New Tires Are Awesome

[szyzygy]

I just got some Sumitomos put on.
Man, what a big difference new tires make on the driving experience. I was a little apprehensive at first, but I'm loving my car so much more now. 100mph feels like no problem. Previously, anything over 80mph would result in a lot of wobbling and noise.

Right after the new tires went on, I noticed my steering wheel was making that confounded scratching noise again. I took off my wheel, polished the horn ring, and re-bent the horn copper flipper so that new material was making contact with the horn ring. The previous position had worn a groove into the flipper. I suspect new tires result in a different position on the flipper now and hence the return of the scratching noise.

I spread a liberal amount of dielectric grease on the ring and flipper and re-assembled. Went for a nice 45min drive through town, and up and down a few exits on the freeway.

When I had slowed down and was driving into town I really noticed how the scratching noise was gone, and the steering wheel feels so solid and turns so smoothly now with new tires.

[RSBob]

What did you have on it before?

[szyzygy]

Originally Posted by RSBob

What did you have on it before?

I think they were michelin on 3 of them, 1 continental on the rear. There wasn't a ton of tread left on them. That's what made the biggest difference I think. I just really needed some new tires. I'm not saying sumitomos are the best or anything.

[McLaren-TAG]

sounds like ANY set of new performance tires you put on would have been better than what you were running previously.

[szyzygy]

Originally Posted by McLaren-TAG

sounds like ANY set of new performance tires you put on would have been better than what you were running previously.

yeah.

I think it's a good idea to take the time to grease up the horn ring, too.

[KTL]

Yeah it's not just the perspective that the new tires are a superior design or whatever. It's that the old tires are wasted. Tires don't just wear out in tread, they also degrade in support/structure. Remember, tires are just like springs and they take a TON of abuse.

The new tires will be even better once you break them in and get the mold release agent worn off and get some heat cycles in them. Some new tires feel floaty at first & take a bit of use to get them "settled in."

Got some new tires for my mom's car years ago and she wasn't happy how they felt. Told her to just be patient and they'll get better. A few weeks later she noticed the improvement & asked how I knew that. Experience I guess? I'm a tire nerd (relative to the general population, not the smart guys who design them) and sometimes I know what i'm talking about?

Good on you for getting some new tires when you needed to. I'm of the opinion that tires and brakes are the most neglected parts of the car by most people. Ironically, they're the most important.

[Scott Douglas]

I've had Sumi's on a number of other cars other than my Porsche and always liked them a lot.
What size/model did you put on?

[Jdub]

My RE-11s transformed the car. I don't even want to share how old the BF Goodrich tires (nice, but...) were on my 911. The difference is amazing - I am only now really appreciating how my suspension overhaul (Everything!) is feeling now. So tight and right! Love it.

[mpetry]

anybody have a good source for the 245/45-16 tires used on the 9" rears ?

Tirerack has a very limited selection - I don't want track-only tires.

Suggestions on where to go ?

[urseppos]

3 tyres of one type & 1 of another type, no wonder !

I must say that since I've been in the US I notice this sort of thing quite often, not so much with the Porsche crowd but certainly on domestic cars.

You need the same tyre on all four corners otherwise your handling will be severely affected.

[szyzygy]

Originally Posted by Scott Douglas

I've had Sumi's on a number of other cars other than my Porsche and always liked them a lot.
What size/model did you put on?

I have turbo twist rims on my '77 911s. 18" diameter. 8's in the front, 10's in the rear. My '77 is a "turbo look" with the steel flares. And spacers. I think the turbo twists were originally for 964's?

[szyzygy]

Originally Posted by urseppos

3 tyres of one type & 1 of another type, no wonder !

I must say that since I've been in the US I notice this sort of thing quite often, not so much with the Porsche crowd but certainly on domestic cars.

You need the same tyre on all four corners otherwise your handling will be severely affected.

yeah, not my doing. PO had done that. I knew they were needing replacement in the near future, but I wanted to squeeze a little more out of them first.

I know, I'm a cheap guy. Typical actuary.