# Ride differance



## alanl11 (Apr 8, 2018)

I am thinking of fitting my Gen 2 LT with the 16" tire up to the 17"X 7.5" wheels with 225-45-R17
Has anyone done this or vise versa? I looking to find out if the difference in ride smoothness
is very noticeable? I didn't get the Redline because I felt the 18" would be too bumpy so I see the 17's to be
a good compromise with out making the ride heavier, I like the way it rides now, but like the look
of a lower profile tire..


----------



## HBCRUZE2017 (Jan 25, 2018)

i will be upgrading to 17s next year and im lowered and probably will do a 225/40 or 45 so ill let you know !


----------



## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

18" is too bumpy. 17" stock size isn't *TOO* bad; however, the ride quality difference (improved handling as well) is noticeable. The 16's come with very spongy tires and ride like a little Buick.


----------



## Taxman (Aug 10, 2017)

I find the ride pretty decent in a 2nd gen LT with 51 psi front 48 psi rear (original 16" Goodyears). 
And I get mpg numbers I'd never see at 35psi.


----------



## HBCRUZE2017 (Jan 25, 2018)

jeez 51 psi front 48 psi rear? lol doesnt the car call for 35 psi and what is max psi for the tires? i have the stock hankooks btw not goodyear


----------



## Taxman (Aug 10, 2017)

Goodyear rates them to carry 1356lb at 130mph at 51psi.

You're allowed to use lower pressures if you carry lower weights at lower speeds.


----------



## karmatourer (Jul 6, 2018)

Taxman said:


> I find the ride pretty decent in a 2nd gen LT with 51 psi front 48 psi rear (original 16" Goodyears).
> And I get mpg numbers I'd never see at 35psi.


How much tire wear do you think you're sacrificing with high PSI? And obviously high PSI puts more wear on suspension components,along with far harsher,tank-like ride. 40% above the recommended PSI is quite a jump. There is no denying it causes faster wear on suspension components.
"Proper inflation pressure helps optimize distribution of vehicle load, acceleration, braking, and cornering forces in the tread. If the tire pressure is too low, or even too high, the contact patch of the tire tread is not optimized to handle the wide variety of jobs it is asked to do".


----------



## karmatourer (Jul 6, 2018)

Taxman said:


> Goodyear rates them to carry 1356lb at 130mph at 51psi.
> 
> You're allowed to use lower pressures if you carry lower weights at lower speeds.


Absolute zero logic in that post. So let's all drive our Cruzes at 130 mph all day long,because we can according to Goodyear.​Just because I CAN do something doesn't mean I SHOULD do something.


----------



## snowwy66 (Nov 5, 2017)

Wouldn't the speedometer go out of calibration?


----------



## Taxman (Aug 10, 2017)

karmatourer said:


> How much tire wear do you think you're sacrificing with high PSI?


You've got that backwards, tread life is extended at higher pressures.
Not to mention rim life, the 3-4 times a year I manage to find a wheel swallowing pothole.

Theoretically you're right about suspension life, but it's still better with a high pressure lightweight 16" tire and wheel than with a heavier 18" tire and wheel at lower pressure.


----------



## karmatourer (Jul 6, 2018)

Taxman said:


> You've got that backwards, tread life is extended at higher pressures.
> Not to mention rim life, the 3-4 times a year I manage to find a wheel swallowing pothole.
> 
> Theoretically you're right about suspension life, but it's still better with a high pressure lightweight 16" tire and wheel than with a heavier 18" tire and wheel at lower pressure.


Absurdly high PSI does in fact increase tire wear. Here is the 1st evidence I ran across while searching after your post.There are several more. https://www.tirebuyer.com/education/tire-pressure-and-performance#
There is nothing "theoretical" about wearing out suspension components faster. It's fact.
I just want folks to know the downsides of higher than recommended tire pressure. Whatever makes you happy with your car is the way to go.


----------



## Taxman (Aug 10, 2017)

karmatourer said:


> Absurdly high PSI does in fact increase tire wear. Here is the 1st evidence I ran across while searching after your post.There are several more. https://www.tirebuyer.com/education/tire-pressure-and-performance#



Thanks for providing my laugh for the day. 
Were the other sources you found this ignorant?

"Under-inflated tires tend to show wear on the outside edges of the tread, while over-inflated tires show wear down the middle of the tread."

You plainly have no experience with what I've been doing successfully for a very long time, so you tell me it'll result in things that have never happened in my experience, and now you quote old wive's tales that have refused to die ever since bias ply tires went away. 

And since when is the sidewall max pressure to be considered 'absurd overinflation'?

30 years ago, I believed what you're claiming. It's the 'common knowledge' I grew up with. 
And my experiences since the late 1980s have not resembled those theories, so I've rejected them.

In order for the 'accelerated wear in the center' to happen with a steel belted radial, the belts would have to stretch from air pressure, _and_ to stretch more in the center than at the edges. It just doesn't happen that way. Either a belt 'slips' and the tire is ruined, or the belts don't change.


----------



## mechguy78 (Jun 6, 2016)

In my own experience, the ride and handling both had noticeable changes as mentioned earlier. 

I also ran into tire wear due to under inflation even though I was running above stickered pressure for the car but below max pressure on the tire. If I were to do this again I would be running closer to the tire max than I did in the past.


----------



## karmatourer (Jul 6, 2018)

Taxman said:


> Thanks for providing my laugh for the day.
> Were the other sources you found this ignorant?
> 
> "Under-inflated tires tend to show wear on the outside edges of the tread, while over-inflated tires show wear down the middle of the tread."
> ...


The thing that's laughable is your insistence that you know more than tire manufacturers. Indeed,thanks for that laugh.
Whether you've overinflated your tire 40-50% above the recommended tire pressure is indeed laughable,considering the down-sides.. And sad at the same time.
I've been driving for 51 years,so I'm pretty sure I know at least as much as you do regarding tires and tire wear. And I'm positive tire manufacturers do! Feel free to search for respected and verifiable facts-no wive's tales,but facts. But keep drinking that old wive's tale Kool-Aid about over-inflation being safe. And again,feel free to reject what experts know because YOU don't agree with them. You're the tire expert.
There are no "theories" to reject. You are rejecting facts. 
Enjoy you tank-like ride and few extra MPG and premature tire wear and component abuse to save a few dollars every month. You can use that money toward tires and suspension parts if that absurd over-inflation doesn't kill you first.
In this case,facts ARE facts, You just refuse to accept them.
EDIT: BTW,I'm finished wasting time responding since you refuse to accept facts.


----------



## Taxman (Aug 10, 2017)

karmatourer said:


> The thing that's laughable is your insistence that you know more than tire manufacturers.


Oh, when did I say that?

As far as 'facts' are concerned, you haven't provided any that I noticed. 

I have stated that I've increased tire pressure and not experienced the dire results that you say will happen. 
I provided links to the experiences of others who did the same thing with the same results. 
Mechguy78 has said his experiences mirror mine. 
But your version of the facts says what I've experienced doesn't happen. 

If you were right, how could Wayne Gerdes have inflated the factory rubber on his Accord to 70psi and proceeded to drive the thing for 120,000 miles with even tire wear?

With your greater knowledge, you must have gotten 200,000 miles out of your last set of OEM rubber. 

And now you step up your plea to higher authority by claiming that tire manufactures agree with you without providing any cites. 

So, either describe your personal experiences, or quote your authorities (more believable than that tire dealer you linked earlier please), or STFU.

I think we're all in agreement about what happens when tires are underinflated. We're not in agreement about what constitutes overinflation, or what results from it. 
IME, higher tire pressures result in lower rolling resistance and lower treadwear, along with rougher ride, sharper steering, and as you mentioned, more suspension wear. In a 2nd gen car with 16" factory rubber, sidewall max merely brings the ride quality down to what I'd expect from an economy car, losing the Malibu-like softness that GM's engineers likely worked quite hard to achieve. 

Overinflation can result in mechanical damage to the tire carcass from stress. I believe that sidewall maximum pressures on properly labeled tires cannot be overinflation. 

When the tire manufacturer says it'll go 8 hours at 130mph carrying 1356lb if I inflate it to 51psi cold, I believe them. I also believe that driving slower than 130mph with less than 1356lb is easier on the tire than the limits they specified. 

Wayne claims that 70psi in a 51psi tire, or 60psi in a 44psi tire is acceptable in his personal experience. I'm don't see any point in going there, but I'm not going to argue against his experience either.


----------



## snowwy66 (Nov 5, 2017)

Belts DO stretch. And they WILL flex out in the middle from over inflation. They'll also flex out from speed. The faster you go. The more the middle sticks out. Regardless of tire pressure. 

Won't notice it on underinflated tires but will with overinflated. 

There are semi's with superwide tires. Their max speed is 65 due to belt flex in the middle. You won't see semis sticking to that speed limit though. And if you look closely. You'll see thinner tread in the middle.


----------



## BluezCruze2018 (Aug 10, 2018)

I recently had my 2018 LT in with the 17” wheels. While in service they gave me a 2018 LS with hubcaps and 16” wheels. They didn’t grip well and the car couldn’t take a corner without the tires howling, even under moderate driving conditions.


----------



## HBCRUZE2017 (Jan 25, 2018)

i think the ls has 15"s btw and the lt like mine has 16"s


----------



## Blasirl (Mar 31, 2015)

Taxman said:


> You've got that backwards, tread life is extended at higher pressures.


At a certain pressure you are crowning the tire and wearing out the center portion before the sides. Less tire on the road gives better mileage fuel wise but not tire wise.


----------



## Farmerboy (Sep 2, 2012)

I just put a new set of tires on my 17 Lt. When shopping for them I told my tire man I wanted V-rated tires so they would have 51psi max. I try to keep my tires at 40-42 psi and I liked to have a little leeway from the max pressure. He told me that if the tire says 41 psi max it is designed to run that way the entire life of the tire so would not be considered overinflated.


----------



## HBCRUZE2017 (Jan 25, 2018)

what tires did you go with if you dont mind me asking?


----------



## Blasirl (Mar 31, 2015)

I'm a bit late to the game, but here are a few more tibits: Low Profile Rims Tires Comfort


----------



## Iamantman (Sep 24, 2018)

I'd be curious about this as well as I might upgrade sometime next year to 17s. 

Also not to beat a dead horse but Taxman, you've got your info all wrong man. Modern tire tech hasn't changed much and over inflating tires like that might improve your mileage slightly, but will bring with that a raft of issues such as uneven tire wear, premature suspension wear, dangerous driving conditions in inclement weather, etc. I'm not sure where you heard/read the opposite, but I'd suggest sticking closer to manufacturers recommendation in the future. You'll save a lot more money and heartache than what you're saving in $3/gallon gas.


----------



## karmatourer (Jul 6, 2018)

Iamantman said:


> I'd be curious about this as well as I might upgrade sometime next year to 17s.
> 
> Also not to beat a dead horse but Taxman, you've got your info all wrong man. Modern tire tech hasn't changed much and over inflating tires like that might improve your mileage slightly, but will bring with that a raft of issues such as uneven tire wear, premature suspension wear, dangerous driving conditions in inclement weather, etc. I'm not sure where you heard/read the opposite, but I'd suggest sticking closer to manufacturers recommendation in the future. You'll save a lot more money and heartache that what you're saving in $3/gallon gas.


He heard it from the,"Church of Wayne",the OVERinflation Tire God he worships and every word is gospel to justify excess PSI and all dangerous side effects be damned!


----------



## Taxman (Aug 10, 2017)

Iamantman said:


> I'd be curious about this as well as I might upgrade sometime next year to 17s.
> 
> Also not to beat a dead horse but Taxman, you've got your info all wrong man. Modern tire tech hasn't changed much and over inflating tires like that might improve your mileage slightly, but will bring with that a raft of issues such as uneven tire wear, premature suspension wear, dangerous driving conditions in inclement weather, etc. I'm not sure where you heard/read the opposite, but I'd suggest sticking closer to manufacturers recommendation in the future. You'll save a lot more money and heartache than what you're saving in $3/gallon gas.


I'll agree with you if I ever see it happen.
So far, it hasn't in my experience. These aren't 32psi bias ply tires with 50 psi in them, these are 51 psi steel belted radials with 50 psi in them. (and yes, I've seen SAE papers confirming the center wear when you inflate tires with 32 sidewall rating to 40+).

I did find a discussion in another forum (talking about going over sidewall max) where a participant claimed to be a tire engineer. 
He verified that wear would be biased to the center, but said the effect would be so slight you'd never be able to measure it in real life. 

In my personal experience, I've seen outer edge wear below sidewall max, sometimes at placard pressures. I have not seen center wear above placard pressures, but I've probably only fully worn out 8-10 sets of tires, most of them at placard plus 3-5 psi so my personal experience is far from a large sample population. 

Actually, I don't think I've fully used up a set of tires at more than 5psi over placard, but I did put 70k on one set that way.


----------



## Iamantman (Sep 24, 2018)

Taxman said:


> I'll agree with you if I ever see it happen.
> So far, it hasn't in my experience. These aren't 32psi bias ply tires with 50 psi in them, these are 51 psi steel belted radials with 50 psi in them. (and yes, I've seen SAE papers confirming the center wear when you inflate tires with 32 sidewall rating to 40+).
> 
> I did find a discussion in another forum (talking about going over sidewall max) where a participant claimed to be a tire engineer.
> ...


Well it sounds like in a round a bout way you agree with me, heck even had a tire engineer confirm it for you, and yet, continue to do it to get 5 more mpg. And you keep bringing up bias play tires like they're relevant. Radials have been around since the 80s and are literally on every car made so that's why I'm saying your info is outdated. 

But you're right the issues that will come up aren't going to happen overnight. We're talking a 5-10 year impact which people tend to have a hard time wrapping their head around so they don't think it matters. I think what worries me most is that in the immediate shirt term, your car is more dangerous to you and others around you because you're overinflating but it doesn't seem like you're going to agree to that.

I don't mean to give you a hard time though, really. We're just people on the internet talking. But I do think it's pretty silly thing to stand behind so proudly.


----------

