Tire Question

[chargerucd]

Hey guys,

this is a tire question, but bear with me.

I got my 1996 ES300 with 215/60/15 (as you know, the original size being 205/65/16) i replace 2 of my tires (front 2 only) with 2 215/60/15 Yokohama Avid H4S (sporty tire rating 500 AA A) and after i got it, the car seemed to have "tire flex" as i steer kind of hard. my question is, has anybody tried the original size, then upgraded to the size i am using and found out that the tire size does not perform as good as the original size. Since i just got the car i don't know if is a tire problem(i belive these tires will give you pretty good road handling characteristics) or is it just that the ES300 understeers more that my previous cars and makes it seem like the front is pretty loose.

let me know what you guys think.

thanks

chargerucd

[Lexusfreak]

Hey guys,

this is a tire question, but bear with me.

I got my 1996 ES300 with 215/60/15 (as you know, the original size being 205/65/16) i replace 2 of my tires (front 2 only) with 2 215/60/15 Yokohama Avid H4S (sporty tire rating 500 AA A) and after i got it, the car seemed to have "tire flex" as i steer kind of hard. my question is, has anybody tried the original size, then upgraded to the size i am using and found out that the tire size does not perform as good as the original size. Since i just got the car i don't know if is a tire problem(i belive these tires will give you pretty good road handling characteristics) or is it just that the ES300 understeers more that my previous cars and makes it seem like the front is pretty loose.

let me know what you guys think.

thanks

chargerucd

To get the best possible handling, you should have all 4 tires the same (size, brand/model & speed rating).....not 2 & 2 (and beleive it or not, best tires should be at the rear of the car, not the front). What tires are on the back & what tire pressures do you have them set at?

[chargerucd]

Yes, I Put the newer on the front because as FWD cars are inherently understeering, i would wanted to offset that a bit, the rear tires are also yokohama avid a4 (performance all season) with the same size 215/60/15 except the max press. is 35 on the rear so it is 35, while the new front max pressure is 44, but is now set to 40.

Jorge

[justin97]

i like the way my car handles with the 215/50r17, it changed the entore geometry of the care the car is very nurtral on dry roads, ever now and again it has some oversteer, but not much understeer has been noticed.

[chargerucd]

Hello,

What kind of rims/springs did you upgrade to?

thanks for the info.

i like the way my car handles with the 215/50r17, it changed the entore geometry of the care the car is very nurtral on dry roads, ever now and again it has some oversteer, but not much understeer has been noticed.

[Toysrme]

...i am using and found out that the tire size does not perform as good as the original size. Since i just got the car i don't know if is a tire problem(i belive these tires will give you pretty good road handling characteristics) or is it just that the ES300 understeers more that my previous cars and makes it seem like the front is pretty loose.

ES's don't really understeer more than anything else that have the same mushy suspension & are FWD.

It's always a balance. The wider the tire, the more grip, but the slower the tire is in transitioning responce. I maintain that someone wanting performance on a 92-'01 should stick with a 215/55/17 on a 17*7.5" rim.

Note that Lexus & Toyota both upped to 215 size tires on 17*7.5" rims there at some point. ;)

Upgrade your sway bars & if it still handles too much like a dog for you, it's time for springs & struts. On my '93, when I put my whiteline sway bar on, it takes a fast wheel flick to oversteer. God forbid you crank the wheel & apply a quick stab of lift-off-throttle. You'll turn it around.

[Lexusfreak]

Yes, I Put the newer on the front because as FWD cars are inherently understeering, i would wanted to offset that a bit, the rear tires are also yokohama avid a4 (performance all season) with the same size 215/60/15 except the max press. is 35 on the rear so it is 35, while the new front max pressure is 44, but is now set to 40.

Jorge

Your front tire pressure is too high & you won't get the best handling characteristics is all 4 tires are not the same. The new tires should at least be switched to the rear of the car.

[chargerucd]

OK, if the tires with more grom go to the back then, on a neutral steering car, it will cause understeer. on an already understeering car this will make it worse don't you think?

anyways today i parked the car, turned the wheel and took a picture.

as you can see there is some distortion on this tire, weird cus i've never seen this kind before, but what i wanted to know is that if i get some 205/65/15(oroginal size) and out them in front, the ones on the picture on the rear, then will i see the same deflection as shown?

let me know if anybody has idead on this.

thanks

Yes, I Put the newer on the front because as FWD cars are inherently understeering, i would wanted to offset that a bit, the rear tires are also yokohama avid a4 (performance all season) with the same size 215/60/15 except the max press. is 35 on the rear so it is 35, while the new front max pressure is 44, but is now set to 40.

Jorge

Your front tire pressure is too high & you won't get the best handling characteristics is all 4 tires are not the same. The new tires should at least be switched to the rear of the car.

damn, the pix didn't come out, let me try again.

jorge