Crappy Yoko Avids Tires Suggestions?

[SW03ES]

The tires probably need to be balanced. Tires need to be balanced regularly, I have mine balanced every time they rotate the tires. Your ES should only have stick on weights inside the interior barrel of the wheels, no clip on weights on the outside edge. It is possible that a wheel may not need a balancing weight...depends on the tires. Michelins in my experience need far less weight to balance. Lexus cars are VERY sensitive to even the slightest misbalance of the wheels.

The lines are really blurred. I look at the overall specs of each tire before I look at the category the tires are marketed in. The ES needs an H or V rated tire...I personally think it rides best on grand touring tires...but the tires the above poster posted (the bridgestones) are ultra high performance tires and he loves them on his LS...

My favorite tire on this car is the Michelin Primacy MXV4...

[BALOO BELLE]

they used the metal 7.5 bendies on the inside maybe they used smaller stickies on the other side that fell off? i spent 20m crawling around trying to find them. i already figure id get to tire kindgdom this weekend. maybe i can finally get a true feeling for these tires. now i know what it is i can pick up on a bounce, rythym in the seat on top of the vibrations on normally worn roads @ 65... nothing wrong w the car just the very slight rythmic bounce? from the balance that i didnt spot before since the overall ride has sucked in more ways than one...combos anyone?

what does this story tell ya... just cause you pay someone does mean you dont have to double check everything!!!...and know what you're doing. im so over it already

[mkeeney]

Sometimes more head is better!! LMFAO I think we are to the end of my bumpy ride…man people are reading this whole thing? i feel like an !Removed!!

So ride is much smoother 30. I don’t cringe and clench my teeth at hard bumps. Vibrations have dropped in proportion. The back and forth in the steering wheel is at 80mph n down to 1/16 and on wavy pavement. Like… uniform alternating (not symmetrical) dimples as far as you can see down both ruts...making waves? I have no idea how the roads wear in the north? It seems like its just the wheels catchin the dimples along the ruts moving the steering wheel as they catch? Vibrations in steering wheel are just vibes. Now that the steering wheel is not dominant there is a WHOLE lot of butt jiggling going on. I was amazed at how I could have missed that!?. my top was shaking more since i got more moves than a bowl of jello! I do not have tail end sway or steering issues as if I were missing a weight. I have directionals and 7.5lbs on the right side only. I cant guarantee that there were weights on the other side cause it looks like a combo of weight marks and finger prints on the inner rim. I could not make out a clean spot on the outer rim where the metal band wraps. if they were there they have been gone awhile. I guess I didn’t notice w the wrong pressure in the tires. It makes no sense that 2 of 4 tires would need weights and they just happened to be going the same direction to end up on the same side? im guessing the missing weights are the source of most vibrations since its the steering wheel and the seat. for the money the are prob ok tires minus the wear. im experiencing! Now, will missing two weights on the same side counter balance the swagger or pulling that you normally get, leaving just vibrations, or is it the matter of the amount weight it was off for the symptoms you get? or a fluke chance? also the tires are speed rated h not v like they should be. I was told after installation that it wont matter. I found a yoko (by chance) tire balance sheet but way to technical 8hrs work n managerial accounting my mind is mush

http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=ca...jh5RE5P6Lj1dedw

can someone wash my car so it feels pepe agian? ive done above the freaking maintenance and cant get a smooth break for like 2 years now. lmfao no one sold me nitro 40 vs 35 that was my wording for the placebo? i understand nitro adds no special powers to the tire. is there a size diff for the same psi? does 35 nitro use less molecules to meet the pressure in the same space? is that what im missing, makes more sense then!!! i havent taken chemistry yet...my brain hurts

so are ultra high performance for sportier cars ( 6 speed TL type yeSSS!!! (i dont get tickets w an automatic))? is passenger code for economy boxes?

No, at the temps and pressures car tires see, the number of molecules will be roughly the same for nitrogen and oxygen at the same pressure. They both generally follow the ideal gas law at those conditions. Seriously, there is no difference between air and pure nitrogen in passenger car tires. Our R&D department never used nitrogen, even though we had a 40,000 gallon tank full of nitrogen on-site, and they were testing high-performance W- and Y-rated tires.

How long has it been since you had an alignment? If the alignment is bad enough it can cause the wheels to throw the weights. If nobody can solve the vibration problems with traditional balancing, you might try road force balancing. Click here to locate a shop with a machine near you.

I highly recommend the Kumho KH16 tire. We're on our second set because my wife loved the first set so much. They're quiet, ride great, handle well, and they're about half the price of comparable tires. I've had Michelin, Pirelli, Bridgestone, and Kumho on this car ('97 ES300, 230k mi.) and the Kumho's are far and away our favorite.

[BALOO BELLE]

im livid. from the two mile trip home from the closest shop at what ever psi they are at, my tires were never balanced from the begining!! had it been pressure or weights i would have figured it out. but both from the day i picked it up w new tires, i blamed the tires. ive been unhappy for a year but i guess its my fault for not counting the weights wtf was i thinking!?. thats why i miss my xes mechanical skills. the only problem will be the wear which since its even shouldnt be from the balance? there is nothing wrong w the tires in city i will deff take it to high speeds this afternoon. my baloo belle is back or at least partially! alignment was done w the new tires...have the paper work to prove it! will be done agian in w new tires. out of the 3 times they did the oil/rotation it was on lift and they were looking for money, no one spotted missing weights? thats 45$. once i got it to pressure i realized what it was since it had no swager or pulling

the reviews i read on this tire were pretty good 7.5. only one or two 5.5, those people probably went to the same shop i did! people were getting 30 to 45K w these tires w spirited driving. i drive like a granny and will get about 21k. i really have no basis for compairison on this car. the yoko yk20 on the car when i got it were never rotated w bad wear on outter front tires. i had no complaints after they evened out but did slip a little in smooth wet parking lots at the end but no complaints on ride. hell they were dry rotting so i know the went the miles. i put 20K on them. i think i will check out michs since im all about luxury and dont want issues. yokos are decent for a budget but im a little leary now. my mechanic said he wouldnt put michs above yokos. but also pointed out that i should talk to the shop cause it is not normal wear for the mileage and need new in 5k. funny the shop didnt tell me that either! i thought kuhmo but dont know anyone w them except on a g36 which are ecstacys? ill start checking reviews n pricing. toyos versados rated great but are a 30m drive to a diff county so thats a long day of waiting and probably not worth the money i will save but there were no prices online either. goodyear tripple treads come w a 80$ rebate if you use a gy ccard. 40 off any tire at tire kingdom. i dont want to bargan my way to another crap tire and at this point i hate all shops. my mechanics honest (30y county mechanic) but works weekends from his garage. regular maint i do at shops since it saves time. hes always busy!

[SW03ES]

They were balanced when they were new I'm sure. But...they do need to be re-balanced over time and they may have been balanced poorly. Some cars will let you get away with the wheels being slightly out of balance, but not the Lexus.

I have almost always had to take a new set of tires back and have them re-balanced because the shop did a poor job.

Probably the balance hasn't had anything to do with the wear, but it is likely the culprit with your vibrations.

As for tires...I would just go with the Michelins. Kumho...I'm a little leery of and if you look at the tires side by side the Michelin is just significantly higher rated in every category. The Kumhos however are almost half the price...

Use www.tirerack.com to compare.

[BALOO BELLE]

thanks if i get the same feeling w a new tire i know im not crazy and its not the tires. i didnt think i would be able to tell in the city but you dont get as much bounce when you get any kind of imperfection. humpity bumpity not shock bouncy

im thinking michs it a safe bet. hell my moms rockin em on her f150 and they cost lesst than mine will.. lame.

if kuhmos are half the price thats scary cause yokos were 107 + fees.

[kluthage421]

I had the Bridgestone Potenza RE960's before the Continental ExtremeContact DW's I just fitted and the Conti's are better.

Check out the charts from Tire Rack:

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/chartD...ay.jsp?ttid=115

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/chartD...ay.jsp?ttid=120

The Conti's stop 23 feet shorter in wet, over 7 feet shorter dry, and pull .11 G's more in the wet...Stopping distance is a huge seller for me because it can mean the difference between an accident and a close call. I hit 110 in them already and they are smooth and hitting the apex of turns is very easy. Somehow my Bridgestones became out of round, would thump every rotation when cold until warming up, and vibrated around 60-80mph. My pocket is not happy because these tires are just too much fun. I must say at 36 PSI the tires are less harsh then my Bridgestones as well.

What is also interesting is the Continental's are $20 cheaper. If you need snow use look at the ExtremeContact DWS which adds class destroying cold weather performance.

[BALOO BELLE]

SO I said at least partially for a reason... at 30psi i would have to say these tires are still not balanced or there is something wrong w the tires. no vibrations, pulling, or swagger. i dont know what these tires should feel like to tell if the ride is right. only on new blacktop when coasting to red light when i hit 35mph to 15 when i hit the breaks the car bounces... very noticably i caught it the first time but took two more times (a week) to figure the circumstances. it takes a perfect condition so it doesnt happen often

at this point do i say screw it cause i only have 5k more? or do i make them redo the balance til it right? will they strip the weights and redo it. i dont want to risk the tires being worse after redoing it. or can they spin w the weights to see if they find another weak spot? i think these tires are a case for road force balance!

[mkeeney]

SO I said at least partially for a reason... at 30psi i would have to say these tires are still not balanced or there is something wrong w the tires. no vibrations, pulling, or swagger. i dont know what these tires should feel like to tell if the ride is right. only on new blacktop when coasting to red light when i hit 35mph to 15 when i hit the breaks the car bounces... very noticably i caught it the first time but took two more times (a week) to figure the circumstances. it takes a perfect condition so it doesnt happen often

at this point do i say screw it cause i only have 5k more? or do i make them redo the balance til it right? will they strip the weights and redo it. i dont want to risk the tires being worse after redoing it. or can they spin w the weights to see if they find another weak spot? i think these tires are a case for road force balance!

Does this mean it only happens when you hit the brakes, not any other time?

[BALOO BELLE]

i have all new brakes

its happens coasting from 35. it stops when i hit the brakes to stop. usually at 15mph when i hit the brakes... so im not sure if it keeps going below 15.

[mkeeney]

i have all new brakes

its happens coasting from 35. it stops when i hit the brakes to stop. usually at 15mph when i hit the brakes... so im not sure if it keeps going below 15.

So is the vibration only happening under certain conditions? If you're not feeling it during steady driving at highway speeds, I don't think it's the tires. Are there any other condition when you feel the vibration?

[SW03ES]

Yeah it sounds to me like it could be an engine mount or something...if it only happens when coasting.

Poor balance should be a regular throbbing vibration between certain freeway speeds...such as 65-70MPH.

[BALOO BELLE]

not vibrations... the ride is still a little rougher than i would like and seems to have a little bounce but they are a POS and at the wear bar. so its not gonna be a great ride. not motor mounts. already had the top one done cause it looked a little cracked at 70k. there are no abnormal vibes in the steering wheel or front.

it feels like i have two kids jumping around in the back seat making the car bounce. only 35 and below, decleration on super smooth road. i got mad and started cursing the first time it was so bad. ive been paying more attention and on normal roads there is still a rotation pulse rythm in the seat. and i can still feel a minor bounce rythm at various speeds 45 to 65 that dont seem to be from road issues. i didnt notice it until i started looking for it so its not horrible. its still not balanced perfect. i know the feeling! car has a little vibes but nothing at all like it was and not in the steering wheel

i took it to firestone and the guy looked at the tries and said it doesnt matter how many times you balance them they will still bounce. he says they are worn uniformly but not even cause the outter and inner tread is feathered. crappy tires arnt worth their time so at this point they are staying how they are. i bet if he spun the back two tires w the current weights on, they would be off... if not more weight in the same spot, another minor spot in a diff location. and if it is the tires why didnt they do that on smooth surface before? that doesnt make since but what ever! Im happy they are hella better than they were... firestone recommended insignias for 89$... Im not doing that agian.

[SW03ES]

Go ahead and replace the tires and see if that helps...what you describe does not sound like wheels being out of balance to me though.

The top dogbone mount generally fails because of weakness in the lower mount. I just replaced mine at 140k...

[BALOO BELLE]

gosh cant she just be better yet !! ... well tires have to wait a few weeks. i just made a 4grand credit card payment... boo i see most places carry the energies not primacies.. and word on the energies? i heard they are not as good

im not feeling any engine shift like a trans mount or knocking from at stops like on other cars i had. no excessive vibrations from the front or in the steering wheel. hmm maybe they are just starting to give out. im sure driving it around super bumpy for the last year didnt help. or the unroatated and bad alignment that i put 20k on when i got it. whoo hoo i see a light.. thanks dudes

EDIT: yeap that makes sence now.. bad mounts would contribute to the steering wheel jerk at 80 on dimpled roads. its not knocking or clunking but still moving. and thats why its got a slight bounce, pulse, and slight vibes. why it hops like a pogo stick on the smoothes black top now since its balanced is weird. ill have to pay attention if its the whole car it seemed like the back. but that bounce matches the pulse n bounce at diff speeds and road condidtions... hmmm we did it!

[BALOO BELLE]

omg!! would this be why....??? when i got the car the tires were never rotated and badly worn on the outer treads. i was told to rotate them that i didnt need new ones. i had them rotated and the steering wheel jerked right left about 1/2. It took over 5k for it til they wore down. the right left in the steering didnt stop complete til about 10K. i could take my hands off the wheel and still go straight with the jerking. i was told jerking would not hurt the car. so i am assuming the back and forth wore the mounts out left to right giving it extra play. which is causing the bounce w out any drastic shifiting or knocking and the back n forth on dimpled roads. it sucks being a girl when it comes to cars.

and then i drove another year over inflated n not balanced. what the hell... ive never felt the way this car should drive and ride

[SW03ES]

I think you need to take the car to a good independent mechanic that knows Lexus vehicles and have them troubleshoot the problem...I think its to a point where its pretty impossible for us to understand fully what is going on from just descriptions...

As for the tires you want the Primacy MXV4 not the Energy MXV4. You can always purchase them online at www.tirerack.com. Right now there is a $70 mail in rebate.

[camlex]

Take it to people who good at "Front end"

[BALOO BELLE]

i called my mechanic to figure out where to start and what i was looking at $. I explained history and symptoms. he by the sound at least one of the back tires is out of round, a broken belt. which matches what the guy at firestone said. " i can tell by looking at the way the tire is worn you will always have a bounce to this tire no matter how its balance the treads not even." the only tire he looked at was my rear left one. i looked at it and one part is flat across and the other side is rounded higher in the middle. crappy tires!.

i knew i wasnt crazy that it was the back seat jumping. if i took it in anywhere and told the history and symptoms, 98% would hit me up for every penny they could. i know that suspension cost a lot of freaking money... mounts too. plus tires caa ching