LRR Low Profile tires!

Just bought these
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Kumho&tireModel=Ecsta+LX+Platinum

600AA tires in a 225/40/18 !!! They make up to 19's. Woohoo ! ! !

Previous to these I've only seen 420 as the best. I'd been running 220 Kuhmo Autocross tires that came with the wheels so Im really looking forward to a few more MPG.

Full review after the weekend when I get a couple hundred miles on em.

Does a higher wear rating automatically equal Low Rolling Resistance tires???

Got Bearings? said:

Does a higher wear rating automatically equal Low Rolling Resistance tires???

Click to expand...

Let's ask MR. OWL. Mr. Owl, how high of a wear rating does it take to get better fuel mileage from a TDI? Hmmm, let's see, , , . The world may never know

Okay Davey.....

Got Bearings? said:

Does a higher wear rating automatically equal Low Rolling Resistance tires???

Click to expand...

No. Its just a rating on how long they will last. They could just have a deeper tread, or a better tread design that wears better. It doesn't mean they will have less rolling resistance.

LokiWolf said:

No. Its just a rating on how long they will last. They could just have a deeper tread, or a better tread design that wears better. It doesn't mean they will have less rolling resistance.

Click to expand...

I looked at the description of the tires and it doesn't state that they are of the LRR variety. Is the OP assuming they are LRR tires?

It appears the OP is assuming a high tread wear rating = low rolling resistance. They have nothing to do with each other. While most tires that have a LRR, do have a high tread wear rating. That is because most tires that have LRR, also have harder compound rubber, which helps to achieve the LRR. But you can achieve a high treadwear rating without having LRR.

Harder compounds tend to have less resisitance, and a stiffer sidewall will also reduce resistance. I bought the Michelin MXV4 Primacy but for its ratings on wet surfaces and its low noise. It is the quietest tire I have ever owned. The POLYAMIDE fibers may be quieter than nylon. The TWO ply sidewall reduces flex and decreases heat. Coupled with the Koni FSD the car is better than new. All the new tires seem to be a bit better for mileage than their previous versions.

I've got about 7000 miles on my Nokians and I think they're great. No hydroplaning that I've seen so far, and my mileage has changed very little if at all since I got them. Also a pretty quiet tire.

I have addressed this in the past and will again...harder rubber compund does NOT = LRR...in many cases it is actually the complete opposite. LRR is achieved by a combination of tread design, sidewall stiffness, inflation pressure, and the REBOUND characteristics of the rubber compound. Many of the "long lasting" tires use a compound heavy with carbon black...it has great wear propeties but it is very hard and does not rebound from the road well....(compare dropping a steel ball bearing on pavement to dropping a one of those rubber super balls on pavement the ball bearing will last much longer and wear better...but the super ball will have a lower rolling resistance because it is sort of bouncing back of the surface of the road as it rolls...this is an over simplification but it demonstrates the point) If you compare Nokians and Mich. Energies to the 80-100k mile rated tires, you will find that they probably won't last as long as those....but thier rolling resistance is lower because the compound has been optimized to spring off the road surface as opposed to lasting the maximum amount of miles. SO....high wear rating does not automatically corrolate to LRR.....many times it can be to it's detriment.

too bad they dont make them in 235/35/19

I spoke to a fellow at the tire rack (totally forgot the name) before I purchased them. He actually asked around the office for who had personally tried them and it was another guy with a 2002 Jetta 1.8t. In the 1.8t he gained 4mpg. They aren't necessarily LRR tires but they are the lowest RR tires that he sells and could reccomend in my size of 225/40/18.

So far in the 20 miles I've had a chance to put on them Im very pleased. They are super quiet dont follow groved road serfaces and feel much nicer over harsh bumps.