails perform magnificently in serious ice and snow conditions, rarely losing their grip - much superior to the Bridgestones they replaced. They are also quieter on the highway. After 17,000 miles, I detect almost no tread wear. And the warranty can hardly be beat. Outstanding value for the price." -- Tire Rack Consumer Review, 2006 Nissan Murano

"I am buying another set tomorrow! Tires have worn well, been quiet to drive on and mileage improved. Drives like butter! You will love them -- I am a Michelin man, but these were great since none were available last time." -- Tire Rack Consumer Review, 2007 Hummer H3

"Long Trail Tour proved to give much better results and handling than the original tires I had." -- Tire Rack Consumer Review, 2008 Nissan Armada 

To see what our test team thought of the tire, watch "Testing Tires Designed to Match Today's Pickups and SUVs."

With winter upon us, now is a great time to buy a set of winter / snow tires! 

Most drivers tend to use Studless Ice and Snow or Performance Winter / Snow tires. However, we carry a selection of Studdable Winter / Snow tires for those who are after a traditional studded snow tire set-up. 

While their name would suggest tires in this performance category can only be used with studs, they can actually be used without. In fact, the General AltiMAX Arctic is a great entry-level Studdable Winter / Snow tire that has very good snow and ice traction without studs. The chart below shows how closely the unstudded General AltiMAX Arctic compared to the studded version in our test, "Winter Testing at the Arctic Circle: Studdable Winter / Snow." 


Designed for the drivers of coupes, sedans, minivans, passenger-oriented light duty pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles who are looking to enhance wintertime traction, the AltiMAX Arctic offers high levels of traction at low temperatures. Featuring General's All-Weather Dual Tread compound, the tire is developed to enhance cold weather flexibility and wet traction. General AltiMAX Arctic tires meet the industry's severe snow requirements and are branded with the mountain/snowflake symbol.

It's important to note that there are special break-in procedures for studded tires and to find the instructions, read "Studded Tire Break-In."

Snow has hit many areas of the country much later than normal this winter. If you've just recently installed your new winter / snow tires, keep in mind, like other tires, they have a break-in period. 

The very outer part of a tire's tread contains a release compound and/or lubricant. During the tire manufacturing process, this part of the tread helps to keep the tire from sticking to the hot tire mold as the tire cures. 

For break-in, we suggest a few hundred miles of gentle acceleration, cornering and braking in order to wear off this compound and get a feel for how your winter / snow tires handle compared to your non-winter tires. For more information on how to properly adjust to your new set of winter / snow tires, read "Breaking In New Winter Tires." 

An important aspect of the break-in period is for the driver to become acclimated to how these new tires feel and perform. During this process, drivers should understand that winter / snow tires do have different levels of dry grip, road feel and handling compared to summer and all-season tires. This is because winter tires have more tread depth and more aggressive open tread patterns, as well as rubber compounds that remain soft in winter's freezing temperatures. Take this time to adjust your driving style accordingly and learn how the new winter / snow tires will react to your steering inputs.

It's important to note that there are special break-in procedures for studded tires and you can find the necessary steps for breaking in studded tires by reading "Studded Tire Break-In."

Technically, speed rating is only a measure of the tire's top speed capability. However, there is almost always a correlation between handling and speed rating since higher performance tires tend to be capable of maintaining higher top speeds for a longer period of time. While this is not always true, in the majority of cases lower speed rated tires tend to have slower steering responses and reduced dry grip, especially in winter / snow tires.

Shown below is what each speed rating letter equates to in miles per hour: 

L	75 mph	120 km/h	Off-Road & Light Truck Tires
M	81 mph	130 km/h
N	87 mph	140km/h	Temporary Spare Tires
P	93 mph	150 km/h
Q	99 mph	160 km/h	Studless & Studdable Winter Tires
R	106 mph	170 km/h	H.D. Light Truck Tires
S	112 mph	180 km/h	Family Sedans & Vans
T	118 mph	190 km/h	Family Sedans & Vans
U	124 mph	200 km/h
H	130 mph	210 km/h	Sport Sedans & Coupes
V	149 mph	240 km/h	Sport Sedans, Coupes & Sports Cars
W	168 mph	270 km/h	Exotic Sports Cars
Y	186 mph	300 km/h	Exotic Sports Cars

To learn more about speed ratings, read "Understanding Speed Ratings."

Do you have an SUV that is used mostly for street driving? Does most of your hauling involve groceries and the occasional trip to a home improvement store? Does going off-road in your vehicle mean traveling down a dirt road? Join the club! The vast majority of SUVs never see serious off-road conditions such as loose rocks, steep elevations and deep mud. 
 
The hardcore off-road crowd may scoff at the soft-roader SUVs like my MAZDA CX-7. While their lifted Jeeps with oversized mud tires have a distinct advantage in specialized terrain, I would argue that my CX7 and other street-driven SUVs with proper tires will handle 99% of the conditions that most of us encounter with confidence. 

If you're like me and most other SUV and CUV drivers in that the most off-road use your vehicle will see is a dirt road, then you're looking for street tires. The alternatives to the street tires are tires found in the On-/Off-Road All-Terrain and Off-Road Maximum Traction (commonly called "mud-terrain" tires) performance categories. 

Most SUV all-season street tires fall into two categories: Highway All-Season and Crossover/SUV Touring All-Season. The following are my two top recommendations within their dedicated performance category:

Interested in how my recommendations compared to what some of our customers had to say about these tires? Then take a look at our Tire Survey Results.

Many vehicles today are being equipped with wider tires on the rear axle. This is commonly referred to as a staggered set-up. Those wider rear tires may look better cosmetically and perhaps offer an increase in dry grip traction during the summer months, however, when it comes to winter traction a narrower tire is more effective in cutting through snow and is often more economical. 

As a moderator of a few BMW forums, I'm often asked if one can eliminate the stagger set-up and run the same size winter / snow tires in the front and rear. For most vehicles, the answer is that you can indeed go to a square set-up and use the same size on both axles. However, depending on the vehicle application, this new set-up may require purchasing different wheels. 

Note: A few rare applications require that a taller diameter tire be used on the rear rather than just a wider tire in order to maintain the functionality of the vehicle's ABS and traction control systems.  

To see if you can use a square set-up on your vehicle for improved winter traction, shop by vehicle or contact one of our sales specialists. 

Goodyear and Michelin are two of the most recognized brands of tires in the world. They're so popular that some consumers ask for them first when inquiring about the best tires for their vehicle. Which brand is better? The answer will vary based on the type of tire you're considering and what characteristics you are looking for.

When considering a Max Performance Summer tire, the Michelin Pilot Super Sport has higher ratings and rates higher in our Consumer Reviews than Goodyear's top offering, the Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric. While these Goodyear performance tires are well respected and are currently in the top ten in its category, a set of the Michelin Pilot tires has received high marks in dry traction, cornering stability, as well as wet traction - leading to its current ranking of number one in the Max Performance Summer category.

However, when viewing options in the Passenger All-Season category, the Goodyear Eagle tires in the Assurance TripleTred model win out over Michelin's Harmony tire. Currently, the top-rated tire in our Tire Survey Results, the TripleTred has over 58 million miles reported to back up its ranking. The tire was developed to be versatile by combining long wear with traction in any weather condition, including light snow.

We could keep going back and forth as the Michelin Pilot Exalto A/S tops the High Performance All-Season category in our surveys, while the Goodyear Assurance ComforTred Touring receives the highest marks in the Grand Touring All-Season category. 

In conclusion, there is no simple answer as to whether Michelin or Goodyear makes the "best" tires. Both companies make some of the top tires in different categories, therefore the choice will come down to what characteristics are important to you. Having trouble deciding? Check out our Tire Decision Guide to see which performance category is right for you.