Reinforced "XL" tyres

[J Henderson]

Something @Linas.P said in another topic piqued my interest on the subject of "XL" tyres.

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As well It is better to go for non-XL ones especially for front. XL has bit harder side walls and give junk ride - not to the level of run-flats but unpleasant.

Is there really that much of a difference? I've never ever done a direct comparison (XL v non-XL) of the same tyre before as I rarely buy the same tyre twice in succession. Plus, looking through my recent tyre history, it would appear I've bought a mixture of XL and non-XL tyres over the years, and like I said, I haven't noticed any real difference that would make me wary of buying one over the other.

Actually, thinking back to my IS200 days. I remember Hankook V12 Evos (XL) being much more comfortable and quieter than the Continental SportContact3 (non-XL) tyres that I replaced them with, so it's not quite black & white...

For the IS250, I've always chosen XL tyres where possible (sometimes it's the only option anyway) due to the small 40-series sidewalls and the state the roads are in. Some of the pot holes I've seen recently are absolutely ridiculous!

Anyway, here's what openeo have to say on the subject;

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What Benefits Do Reinforced Tyres Bring?

The advantages of reinforced tyres results from their increased load capacity. This includes:

• When normal and reinforced tyres are used in the same way, the latter will last longer. XL tyres can travel for a greater total distance without suffering internal damage, even when under intensive use. This applies so long as the vehicle manufacturer’s recommended pressure is being adhered to.
• Resistance to mechanical damage caused, for example, by driving at high speeds into the kerb.
• Better traction and adhesion properties. The tyre’s greater rigidity ensures stability, more effective transmission of the vehicle’s power to the road surface, better handling on corners, a faster reaction to turns and a greater resistance to additional loads and forces. 

What Are The Disadvantages Of Reinforced Tyres?

Of course, there is no such thing as a perfect tyre. All models are a designed and calculated compromise between various parameters and this still applies to reinforced tyres. The more important drawbacks to reinforced tyres are:

• Higher noise levels. The tyre certification requirements permit reinforced tyres to produce 1 dB (decibel) more noise than normal tyres.
• The use of reinforcement may involve increasing the thickness of the face (under the tread) and shoulder of the tyre. This, in turn, can cause increased rolling resistance and greater fuel consumption.
• Reinforcement usually involves an increase in the tyre’s weight and mass, which again leads to higher fuel consumption.
•  Modifications may lead to a lowering of the driving comfort, when compared to using normal tyres, although such differences will be minimal and rarely felt by the driver.

[Shaunomercy]

This one's a bit tricky to answer.
My pug 407 2.2hdi wears 98 load rating tires. The 2.0 hdi wears 94 load rating.
The 2.2hdi is heavier and faster than the 2.0
The biggest difference is price. The pirelli p7 in extra load is 98 rating is nearly 50 quid more expensive than the normal 94 tire.

If it's not specced in handbook I wouldn't waste the money.

I'd expect the standard tire to give a marginally better ride..

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

[Linas.P]

On 3/12/2018 at 5:01 PM, J Henderson said:

Actually, thinking back to my IS200 days. I remember Hankook V12 Evos (XL) being much more comfortable and quieter than the Continental SportContact3 (non-XL) tyres that I replaced them with, so it's not quite black & white...

I think the key here is exactly what you said... Hankook were simply better tyres then Conti, but if you take exactly same tyre in XL and non-XL form then your quote sumarises it - XL's will be harder, noisier and will consume more fuel.

All boils down to your priorities - if you want more comfortable tyre and you mostly commuting, then look for non-XL. If you drive aggressively, often at high speeds (70MPH is NOT high speed!), if you load your car or have 4 passengers often.. then you probably should consider XL. Bare in mind some sizes of the tyres are only available in XL's, so not much to choose there. Specifically, on R17/45/ 225-245 configuration and on IS250 I found non-XL tyres to provide much more comfortable ride... that applies to some Pirelli, Dunlop, Continental tyres... however it is possible that maybe Nokia, Hankook, or whatever other XL tyre can provide good level of comfort as well.

There are no point comparing different XL and non-XL tyres as it becomes apples and oranges.. again general trends are summarised in your qoute, but I would disagree with "lasting longer claim". There is much more to it, then just XL. If two tyres have exactly same compound and thread depth, one is XL and another non-XL... I don't see any reason why XL would outlast non-XL.. assuming both tyres are on correct pressures etc.