General Tires

[Aren Jay]

I'm looking for a set of rear tires for to replace my BFG's which are worn out.

I thought about the Goodyear F1 GS D3 or G3 Ds or whatevers but they are a bit pricey.

Then I thought about another set of BFG's but they are not much cheaper.

Has anyone used these:

General Tire Grabber UHP?

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=General&tireModel=Grabber+UHP&vehicleSearch=false&partnum=555WR8GRUHPXL&fromCompare1=yes&place=0

[Marauderjack]

I haven't but ANYTHING is better than the BFG's.....IMHO!!!:argue:

[fastblackmerc]

I use these, got them at www.eastcoasttires.com

http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u133/fastblackmerc/MM%20Mods/Tires/Hankook_RH06.jpg

They are Hankook Ventus RH06, 255/55/18. They have a 420 treadwear rating, handle excellentl in rain or snow.

[Damien2003]

Yea the BFGs suck. Those General Tires tread looks good, but do ur research on them. I have 255-55 setup on the rear. I got Aurora Tires on the rear. I love them.

[Starman]

There are some folks on CVN that have them on their Vics and love them. I am considering them when it comes time for new treads on my Vic.

[dreydin]

i freakin' hate my BFG rears!!!!!!1111 11ew234 21r :mad2::censor:

[TiTo35]

Funny...I havent had problems with my BFGs...now where is that wood so I can knock on it!!!

[94_302]

http://www.mustangmods.com/ims/u/4273/12204/231930.jpg

So far I like them. They have some miles on them and work out great. I have driven them in rain and it seemed fine but I still haven't had to drive in a downpour type rain, but I bet they would hold up well. Not sure about snow, but fortunately for me I'm in Miami and will not have to worry about that.

[dreydin]

http://www.mustangmods.com/ims/u/4273/12204/231930.jpg

So far I like them. They have some miles on them and work out great. I have driven them in rain and it seemed fine but I still haven't had to drive in a downpour type rain, but I bet they would hold up well. Not sure about snow, but fortunately for me I'm in Miami and will not have to worry about that.
are those the Hankook Ventus RH06s?

[chader]

http://www.tires-easy.ca/start.html I don't know how to pull the actual tire from this site but if you click here and look up 255/55/18 Falken S/T Z01,this is what I run and so far I love them

[94_302]

are those the Hankook Ventus RH06s?

No they are the General Tire Grabber UHP

[Aren Jay]

No they are the General Tire Grabber UHP


What do you have on front, or what size?

[Egon Spengler]

Just Don't Put Them On Those Gold Wheels!!!!!

[94_302]

What do you have on front, or what size?
Front is the stock kdws.

[1stMerc]

Funny...I havent had problems with my BFGs...now where is that wood so I can knock on it!!!

Ditto, i got 25k out of my last set and 2 winters. Only reason replaced that early, to many plugs to risk going to MV V, Tennessee, Seymour and SSHS7 last year. On my second set and made it through the worst winter we've had snow wise in a long time. Ran all the way to Kentucky 95% of it rain and nary a hitch.
Now where is that wood? :lol:

[Aren Jay]

Front is the stock kdws.


Cool that is exactly what I'm going to do.

[lucenti]

pirelli Scorpion Zero

[lucenti]

255/55/18 rears

[TKde0]

I have the Generals in the rear also. They're a little bit louder than stock. The dry traction is about the same, maybe a little tiny bit better. The wet traction is noticeably better. It might just be my imagination, but the car seems twitchy now. It is a little harder to keep it straight and if you swerve to miss a pothole or something, the car isn't as stiff/firm.

[red]

It might just be my imagination, but the car seems twitchy now. It is a little harder to keep it straight and if you swerve to miss a pothole or something, the car isn't as stiff/firm.
Thank you for providing this information. Tires with the characteristics you mention should be avoided, especially on our heavy cars. For reasons why, see wchain's post on the Falken Z04s (http://www.mercurymarauder.net/forums/showpost.php?p=547113).

[Aren Jay]

You can't compare H rated tires with ZR rated tires.

The ZR rating means the side wall is alot stronger, won't buckle.

[red]

You can't compare H rated tires with ZR rated tires.

The ZR rating means the side wall is alot stronger, won't buckle.
Here are the two quotes I referred to:

It might just be my imagination, but the car seems twitchy now. It is a little harder to keep it straight and if you swerve to miss a pothole or something, the car isn't as stiff/firm.

Dump the falkens ASAP. I had the SAME complaint about Falkens being Squirrley on the Freeway. The sidewalls are VERY wobbly on these.
Here is what I stated:

Thank you for providing this information. Tires with the characteristics you mention should be avoided, especially on our heavy cars. For reasons why, see wchain's post on the Falken Z04s (http://www.mercurymarauder.net/forums/showpost.php?p=547113).
First, I assume you mean Z rated tires; R stands for radial and is not an indicator of speed rating. Along the lines of comparing H to Z, you cannot compare Z to Z. Reason is that a Z rated tire simply means that the tire is capable of speeds in excess of 149MPH (240 KM/H). Tires rated for 168MPH (i.e., W rated) are not comparable to tires that are capable of speeds >186 MPH (i.e., (Y) rated). As for the topic at hand, both TKde0 and wchain complain about similar [performance] characteristics, that is, poor lateral stability. It says something about this tire if it has stability issues that would be expected from lower grades. I was pointing out that Wes' unfortunate situation is one example of why our cars should only wear tires of suitable performance. Several owners have wrecked or had close calls due to driving on tires that are in poor condition or tires that are poor matches for our car. I understand that a lot of owners are trying to find cheap options, but tires are a component I do NOT recommend trying to save money on. If you opt to buy cheap tires (more importantly, ones that are said to have stability issues on our cars), than that is your choice and I wish you good luck.

[Aren Jay]

What I don't see is how you can compare Falken tires with General tires.

That's like saying if you have a BMW you are going to crash because someone had a Kia and they crashed.

Now if he had General tires and crashed, then it would make sense. Or if he had BFG's and crashed, and no-one has ever done that, then no-on should use BFG's on the front.

Putting your tires on properly, inflate them properly, etc. etc. don't put the same size all around, don't talk on your cell phone while driving, or smoke or eat or ....

If the Falken tires were to blame, why didn't he sue Falken?



Your argument sucks, unless you are talking to Chader.

[red]

What I don't see is how you can compare Falken tires with General tires.

That's like saying if you have a BMW you are going to crash because someone had a Kia and they crashed.

Now if he had General tires and crashed, then it would make sense. Or if he had BFG's and crashed, and no-one has ever done that, then no-on should use BFG's on the front.
I'm not going to touch the fallacies and misconceptions here.

Putting your tires on properly, inflate them properly, etc. etc. don't put the same size all around, don't talk on your cell phone while driving, or smoke or eat or ....
You are free to do as you will. If you are interested in reading tire replacement guidelines, I recommend this document (http://www.tiresafety.com/images/Tire%20Replacement%20Manual.pd f) from TireSafety.com.

If the Falken tires were to blame, why didn't he sue Falken?
One has to discern Wes' frustration with the situation (blaming Falken) from what he is saying caused his accident (tire deflection during a quick lane change). Again, I stated that tires with said characteristics (i.e., poor lateral stability) should be avoided on our cars.

Your argument sucks, unless you are talking to Chader.
I'm sorry you feel this way. Again, best of luck with your decision.

[Aren Jay]

First ZR is the speed rating not Z.

W, Y, or (Y) are the sub sections of the speed rating.
and for Marauders it doesn't matter unless you have a Marauder that can go faster than 168 mph.

Rear tires, like the General UHP, need more inflation (minimally) than the fronts, they use a metric that is divided by 1.1 to determine weight limits and inflation levels. So basically it works out, in the General rear BFG fronts to be about the same inflation, if not slightly more. However because the fronts are smaller with a .5 multiplier rather than the .55 they hold less weight than the .55
multiplier and may require greater inflation.

however, If your tires are feeling squirrelly then make sure you up the rear tire inflation. This stiffens the tire wall.

Again for the Falken tires if they were XL tires, then did Wes have the tires inflated enough. You will also note that this was the firestone problem with the Exploders. Tires that to spec were under inflated.

[red]

First ZR is the speed rating not Z.
Z is the rating. R stands for radial.


W, Y, or (Y) are the sub sections of the speed rating.
and for Marauders it doesn't matter unless you have a Marauder that can go faster than 168 mph.
A tire constructed for (Y) will be different than a tire constructed for W and therefore have different performance characteristics. Otherwise, according to your previous argument, why would it matter if you compare an H to a 'Z' rated tire if you do not plan to drive the car over 130? The answer is that these tires are constructed differently and therefore perform differently.


however, If your tires are feeling squirrelly then make sure you up the rear tire inflation. This stiffens the tire wall.
Bumping up pressures will not compensate for differences in construction. Some tires simply deflect more due to the sidewall construction and despite ratings (all tires are not created equally). Considering you plan to stick with stock fronts, which have a very stiff sidewall, and go with rears that are said to have a "squishy" sidewall, the differences will be noticeable. This is the same reason why you are not supposed use a combination of radials in the front and bias plys in the rear.


Again for the Falken tires if they were XL tires, then did Wes have the tires inflated enough.
I am not Wes. Ask him. The characteristic (again, poor lateral stability from sidewall deflection) is what I am concerned about. A tire that is properly inflated and has this problem should not be used on our cars. Again, you are free to make whatever decision you like. Best of luck.

[94_302]

Tkde0 check your tire pressure mine does not feel twitchy or anything like that. I will say the steering characteristics do change a bit (feels a bit more precise) however I would say that is mostly due to the treads directional pattern.

Red these tires are meant for sport trucks and suvs I don't think the weight of the Marauder is overwhelming them.

[red]

Red these tires are meant for sport trucks and suvs I don't think the weight of the Marauder is overwhelming them.
I'm assuming your referencing my comment about tire deflection / sidewall flex as it relates to our heavy cars. To clarify, the comment was in no way implying that the Marauder would overwhelm the tire's load capacity. Instead, I was implying that the increased load of a heavy car will increase tire deflection. Though deflection may result in a larger contact patch, it can cause poor response and lead to reduced cornering stability and decreased steering precision. If a tire is inflated properly and showing signs of sidewall flex, then I would not recommend its use as deflection and its effects are increased on heavy cars and under excessive load transfer.

[Aren Jay]

All four of those points I aquired from your bridgestone PDF.

You don't disagree with the tiresafety you quote to me; do you?

[chader]

Your argument sucks, unless you are talking to Chader.

what does that mean?

[red]

All four of those points I aquired from your bridgestone PDF.

You don't disagree with the tiresafety you quote to me; do you?

I understand where you gathered the information; unfortunately, the concepts are either misunderstood or applied incorrectly. I will gladly continue objective discussions on tire dynamics and construction, but I am not willing to waste time on loaded questions or fallacious arguments. Please let me know if you have any specific technical questions, and good luck with your search.

[Aren Jay]

Thank you for the help, even though I do not see what logical conclusions one could possibly draw from them.

Apples, oranges and grapes.

Yes they are all fruit, and round....

[red]

Thank you for the help, even though I do not see what locigal conclusions one could possibly draw from them.

Glad to help. The points were stated clearly, and sorry you feel they are not of use. Hopefully, others will gather that tires with excessive sidewall deflection / flex will have reduced handling. If it is determined that this is a characteristic of a particular tire model, then it is in their interest to know this before making a purchase.


Apples, oranges and grapes.

Yes they are all fruit, and round....Profound. :rolleyes:

[TKde0]

Tkde0 check your tire pressure mine does not feel twitchy or anything like that. I will say the steering characteristics do change a bit (feels a bit more precise) however I would say that is mostly due to the treads directional pattern.

Red these tires are meant for sport trucks and suvs I don't think the weight of the Marauder is overwhelming them.

What pressure are you using? I have mine at 35psi. I bought these on your recommendation btw.

[Aren Jay]

What pressure are you using? I have mine at 35psi. I bought these on your recommendation btw.


You might want to up it to 41.

They are Truck tires and rated up to a max of 51.

But according to that tire safety pdf red provided they recommend a minimum of 41. for 255/55 18 XL tires.

[red]

You might want to up it to 41.

They are Truck tires and rated up to a max of 51.

But according to that tire safety pdf red provided they recommend a minimum of 41. for 255/55 18 XL tires.
This is not what the document recommends. The document recommends a minimum inflation pressure of 42 psi for the maximum load of a Euro-metric extra load tire (see page 8). It does not recommend a minimum of this pressure for our application, rather it indicates that a slight increase in pressure could be required to obtain the same load capacity as OE (see page 11). To determine the equivalent pressure for the new size and load type, it provides the following instructions (see pages 19-21):


Step A: From the vehicle tire placard, record the OE tire size for both the front and rear. Note any prefixes/suffixes (i.e., P, LT, XL), load index, speed rating, and/or load range. The front and rear tire sizes may be different. Do not assume that the tires on the vehicle are OE.
Step B: From the vehicle tire placard, record the OE recommended inflation pressure for both the front and rear. The front and rear pressures may be different.
Step E: From a resource such as load/inflation tables in the Bridgestone or Firestone P/LT Data Book, record the load capacity of the OE tires (A) at the OE recommended inflation pressures (B). This step must be followed for both front and rear tires.
Step N: From a resource such as load/inflation tables in the Bridgestone or Firestone P/LT Data Book, increase the inflation pressure of the substitute tire size until the load recorded in (E) is equaled or exceeded. Record the inflation pressure for the substitute tire size that is sufficient to carry the load in (E). If the candidate tire cannot carry the load in (E), then another candidate substitute tire size must be selected (stop here and repeat STEPS 3-5).Our stock rear tire size is 245/55R18, has a cold inflation pressure of 35 PSI, has a load index of 103, and is a SL load type. The document does not contain an equivalent-to-stock tire in its table and BFGoodrich does not provide a load-inflation table for the KDWS. However, since the stock rear tires are SL euro-metric, the maximum load (1929 lbs.) is obtained at 36 PSI (see page 8), meaning that the stock inflation pressures have a load capacity somewhere around 1900 lbs at 35 PSI. Since I do not have an exact number, we'll just assume we need to obtain the 1929 lbs. equivalent pressure. Therefore, according to step N and the information on page B14 for a 255/55R18 (XL) with a load index of 109, the pressure required for a load capacity of 1929 lbs. is between 34 and 35 PSI. Increasing the inflation pressure will increase load capacity and sidewall stiffness, but the document does not say it is required for our cars nor does it say to use a minimum of 41 PSI. TKde0, I recommend you read the document (http://www.tiresafety.com/images/Tire%20Replacement%20Manual.pd f).

[Aren Jay]

So what effect does elevation play on all of this?

[Aren Jay]

Does anyone who actually has used these have anything to say about these.

So far two have said they are good one wasn't sure, anyone else?

[mrjones]

I"m planning on the UHP's being the next set on my car. I'm gonna try them all the way around so I can keep the same tire and rotate. I have an A, so it's not a problem with TC.

[Aren Jay]

Just no ABS then?

[Stranger in the Black Sedan]

I just put a set of directional General (Altimax HP's I think?) on some wheels for one of my other cars the other day, and they took very very little weight spin balancing. I got a tech at the dealership to let me use their machines and mount and balance myself (LOL). They handle and look great.

The tires I bought were 205/60/15s. There were almost 300 selections available on tire rack in that size, just in performance tires. What I wouldn't give for the MM to have that kind of selection.....