# Tires



## Camcruse (Oct 4, 2011)

Well, after 62,000 miles on the OEM, I need to change the front tires only. The right rear was changed last fall due to a flat (Toyo tire) and unable to even find them anymore. The left rear OEM still looks great at 62,000 and looks like it can go to 100,000.

So here's my delimma.

Should I get the same OEM to replace the fronts or can I go with another tire just for the fronts (I don't rotate tires). If I go with 2 new tires for the fronts to save some cash, that would mean I now have 3 diff type of tires on the Cruze.

Or do bite the bullet and go for the same OEM to play to safe and forget the higher cost?

OEM - http://www.tirerack.com/tires/TireS...kipOver=true&minSpeedRating=S&minLoadRating=S


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## Tomko (Jun 1, 2013)

Four tires are better than two or three.


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## Chevyforever (Feb 5, 2014)

I just got four new primewells on my car (49k miles) and honestly matching tires give you a better resale value along with usually a better handling characteristic than if you had four different tires all with varying amounts of tread and tread patterns as well.. Just a thought. Mine were like $300 installed but primewell is like an entry level 'decent or good' tire. Good luck


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## 170-3tree (Nov 4, 2014)

There are tons of great options, however, if suggest to buy a set that comes with lifetime balancing and rotation for the extra cost, it will double or better the life of your tires. 

This is lazy maintenance as all you gotta do in most places is drive in and wait ten or twenty minutes, and drive out for free, with far better tire life and having someone look at your tires for issues that could cause you HUGE problems down the road.


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## NickD (Dec 10, 2011)

ABS is a PITA, opposite tires have to be of equal size or will be setting codes. One reason to rotate, the rear wheels go up and down with every bump on the roads. Whereas the front tires are like at the end of a pivot causing extra side wear with scrubbing that wears them out quicker. Unless you can find a bump free road to drive on. 

Never was a problem with front tires with double wishbone suspension, but is a problem with vehicles with a single control arm.

Hate ABS, just a heck of a lot more problems, and if one tires blows, generally have to replace all four. And as far as I am concerned, worthless. If one tire is on a good road surface the other on ice, doesn't make a darn bit of difference if they pulse that wheel or not, and just a lot more expense.

They also lie like crazy when they say ABS does not affect normal braking. Ran into vehicles to where either the module transistor shorts out, or a valve is stuck where you don't get any braking to that wheel period. Reason why I say our congress is loaded with a bunch of idiots making this a law. Paid some idiot professor at Stanford to say they are 14% safer.

And pulsing a spinning wheel on a hill with the brakes and killing the engine at the same time is totally stupid. Will never replace a limited slip differential.


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## au201 (May 18, 2013)

NickD said:


> And as far as I am concerned, worthless. If one tire is on a good road surface the other on ice, doesn't make a darn bit of difference if they pulse that wheel or not, and just a lot more expense.


Agree with you on most of those things - but thought this was the one place ABS actually does help...too much braking on a split μ (mu) surface will cause you to spin out...one side has more friction - creates too much force on one side of the car - starts to pivot and can lead to a spin. More "advanced" ABS modules (ours) recognize this situation and actually kill some breaking on the dry side...less stopping power, yes, but keeps the car right in line, maybe with a little steering input. Could be wrong, lord knows it has happened before. But have tested split μ braking in ABS and non ABS cars...non ABS stopped faster but definitely not in an ideal direction. Would've been T-boned. No side airbags there either. Lol. 

OP, I typically like to keep 4 equal tires on my car...or else you could end up in a situation much like the one above only the problem is split μ from the different tires...could be more dangerous. However, probably just me being paranoid. 


Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App


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## pandrad61 (Jul 8, 2015)

old 2 channel abs was like that nickd. with modern 4 channel abs and faster acting abs modules the problems you described are long gone.my 95 grand Cherokee will do what you said but the Cruze stops on a dime when one side is on sand and the other on good pavement (Florida has sandy shoulders) ive had to do minor steering corrections but that's it. modern abs can work 4 corners independent with no issues


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## pandrad61 (Jul 8, 2015)

but back to the point. try to get all 4 tires matching so that handling is predictable and even during emergency maneuvers plus they will all have the same rolling resistance


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## NickD (Dec 10, 2011)

Had to do some approximate math, distance from the pivot of the control arm is about 13" to the center of the tire. Allowing for about 3" of up and down movement of the wheel, 6" total. The camber will by +/- 13 degrees.

To be more accurate, could jack up one wheel and measure the camber angle, maybe later.

Been driving on icy roads for over 60 years now, if you have to hit the brakes to activate the ABS, you are driving too fast. Worse are pickup trucks, live in pickup truck country with most running empty at the rear, way too much oversteering with no weight on the rear wheels. Really have to watch these guys at a four way stop sign, will fly right through it. And they think since they have 4WD they can stop quicker, most vehicles have four wheel brakes.

Safest vehicles to drive on icy roads is where the front to rear weight ratio is 50-50. Cruze is around 60.5-39.5 front to back, not the best, would help to put in a couple of 100 pound sand bags in the trunk.

Ha, with that new 67 Mustang, had to put 400 pounds in the trunk just to keep it on the road. Actually, this was my ex's car, she wanted it because she thought it was cute. Tried to keep her happy.

88 Supra is actually a very good winter car to drive with a 51-49 front to back distribution, but never drive it in the winter. Good way to keep it rust free after 27 years. But one time during a family emergency, did have to take it out on ice and snow. Handled just beautifully. But as soon as the roads were clear, had to wash the underneath of it. 

Another line of BS is that salt saves lives, not when it rusts out your brakes and unibody.


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## pandrad61 (Jul 8, 2015)

I will agree in snow you want to turn abs off. just like in sand and mud you absolutely 100% want it shut off unless its specially calibrated for off road like dual sport motorcycles or rally based cars. I actually had a 87 supra... go 7m-gte or go home lol. loved that car dearly but I needed the cash and I go the car or free and broke even with money put into it. the new jeeps on ice will pulsate at a rate made for ice and snow, rather then 1000 tiny pulses it dos maybe 100 lock and unlocks.salt and brine solutions do help on roads but the driver needs to compensate for road conditions rather then exect clear roads 100% of the time


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## pandrad61 (Jul 8, 2015)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBtpJVNbF9U


here it was at autocross in Florida, even with less then good shocks, bad bushings, and mix and match junkyard tires still managed to wipe my f stock away by 15 seconds.

in a few years I would 100% buy another mark3 tats in great shape.


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## Tomko (Jun 1, 2013)

That video ends like a motor week test drive. 

Tires make a different sound on Portland cement than they do on asphalt. Cement is more of a shriek and asphalt more of a peel sound. 

One tire, one of your rears, is not happy at all.


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## NickD (Dec 10, 2011)

Taking a second look on the MacPherson's suspension. The variation in camber is not as bad as I thought because the strut is firmly fastened to the yoke to restrict angular movement. What is really bad is the fact while hitting a bump, the tire does move in and out on the horizontal axis, for 3" of vertical displacement, the tire can move horizontally as much as 0.6 inches!

Causing a side scrub on the front tires that were not intended to move this way. Besides bumps, also on fast turns where centrifugal force will lean the car outward causing more sideways tire scrubbing. But also a degree of camber shift using less than the total side area of the tire when racing.

In brief, if you want your tires to last, stay away from bumpy roads and really slow down for those curves. Rotation helps to equalize tire wear. 

Ha, never had the guts to take my motorhome out on icy roads, has around 4,500 pounds on the front tires, over 9,000 pounds on the rears. Not sure what to expect, just the opposite as most vehicles. 

What about a monorail? Simple shroud can keep off ice and snow with no snow plowing or salt necessary. And farmers can grow corn on the existing roadways to make more ethanol. Was a lot of talk about doing this in the early 1900's, but gave away to using tires with constant frictional problems between these and the road surfaces.


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## pandrad61 (Jul 8, 2015)

> That video ends like a motor week test drive.


this week on motor week, Toyotas new bad boy sports car. Can the latest and greatest in japan prove to be gunning forte corvette? STAY TUNED ON MOOR WEK!!! lol

back in my rookie days and I miss that car wholeheartedly. but next month in autocross im taking the ctd out an see how it does. on my weekend trip to Miami during high speed swerve on the interstate I could defiantly tell I had a live axle in the rear. the car I could feel fighting to keep the axle I place,mind you it did it well but at 90 you can feel it. now on mid to low speed it acted super predictable and very neutral so at auto x think it will do well


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## lowmid (Jun 17, 2014)

If you are in a budget 2 would be OK even if you would just get a budget meal brand like Federal, Nitto, etc. Just make sure to have it wheel align and check your suspension adjustments.


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## pandrad61 (Jul 8, 2015)

I don't need to because I sold the car long ago lol. but yah I worked in a shop and before the even would go negative 1 in front and 1.5 in the rear from stock. toe always stayed at factory specs and caster as well. back in those days I was in high school and worked out o the shop class for a few $. back then junkyard tires where all I could afford.


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