Tyres For Ls430

[Barry1000]

I know this has been discussed before but I'm about to buy tyres again and wondered which everyone thinks are the quietest. I currently have Dunlops on the car which I believe are what originally came on the car. Road noise is the only thing which slightly distracts from a fantastic ride and so getting the tyres right I is very important. I would welcome any views

[ambermarine]

Hi

Just done the same on my 400 unfortunatley the Dunlop sports sp that were original tyres on all the Lexus LS range is no longer manufactured,I have fitted Falken ZE912 that have been cited on this forum as a good replacement .First impression is they are a little bit firm on rough surfaces but the tyre noise according to the comparison sites is less than the Dunlop tyre.

Mine cost £100 each fitted .

[plastic orange]

I've got Falken 912's (on my third set) on my LS 400 - great tyres, quiet and with excellent grip. Downside is that the rears last 8,000 miles. I'm going to replace the rears soon with Michelins in the hope of better longevity.

Pete

[Bluesman]

I've got Falken 912's (on my third set) on my LS 400 - great tyres, quiet and with excellent grip. Downside is that the rears last 8,000 miles. I'm going to replace the rears soon with Michelins in the hope of better longevity.

Pete

Only 8000 miles? I have done 35K plus on my Falken rears and they are just about to get changed, Mike

[plastic orange]

As I said, that's my third set, and i don't drive hard. I can't believe 35,000 when I see how fast mine disappear - 235/55 x17's :D

Pete

[Stuart Aspey]

Have you had your alignment done? cause 8,000 miles is very bad . . .

[plastic orange]

Tyres are wearing perfectly evenly, just very quickly. I don't drive the car hard, so I suppose I'm sacrificing grip for wear. The Pirellis that were on before only lasted around 10,000, but they weren't good grip wise. I'm running 235/55 x17's.

Pete

[Bluesman]

As I said, that's my third set, and i don't drive hard. I can't believe 35,000 when I see how fast mine disappear - 235/55 x17's :D

Pete

I tell no fibs. I put them on soon after I bought the car and the mileage was 99K there is 136K on the clock now so unless my maths are wrong (which they could be at my age) its 35K. Mike

[Stuart Aspey]

37k, surely. . . .

[plastic orange]

As I said, that's my third set, and i don't drive hard. I can't believe 35,000 when I see how fast mine disappear - 235/55 x17's :D

Pete

I tell no fibs. I put them on soon after I bought the car and the mileage was 99K there is 136K on the clock now so unless my maths are wrong (which they could be at my age) its 35K. Mike

Impressive mileage - perhaps the roads up here are more abrasive - I only get 3,000 miles out of my rear bike tyre on our roads. My V8 Morris Minor is still running on tyres (265/50 x15 BF Goodridge) at least 10 years old with almost no wear, despite numerous trips up the dragstrip and probably over 20,000 miles.

Pete

[plastic orange]

My Saab Turbo did well over 25,000 miles on it's tyres - even the fronts - and my driving style hasn't changed - it's a mystery.

I'll report on how the Michelins do once I fit them next month.

Pete

[Bluesman]

I am amazed at the difference in mileages. I know bike tyres wear very quickly compared to cars but then they live a very different life. I would definitely get your tracking checked on a 4 wheel computerised tracking machine.

If I cant get 30K+ out of a tyre i become quite miserable. Mike

[plastic orange]

I would get tracking checked if tyre wear was uneven, but it's not.

Pete

[Malc]

Seems quite incredible .......... are you totally sure that there's no misalignment somewhere in the suspension set-up ......... have you had the electronic four wheel alignment stuff done .......... probably about 50 squid but will doubtless be good value if it shows summat awry and then save on the cost of rubber at each corner.

Malc

[Bluesman]

As I said, that's my third set, and i don't drive hard. I can't believe 35,000 when I see how fast mine disappear - 235/55 x17's :D

Pete

I tell no fibs. I put them on soon after I bought the car and the mileage was 99K there is 136K on the clock now so unless my maths are wrong (which they could be at my age) its 35K. Mike

Impressive mileage - perhaps the roads up here are more abrasive - I only get 3,000 miles out of my rear bike tyre on our roads. My V8 Morris Minor is still running on tyres (265/50 x15 BF Goodridge) at least 10 years old with almost no wear, despite numerous trips up the dragstrip and probably over 20,000 miles.

Pete

Any chance of a picture for the Moggie. What sort of engine do you have in her? Mike

[Bluesman]

37k, surely. . . .

Should have used a calculator. Mike

[Bluesman]

37k, surely. .

Sorry duplicated reply. Mike

[John N]

I know this has been discussed before but I'm about to buy tyres again and wondered which everyone thinks are the quietest. I currently have Dunlops on the car which I believe are what originally came on the car. Road noise is the only thing which slightly distracts from a fantastic ride and so getting the tyres right I is very important. I would welcome any views

Just fitted a new set of tyres 3 months ago, they are Nokian Z G2, up to now they have been quite quiet on all sorts of road surfaces. They are also very predictable in the wet and dry and don't appear to have any vices, but I can't comment on their life yet. Up to now I would certainly recommend them.

See link: -

http://www.mytyres.co.uk/cgi-bin/rshop.pl?s_p=Nokian-Z-G2-225_55-ZR17-101W-XL&details=Ordern&typ=D-104567&cart_id=87724813.110.29209&ranzahl=4&Breite=225&Herst=Nokian&Quer=55&Felge=17&Speed=W&weiter=0&kategorie=6&Ang_pro_Seite=20&Transport=P&dsco=110&sowigan=So&m_s=3&x_tyre_for=PKW&rsmFahrzeugart=PKW

They won't be available for long as they have been superseeded by the Nokian zLine -

http://www.mytyres.co.uk/cgi-bin/rshop.pl?s_p=Nokian-zLine-225_55-ZR17-101Y-XL&details=Ordern&typ=R-241206&cart_id=87724813.110.29209&ranzahl=4&Breite=225&Herst=Nokian&Quer=55&Felge=17&Speed=W&weiter=0&kategorie=6&Ang_pro_Seite=20&Transport=P&dsco=110&sowigan=So&m_s=3&x_tyre_for=PKW&rsmFahrzeugart=PKW

When I bought them in November they were at a good discount because they are a Summer Tyre and were supplied from Germany where they have to use Winter Tyres at that time of year.

Read the user reviews and see what you think.

John N.

[Cotswold Pete]

I've got Falken 912's (on my third set) on my LS 400 - great tyres, quiet and with excellent grip. Downside is that the rears last 8,000 miles. I'm going to replace the rears soon with Michelins in the hope of better longevity.

Pete

I have always found Michelins not to last too long on any car I have had, and my driving is sedate to asleep style (thats what a nice quite 400 does for me). Though I find Michelins a bit quiter on the crappier sections of road.

Just a thought as to whether you have the tyres over-inflated, I did this by accident (don't ask) with last set of fronts and that seemed to cause quicker wear (which made no sense).

Did you get all four fitted at same time, and if not, then was there a softer mix (by accident) on the rears, though if you have had three sets now, that seems an unlikely case.

Is there likely to be any issues with tractional control or rear differential that could cause this problem?

I have found the Falkens the best on 400 (and I assume 430, 460) I get zero tram-lining (apart from some bits of M6 where they must have used Chieftain tanks at night to test the surface) and any other tyre I have tried has had tram-lining issues that just bugged me.

[Bluesman]

I've got Falken 912's (on my third set) on my LS 400 - great tyres, quiet and with excellent grip. Downside is that the rears last 8,000 miles. I'm going to replace the rears soon with Michelins in the hope of better longevity.

Pete

I have always found Michelins not to last too long on any car I have had, and my driving is sedate to asleep style (thats what a nice quite 400 does for me). Though I find Michelins a bit quiter on the crappier sections of road.

Just a thought as to whether you have the tyres over-inflated, I did this by accident (don't ask) with last set of fronts and that seemed to cause quicker wear (which made no sense).

Did you get all four fitted at same time, and if not, then was there a softer mix (by accident) on the rears, though if you have had three sets now, that seems an unlikely case.

Is there likely to be any issues with tractional control or rear differential that could cause this problem?

I have found the Falkens the best on 400 (and I assume 430, 460) I get zero tram-lining (apart from some bits of M6 where they must have used Chieftain tanks at night to test the surface) and any other tyre I have tried has had tram-lining issues that just bugged me.

I cant see anyway out of tram lining, I would have thought if the road surface was that bad then the tyres will react to it. Mike

[plastic orange]

I run all my tyres at 32psi, and yes I fitted 4 at the same time - fronts are fine.

Traction control very seldom kicks in, and I'm not one for trying to spin the rears (on the Lexus anyway).

I thought Michelins gave decent wear, but it's good to get personal experiences to make an informed judgement.

Pete

[Cotswold Pete]

I run all my tyres at 32psi, and yes I fitted 4 at the same time - fronts are fine.

Traction control very seldom kicks in, and I'm not one for trying to spin the rears (on the Lexus anyway).

I thought Michelins gave decent wear, but it's good to get personal experiences to make an informed judgement.

Pete

My line of thought was - and I am not a mechanic - was that the traction control only detects when the rear wheels are moving at a speed not related to the measured velocity of the car.

But in normal running on a normal road a differential is designed to make sure that when turning a corner slightly different rotational speed is allowed, otherwise one tyre will get dragged along the road, so I was just wondering if this is what was happening.

The only way to test it is to drive 8000 miles in a straight line and if tyres are okay, then maybe investigate, or drive around the M25 in one direction for a week or so, and see which rear tyre has worn more.

But maybe someone who is smarter than me can say whether my theory is all a lot of hot air, or my understanding of rear axle mechanics is based on some dodgy concepts.

I would have thought if you had differential issues you might here a whine from the rear end, but then again a Lexus is rather well sound proofed, but in 24000 miles I would have expected the rear box to have failed if it was not working as expected.

If you get to the bottom of the mystery, be interested to know what results are.

[plastic orange]

I'm sure that the traction control and diff are working as they should as both tyres have similar amount of wear and wear pattern.

It's just the tyres in my opinion.

Pete

[John N]

I'm sure that the traction control and diff are working as they should as both tyres have similar amount of wear and wear pattern.

It's just the tyres in my opinion.

Pete

If the diff was not working correctly and allowing the rear wheels to turn at the different speeds they need to go round bends you you could still see a similar amount of wear on each tyre. As long as you go round a similar number fo left and right hand bends.

You can check the diff feels ok by chocking the front wheels, releasing the parking brake, and using a trolly jack on the diff to raise the back of the car. Then with the gear lever in 'park' turn one of the back wheels by hand. It should turn smoothly and because the drive shaft is locked the opposite wheel should turn smoothly in the opposite direction.

John N

[Maduggo]

As I said, that's my third set, and i don't drive hard. I can't believe 35,000 when I see how fast mine disappear - 235/55 x17's :D

Pete

I tell no fibs. I put them on soon after I bought the car and the mileage was 99K there is 136K on the clock now so unless my maths are wrong (which they could be at my age) its 35K. Mike

Impressive mileage - perhaps the roads up here are more abrasive - I only get 3,000 miles out of my rear bike tyre on our roads. My V8 Morris Minor is still running on tyres (265/50 x15 BF Goodridge) at least 10 years old with almost no wear, despite numerous trips up the dragstrip and probably over 20,000 miles.

Pete

3000 miles from a rear tyre, your roads are either sandpaper at 80 grit or you have a loose right wrist

To be honest though, i used to get about the same from the rear trye on my B-King, and i know i have a loose right wrist, well you have to with a B-King, you know what i mean as a biker.

As for the car tyre wear, even though the wear looks unifrom, i would invest in a laser alignment check, at £50 it's piece of mind and one thing to cross of the list of possible causes for low mileage life.

Pete, drive around the M25 for a week to check tyre wear, thats just one circuit of the M25 mate

We all know the M25 is the worlds biggest car park.