New Tires

[mogandave]

Hey Now,

I’m at the 70,000Km service on the D-Max and looking at replacing the tires.

The OEMs are 255/65R17 Bridgestone Dueler H/T 840

Planning to go with 265/65R17 Michelin Latitude Tour.

Anyone have anything bad to say about the Latitudes?

The Bridgestones were fine, and still have quite a bit of tread, but I’m going to Samui in a couple weeks and to Chang Mai for the New Year and don’t want to end up on the side of the road.

[thailoht]

You're wise to be safe and have peace of mind by replacing your 70k OEM tires before you take that trip!!

Anyway, I put a set of 17" Michelin Latitudes on a BMW X5 just before going on a 9,500(?) mile road trip back in the mother country. They were nice riding, though maybe only somewhat high on the 'noisy' side and their snow/ice traction needed improvement.

I was uninformed at the time, but surprisingly, they aren't the higher rated of tires. I was going by name only and you can't do that if you want to make an informed choice.

To select a quality tire with today's abundant tire brands, I would suggest you first list and also rate (in order of importance) the characteristics that matter to you: cost, dry traction, hydro-planing response, steering response, tread wear, wet traction, noise and/or ride comfort, highway-touring tread, street-summer performance, high performance, etc., and then go from there with opinions, reviews and charts. It's a little work but the way to arrive at an informed choice that reflects your preferences.

Edited October 4, 2013 by thailoht

[mogandave]

Thanks for the response. My primary concerns are braking and comfort. The ratings I read looked good (tirerack.com & the Michelin US website). That said, there does not seem to be a large product offering in that size, at least in my area, and I don’t have much of an idea what might be better.

Not real concerned with snow/ice traction, but I am concerned about wet traction.

[thailoht]

Thanks for the response. My primary concerns are braking and comfort. The ratings I read looked good (tire rack.com & the Michelin US website). That said, there does not seem to be a large product offering in that size, at least in my area, and I don’t have much of an idea what might be better.

Not real concerned with snow/ice traction, but I am concerned about wet traction.

The Michelin Latitudes are good buys here in LOS and in the 265/65-17R size you want. It is an above-average tire and not a bad choice at all considering the Thai market. Off hand, I would compare it with the Yokohama Geolander H/T-S Geo 51 which is rated higher in the tread wear category - meaning it should last longer - and a step higher in other categories though they both share the same 'Dry Traction' rating. It is also a commonly stocked brand.

Another point I learned: It's better to order from the commonly available brands in the rare event you have to replace the tire somewhere on one of your trips one day.

[mogandave]

Yeah, at 6,700 a tire, the price is not bad, the Bridgestone Dueler H/T was 7,500 in the same size.

[transam]

OP, your choice is a good one.

[DJH77]

If i were you i would go for the Latitude Cross which are made in Poland, ( Better Compound i think ) not Thailand as the Tour are. I have now done 43,000kl on these and they have fantastic grip in all conditions especially the wet, which is what you need here. As i have stated before in other posts the Latitude Cross has more grip in 2 wheel drive than the origional Bridgestones had in 4 WD on my Pajero 3.2 Lt GT. They are also very Quiet which you may not think when you look at the Variable Tread Pattern across the tyre. I think they are like the 1970's Michilin XAS for sedans which i raced on before the advent of Slicks back then. I suggest you have a good look at these and the comparison on the Michilin Site before you decide and i think they will be good for 80,000 Ks the way mine are wearing and i do most of my driving at high speed on highways and will definately put them on again when this set are history..

[thailoht]

If i were you i would go for the Latitude Cross which are made in Poland, ( Better Compound i think ) not Thailand as the Tour are. I have now done 43,000kl on these and they have fantastic grip in all conditions especially the wet, which is what you need here. As i have stated before in other posts the Latitude Cross has more grip in 2 wheel drive than the original Bridgestones had in 4WD on my Pajero 3.2 Lt GT. They are also very quiet which you may not think when you look at the Variable Tread Pattern across the tyre. I think they are like the 1970's Michelin XAS for sedans which i raced on before the advent of Slicks back then. I suggest you have a good look at these and the comparison on the Michelin Site before you decide and i think they will be good for 80,000 Ks the way mine are wearing and i do most of my driving at high speed on highways and will definitely put them on again when this set are history..

As a SUV owner, the account of your experience with these tyres make them look impressive.

What tire pressure setting do you maintain your tyres at?

[DJH77]

If i were you i would go for the Latitude Cross which are made in Poland, ( Better Compound i think ) not Thailand as the Tour are. I have now done 43,000kl on these and they have fantastic grip in all conditions especially the wet, which is what you need here. As i have stated before in other posts the Latitude Cross has more grip in 2 wheel drive than the original Bridgestones had in 4WD on my Pajero 3.2 Lt GT. They are also very quiet which you may not think when you look at the Variable Tread Pattern across the tyre. I think they are like the 1970's Michelin XAS for sedans which i raced on before the advent of Slicks back then. I suggest you have a good look at these and the comparison on the Michelin Site before you decide and i think they will be good for 80,000 Ks the way mine are wearing and i do most of my driving at high speed on highways and will definitely put them on again when this set are history..

As a SUV owner, the account of your experience with these tyres make them look impressive.

What tire pressure setting do you maintain your tyres at?

I run what is specified by Mitsubishi, 29 to 30 Front and 32 psi Rear. These tyres also have a higher speed rating than the Bridgestones. All this including the low noise level and wet road performance is on the Michilin comparison chart. I think they are much better than the Highway tyre. Check around the michlin dealers for the best price you can get as although Michilin show the price on their site i found that some dealers load it up a lot. I purchased in Mukdahan as the dealer in Ubon was 1,000 baht more per tyre. Mukdahan actually beat the michlin recommended price by a few hundred baht per tyre. You wont be dissapointed with the Latitude Cross, but make sure that they have a reliable Wheel Alignment and watch what settings that the mechanic sets it at. Thai's usually think that if the recommended setting is say - .05 to Plus .05 anywhere in that range will do, Not so, Both sides should be set at the same setting to be perfect. All the Best.

[thailoht]

If i were you i would go for the Latitude Cross which are made in Poland, ( Better Compound i think ) not Thailand as the Tour are. I have now done 43,000kl on these and they have fantastic grip in all conditions especially the wet, which is what you need here. As i have stated before in other posts the Latitude Cross has more grip in 2 wheel drive than the original Bridgestones had in 4WD on my Pajero 3.2 Lt GT. They are also very quiet which you may not think when you look at the Variable Tread Pattern across the tyre. I think they are like the 1970's Michelin XAS for sedans which i raced on before the advent of Slicks back then. I suggest you have a good look at these and the comparison on the Michelin Site before you decide and i think they will be good for 80,000 Ks the way mine are wearing and i do most of my driving at high speed on highways and will definitely put them on again when this set are history..

As a SUV owner, the account of your experience with these tyres make them look impressive.

What tire pressure setting do you maintain your tyres at?

I run what is specified by Mitsubishi, 29 to 30 Front and 32 psi Rear. These tyres also have a higher speed rating than the Bridgestones. All this including the low noise level and wet road performance is on the Michelin comparison chart. I think they are much better than the Highway tyre. Check around the Michelin dealers for the best price you can get as although Michelin show the price on their site i found that some dealers load it up a lot. I purchased in Mukdahan as the dealer in Ubon was 1,000 baht more per tyre. Mukdahan actually beat the Michelin recommended price by a few hundred baht per tyre. You wont be disappointed with the Latitude Cross, but make sure that they have a reliable Wheel Alignment and watch what settings that the mechanic sets it at. Thai's usually think that if the recommended setting is say - .05 to Plus .05 anywhere in that range will do, Not so, Both sides should be set at the same setting to be perfect. All the Best.

It's good to see you like to stay with the mfg tire inflation guidelines.

What size are the Michelin Latitude Cross tires on your Pajero?

I wanted to get a general idea of the contributing factors - tire pressure and yes, wheel alignment habits - in order to have a better assessment of the wear factors of your Michelin Latitude Cross tires.

Excellent point about the wheel alignment settings! I'll be sure to double check that the settings are 'nice, tight and uniform', at my next wheel alignment < 2,000 km from now.

[BSJ]

If you want a top quality tire get Cooper. They ARE well regarded in Australia.

Silver Tire International Co Ltd
Mr. Kongsak Kasemsupapun
88 Soi Ladprao 41, Ladprao Road
Chankasem Chatujak
Bangkok 10900
Thailand
Phone: (662) 930-4115-8
Fax: (662) 903-4133
Email: [email protected]

[DJH77]

If i were you i would go for the Latitude Cross which are made in Poland, ( Better Compound i think ) not Thailand as the Tour are. I have now done 43,000kl on these and they have fantastic grip in all conditions especially the wet, which is what you need here. As i have stated before in other posts the Latitude Cross has more grip in 2 wheel drive than the original Bridgestones had in 4WD on my Pajero 3.2 Lt GT. They are also very quiet which you may not think when you look at the Variable Tread Pattern across the tyre. I think they are like the 1970's Michelin XAS for sedans which i raced on before the advent of Slicks back then. I suggest you have a good look at these and the comparison on the Michelin Site before you decide and i think they will be good for 80,000 Ks the way mine are wearing and i do most of my driving at high speed on highways and will definitely put them on again when this set are history..

As a SUV owner, the account of your experience with these tyres make them look impressive.

What tire pressure setting do you maintain your tyres at?

I run what is specified by Mitsubishi, 29 to 30 Front and 32 psi Rear. These tyres also have a higher speed rating than the Bridgestones. All this including the low noise level and wet road performance is on the Michelin comparison chart. I think they are much better than the Highway tyre. Check around the Michelin dealers for the best price you can get as although Michelin show the price on their site i found that some dealers load it up a lot. I purchased in Mukdahan as the dealer in Ubon was 1,000 baht more per tyre. Mukdahan actually beat the Michelin recommended price by a few hundred baht per tyre. You wont be disappointed with the Latitude Cross, but make sure that they have a reliable Wheel Alignment and watch what settings that the mechanic sets it at. Thai's usually think that if the recommended setting is say - .05 to Plus .05 anywhere in that range will do, Not so, Both sides should be set at the same setting to be perfect. All the Best.

It's good to see you like to stay with the mfg tire inflation guidelines.

What size are the Michelin Latitude Cross tires on your Pajero?

I wanted to get a general idea of the contributing factors - tire pressure and yes, wheel alignment habits - in order to have a better assessment of the wear factors of your Michelin Latitude Cross tires.

Excellent point about the wheel alignment settings! I'll be sure to double check that the settings are 'nice, tight and uniform', at my next wheel alignment < 2,000 km from now.

They are 265/65/R17 on standard Mitsubishi wheels and checking with my tyre tread depth gauge, they have 5 to 5.5 mm of tread left after 43,000 kl across each tyre. Thats about Half Worn, and they still stick like shit to a blanket. I rotate them every 10,000 k's as the most wear comes from the right rear due to the wheel spin generated during fast take offs at right hand turn intersections. My car has over 200 hp, as it is a 3.2 Lt, fitted with a Speed Kit computer box which i can turn on or off by remote control from the dashboard, it has enormous Torque which i like when driving in the town as it gets off the mark very quickly and on the highway when cruising at 120 k's i can turn it off and run with standard HP until i come to single lanes where i turn it back on for quick overtaking and safety, but it does belt out some black smoke from 3,500 to 4,000 rpm under full throttle and i drive it manually with the Tiptronic box most of the time as the gear changes are quicker and the engine is kept in the torque band with manual gear changes at the right revs. I am hard on tyres due to my driving style and still love to throw it around a bit even though i am in my mid 60's now i still drive as i did in my 20's and 30's. I have been a professional driver since 1971 in everything from big trucks to Formula 2 so i have the experiance to comment on things like this.

[thailoht]

I run what is specified by Mitsubishi, 29 to 30 Front and 32 psi Rear. These tyres also have a higher speed rating than the Bridgestones. All this including the low noise level and wet road performance is on the Michelin comparison chart. I think they are much better than the Highway tyre. Check around the Michelin dealers for the best price you can get as although Michelin show the price on their site i found that some dealers load it up a lot. I purchased in Mukdahan as the dealer in Ubon was 1,000 baht more per tyre. Mukdahan actually beat the Michelin recommended price by a few hundred baht per tyre. You wont be disappointed with the Latitude Cross, but make sure that they have a reliable Wheel Alignment and watch what settings that the mechanic sets it at. Thai's usually think that if the recommended setting is say - .05 to Plus .05 anywhere in that range will do, Not so, Both sides should be set at the same setting to be perfect. All the Best.

It's good to see you like to stay with the mfg tire inflation guidelines.

What size are the Michelin Latitude Cross tires on your Pajero?

I wanted to get a general idea of the contributing factors - tire pressure and yes, wheel alignment habits - in order to have a better assessment of the wear factors of your Michelin Latitude Cross tires.

Excellent point about the wheel alignment settings! I'll be sure to double check that the settings are 'nice, tight and uniform', at my next wheel alignment < 2,000 km from now.

They are 265/65/R17 on standard Mitsubishi wheels and checking with my tyre tread depth gauge, they have 5 to 5.5 mm of tread left after 43,000 kl across each tyre. That's about Half Worn, and they still stick like shit to a blanket. I rotate them every 10,000 K's as the most wear comes from the right rear due to the wheel spin generated during fast take offs at right hand turn intersections. My car has over 200 hp, as it is a 3.2 Lt, fitted with a Speed Kit computer box which i can turn on or off by remote control from the dashboard, it has enormous Torque which i like when driving in the town as it gets off the mark very quickly and on the highway when cruising at 120 K's i can turn it off and run with standard HP until i come to single lanes where i turn it back on for quick overtaking and safety, but it does belt out some black smoke from 3,500 to 4,000 rpm under full throttle and i drive it manually with the Tiptronic box most of the time as the gear changes are quicker and the engine is kept in the torque band with manual gear changes at the right revs. I am hard on tyres due to my driving style and still love to throw it around a bit even though I am in my mid 60's now i still drive as i did in my 20's and 30's. I have been a professional driver since 1971 in everything from big trucks to Formula 2 so i have the experience to comment on things like this.

Nice SUV - eng choice!

Using the 'Root out the BS meter', I say you definitely qualify to qualify! It will certainly be beneficial for us novices ad aficionados to have another grounded member with experience on this forum.

First question 'trick' question: In your tire size here in LOS, there seem to be a limited number of top quality models of tires to choose from. If you were going to put a set of 20" Latitude Cross tires on your Pajero, what pressure would you inflate them to?

Weighing engine longevity, do you think there is any performance increase to be gained by blocking / disabling the EGR and deleting the DPF?

[DJH77]

I run what is specified by Mitsubishi, 29 to 30 Front and 32 psi Rear. These tyres also have a higher speed rating than the Bridgestones. All this including the low noise level and wet road performance is on the Michelin comparison chart. I think they are much better than the Highway tyre. Check around the Michelin dealers for the best price you can get as although Michelin show the price on their site i found that some dealers load it up a lot. I purchased in Mukdahan as the dealer in Ubon was 1,000 baht more per tyre. Mukdahan actually beat the Michelin recommended price by a few hundred baht per tyre. You wont be disappointed with the Latitude Cross, but make sure that they have a reliable Wheel Alignment and watch what settings that the mechanic sets it at. Thai's usually think that if the recommended setting is say - .05 to Plus .05 anywhere in that range will do, Not so, Both sides should be set at the same setting to be perfect. All the Best.

It's good to see you like to stay with the mfg tire inflation guidelines.

What size are the Michelin Latitude Cross tires on your Pajero?

I wanted to get a general idea of the contributing factors - tire pressure and yes, wheel alignment habits - in order to have a better assessment of the wear factors of your Michelin Latitude Cross tires.

Excellent point about the wheel alignment settings! I'll be sure to double check that the settings are 'nice, tight and uniform', at my next wheel alignment < 2,000 km from now.

They are 265/65/R17 on standard Mitsubishi wheels and checking with my tyre tread depth gauge, they have 5 to 5.5 mm of tread left after 43,000 kl across each tyre. That's about Half Worn, and they still stick like shit to a blanket. I rotate them every 10,000 K's as the most wear comes from the right rear due to the wheel spin generated during fast take offs at right hand turn intersections. My car has over 200 hp, as it is a 3.2 Lt, fitted with a Speed Kit computer box which i can turn on or off by remote control from the dashboard, it has enormous Torque which i like when driving in the town as it gets off the mark very quickly and on the highway when cruising at 120 K's i can turn it off and run with standard HP until i come to single lanes where i turn it back on for quick overtaking and safety, but it does belt out some black smoke from 3,500 to 4,000 rpm under full throttle and i drive it manually with the Tiptronic box most of the time as the gear changes are quicker and the engine is kept in the torque band with manual gear changes at the right revs. I am hard on tyres due to my driving style and still love to throw it around a bit even though I am in my mid 60's now i still drive as i did in my 20's and 30's. I have been a professional driver since 1971 in everything from big trucks to Formula 2 so i have the experience to comment on things like this.

Nice SUV - eng choice!

Using the 'Root out the BS meter', I say you definitely qualify to qualify! It will certainly be beneficial for us novices ad aficionados to have another grounded member with experience on this forum.

First question 'trick' question: In your tire size here in LOS, there seem to be a limited number of top quality models of tires to choose from. If you were going to put a set of 20" Latitude Cross tires on your Pajero, what pressure would you inflate them to?

Weighing engine longevity, do you think there is any performance increase to be gained by blocking / disabling the EGR and deleting the DPF?

The last time i looked, Michelin don't have 20 inch Latitude cross Tyres, only 17in. But for any tyre they have recommended pressures for you to go by. You can try a couple of pounds either way and test how it feels in corners but remember here in the hot climate the road surface heat will increase the pressure by a few psi on the highway so there is no need to over inflate tyres here. If you were running a car on the track you may add 6 or so psi to radials to stiffen the sidewalls for cornering. As for you question on EGR and DPF, that stuff is beyond me. I can build racing engines in the old way but all these gadgets attached to engines today i have no knowledge of. In my day it was breathing - inlet and exhaust, Cam Lift & timing along with balancing that produced the horsepower. IMHO knows about this modern stuff, pm him.

[mogandave]

I just checked the tread depth on the old Bridgestone’s.

After 69,600Km I have 1.7mm to the wear-bars and 6.18mm to the bottom.

[thailoht]

The last time i looked, Michelin don't have 20 inch Latitude cross Tyres, only 17in. But for any tyre they have recommended pressures for you to go by. You can try a couple of pounds either way and test how it feels in corners but remember here in the hot climate the road surface heat will increase the pressure by a few psi on the highway so there is no need to over inflate tyres here. If you were running a car on the track you may add 6 or so psi to radials to stiffen the sidewalls for cornering. As for you question on EGR and DPF, that stuff is beyond me. I can build racing engines in the old way but all these gadgets attached to engines today i have no knowledge of. In my day it was breathing - inlet and exhaust, Cam Lift & timing along with balancing that produced the horsepower. IMHO knows about this modern stuff, pm him.

Thanx!

I was trying to get your expert opinion about increasing wheel and tire diameter doesn't affect what is the 'correct' amount of tire pressure for one's vehicle which is (+/-) the mfg recommendation in the owners manual and listed on the vehicle's door pillar.

I grew up, too, under the 'Breathing - inlet and exhaust, cam lift & timing along with balancing that produced the horsepower' theory - but I never got into performance.

Now, I am trying to learn the best way to get the best performance increase out of this (Isuzu 3.0L) turbocharged diesel

[transam]

The last time i looked, Michelin don't have 20 inch Latitude cross Tyres, only 17in. But for any tyre they have recommended pressures for you to go by. You can try a couple of pounds either way and test how it feels in corners but remember here in the hot climate the road surface heat will increase the pressure by a few psi on the highway so there is no need to over inflate tyres here. If you were running a car on the track you may add 6 or so psi to radials to stiffen the sidewalls for cornering. As for you question on EGR and DPF, that stuff is beyond me. I can build racing engines in the old way but all these gadgets attached to engines today i have no knowledge of. In my day it was breathing - inlet and exhaust, Cam Lift & timing along with balancing that produced the horsepower. IMHO knows about this modern stuff, pm him.

Thanx!

I was trying to get your expert opinion about increasing wheel and tire diameter doesn't affect what is the 'correct' amount of tire pressure for one's vehicle which is (+/-) the mfg recommendation in the owners manual and listed on the vehicle's door pillar.

I grew up, too, under the 'Breathing - inlet and exhaust, cam lift & timing along with balancing that produced the horsepower' theory - but I never got into performance.

Now, I am trying to learn the best way to get the best performance increase out of this (Isuzu 3.0L) turbocharged diesel

[Kwasaki]

I just checked the tread depth on the old Bridgestone’s.

After 69,600Km I have 1.7mm to the wear-bars and 6.18mm to the bottom.

Well !! No worries you got another 69,600 km to go then.

[Kwasaki]

The last time i looked, Michelin don't have 20 inch Latitude cross Tyres, only 17in. But for any tyre they have recommended pressures for you to go by. You can try a couple of pounds either way and test how it feels in corners but remember here in the hot climate the road surface heat will increase the pressure by a few psi on the highway so there is no need to over inflate tyres here. If you were running a car on the track you may add 6 or so psi to radials to stiffen the sidewalls for cornering. As for you question on EGR and DPF, that stuff is beyond me. I can build racing engines in the old way but all these gadgets attached to engines today i have no knowledge of. In my day it was breathing - inlet and exhaust, Cam Lift & timing along with balancing that produced the horsepower. IMHO knows about this modern stuff, pm him.

Thanx!

I was trying to get your expert opinion about increasing wheel and tire diameter doesn't affect what is the 'correct' amount of tire pressure for one's vehicle which is (+/-) the mfg recommendation in the owners manual and listed on the vehicle's door pillar.

I grew up, too, under the 'Breathing - inlet and exhaust, cam lift & timing along with balancing that produced the horsepower' theory - but I never got into performance.

Now, I am trying to learn the best way to get the best performance increase out of this (Isuzu 3.0L) turbocharged diesel

Tried searching but hard to find on forum search, posted before many times, hope this helps good info me's thinks..

So in order to know what the proper pressures should be, we need to know:

1. The car manufacturers’ recommended pressures for the OEM tyres.

2. The Load rating of the OEM tyres (e.g. 112V, 111H, 109S etc)

3. The Load rating of the new tyres..

If your changing to different profile tyres.

The correct rule is: Adjust the OEM recommended PSI pressures by subtracting or adding the load rating of the new tyre from the load rating of OEM new tyre.

Examples:

If the OEM tyre is 109S and the new tyre is 112V, and the OEM pressure is 29PSI:

109 minus 112 = minus 3

29PSI minus 3 = 26 PSI

If the OEM tire is 112H and the new tyre is 111R, and the OEM pressure is 32PSI:

112 minus 111 = +1

32PSI + 1 = 33 PSI.

So obviously important to know what the OEM load of your vehicles OEM tyre.

If you didn’t swap your spare tyre, you should be able to look at it to determine the OEM load rating that corresponds to the vehicle manufacturers recommended pressures.

If your new load index works out at a full 6 points lower than OEM tyres, I would be very concerned that you’ve got an unsafe fitment (it sounds like you have a passenger car tyre

on an SUV or pickup). Be careful out there when buying tyres.

[thailoht]

Thanx!

I was trying to get your expert opinion about increasing wheel and tire diameter doesn't affect what is the 'correct' amount of tire pressure for one's vehicle which is (+/-) the mfg recommendation in the owners manual and listed on the vehicle's door pillar.

I grew up, too, under the 'Breathing - inlet and exhaust, cam lift & timing along with balancing that produced the horsepower' theory - but I never got into performance.

Now, I am trying to learn the best way to get the best performance increase out of this (Isuzu 3.0L) turbocharged diesel

Tried searching but hard to find on forum search, posted before many times, hope this helps good info me's thinks..

So in order to know what the proper pressures should be, we need to know:

1. The car manufacturers’ recommended pressures for the OEM tyres.

2. The Load rating of the OEM tyres (e.g. 112V, 111H, 109S etc)

3. The Load rating of the new tyres..

If your changing to different profile tyres.

The correct rule is: Adjust the OEM recommended PSI pressures by subtracting or adding the load rating of the new tyre from the load rating of OEM new tyre.

Examples:

If the OEM tyre is 109S and the new tyre is 112V, and the OEM pressure is 29PSI:

109 minus 112 = minus 3

29PSI minus 3 = 26 PSI

If the OEM tire is 112H and the new tyre is 111R, and the OEM pressure is 32PSI:

112 minus 111 = +1

32PSI + 1 = 33 PSI.

So obviously important to know what the OEM load of your vehicles OEM tyre.

If you didn’t swap your spare tyre, you should be able to look at it to determine the OEM load rating that corresponds to the vehicle manufacturers recommended pressures.

If your new load index works out at a full 6 points lower than OEM tyres, I would be very concerned that you’ve got an unsafe fitment (it sounds like you have a passenger car tyre

on an SUV or pickup). Be careful out there when buying tyres.

Thanx so much for relaying this equation.

In my mind, that formula seems logical to me but in this real world of WMD in Iraq and 'proof' the govt in Syria used chemical weapons on their own people - just playing devil's advocate and only listing these examples to make points - I am behooved to do all I can to make absolutely sure that the formula is credible .... but you (properly) noted that this formula is, '....hard to find on forum search.' This is beginning to look like that elusive yellow cake that Bush couldn't pin down.

All I am saying is let's get this settled one way or another with irrefutable proof.

I tried by calling several tire dealerships (and trying to ask supervisors - mgrs in the know) what would be the correct tire pressure when going from 16" load rating 'x' tire to a 20" load rating 'x' tire. They all said the correct pressure should be the same as OEM recommended. Not feeling comfortable with the insight of their answers, I both called and emailed the relative dept that handles this. They emailed back that in my case, on my MU-7, I should fill the 20" Yokohama Prada Spec-X to one pound less than the OEM recommended pressure, i.e., 28 psi instead of 29 psi

I have been following the tire makers advice but I am still searching for some absolute, verifiable documentation that we all can use as a reference!

[transam]

A lot is to do with ''your'' feel for the ride too. If you change stuff then the ball is in your court, so to speak. Does take some work of trial and error basis, but if you want to fool around with stuff then that is the route you must take. BUT, you might find ''your'' perfect set up and the tyres wear out a lot quicker, just one of those things. My ride I upped the front tyres by 3psi cos the ''feel'' was perfect for me.

[mogandave]

I ended up getting the 265/65R17 Michelin Latitude Tour HP. Mounted, new stems, N filled, balanced, and alignment. Total was THB26,800 . They had the OEM Bridgestones for THB700 per tire less.

Tread depth on the new rubber is 8.4 to the bottom and 6.5 to the wear-bar. On the ride home (25Km highway) it seemed they're are a little quieter, and ride a little better than the Bridgestones.

They did not have the Latitude Cross in stock, but I ordered them in for the shop truck (my old truck) and they should be in later this week. The 265/70R16 are THB5,700 each, which is THB100 less than the Tour HP, and THB110 more than the OEM Bridgestones. I’ll let you know what I think after I’ve had them both for a while.

They also had the Bridgestone Ecopia there which looked interesting. Tread was very similar to the Michelin, but THB700 per tire more.

[Jitar]

Morgandave, It will be interesting to see what you think of the Latitiude Tour and Cross with a back to back comparison. The Michelin website seems to suggest the Cross is better off road and the Tour HP better on the highway.

Thailoht, the Latitude Sport is available in limited 20 inch sizes but it is $$$$.

If you google load inflation guidelines there are documents from Toyo and Bridgestone with detailed procedures to determine a theoretical tyre pressure for 'plus" fitments, e.g. http://toyotires.com/tires-101/load-and-inflation-tables

Basically they use load tables to determine the pressure the replacement tyre needs to support the same load as the OEM tyre at standard inflation. The load index equation described in the earlier post is an abbreviated version of this. In reality the replacement & OEM tyre specs should be close and pickups & PPV's in normal driving are not that sensitive to a couple of psi anyway. The OEM pressure should be OK unless there has been a major change or you have a strong preference otherwise.

[thailoht]

Now, I am trying to learn the best way to get the best performance increase out of this (Isuzu 3.0L) turbocharged diesel

How do I get mine to go 'almost' that fast only w/o the smoke?

[thailoht]

Morgandave, It will be interesting to see what you think of the Latitiude Tour and Cross with a back to back comparison. The Michelin website seems to suggest the Cross is better off road and the Tour HP better on the highway.

Thailoht, the Latitude Sport is available in limited 20 inch sizes but it is $$$$.

If you google load inflation guidelines there are documents from Toyo and Bridgestone with detailed procedures to determine a theoretical tyre pressure for 'plus" fitments, e.g. http://toyotires.com/tires-101/load-and-inflation-tables

Basically they use load tables to determine the pressure the replacement tyre needs to support the same load as the OEM tyre at standard inflation. The load index equation described in the earlier post is an abbreviated version of this. In reality the replacement & OEM tyre specs should be close and pickups & PPV's in normal driving are not that sensitive to a couple of psi anyway. The OEM pressure should be OK unless there has been a major change or you have a strong preference otherwise.

Thanks for posting that!

I think it will come down to referencing the individual tire load rating chart for the tire model and size one wants to upgrade to. This chart will list at every 5 (or less) psi intervals, the max load that that particular tire is designed to carry. With this info, you interchange your vehicle's load weight with the corresponding number in the tire's load weight chart and you inflate your tire to the pressure indicated for that weight. I want to believe this must have been what the tech's at my tire's corporate hdqrs referenced before replying to my request with a tire pressure that is 1 psi less than the O.E. psi recommended for my vehicle.

BTW, that number from my tire's corp hdqrs gives my SUV a nice and 'comfy-luxurious like' ride. When I increased that number by 2 psi to 30 psi this afternoon, I definitely noticed the difference in the ride quality: It was a harder ride with every road bump. I'll tweak it down 1 psi tomorrow and see what affect it has on the ride quality.

[DJH77]

I ended up getting the 265/65R17 Michelin Latitude Tour HP. Mounted, new stems, N filled, balanced, and alignment. Total was THB26,800 . They had the OEM Bridgestones for THB700 per tire less.

Tread depth on the new rubber is 8.4 to the bottom and 6.5 to the wear-bar. On the ride home (25Km highway) it seemed they're are a little quieter, and ride a little better than the Bridgestones.

They did not have the Latitude Cross in stock, but I ordered them in for the shop truck (my old truck) and they should be in later this week. The 265/70R16 are THB5,700 each, which is THB100 less than the Tour HP, and THB110 more than the OEM Bridgestones. I’ll let you know what I think after I’ve had them both for a while.

They also had the Bridgestone Ecopia there which looked interesting. Tread was very similar to the Michelin, but THB700 per tire more.

I will be very interested in hearing your comments on the Tour and Cross, but i'm betting the Cross will win Hands down in the Wet. Look forward to your comments. Another point that nobody has mentioned is the Warranty given by Michilin compared to other brands in Thailand and their Michelin club and newsletter they send out, also they send you a voucher for free gas - Diesel providing the dealer sends in the paperwork to Michelin. It all helps and my dealer in Mukdahan gives very good service and quick whenever i go in to rotate and balance the wheels.

[mogandave]

I ended up getting the 265/65R17 Michelin Latitude Tour HP. Mounted, new stems, N filled, balanced, and alignment. Total was THB26,800 . They had the OEM Bridgestones for THB700 per tire less.

Tread depth on the new rubber is 8.4 to the bottom and 6.5 to the wear-bar. On the ride home (25Km highway) it seemed they're are a little quieter, and ride a little better than the Bridgestones.

They did not have the Latitude Cross in stock, but I ordered them in for the shop truck (my old truck) and they should be in later this week. The 265/70R16 are THB5,700 each, which is THB100 less than the Tour HP, and THB110 more than the OEM Bridgestones. I’ll let you know what I think after I’ve had them both for a while.

They also had the Bridgestone Ecopia there which looked interesting. Tread was very similar to the Michelin, but THB700 per tire more.

I will be very interested in hearing your comments on the Tour and Cross, but i'm betting the Cross will win Hands down in the Wet. Look forward to your comments. Another point that nobody has mentioned is the Warranty given by Michilin compared to other brands in Thailand and their Michelin club and newsletter they send out, also they send you a voucher for free gas - Diesel providing the dealer sends in the paperwork to Michelin. It all helps and my dealer in Mukdahan gives very good service and quick whenever i go in to rotate and balance the wheels.

It will be a tough comparison, as the older dmax is not nearly as nice the new one, and I drive the new one a lot more.

Yeah, I get great service, I’ve been using the same shop for over 10 years. They were an independent but changed to a Cockpit about 5 years ago, still the same staff. Much nicer bathrooms now…..

I thought it interesting that the 17” OEMs on the new dmax penciled out 4mm shorter than the 16” OEMs on the old dmax.

[thailoht]

I ended up getting the 265/65R17 Michelin Latitude Tour HP. Mounted, new stems, N filled, balanced, and alignment. Total was THB26,800 . They had the OEM Bridgestones for THB700 per tire less.

Tread depth on the new rubber is 8.4 to the bottom and 6.5 to the wear-bar. On the ride home (25Km highway) it seemed they're are a little quieter, and ride a little better than the Bridgestones.

They did not have the Latitude Cross in stock, but I ordered them in for the shop truck (my old truck) and they should be in later this week. The 265/70R16 are THB5,700 each, which is THB100 less than the Tour HP, and THB110 more than the OEM Bridgestones. I’ll let you know what I think after I’ve had them both for a while.

They also had the Bridgestone Ecopia there which looked interesting. Tread was very similar to the Michelin, but THB700 per tire more.

I will be very interested in hearing your comments on the Tour and Cross, but i'm betting the Cross will win Hands down in the Wet. Look forward to your comments. Another point that nobody has mentioned is the Warranty given by Michilin compared to other brands in Thailand and their Michelin club and newsletter they send out, also they send you a voucher for free gas - Diesel providing the dealer sends in the paperwork to Michelin. It all helps and my dealer in Mukdahan gives very good service and quick whenever i go in to rotate and balance the wheels.

It will be a tough comparison, as the older dmax is not nearly as nice the new one, and I drive the new one a lot more.

Yeah, I get great service, I’ve been using the same shop for over 10 years. They were an independent but changed to a Cockpit about 5 years ago, still the same staff. Much nicer bathrooms now…..

I thought it interesting that the 17” OEMs on the new dmax penciled out 4mm shorter than the 16” OEMs on the old dmax.

I don't understand this point, would kindly you explain it a little more? Shorter in which way, their overall height from the ground upwards?

[mogandave]

I ended up getting the 265/65R17 Michelin Latitude Tour HP. Mounted, new stems, N filled, balanced, and alignment. Total was THB26,800 . They had the OEM Bridgestones for THB700 per tire less.

Tread depth on the new rubber is 8.4 to the bottom and 6.5 to the wear-bar. On the ride home (25Km highway) it seemed they're are a little quieter, and ride a little better than the Bridgestones.

They did not have the Latitude Cross in stock, but I ordered them in for the shop truck (my old truck) and they should be in later this week. The 265/70R16 are THB5,700 each, which is THB100 less than the Tour HP, and THB110 more than the OEM Bridgestones. I’ll let you know what I think after I’ve had them both for a while.

They also had the Bridgestone Ecopia there which looked interesting. Tread was very similar to the Michelin, but THB700 per tire more.

I will be very interested in hearing your comments on the Tour and Cross, but i'm betting the Cross will win Hands down in the Wet. Look forward to your comments. Another point that nobody has mentioned is the Warranty given by Michilin compared to other brands in Thailand and their Michelin club and newsletter they send out, also they send you a voucher for free gas - Diesel providing the dealer sends in the paperwork to Michelin. It all helps and my dealer in Mukdahan gives very good service and quick whenever i go in to rotate and balance the wheels.

It will be a tough comparison, as the older dmax is not nearly as nice the new one, and I drive the new one a lot more.

Yeah, I get great service, I’ve been using the same shop for over 10 years. They were an independent but changed to a Cockpit about 5 years ago, still the same staff. Much nicer bathrooms now…..

I thought it interesting that the 17” OEMs on the new dmax penciled out 4mm shorter than the 16” OEMs on the old dmax.

I don't understand this point, would kindly you explain it a little more? Shorter in which way, their overall height from the ground upwards?

Overall height yes. I guess outside diameter would have been a better choice of words…

Edited October 8, 2013 by mogandave

[transam]

4mm less in diameter means 2mm less in radius, so vehicle height is 2mm less if the same springs etc are used.