Tire Wear

[RXREY]

So far my Toyo Proxes have been amazing and they look like a million bucks. My 400h looks very different with these great tires under her. I have been warned, a little late, that they might end up becoming noisy after 10k mi but they are much better than the terrible GYs that came with the car. These are 255/55/18 so they fill the wheel wells better and make the car look as I think it should. These tires handle infinitely better than the GYs and are much smoother. If they end up making noise after ten k...well, then I'll try the Alenzas and I'll have more to say about tire brands and models. happy trails, Rey

[skyfish400h]

quick skim through this thread I saw a lot of wacko info on premature wear due to hybrid system and other nonsense....I am here looking to see what size I need as my wife has the car and the wheel is still at tire shop, but I just got back from tire shop with her wheel that can not be fixed, the michelin got a chunk of wood splinter in sidewall, can not be patched-so I need new tires.

She got her rx400 the second they landed in america, she has 39k miles and I would say the michelins have about half tread left-all even wear too, so, with this tire that can not be fixed-got to get new ones. I see they are michelin mxv 235/55/18, so off to order some more.

Amazing car, great tires....and this coming from a huge whiner and product complainer.

I think you should just replace the Michlen with another Michlen (S8) until the other 3 tires need to be replaced. Costco has them.

You are lucky you didn't get the Goodyear tire. I will be lucky to get 30K out of them and that is letting them go all they way down tothe wear bars. It's summer so, hey... wtf, I don't neeeeeed no stinking traction.

[trader400h]

I too have had excessive tire wear with the oem Goodyear tires on my RX400h. After 5k miles the right rear tire blew out on I85 while in the left lane doing 70 mph!! I did not hit antyhing and there was nothing sticking out of the tire - it just blew out!

Also at 5k miles I noticed the front tires wearing faster than the rear. I rotated them every 5k and at 15k one pair was close to being shot. Now at 17k and 14 months old, I noticed that the right front tire was worn down to the belts on the inside edge.

I emailed Lexus of Greenville and got no reply. I called and they informed me that wheel alignments were free up to one year, so it would cost $90 on their new $85k machine. I got it done on a new machine for $40.

I also bought 4 new Yokohama YK520 tires from Discount Tire ($801.00 out the door) and the car has never handled better! The Goodyears always squealed when turning and handled terribly when cornering. We live near the Blue Ridge mountains and I literally hated driving the RX up and down the curvey mountain roads.

I would have gone for the Bridgestone's because I have had tremendous experience with their tires on 3 different 7 series BMW's that I have owned, but I had to wait 2 or 3 days to get them, so I opted for the Yokos.

Lexus needs to get their act together on their oem tires!

[RolandB]

Just a note to update my experience with the Bridgestone Duelers! I had to replace the Goodyears on my 2006 RX400h at 15,000 a while back. (You can search for my old post) Last week I took my car in for inspection and visited with one of the service technicians. I discussed the tire problem and invited him to look at my Bridgestone Duelers. He looked at them and noted the treadwear... hmmmm, like new! How many miles on this set...??? 16,000!

I am pleased! They still ride well and I rotate/balance every 5,000 religiously!

Goodyear??? Bad factory alignment??? Not sure if one or both problems but both corrected and I'm a happy driver!

[retired00]

Goodyear??? Bad factory alignment??? Not sure if one or both problems but both corrected and I'm a happy driver!

I'd have to come down on the tire side--this particular Goodyear RS-A, not all Goodyears. I had inside edge feathering and significant wear on an 06 400h, but what got me was the noise--sounded like 4 snow tires--all at only 7700 miles, maintained at 32 psi. I just sprang for 4 Michelin MXV4 S8, sound is now swoosh instead of drone. I have an Avalon with 15k miles on the same Michelin from the factory and when parked side-by-side the wear on the RX's Goodyears was dramatic at only half the miles. I don't understand Lexus fitting that Goodyear with such a low treadwear rating (260, I believe) when the RX's coming with Michelins are a 440 rating. The tire dealer checked my alignment (free with 4 mounts) and it was right on spec, so it's not the car. Better than new now!

[Dr K]

Goodyear has certainly made leaps and bounds as far as product quality is concerned, but I've had too many negative experiences with them in the past.

I would put Michelin MXV4 S8s on that vehicle because they're quiet and ultra low rolling resistance.

Those are $181 ea (plus tax) at CostCo with lifetime rotaion and road hazard here in So Cal. I was told there is no milage warrentee for these type of tires, but the Michelin should go for 50K with the 440 tread wear number.

I have had significant tire cupping with Goodyears on my 20,000 mile 400h. Rotated every 5000 miles. The Goodyear dealer blamed the wheel alignment (top of tires tipped in to improve handling). The dealer is checking alignment and is doubtful. Otherwise tire wear is good, but these were never quiet tires! Anyone have similar problems on the RX400h?

[Dr K]

Goodyear has certainly made leaps and bounds as far as product quality is concerned, but I've had too many negative experiences with them in the past.

I would put Michelin MXV4 S8s on that vehicle because they're quiet and ultra low rolling resistance.

Those are $181 ea (plus tax) at CostCo with lifetime rotaion and road hazard here in So Cal. I was told there is no milage warrentee for these type of tires, but the Michelin should go for 50K with the 440 tread wear number.

I have had significant tire cupping with Goodyears on my 20,000 mile 400h. Rotated every 5000 miles. The Goodyear dealer blamed the wheel alignment (top of tires tipped in to improve handling). The dealer is checking alignment and is doubtful. Otherwise tire wear is good, but these were never quiet tires! Anyone have similar problems on the RX400h?

Me too! My 400h (at 24000 miles) has serious wear (almost down to the belts) and tire cupping on the insides of all four Goodyears. The damage occured within the last 4000 miles since Lexus inspected and certified that the car pass the New York State Inspection at 20000. Glad to see that others also think there is an issue with the suspension -- bad struts -- causing the allignment problem and perhaps affecting the premature wear on the Goodyears. I am awaiting a response from Lexus on how they will deal with the problem.

[krouebi]

Hi,

So far, we're 12,000 kilometres down the road with our RX400h, bought in June '07. Trouble-free, which is a very welcome change from our previous vehicle, a Mercedes ML320CDI which spent 4 of the total 18 months of ownership in the shop .

Here in Europe, all-season threads are not common, although they can be practical. Our RX400h came on Dunlop 270 Sport tires that are OK, relatively quiet, but probably will not be very winter-friendly. We're looking for an all-season tire, with emphasis on quietness - the Bridegestone Alenza's seem OK - but are there other alternatives?

The problem is of course the tire dimension of the RX - there are relatively few tires in 235/55-18. A bit further up RXREY tells about having successfully mounted 255/55-18 tires on his RX400h - and in that size the choice is plentiful. Will these tires fit the RX400h without any problems (rubbing etc.) - this question is of course primarily to RXREY, but maybe other users have had experiences with this size upgrade.

[skyfish400h]

Hi,

So far, we're 12,000 kilometres down the road with our RX400h, bought in June '07. Trouble-free, which is a very welcome change from our previous vehicle, a Mercedes ML320CDI which spent 4 of the total 18 months of ownership in the shop .

Here in Europe, all-season threads are not common, although they can be practical. Our RX400h came on Dunlop 270 Sport tires that are OK, relatively quiet, but probably will not be very winter-friendly. We're looking for an all-season tire, with emphasis on quietness - the Bridegestone Alenza's seem OK - but are there other alternatives?

The problem is of course the tire dimension of the RX - there are relatively few tires in 235/55-18. A bit further up RXREY tells about having successfully mounted 255/55-18 tires on his RX400h - and in that size the choice is plentiful. Will these tires fit the RX400h without any problems (rubbing etc.) - this question is of course primarily to RXREY, but maybe other users have had experiences with this size upgrade.

Goodyear Eagle ResponsEdge 255/55 VR18 are installed on my 400h.

Great tires. Highly recommend them. They are all-season and received scores nearly as good a the Bridgestone Dueler H/L Alenza for snow and ice traction, and recieved even better scores for handling and comfort.

As for fitment, they fit fine. But there are a few things you should know before moving to the larger size.

First is when the car is on the lift the suspension will hang down far enough so that the tire will rub on one of the screw heads just forward of the rear wheels. This is relieved as soon as any weight is put onto the wheels and the suspension travels in its arc. Normally this is not a problem, but if you unload the suspension for any reason while driving (i.e. going airbone), then you will hear the tire rubbing. I do not recommend this.

Second, during hard cornering the plastic fender well liners in the rear may rub on the inside of the tire depending on how your particular car is put together (not all cars seem to rub). But I believe if you carry enough weight in the back, you may experience this rubbing even in moderate cornering (or entering driveways at an angle). This plastic is very easily moved out of the way by the tire and does not cause any damage other than the obvious burn mark on the plastic where contact was made.

You will also likely see a 1 or 2 MPG drop in your FE due to the heavier tire and wider contact patch. These tires are NOT low rolling resistance tires like the Michlens. You can run them at higher pressure to compensate somewhat. I've been running them at 36psi, but I just upped it to 38psi to see how that runs.

As I said, the plasic fenderwell is easily moved out of the way and just looking at it today, it would appear very easy to use a tie-wrap behind the fenderwell to pull it back toward some nearby structure. This would tend to hold the plastic out of the way so that you would not hear the rubbing in the corners. Another option would be to take a heat gun to soften the material enough to mold it out of the way. But with this approach you run the risk of causing uninteneded shrinkage or warpage that could make things worse. I will try the tie-wrap thing and post pics if I can this weekend.

[Gryphon]

but if you unload the suspension for any reason while driving (i.e. going airbone), then you will hear the tire rubbing. I do not recommend this.

Right when I perfect my skills in ramp-jumping over buses with my RX you ruin my fun.

Tom

[skyfish400h]

I attacked the rubbing problem armed with the tools you see there. You can see the extent of the rubbing and the tie-wrap installed on the drivers side. I also show the screw heads that rub when the car is on a lift.

It was fairly strait-forward to find a good place to drill a small hole for the tie-wrap that would pull the plastic liner in the direction that produced the most clearance at the rubbing spot.

I tried to do before/after pics, but I did not get the same angle each time so it was difficult to tell how much it moved. But it moved a lot, and should be enough so I wont hear the rubbing anymore.

[uliv1ce]

Goodyear has certainly made leaps and bounds as far as product quality is concerned, but I've had too many negative experiences with them in the past.

I would put Michelin MXV4 S8s on that vehicle because they're quiet and ultra low rolling resistance.

Those are $181 ea (plus tax) at CostCo with lifetime rotaion and road hazard here in So Cal. I was told there is no milage warrentee for these type of tires, but the Michelin should go for 50K with the 440 tread wear number.

I have had significant tire cupping with Goodyears on my 20,000 mile 400h. Rotated every 5000 miles. The Goodyear dealer blamed the wheel alignment (top of tires tipped in to improve handling). The dealer is checking alignment and is doubtful. Otherwise tire wear is good, but these were never quiet tires! Anyone have similar problems on the RX400h?

Me too! My 400h (at 24000 miles) has serious wear (almost down to the belts) and tire cupping on the insides of all four Goodyears. The damage occured within the last 4000 miles since Lexus inspected and certified that the car pass the New York State Inspection at 20000. Glad to see that others also think there is an issue with the suspension -- bad struts -- causing the allignment problem and perhaps affecting the premature wear on the Goodyears. I am awaiting a response from Lexus on how they will deal with the problem.

I would suggest having the dealer share replacement cost at the very least! I had to take our 400h for replacement (Goodyear) tires after just 10mos and 12k miles as they were wearing on the inside. The svs manager spit cost with us and said that although tires don't last (long) on the RX, ours was abnormal. The second set is doing just fairly better, not wearing on the inside unevenly, but at 30k miles the dealer said we had about 5-7k left! WOW!

[Jim Nazium]

I originally went the route of aftermarket back in January and ordered full blown winter tires Bridgestone Blizzaks and the Good Year EagleResponsEdge. I chose the 255/55-18 for my summer tire option. So far, I have experienced very minimal tire rubbing, and many times I cannot duplicate the rubbing even after taking the same corner at the same speeds. Hmm, go figure. Anyhoot I had inspected the rubbing / noises caused by the bigger tires back in March (when I initially installed the Good Years) and found the contact or source of the rubbing to be fenderwell (as outlined in the photos by skyfish400h) and to be of little danger if any.

As for the "after", all I can say is the Good Year Eagle ResponsEdge is the way to go. I know that I will be replacing these tires with the same when that day comes along. I do feel the RX 400H is hard on its tires even though it is not a performance vehicle. I attribute this due to the massive weight of the vehicle and the suspension geometry.

Cheers,

MadloR

[Gryphon]

I do feel the RX 400H is hard on its tires even though it is not a performance vehicle. I attribute this due to the massive weight of the vehicle and the suspension geometry.

Cheers,

MadloR

And considerable torque on two front tires.

Tom

[shm]

I now have 40,000 on my original Michelin tires on my Rx400H and it looks like I can get another 5-10,000 miles out of them. My driving is mixed local and highway. I am looking into what new tire I should purchase, and from what I am reading and judging from my experience, it looks like the Michelin tire is still the best. I have had the tires rotated and balanced by the Lexus dealer every 5,000 miles which seems like an excessive expense, but look at the results!!

[RX400h]

Bang-for-the-buck, it is tough to beat the Bridgestone Alenzas. I paid $600 for all four and with 7000 miles on them, they still look brand-new. Whether they wear as well as your Michelins remains to be seen, but for now, I highly recommend the Bridgestones.

[skyfish400h]

Bang-for-the-buck, it is tough to beat the Bridgestone Alenzas. I paid $600 for all four and with 7000 miles on them, they still look brand-new. Whether they wear as well as your Michelins remains to be seen, but for now, I highly recommend the Bridgestones.

You really need to stop saying you can get these tires for cheap. It's great you got such a deal, but you cannot touch them for that price any more. This takes nothing away from the Bridgestones, but your bang/buck argument is toast.

[RX400h]

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?ti...inSpeedRating=S

And I restate - BEST bang-for-the-buck when it comes to high-end tires in the OEM size.

[skyfish400h]

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?ti...inSpeedRating=S

And I restate - BEST bang-for-the-buck when it comes to high-end tires in the OEM size.

Ok I agree for the OEM size these are your best choice for the money.

But, by the time they are installed on your car they will be considerably more than $600. I just don't want people to get the idea they can duplicate the deal you got on your set, because it simplyis not the case any longer. These tires have become too much in demand (because they still are the best choice for the money) and their prices has been steadily rising since you bought yours...

[RX400h]

C'mon, the price increase isn't THAT much, is it?

[Jim Nazium]

C'mon, the price increase isn't THAT much, is it?

I am happy for you that you are happy with your choices. I think tires should be MORE than just about bang for the buck. Tires are different things to different folks. I think your choice in choosing the Alenzas are probably one of the most sound choices and in fact probably the best choice on the market. This is probably the tire Lexus should of chosen as Factory OEM but didn't for obvious reasons.

But you know what? I wouldn't choose them for my 400h for the following reasons. I never choose tires based on "lowest cost", I first find the type of tire I am interested in purchasing and after narrowing down my choice, I will then shop for the price for THAT make and model. Second, I find the factory tire size TOO small, and hence went the 255/55 route and it is considered a PLUS Zero upgrade. Third I hate the look of the Alenzas (no offense to you intended) and simply find them Econoline look in they shape and tread. Fourth I was looking for a more Spring Summer Autumn Performance tire, simply because I live in a real world 4 season environment, and all season tires simply do not cut it for me and I do need full blown Winter Tires for the Winter Season. Fifth, my criteria also had to include durability, quiet ride, smooth ride, and good dry and wet traction and forgo the winter season (as outlined above, because I swap to Winter Tires) and combine all of these elements rather than exceeding in some and doing poorly in others (again, I am not saying the Alenza is weak in any of those particular areas).

I respect others opinion, but people do need to ask themselves what are they expecting from there NEXT tire. It's a balancing act, and I think forums such as these are excellent in getting feedback from others before forking over the cash and being disatisfied with your new acquisition.

Cheers,

MadloR

[Grumbles2]

Greetings,

Since wear out of tires leads to replacement, I searched for what options exist.

The revs per mile differ among the 4 and 5 star tires offerred at http://www.tirerack.com/

They range from 731 to 739 , about 1%. I assume I can ignore this as long as I get the

tires in a matched set. Anyone disagree?

The site has Bridgestone Dueler H/L Alenza Blackwall as the best seller. If everyone does

their research, then I can assume it rates better than the others. Does anyone have a better

suggestion if I want a good traction tire for all seasons, i.e. rain in winter and 110F and dry in summer?

Sincerely,

Bill

The Dueler Alenza is a fantastic tire for the RX, it has a 600 tread life. Pros- last long time, Cons- some people I have talked wih say they ride slightly rougher and have slight more road noise then the OEM tires. Other people say they can't tell the difference.

[3sticks]

Factory installed Goodyear tires wore out in the first 10k miles which I am told is normal. Upgraded tires might be a little better but not much. Cause: gasoline engine cutting in and out causing change in tire rotation per dealer. Have others had this experience...seems a little bizarre to me.

both are lexus weak points, incompetent dishonest dealers and cheap american tires, change both. :chairshot:

[Still]

So ... I got my sweet new 400h back in July and so far I couldn't be happier. :)

I'm the one who lives in serious snow country so I took my new sweetie into my local tire dealer and bought her four brand new and expensive Michelin Latitude X Ice Radials with four A - 7 Sport Edition Aluminum Wheels to boot and I had them mounted day before yesterday. My tire guy told me that he "took care of the sensor problem" for me so off I went, happy as could be. Yesterday I drove into Reno and back (about a hundred miles) and then about ten miles from home all hell broke loose on my dashboard. Exclamation points and warning lights all over the place - scared me half to death! I pulled over, called the dealership and got a salesperson (it was after hours) who informed me that the tires "might blow off" and that I should get the car into the dealership ASAP.

Today is Sunday; tomorow I'll call the dealership and try to find out how on earth I'm supposed to get the car back into Reno without having the tires blow off.

Has anybody else here put their snow tires on yet? Did you have them do a special alignment afterwards? Did the sensor go on? Did your tires blow off? Does anybody remember where that link to a special alignment for a 400h is?

[Still]

B)