<VV> Bump Steer

[Bill Elliott]

I have this opinion about speed rating and handling characteristics...

"S" is soft sidewalls and hard rubber... the worst possible combo 
(except for tires that don't even bother to attain a speed rating...)
"T" is only slightly better than "S", still soft (but not as soft as S) 
sidewalls and hard rubber, but usually more of a performance" tread pattern.
"H" is a huge jump in traction and sidewall stability... the lowest 
performance level that I find desirable.
"V" is another jump in traction and sidewall stability... the best 
combination of comfort and traction. "Summer only" V's are excellent 
performers, but even "all season" V's handily outdo all "summer only" 
H's I've driven.
Anything higher is likely to have an even harder sidewall (giving a 
rougher ride) but only a few really surpass the best of the "summer 
only" V's... and virtually none of the "all season" Z+ will outdo an 
"summer only" V.
The worst R-rated tire is worlds better than the best non-R tire, but 
aren't practical for the street.

With this in mind, I will buy H-rated tires only as a last resort 
(running H's (205/60)on my driver Corvair due to the real Minilite 
14x6.5 rims I had to have!) and will choose all season V's (when I'm not 
going to have winter tires and anticipate driving much in the winter) 
and "summer only" V's or better whenever I can.

Nothing changed my Northstar Allante more than by going from the "S" 
tires that came on it to  Z rated Kumho MX's... it was like driving a 
completely different car. Go from heavy steel wheels/hubcaps with 185 
section S rated tires on a Corvair to an H or V tire on light alloy rims 
and you simply won't believe the improvement in the way the car drives.

Nothing makes me shake my head more than somebody who spends big bucks 
on disc brakes for their Corvair, yet run S- or T-rated tires when they 
would find better braking performance with the stock disc brakes and H- 
or better tires...

Tires are the most important component of the car because every other 
system of the car must necessarily work though them. No matter how good 
those other systems, they can't work optimally through inferior tires....

IMO of course.

I have two sets of wheels/ tires for most of my cars and three sets of 
wheels/tires for some of my cars... my wife accuses me of being the 
"Imelda Marcos" of wheels/tires.

Off my soapbox... ;-)

Bill

Sethracer at aol.com wrote:

> In a message dated 3/29/2006 4:11:37 AM Pacific Standard Time, 
> corvair at fnader.com writes:
>
>     As we discussed previously, there are very few suitable tires
>     available
>     in a 14" rim diameter and really no high performance tires. You are
>     much, much better off going to a 15 or 16" rim if you're buying
>     new rims
>     anyway. That way you can get a V-rated tire or better... which by
>     itself
>     will improve the handling and driving characteristics of your car
>     more
>     than any other mod being discussed here.
>
>     Bill
>
> I have seen some TR rated tires in 215/60-14 and some decent tires in 
> 205-60-14 as well. Yoko T4s and a Nitto that looks okay. (No personal 
> experience with them). - Seth



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