a-hole advice!

[miataboi]

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1134082211117&call_pageid=968867497088&col=969048871196

John Mahler????


Q I have chosen the Michelin X-Ice for my 2005 Acura EL.

One question keeps coming up: do I want to go with a size-smaller tire?

My OE (original equipment) size is P195/60R15.

A few shops have recommended going to a P185/65R15 winter tire; others say the difference in handling is negligible.

I do mostly highway driving.

What do you recommend?


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Michelle Boles, Toronto


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A My inclination is to go with the OE tire size.

If the 195 size of this quality tire can't get you traction, the slightly smaller 185 footprint likely won't, either.

However, the slightly wider 195 will stop a bit better in a panic situation.

The size of the tire's leading edge has a big impact on stopping distance. I like the idea of an extra 10 mm per tire.





WTF?


Anyone want to take him up on this?:

Email tire questions to John Mahler at

thetireguy_1@hotmail.com.

Include make, model and year, tire size and your full name, address and telephone number.

Letter volume prevents personal replies. Letters may be edited.

[LateApex]

"A-Hole Advice" ?

"Take him up" on what?

What exactly is your complaint with the advice that John Mahler has given?

Perhaps you could be more specific so that readers here know what your complaint is.....

[BucketBoy]

^Um, the long-standing rule of thumb is that a narrower tire is better in the winter. The narrower the contact area, the more the tire will bite down into the snow/slush, meaning better traction.

Think of it this way: if you stepped off a ledge into a snow-drift, you would sink, right? But if you put a large flat piece of plywood down, it will 'float' on the surface, right? Now if you step out onto that plywood, your weight is distributed by a larger surface area and you won't sink very much. (While marshalling at an ice-race up at Minden a couple of years ago, this was made clear to me: "here's your flags & your board!").

If the letter writer was asking about all-season tires or summer tires, then sure, the extra width is of more use, including the reason John explained. The difference in width in the two tires mentioned in the letter is 10mm.

1cm is not a lot, but just as John argues that he "likes the idea of an extra 10mm per tire" for his braking reason, he should be liking the idea of an extra 10mm per tire for it's winter road-holding abilities.

The "extra braking potential" of a wider tire is irrelevant if the car is not gripping or turning!!

[Dave]

My advice would be quit being an a-hole, put some good snow tires on your car, and don't waste another second pondering a small decrease in tire width :p

Good fresh winter tires in OE size will give you way more grip and stopping ability than 99% of the a-holes out there in SUV's with no-season tires. So while you're stopping super fast on your OE winter tires and wondering if you could have stopped 6'' shorter with a 185 instead of a 195 section width, some soccer mom on her cell phone while changing a DVD for her spoiled brats in the backseat can watch Lion King for the 87th time is about to cave the tail end of your car in with her all-season equipped Escalade :)

You're only as safe as the attention-deficit-disorder truck driver behind you wants you to be...

[LateApex]

Still waiting for Miataboi to enlighten us on this one....

[h-bomb]

Contact patch doesn't change with tire size, it changes with tire pressure and weight.

A longer and narrower contact patch (up to a point) will be better in the snow and in longitudinal manoevers (accel,decel).

Wider and shorter will be better at lateral (cornering).

My personal choice would be 185-65-15 and from the tire pricing at Canadian Tire, tires in this size are slighty cheaper. Bonus.

H-bomb

[Dave]

spoken like a real a-hole, H-Bomb :p

But seriously, I think OE would have really helped this ass out...

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