When do YOU change tyres?

[daveenty]

Just wondering about some of you people with the larger engined things which put a fair bit of power down.

What sort of tread depth would you say was OK?

I've been umming and aahing about mine for the last couple of weeks.

Just passed MoT last week so I know that they're legal, but am losing traction of late with these wet roads.
Checked them with a depth gauge and the n/s is 3.4mm with the o/s being just over 4mm.

Normally I'd run with these for another few hundred miles, but having just read THIS, I've decided to replace them this week.

Fronts are new(ish) so not worried there, but I think that the rears have had their day.
So new Contis on it Thursday (a belated birthday present for it)

Incidentally, I think the 1.6mm was great in 1960 something, but nowadays is frightening

 

[robparker]

well the last 2 on my 230 i waited till they exploded on the m5! so with that in mind when i bought the 190e whose tyres were thin i replaced them all straight away!

 

[jberks]

Depends on a number of factors including how flush I'm feeling and what season it is. I'll stretch a bit in the summer but change earlier around this time of year. As a rule I normally do change around 2mm - 2.5mm though.

This is an interesting chart
http://www.kwik-fit.com/png/wet-braking-on-asphalt_large.png

 

[television]

Depends on a number of factors including how flush I'm feeling and what season it is. I'll stretch a bit in the summer but change earlier around this time of year. As a rule I normally do change around 2mm - 2.5mm though.

This is an interesting chart
http://www.kwik-fit.com/png/wet-braking-on-asphalt_large.png

So thats another 8 meters at 50mph with 2,5mm on a dry road,quite a lot really, and certainly more than a cars length.

There are talks going on in Sweden where you must have 3mm in the winter months, we often follow.

malcolm

 

[Dave's E55 AMG]

What make are they?
I've got new tyres all round on mine.
I have put Continentals (contact sport) on this time and I have no grip what so ever. They are a hard rubber compound so that means I will get plenty of mileage out of them. I shall go back to Pirelli Zero's next lots of grip and about 20K mileage.

The last set where down - 1.5 on rear, front they had gone on the inside due to typical MB "toeing"

 

[Rory]

I assume that it must be worse when it's cold?

I drove my daughters Seat Ibiza over the Christmas period and on coldish wet days on the lanes around us (mucky surfaces anyway) the ABS was working overtime.

Her tyres have about 3mm on them but it's on a service contract so I assume that (like the leasing companies) they won't change them until 2mm.


The only tyres I've changed on a Merc where the rears on my C270 - they'd worn in centres but the outside tread was still pretty good.

 

[television]

What make are they?
I've got new tyres all round on mine.
I have put Continentals (contact sport) on this time and I have no grip what so ever. They are a hard rubber compound so that means I will get plenty of mileage out of them. I shall go back to Pirelli Zero's next lots of grip and about 20K mileage.

The last set where down - 1.5 on rear, front they had gone on the inside due to typical MB "toeing"

My SL came with the Pirelli Roso's, looks like I will stick, dont have much choice with 285 x 35 x 18" anyway.

Rory, race driver do the warming up lap before the start of the race, I will have to try that up and down my road.

Malcolm

 

[daveenty]

well the last 2 on my 230 i waited till they exploded on the m5!

Can't afford to do that without a spare

What make are they?

Contis...being replaced with same....may try those Pirelli things next time.

I assume that it must be worse when it's cold?

Like you wouldn't believe Nightmare at the moment, and it's not been *really* cold yet.

Rory, race driver do the warming up lap before the start of the race, I will have to try that up and down my road.

They'll need a lot of warming up Malcolm

Just ordered from HERE

Continental Sport-Contact 2 265/35 R18 97Y XL with rim protection: £137.00

This does not include fitting, valves balancing or disposal, but is a LOT cheaper than anywhere else I've looked.

 

[Dave's E55 AMG]

Continental Sport-Contact 2 265/35 R18 97Y XL with rim protection: £137.00

This does not include fitting, valves balancing or disposal, but is a LOT cheaper than anywhere else I've looked.[/QUOTE]

That's a good price Dave, what will they do Pzeros's for?

 

[type49]

I buy my tyres from Mytyres. Good price, quick delivery & the date stamp always shows them to be recently made & not sat in a barn for the last 3 years.

 

[daveenty]

That's a good price Dave, what will they do Pzeros's for?

P ZERO SYSTEM Asimmetrico 265/35 ZR18 ZR £ 157.80
P ZERO NERO 265/35 ZR18 93Y £ 159.30

 

[jberks]

The only tyres I've changed on a Merc where the rears on my C270 - they'd worn in centres but the outside tread was still pretty good.

Indicates that the pressures were a bit high. Drop the pressures by a couple of lb and you'd get more even wear.

 

[television]

I buy my tyres from Mytyres. Good price, quick delivery & the date stamp always shows them to be recently made & not sat in a barn for the last 3 years.

Thats the same as Daves E55 link, having just looked there,I see that I do have a choice after all, from £140-£197. I would rather have the tyres fitted by my local man as he takes so much care not to damage the rims and always fits a new protector.

Malcolm

 

[Dave's E55 AMG]

P ZERO SYSTEM Asimmetrico 265/35 ZR18 ZR £ 157.80
P ZERO NERO 265/35 ZR18 93Y £ 159.30

Thats not bad either I payed £175 for my zero's a couple of years age.

 

[daveenty]

I would rather have the tyres fitted by my local man

My thoughts exactly.....he openly admitted he couldn't get the price anywhere near, but will fit them on a Sat. morning for a negligible amount (usually Bacon Butties )

 

[Rory]

The only tyres I've changed on a Merc where the rears on my C270 - they'd worn in centres but the outside tread was still pretty good.

Indicates that the pressures were a bit high. Drop the pressures by a couple of lb and you'd get more even wear.

I run them a couple of pounds under the lowest recommended pressure anyway.

I gather it's normal for MB's to wear the centre of the rears and the edges of the fronts, and that's exactly what's happened to mine.

 

[Rory]

always fits a new protector.

Sorry - a new protector to what?

 

[television]

Sorry - a new protector to what?

Sorry,I ran out of words, the protector on the tyre changing machine,its the plastic bit that rotates under the arm and runs around the top of the rim.


I bet you thought I meant the protector on the tyre.;-)

Malcolm

 

[type49]

I gather it's normal for MB's to wear the centre of the rears and the edges of the fronts, and that's exactly what's happened to mine.

Typical of all heavy rear drive cars. The rears wear the middle, the fronts wear the edges, NSF outer edge being the first to wear out. All being correct, tyre pressures & geometry wise.

 

[Sprint'n'Go]

Typical of all heavy rear drive cars. The rears wear the middle, the fronts wear the edges, NSF outer edge being the first to wear out. All being correct, tyre pressures & geometry wise.

My van does the same so I simply swap the tyres from front to back occasionaly.

I change my tyres when they get to about 1.6mm (or maybe 1.5 oops)