is250rulez

This topic is really helpful. I have X-package stock tires, what should I put on to reduce the road noise? Any helps? THanks .

MBenzman

MLevinson , please let us know if you notice any change in perfomance once you get the pilots mounted. Thank you.

iSuxeL

iTrader: (21)

Ive heard the Falken fk452s are really quiet.

RamshakleZ

Moved??? Uhm - ok. I've seen many other posts on this topic in the 2IS forum that weren't moved. But alas, whatever.

Anyway, came across this in CR. It was from a November 2006 review of "Performance All Season Tires"

JspecSC3

iTrader: (4)

For a smoother, more quiter ride and reliability I would go with a Michelin.

-Michelin Pilot Exalto A/S
-Michelin MXV4
-Michelin Pilot Sport
-Michelin Pilot Sport PS2

Tires with less cuts in the tread run quieter but hotter, thus making your tire not last as long as tires with more cuts in the tread. The more cuts the louder and cooler they will run, thus making it last longer.

mitsuguy

iTrader: (2)

for a cheap tire, sure... but you can't compare them to the likes of the Michelin and Bridgestone...

To be honest, the FK452 only belongs on low profile applications where the person can't afford a better tire...

mitsuguy

iTrader: (2)

That is a bad way to generalize all tires... those "cuts" you talk about are the sipes and water evacuation chutes? the voids in the tread?

The number of sipes and tread blocks can have an effect on noise level and temperature, but not always the way you suggest...

One example - the Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 - one of the quietest performance tires you will find. It has almost zero sipes, but 4 or 5 circumferential grooves - it also gets an A temperature rating, meaning it sheds heat better than a tire with a B or C rating, so, you have a quiet tire with few sipes, that doesn't run hot (contradiction to your second point).

Another example - Turanza LS series - tons of sipes, 3 circumferential grooves, and no tread block on the thing is bigger than maybe half a square inch - yet it's one of the quietest touring performance tires ever made.

One more example - winter tires - tons of sipes, but they run extremely hot.

It has more to do with overall tread design - how the tread blocks hit the pavement, and tread compounding than some generalization...

With a tire with many sipes and cuts, you actually typically get a tire that runs hotter, for the reason that those tread blocks, because they are independent of one another, compress more and squirm, creating more heat. Sure, they tend to shed it well also, but they still create more heat in the process.

The noise created from tires is created the very instant each tread block hits the ground - tires with complete circumferential tread blocks will almost always be the quietest, because the tread never leaves contact with the ground. (however, this isn't always best for rain or snow) Manufacturers do one other thing to combat noise... they randomize the shape and size of tread blocks. Each tread block of a certain size creates a specific frequency sound and if they all have the same frequency, then you get a loud resonance... By randomizing the pattern, they prevent the resonance, and spread out the sound, rather than having it loud at just one frequency...

this concludes todays tire lesson...

nabbun

the michelin pilot a/s and ps2s are lighter than the others in the same class of tires.

so performance will go up in braking, acceleration, and handling

that's why i'd choose the michelins over all others.

plus porsche has them tailor made for their cars

mitsuguy

iTrader: (2)

again, tire weight should be almost the LAST reason you buy a tire... Unless a tire is just outrageously heavier, I wouldn't consider it a reason to not buy a tire...

The PS2 is still slower braking, acceleration, and handling than the BFG KD lineup on the exact same car, is better... it's a heavier tire too... there is much more to grip and handling than tire weight...

nabbun

guess I'm a little bit biased

mitsuguy

iTrader: (2)

me too...

Michelin and BFGoodrich (and uniroyal and more) are essentially the same company...

same with Bridgestone and Firestone (and Fuzion and Dayton and more)

same with Goodyear and Dunlop (and Kelly Springfield and more)


To me, BFG is more of the purist, the athlete, the competitor, whereas Michelin is the tried and true, the "old reliable", etc... It just so happens BFG builds a tire for me, for what I want...

Bridgestone is my next choice right now... I really want to try the RE050's, despite a few saying they are loud (not a criteria I normally care about, but noise has to be within reason)

jbw

I love my Pilot Exhalto's...H rated...great performance and value for the money...incredibly quiet and they have yet to slip on wet slick surfaces. I put them on just a month ago-- paid $510 for set of 4, mounted, balanced, plus tax.

Good luck.

Ice350

iTrader: (1)

No wonder Dunlops stink.

Michelin PS2 is the best tire in the world, imo.\
Second is the Pilot AS.

cliffud

iTrader: (3)

Ditto - just bought a set of michelin ps2 tires...

245/40/18 fronts
275/35/18 rears

total cost from discount tire: $1500. i could have found a cheaper deal but the salesman caught me at my one dumb moment of the day. i later realized that my friend's shop gets tires at wholesale price.

OutlawTita

iTrader: (1)

I just put a set of V rated Bridgestone RE 960's on my GS400 and this tire is the best tire I have ever had for wet weather traction and gives up nothing in handling. It is hard to judge road noise since I have only had them for about 1,500 miles but they are quiet now. I am expecting at least 30-35K miles out of them.....if I get 30K with no loss of traction and handling and they remain quiet I will be buying them again.