need new tires... for dirt roads, help please?!

outofluckchuck · Feb 9, 2011

I am looking to buy some new tires and here is my pickle...

I currently have the 205/50/16 Bridgestone Potenza RE 760, an excellent performing summer tire in both rain & dry. I've grown out of the need for performance and am now looking for something that can handle more rugged roads.

I'm looking at the Continental ExtremeContact DWS, Falken ZIEX ZE-912, or going back to the same RE760s.

I feel that the softer compound on my tires just got shredded in dirt and gravel roads and I'm wondering if an All-Season, stock size 195/50/16 be better in these conditions. Right now, I'm thinking the the DWS in 195/50/16, but would really appreciate your suggestions. What would you guys recommend?

Thanks in advance.

pasadena_commut · Feb 9, 2011

outofluckchuck said:
I've grown out of the need for performance and am now looking for something that can handle more rugged roads.

If you are going to be doing a lot of driving on dirt roads you might be better off driving something other than a P5. I'm thinking truck, but if you must stay with a car, something like a Subaru Outback will have suspension better suited to that sort of road surface. Our late lamented Legacy (destroyed by a geezer) wasn't even an Outback model, and it was much better on gravel and dirt than is the P5. The suspension on the Subaru made the big bumps feel small, whereas on the P5 it is the other way around. Plus the Subie had 4 wheel drive.

outofluckchuck · Feb 10, 2011

i'd love to drop a few g's to buy a new (or used) outback or forester, but i really just need some new tires on my p5. just something that won't wear as fast as my potenza re760s on dirt.

i'm not rally racing or anything. just the occasional trip to a trail head up in so cal mountains.

hotcracker69 · Feb 10, 2011

there is another tire that you may want to consider, the kumho asx. pretty good tire for the price. they last me a good 45K, they are rated for 30K. they are usually about 70 a pop. if not less. i just put on some DWS this weekend. very GOOD grip in the dry pavement. but the sideway are soft. am still playing a bit with the air pressure, but 32psi makes the car handle like crap. the continental site recommends 33 but still handle like crap in corner.... am goona pump till 40 see what happens.... the asx handle way better in corners.... both the comfort and quietness in the dws are phenomenal...

so in conclusion..... i would go back to asx if i could and would stay away from the dws..... ( but still a bit early to tell, need a lot more playing with air pressure, perhaps i will find the perfect psi.)

i12drivemyMP5 · Feb 10, 2011

I like how OP asks about different tires and different vehicles were suggested, like he didn't know there are better vehicles for trail/dirt than a P5......classic.

gus5 · Feb 10, 2011

I have the same RE760's on my car right now and they are quite good. As was suggested, go with the Kuhmo ASX. I had those before the 760's, and while they aren't as good in the summer, they are still better than any other All Season tire you going to get, especially for the money. And the tread pattern is designed to move light snow, so they should grip okay on a dirt road and they have a 30,000 mile treadlife warranty. They were also really good in the rain. I plan to switch back to them when the RE760's wear out, which will probably be in the fall since they're so soft they seem to have worn kinda quickly. Hope that helps!

outofluckchuck · Feb 11, 2011

gus5 said:
I plan to switch back to them when the RE760's wear out, which will probably be in the fall since they're so soft they seem to have worn kinda quickly...

Yeah I thought so too! I've had the Kumho Ecsta ASX before my RE760's and love them (Dunlop 5000's before that). At $382 balanced and mounted at sears.com, the Kumho's are a steal!

I can get the ZE 912s from my local tire guy (who also does my free lifetime alignment) for $460. I think I'm going to go with the Falkens, because in the long run, i'm to lazy to get my balancing/rotation and alignment at 2 different places (or maybe the RE760s again for $502).

poison · Feb 14, 2011

912's are great, but very summer-biased. They handle great, but I'm not sure they'll be awesome in dirt. I'd look at Goodyear eagle GT's, the tread looks more aggressive with more siping to grab, and reviews are great.

http://www.speedsportlife.com/2008/...test-goodyear-eagle-gt-champ-among-the-cheap/

Drivers looking for a dual-purpose road/track tire would be well-advised to look higher up the Goodyear food chain, but the Eagle GT fulfills an important niche. It’s an affordable tire with respectable performance. Had my 911 come with a set of these Eagles, I’d have eventually moved to the F1 GS-D3 anyway, but I’d have worn the GTs out first. They’re good enough to put on a high-performance car, and that’s something which can’t truly be said about the other entries in the segment.

So there you have it. There’s no longer any excuse to put crap tires on your Porsche, Corvette, or even Civic Si. The Eagle GT is probably the best hundred-dollar tire in history, and it will be our default recommendation from now on when non-track-conscious drivers ask us about OEM replacements. In fact, this tire is so good at a hundred bucks that it makes us wonder what Goodyear could do for, say, three hundred dollars, in the way of a DOT-R competition tire. I hounded my Goodyear hosts relentlessly on this issue, and they didn’t respond in any fashion which could be characterized as “encouraging”, but I’ll continue to bug ‘em about it… and so should you. The next Goodyear Eagle should be an Asymmetric R-Comp – but until one appears, your parents, significant others, and hard-parking buddies will be more than satisfied with the GT.

need new tires... for dirt roads, help please?!

outofluckchuck

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