Tire decision question :

[tom4bren]

Ironic, yes.

If you're running your tires at or near the max pressure & you hit a nice sized pothole, the tire tries to flex which will increase the air pressure in the tire & you could break a bead (tire pops off the rim ... well ... half way).

You air down off road for increased surface area & to allow the tire to flex more & 'mold' itself over obstacles. The trouble is that a lot of people air down too far & the tire flexes too much which can also break a bead.

In my limited experience, the only off road conditions you really need to air down for is rock crawling. All other conditions, the tread design has more to do with performance.

[Riff Raff]

SPIKE--- In consideraton of the parameters you indicated, I highly recommend the following tire:

"FIERCE ST" in 285/60R18 (31.3" O.D./40 lbs) which sells for only $82.25 each (yes, Eighty-Two dollars and Twenty-Five cents) at www.OnlineTires.com. The Fierce ST is an exact "clone" to the much more expensive Toyo - Proxes S/T II.

Check-out the factory website at www.FierceTires.com. You can read recent customer outstanding reviews of this specific tire at www.Treadepot.com.

The Cooper - Zeon "LTZ" (31.3" O.D./49 lbs); like on VX-KAT is an awesome tire, but may be a bit "overkill" based upon your driving style and very limited off-road excursions.

If you still prefer a true A/T tire like the "LTZ", then please also consider the PRO-COMP - All Terrain in 285/60R18 (31.3" O.D./43 lbs). The Pro-Comp A/T is Snowflake/Mountain rated, has a 50K mileage warranty and is currently on sale at www.4WheelParts.com for a "Buy 3, Get The 4th Free" tire special. Check with fellow VX member "BoarderCross2000" who just installed a set on his VX from this exact sale offer.

Above all; check-out the "FIERCE S/T" in 285/60R18, as it just might meet all of your requirements at a super awesome price!!!

[VX KAT]

"FIERCE ST" in 285/60R18 (31.3" O.D./40 lbs) which sells for only $82.25 each (yes, Eighty-Two dollars and Twenty-Five cents) at www.OnlineTires.com. The Fierce ST is an exact "clone" to the much more expensive Toyo - Proxes S/T II.
Above all; check-out the "FIERCE S/T" in 285/60R18, as it just might meet all of your requirements at a super awesome price!!!

That Fierce ST is a nice lookin' street tire!

[Spike]

Pro-comp are almost 250 ea, even with 3 + 1 free, its too expensive for the crappy budget I have at the moment.

Tread on the Fierce ST is definitely very cool, almost in a Klingon kind of way ... Not sure how they would do in snow ... But also they are a bit 'too street' for me. That's what I have my tweaked GTP for (daily driver / or when I want to go loud and fast)

The VX, I use mostly evenings and weekends, car shows, or in real bad weather. But the wheels definitely need to be more aggressive and let people know "This NOT a Rav 4 or Santa Fe - so don't go looking at me like that, you freak!"

She gets driven at least once or twice a week. But overall, I do less than 5000 miles a year on the VX since I got the Grand Prix Two yrs ago. So any tire I get should last me a good long while! but I don't want to go replacing them at 25,000 miles either. (even if that does take me 5 yrs!)

Thanks for those 2 suggestions though!

So I am still looking between the Zeon and Fuzion STi at this point.

[Riff Raff]

Thanks for those 2 suggestions though!

So I am still looking between the Zeon and Fuzion STi at this point.

SPIKE--- No, problem. Based upon your posting update; and your wallet limitations, I'd say go with the COOPER - ZEON "LTZ" (like VX-KAT). Just make damn sure when you order them to be very specific about requesting the "LTZ" model designation. Because there are multiple ZEON versions within the COOPER brand line-up, and it's very easy to mis-order the wrong tire. Thus; look up the specific part number at the Cooper website, and verify it on the order form when placing your order.

[Spike]

http://www.tireteam.com/Tires/Cooper...tml?&ref=GBASE

$133 x4 + 80 shipping

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires....omCompare1=yes

$118 x4 + $75 shipping

[Riff Raff]

http://www.tireteam.com/Tires/Cooper...tml?&ref=GBASE

$133 x4 + 80 shipping

SPIKE--- According to the batteries in my calculator, your grand total for the Cooper - Zeon "LTZ" delivered is: $612.00

Well; check-out the website of www.Treadepot.com, which has the "LTZ" for only $120.00 x 4, + $103.00 shipping to your zip code of 19073. That equals a grand total of only $583.00 versus your quote of $612.00 (a difference of $29.00).

Just make sure you shop around before you place an order.

[Spike]

P.S. Sorry if my previous post was a bit harsh ... not looking to start a battle. Just make a couple points.

[Riff Raff]

P.S. Sorry if my previous post was a bit harsh ... not looking to start a battle. Just make a couple points.

SPIKE--- No harm, no foul. I've painfully found out that everybody's unique especially when it comes to tires. As much as I praise the Grabber AT2 and Pro-Comp A/T, not everybody likes them or they just don't fit everybody's personal lifestyle or budget.

For example; I initially tried to convince VX-KAT towards the AT2 or P/C-A/T, and she just wasn't a big fan of the BFG A/T type tread pattern. After further E-Mail inquiry, I discovered she favored the tread style pattern of the Nitto T/G; and wanted something simular, but with a different flair to set herself apart from the normal crowd. Thus, after an intensive search I found the Cooper - Zeon "LTZ" for her which hit a home-run.

You indicated in your first post that your main focus was for rain capability with an occassional snow in PA, along with an inexpensive price. Thus, the Fierce ST seemed to fit your original parameters. Later; you fine tuned your criteria with a desire to have a more macho/aggressive tread pattern and less of a street tire, but still be inexpensive. Perhaps, the "LTZ" is now a better match for you.

In both cases (your's & VX-KAT), I just happened to stumble upon various tires out on the market that I never knew existed before (like the "LTZ" & "Fierce ST"). The search feature on this forum is a great tool, but is not perfect since everyone is different and has different criteria parameters regarding tires. In addition; as time goes by, new technologies are implemented and new tires are introduced in the marketplace. A search from old obsolete forum postings would be futile in that regard. Bottom Line-- if you don't ask the question (like you did), then how can we possibly help you???

For me, I love helping people on this VX forum and take great pride if maybe just one of my suggestions somehow benefit another fellow VX'er. It's the least I can do from all of the other great advice I absorb from my fellow VX'ers here on this forum. SPIKE, thank you for giving us the opportunity to help you. Please ask anytime.

[Spike]

Riff, thanks much, and you hit it on the head, I need to fine tune my requirements. While I did that in my head to get through my original short list, I still needed to refine it a bit more

Yes while dry capability and bad weather traction are most important, asthetics does play into it as well ... The Fuzions have different patterns on each of the sidewalls... a tribal pattern on one side and flames on the other. An their tread, while not as radical and blocky as a terra g's or Zeon, is still on the aggressive side as compared to the Fierce ST ... The Fierce tire just does not look like it would do too well in snow

What are your thoughts of 285/55 instead of 285/60?

[etlsport]

a 285 55 is going to be harder to mount... factory rims are only 7" wide.. most 285s recommend 8-9" rims.. if you notice with my falkens, the tire sucks so far back to the rim, it was impossible to put standard wheel weights on it, so we had to use the sticky weights on the inside of the wheel (which looks better.. but its a real pita)

youll also run into not being able to find as many different tires in a 285/55

running a 265/60 would be about the same height, expand your options, but save a bit of weight and possibly cost

[Riff Raff]

Riff, thanks much, and you hit it on the head, I need to fine tune my requirements. The Fuzions have different patterns on each of the sidewalls... a tribal pattern on one side and flames on the other. An their tread, while not as radical and blocky as a terra g's or Zeon, is still on the aggressive side as compared to the Fierce ST ... The Fierce tire just does not look like it would do too well in snow

What are your thoughts of 285/55 instead of 285/60?

SPIKE--- Hmmm, after analyzing what you said regarding sidewall appearance and considering your price point "comfort zone" target of $120 per tire; then yes, the FUZION XTi in 285/60R18 might just be your #1 winner. Further, I noticed the Fuzion XTi has both a deeper tread depth of 15/32nds (for great snow traction) and a lighter unsprung weight of 45 lbs than the Cooper - Zeon "LTZ" (14/32nds & 49 lbs, respectively).

As Cragar34 mentioned; I too had thought about the SUMITOMO - HTR Sport A/T (31.3/44 lbs), which has a comparable tread pattern to the Nitto T.G. with the added feature of OWL (personally, I really like OWL). However; the Sumitomo has a shallower tread depth of 13/32nds when compared to the Fuzion XTi, and is way more expensive.

There are only two(2) tires in 285/55R18 (30" O.D.) worth a hoot with "snow capability", and will still fit on the stock OEM 18x7 rim. This size tire is very close to the OEM stock O.D. of 29.5", which will help maintain speedometer accuracy within 1 -- 2 MPH. They are:
o MAXXIS - MA-S1 MARAUDER
o COOPER - ZEON "XST" (yes, "XST"); although this may be a "discontinued" tire as this specific size "XST" is not on the factory Cooper website anymore, but still available on-line from various tire retailers.

In regards to EtlSport's 265/60R18 alternative size recommendation; you may find this tire to be too skinny-n-narrow and will not give the VX a wide mean looking appearance, thereby making the VX look kinda' meek & mousy. In my opinion, the most narrow size width tire a person should ever put on a VX is a 275 series. Most VX's look best when either a 275 or 285 series width tire is installed to help "fill-up" the huge VX wheel-wells and to give it a wider mean appearance.

In reconsideration of your sidewall appearance preference (tribal/flames), meaty aggressive tread requirement, deep tread depth (15/32nds) for snow, lighter weight, and especially your wallet comfort zone of $120 (+/-) per tire; I now highly recommend the FUZION XTi in 285/60R18 (31.3" O.D./45 lbs) as choice #1.

When sniffing around the internet for tires (besides the normal TireRack & Discount Tire websites); please also visit www.1010Tires.com (awesome 5-tire side-by-side comparison calculator), www.OnLineTires.com (great variety from obscure brands), and www.Treadepot.com (competitive sale prices). Of note, I really like www.TireRack.com for their great close-up pictures and especially their "specifications page" with tread depth data and individual tire weights (for "unsprung weight" concerns).

[sloop]

Anything you need to know about the Fuzions let me know! Well built Tire good in snow

[Spike]

Anything you need to know about the Fuzions let me know! Well built Tire good in snow

Thanks Sloop ... do you know how they are in rain / wet roads?


Yes, I am still wavering between these two tires ... even after looking at the aforementioned Maxxis maurauder, zeon XST and Fierce ST (too street) and then looked at the Fierce attidute M/T (too mud/off road) and a few others

Zeon LTZ tread looks like it 'may' push more water off to the sides and away from the tire

I like the overall tread of the Fusion as well
And I especially like that if I put the 'flame' sidewall side out - that i dont have FUZION in huge letters splashed across the tire

Here are a couple more links of images that I have been looking at since I cant find either of these tires at a local shop (tried 3)

Cooper 3/4 view photo
http://i22.ebayimg.com/04/i/001/39/8d/ab13_3.JPG

Cooper tread pattern up close:
http://www.discounttiredirect.com/pr.../coprl2.xl.jpg

Fuzion sidewall photo:
http://www.campbellperformancetires....56518%2056.JPG

Fuzion tread pattern up close:
http://www.campbellperformancetires....56518%2053.JPG

[Spike]

Ok, I bit the bullet ... Ordered the Coopers ...
on sale for $120 ea from treadepot.com
- after shipping to PA: $558.20