Are my tires still usable?

[docSUVfan]

Mazdamazda, it's true your contact patch may shrink a bit, but hydroplaning is reduced with slightly narrower tires, plus the original specs of the RAV4s in the US were all 215/70 R16 and Consumer Reports had the highest handling speed at 53 mph (evasive right to left to right maneuvers) using this tire spec, actually higher than BMW X5 (52.5 mph).

[mazdamazda]

Mazdamazda, it's true your contact patch may shrink a bit, but hydroplaning is reduced with slightly narrower tires, plus the original specs of the RAV4s in the US were all 215/70 R16 and Consumer Reports had the highest handling speed at 53 mph (evasive right to left to right maneuvers) using this tire spec, actually higher than BMW X5 (52.5 mph).

Can you post a pix of your ride?

Am still thinking about it...

[docSUVfan]

Mazdamazda, next week na lang ang pics. My little sister rapidly took off with it to the hospital and park it at her dorm's parking. She loves driving it especially when she crosses flooded streets to and from her hospital. She just an big operation on her lumbar spine ( 3 slipped discs) 2 years ago and she said she liked the new tires' comfort.

[hagiber]

Usually, yung life ng tyres ma-determine dun sa tread-wear rating, which is most of the time indicated dun sa sidewall ng tyres. If I remember correctly, dalawa ang tread-wear rating: 100 at 200 (tyre dealers/experts: please correct me if I am wrong). Naturally, yung 200 ang tread-wear rating mas tatagal kaysa sa 100 lang ang rating. Ang alam ko, yung 100 na tread-wear rating eh 30-35T kms. ang normal life (tyre dealers/experts: again, please correct me if I'm wrong on this).

Goodyear Forteras yung gamit ko and the treadwear rating is 400. Yung temperature rating and traction rating are both A.

[docSUVfan]

My sis returned the RAV4 with Fortera 215/70 R16 tires and her post-laminectomized back liked the ride better than the Bridgestone 235/60 R16 tires. See my tire_comparo pics.

[niky]

Mazdamazda, it's true your contact patch may shrink a bit, but hydroplaning is reduced with slightly narrower tires, plus the original specs of the RAV4s in the US were all 215/70 R16 and Consumer Reports had the highest handling speed at 53 mph (evasive right to left to right maneuvers) using this tire spec, actually higher than BMW X5 (52.5 mph).

Actually, thinner tires will reduce aquaplaning in a straight line, merely because they have a smaller contact patch and can "carve" through the water a bit better than wider tires. But conversely, wider tires optimized for wet weather grip, as most sports tires are nowadays... will not slide sideways as easily as thinner tires.

The RAV4 does better on the emergency handling test because it is a car-based SUV with a low center of gravity, a good suspension set-up and with just over half the weight that the BMW has to carry around.

Still, tire size depends on what you want. I prefer a wider contact patch for better handling and dry braking, but thinner tires will increase fuel economy, reduce tramlining and aquaplaning a bit, and will have better wet braking... me? I just slow down when it's wet.

mazdamazda... i believe your tires aren't worn down... but if they feel slippery to you, the rubber compound may no longer be safe to drive on... so may change them regardless of whether they look worn or not... this is the mistake most people make, thinking tires have to be worn down to the grooves to be dangerous... especially with our hot weather and some of the cheap tires people use out there.

[docSUVfan]

For some eye-opening discussion and pics regarding safety of worn tires, here's a link from Consumer Reports:
http://www.consumerreports.org/main/content/display_report.jsp?WebLogicSession=Qs2YhUaMdnUN4OP kwUr2WFKTy5uLAS4DLEkUKhMrd767WMCiR2Xb|-1797732999532485138/169937912/6/7005/7005/7002/7002/7005/-1|6742868866231629566/169937910/6/7005/7005/7002/7002/7005/-1&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=399809&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East _id=389451&bmUID=1120901382648

[mazdamazda]

wow... thanks for the pics...

by the way... is the Fortera classified as H/L already? the Dueler 687 is classified as H/T (H/L is higher than H/T, highest is H/P). How much are they?

[docSUVfan]

wow... thanks for the pics...

by the way... is the Fortera classified as H/L already? the Dueler 687 is classified as H/T (H/L is higher than H/T, highest is H/P). How much are they?

The Goodyear Fortera H/L was adjudged by Consumer Reports as the best SUV tire for dry and wet braking, hydroplaning resistance and comfort in a late issue I got for 20 bucks in a comparison with Bridgestone, Yokohama, Continental, Hankook, Dunlop, Michelin, etc. Although there was no H/L nor H/T in its labelling, Tread Wear Rating was 440, Traction Rating was A and Temperature Rating was A. It costs us P3,250/tire for 215/70 R16. We also bought for our Forester 2001 model costing us P2,980/tire for 215/70 R15 replacing our Bridgestone Dueler H/T 684 tires, too. It was immediately apparent that the new Trinuum technology made it quieter, softer and pretty grippy in the wet, occasionally muddy roads that we travel daily. By the way, it comes with a 4-year warranty,too.

[chris_d]

With regards to what I posted before about placing new tires on the rear:

From goodyear website, of course there may be other recommendations.

When buying just two new tyres, should they be put on the front or rear?
When radial tyres are used with bias or bias belted tyres on the same car, the radials must always be placed on the rear axle. Never mix radial and bias-ply tyres on the same axle. When you select a pair of replacement tyres in the same size and construction as those on the car, we recommend you put them on the rear axle. A single new tyre should be paired on the rear axle with the tyre having the most tread depth of the other three.