Need All-Season Tire Recomendations

Anyhoo...tires are in, made sure they are the H speeds. Scheduled to get them installed on Friday.
 
Based on Michelin's spec sheet in post #72 the maximum load pressure is the maximum inflation pressure. The physics say tire pressure and load carrying are in direct proportion.

For OE Yokohama Geolandar G91A 225/65R17 100H its maximum load is 1,764 lbs. @ 44 psi maximum inflation pressure.

For General AltiMAX™ RT43 225/65R17 102H its maximum load is 1,874 lbs. @ 51 psi maximum inflation pressure.

At 44 psi. RT43 can't carry 1,874 lbs. rated maximum load, but at 51 psi, it will. On a CX-5, optimal contact patch can't be the same having the same weight on both tires with the same recommended tire pressure @ 34 psi. You need more psi on RT43 to carry the same load with similar contact patch.

that max load # is per tire, not vehicle load spread over 4 tires.. The max psi on the sidewall means nothing for most of us. The tire manufacturer has no idea what vehicle the tire will end up on. The car manufactures are the ones that test psi vs vehicle vs performance
 
I really don’t get the obsession over max inflation. Again just make sure

1. Tire is the correct size
2. Tire has equivalent or better load rating
3. Tire has equivalent or better speed rating
4. Tire is of the appropriate temperature range for your driving conditions (AS vs Winter vs Summer)

Follow manufacturers recommended inflation specifications.

It really doesn’t need to be any more complicated than that.
 
I really don’t get the obsession over max inflation. Again just make sure

1. Tire is the correct size
2. Tire has equivalent or better load rating
3. Tire has equivalent or better speed rating
4. Tire is of the appropriate temperature range for your driving conditions (AS vs Winter vs Summer)

Follow manufacturers recommended inflation specifications.

It really doesn’t need to be any more complicated than that.

+1, with a little wiggle room for inflation to account for personal preference, up OR down, but just a few psi.
Max pressure is really irrelevant... unless it's exceeded.
 
yrwei, do you agree that if your tires are set to 36 psi, and then you load 1000 lbs into the car, the tire pressure will still be 36 psi?
Yes, the tire pressure would be still the same, but the contact patch won't. It would be more like a little under-inflated tire wearing outer tread more. That's why car manufactures specify higher tire pressure when you have heavier load.
 
that max load # is per tire, not vehicle load spread over 4 tires.. The max psi on the sidewall means nothing for most of us. The tire manufacturer has no idea what vehicle the tire will end up on. The car manufactures are the ones that test psi vs vehicle vs performance
Really? At least higher maximum inflation pressure rating on tires will give you larger safety margin if nothing else!

Yeah the maximum load, such as 1,874 lbs. maximum load @ 51 psi maximum inflation pressure on 102H tires, is rated for a single tire. For CX-5 each tire carries about 900 lbs. of weight, hence we don't need maximum inflation pressure at 44 or 51 psi to support full load capability. More air pressure can carry more load until a tire reaches its maximum inflation pressure to carry the rated full load.

Yes, car manufactures are the ones that test psi vs vehicle vs performance. That's why many have said the recommended tire pressure is only for OE tires which sometimes have different specs than tires available on the market.
 
+1, with a little wiggle room for inflation to account for personal preference, up OR down, but just a few psi.
Max pressure is really irrelevant... unless it's exceeded.
A little wiggle room on tire pressure? Look at the recommended tire pressures on CX-5 for Mexico, from 33 ~ 41 psi on 17" rear; and 36 ~ 42 psi on 19" rear:

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And here are the recommended tire pressures on my 2001.5 VW Passat with 28 ~ 44 psi on rear:

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Your Tourings have 34 psi recommendation and you added 2 more psi.

I believe more blowout tires in your area is due to people under-inflated their tires by not checking tire pressure more often, which will generate more heat than an over-inflated tire. Of course over-inflating a tire with lower maximum inflation pressure rating is dangerous in your area too. That's why I'm always looking for replacement tires with higher 51 psi maximum inflation pressure rating which has larger safety margin on tire pressure.

CX-5 has 17's and Mazda6 has 19's. Dammit...I think think the PSI's are different. Now I have to "think"

1st World Problems
 
A little wiggle room on tire pressure?
Apples and oranges. Yes, a few psi from the recommendations for normal load. When fully loaded, a few psi +/- of the recommendation for full load. Add or remove air, repeat as needed.

The main problem with running underinflated tires is not the size of the contact patch but HEAT. An underinflated tire generates a lot more heat, which can lead to failure.

Tires with higher max pressure readings are constructed better, as are tires with higher load ratings. And they often go together. But a higher max pressure does not automatically imply a higher load rating.
 
OK, got the General Altimax RT43 tires (H-speeds) installed today.

Initial positive impression was that the road was much smoother versus my worn to 3/32nd Michelin Latitude Tour tires. They are also very quiet by comparison. Upon acceleration, they moved very easily.

Negative but fixable impression was that they did not corner all that well. Then I looked at the tires and then pulled out my pressure gauge and despite me requesting they inflate them higher, they only inflated to 34. So I will be inflating to 36 or 37ish and see if that improves their cornering feel. Sounds like it should. At 34 PSI, definitely not as responsive feeling as my 36 PSI Michelins were, so will inflate them up a bit more and sounds like that should take care of it.
 
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Your mileage may vary but I found while higher pressure improved feel it made grip worse after a few psi over. Was kinda frustrating with the Extreme Contacts as they had decent grip but kinda soft steering feel. Also keep in mind you just put it them on so grip isn’t as good due to the oils they use to release them from the forms in manufacturing. Once you have 100 or so miles on them that should be gone. Finally worn tires will have a lot less tread flex than new tires so that is probably also something you’re noticing.
 
Change the air as stated,and they’re still being scuffed in so they may feel a little slick and “not corner as well.”

A few more miles and finding the right psi for you,and I think you’ll be all smiles. Money well spent.
 
Change the air as stated,and they’re still being scuffed in so they may feel a little slick and “not corner as well.”

A few more miles and finding the right psi for you,and I think you’ll be all smiles. Money well spent.

Yep, I agree. Just need to adjust it a little, then it should be fine to my tastes. Overall happy with what I got for the price.
 
keep in mind you just put it them on so grip isn’t as good due to the oils they use to release them from the forms in manufacturing. Once you have 100 or so miles on them that should be gone. Finally worn tires will have a lot less tread flex than new tires so that is probably also something you’re noticing.

Those are two important things to remember, especially the oil. Some new tires are pretty slippery for awhile!
 
Those are two important things to remember, especially the oil. Some new tires are pretty slippery for awhile!
Yeah good point. Still going to inflate them up just a bit like I did with my Michelins. See how they feel after that.
 
From Tire Rack:
TIRE TECH: BREAKING IN YOUR TIRES

Tires are comprised of many layers of rubber, steel and fabric. Due to these different components, your new tires require a break-in period to ensure that they deliver their normal ride quality and maximum performance. As tires are cured, a release lubricant is applied to prevent them from sticking in their mold. Some of the lubricant stays on the surface of your tires, reducing traction until it is worn away. Five hundred miles of easy acceleration, cornering and braking will allow the mold release lubricant to wear off, allowing the other tire components to begin working together. It is also important to note that your old tires probably had very little tread depth remaining when you felt it was time to replace them. As any autocrosser or racer who has tread rubber shaved off of his tires will tell you, low tread depth tires respond more quickly. Don't be surprised if your new tires are a little slower to respond (even if you use the exact same tire as before). Their new, full depth brings with it a little more tread squirm until they wear down.


Note: Be careful whenever you explore the capabilities of your new tires. Remember that every tire requires a break-in period of 500 miles for optimum performance.


Mirrors what others have said but takes it out to 500 miles (which seems a bit long to me).
 
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