Snow Tires - Load Rating Question

[fleuger99]

Hey All,
I'm just about to order some new snows for my soon to be delivered 2010 TDI JSW. I ordered the car with 16" wheels so I could use them for snow tires.

After much research I decided to get the new Continental ExtremeWinterContact tires from Tirerack as they got great ratings and were only $90/tire in 16" size.

I got this warning on the tirerack site saying the tires are the right size (205 55 R16) but the load rating is higher on these tires than the OEM tires and this could cause a harsher ride. Anyone know what the load rating is and how it might affect the ride? Thanks

 

[k1xv]

If you look at the web page where you ordered the tires, you will see that the service description is 94T. This means that the load index is 94. I believe OEM is 91.

I would not worry about it. All it means is that the sidewall is probably a bit stiffer.

 

[fleuger99]

If you look at the web page where you ordered the tires, you will see that the service description is 94T. This means that the load index is 94. I believe OEM is 91.

I would not worry about it. All it means is that the sidewall is probably a bit stiffer.

Yes, I saw the oem tires were 91 and that these were 94 XL which is higher speed rating and firmer tire construction. So you don't think these tires will be particularly too harsh on Boston area roads (lots of crappy roads)?

Thanks for your response.

 

[k1xv]

Put them on. If they seem a little harsh, you could lower the tire pressure a couple of psi. With the higher load rating, you can run a bit less pressure.

I doubt you will see any meaningful difference.

 

[Car901]

ALL - please do not confuse load index w/ speed rating. 91 is the load index, T & H are the speed ratings. You can use tires w/ higher load index and/or higher speed rating than OE.

G

 

[k1xv]

His question was about the effect on ride quality.

 

[fleuger99]

ALL - please do not confuse load index w/ speed rating. 91 is the load index, T & H are the speed ratings. You can use tires w/ higher load index and/or higher speed rating than OE.

G

Yup, never said 91 was the speed rating. All I said was the new snows were 94 versus 91 OEM and snows are XL which is firmer construction.

My question was more about ride quality on lousy roads.

 

[Car901]

Yes, I saw the oem tires were 91 and that these were 94 XL which is higher speed rating and firmer tire construction.

99 - this is what I was referring too - tell me what you think of the Conti's when the white stuff is out..

 

[fleuger99]

tell me what you think of the Conti's when the white stuff is out..

Will do!

 

[soldierguy]

I wouldn't worry about the load rating...going higher is fine, going lower...well...I wouldn't do it, but I'm sure some would without giving it a second thought.

Ride should be fine. I went from an OEM 91 summer ultra-high performance radial to a 94 all-season ultra-high performance radial on a previous VW, and I got the same warning from tire-rack's site. Because of the tread pattern, compound, all-season vs summer rating etc, the 94 actually rode quieter and smoother than the 91.

Enjoy your TDI!

 

[fleuger99]

I wouldn't worry about the load rating...going higher is fine, going lower...well...I wouldn't do it, but I'm sure some would without giving it a second thought.

Ride should be fine. I went from an OEM 91 summer ultra-high performance radial to a 94 all-season ultra-high performance radial on a previous VW, and I got the same warning from tire-rack's site. Because of the tread pattern, compound, all-season vs summer rating etc, the 94 actually rode quieter and smoother than the 91.

Enjoy your TDI!

Thanks, will do. I ordered the tires today and having them shipped to the dealer I'm buying from in PA so they'll be installed when I pickup my car for the drive back in a few weeks.

Anyone want to buy brand new 16" all seasons....VERY CHEAP

 

[Exmasonite]

FYI-

i just put Conti ExWintContact on my '09 JSW today. Only thing i can say (and was told to me about the higher load rating) is slightly more road noise. not sure if it'll go away as they break in or not.... either way, it's very minor and i have no complaints.

FYI: discount tire quoted $10/wheel to swap out the wheel (i got rims, TPMS, etc- the whole package). When i got there, the guy said i could insure the tires for $17 each and that would cover any problems i run into with them and also cover all additional seasonal changes in the future. granted, i have coverage through tire rack but nice to have a place i can go locally plus the free swaps.

 

[fleuger99]

As it turned out the Conti's I'd wanted to order were out. Tirerack was showing only two tires left so I went with the 2nd place tire out of their winter tire tests, Bridgestone Blizzack WS60's and had them shipped to wait for my car until the 19th when it's supposed to arrive in Langhorne PA. Thanks for all your input.

 

[PeteVinBoston]

As it turned out the Conti's I'd wanted to order were out. Tirerack was showing only two tires left so I went with the 2nd place tire out of their winter tire tests, Bridgestone Blizzack WS60's and had them shipped to wait for my car until the 19th when it's supposed to arrive in Langhorne PA. Thanks for all your input.

I put the Blizzacks on. Very big tread so they are LOUD on the highway, but that's the price you pay for safety!

We're supposed to get 3-5 inches tonight in Boston.

Drive safe!!

 

[fleuger99]

We're supposed to get 3-5 inches tonight in Boston.

Drive safe!!

I just got home from the movies. We got about 3" here tonight. Traction was good even with my all seasons on my Subaru. Oh Boy, here comes winter!

 

[danham]

We got spared on the Cape, but as you say, it's coming.

Coupla thoughts/questions ...

I ran Dunlop Winter Sport M2 snows on my Audi A3 and though the load rating was the same as OEM, the tire sidewalls and tread "squirm" a bit more as part of their traction duties, so I would think a stiffer sidewall would be a slight plus in terms of handling on dry pavement

Second, I've seen conflicting info on the bolt pattern for the 2010 JSW 16" wheels. 5 x 100 or 5 x 112? And is the offset the same as my A3?

Third, what happens if you run tires and wheels without TPMS sensors? Do you get a subtle warning or does the display freak out and make your life miserable until you put sensors in [g]?

-dan

 

[fleuger99]

We got spared on the Cape, but as you say, it's coming.

Coupla thoughts/questions ...

I ran Dunlop Winter Sport M2 snows on my Audi A3 and though the load rating was the same as OEM, the tire sidewalls and tread "squirm" a bit more as part of their traction duties, so I would think a stiffer sidewall would be a slight plus in terms of handling on dry pavement

Second, I've seen conflicting info on the bolt pattern for the 2010 JSW 16" wheels. 5 x 100 or 5 x 112? And is the offset the same as my A3?

Third, what happens if you run tires and wheels without TPMS sensors? Do you get a subtle warning or does the display freak out and make your life miserable until you put sensors in [g]?

-dan

Dan,

1) I don't know enough about this to give you a good answer
2) It is 5 X 112 and I'm not sure what the offset is on the A3.
3) I think you'll have endless warnings if one doesn't run TPMS unless you get someone with VAGCOM to disable it. Personally, in the summer when I buy a nice set of 18" wheels and rubber for the JSW I am going to purchase a second set of sensors. In the grand scheme of things, the extra few hundred is worth it to me.

 

[danham]

Thanks for the reply.

I'm trying to cheap out here, which should be all the warning you need [g].

I have the Dunlop snows on 16" steelies and they fit my wife's Passat almost as well as they fit my A3, so maybe I'll use them on her car this winter and follow your example. When the JSW's all-seasons wear out (soon, I hope) I'll invest in new summer tires/rims with TPMS and mount some decent snows on the OEM wheels.

-dan

 

[fleuger99]

Thanks for the reply.

I'm trying to cheap out here, which should be all the warning you need [g].

I have the Dunlop snows on 16" steelies and they fit my wife's Passat almost as well as they fit my A3, so maybe I'll use them on her car this winter and follow your example. When the JSW's all-seasons wear out (soon, I hope) I'll invest in new summer tires/rims with TPMS and mount some decent snows on the OEM wheels.

-dan

I bought a set of Bridgestone snows from Tirerack and had them sent to the dealer I'm buying my JSW from to have them installed in time for me picking up the car and driving it back from PA. I'll still have the brand new all-seasons which I'm going to try sell dirt cheap (are you interested? ) and then the new wheels & tires for the other 3 seasons.

 

[danham]

Thanks for the offer, but I'm hoping to get rid of all-seasons ASAP without busting my wallet. I prefer running good summer/winter tires as needed.

I can probably get away with the all-seasons on Cape Cod most of the time, but we travel to the northern Adirondacks a fair amount and will want decent snows for that in winter and I'll ride my BMW F800 in the summer [g].

-dan

 

[fleuger99]

I'll ride my BMW F800 in the summer [g].

-dan

That is so funny! I was planning on buying an F800ST this April and then I got laid off from my job. I ended up getting a new job 4 months later but postponed the bike purchase. They are great bikes. How long you had yours?

 

[danham]

Amazing. I'll try a PM to you about this to avoid further OT meanderings on my part [g].

-dan