New Tyres on S2 - what tyre pressures?

[j700tus]

I have just replaced my tyres on the rear with Nankang NS-2 205/45 16. I know these are not the best tyre but my vehicle does not get used that often (unless it's sunny!) and they were a cracking price. However after doing a 100 miles or so the rear end feels very 'slippery', on motorways driving at 70 - maybe a litlle more it feels like the back end is sliding around a bizzare feeling. My first thought was wheel bearing as that had been an advisory in MOT. I checked movement and found passenger wheel bearing was loose. Tightened it up to 25nm. Went for a drive it is better but not right still.

The manual says 29psi which is what i am currently running all round. Are there any views on wheter it is better to go higher or lower. Could it be soft tyre walls, therefore needing more pressure, or should i drop the pressure for a bigger contact patch on the road, or is it likely to be that they just need to do a lot of miles in order to bed in....

I would value all of your wisdom on this matter
cheers
Paul

[tomac1975]

Hi,

I currently have the same tyres on my N/A, I run mine at 32psi and have no problems. I use mine as a daily driver and have done the odd track day and they feel fine for me.


Tom.

[j700tus]

Thanks for that, sounds like I should go up with the pressure then!

[tomac1975]

It's worth a try, best to experiment till you get whats right for you.

[Monty]

1st thing is that the rear wheel bearing hub nut should only be hand tight.

2nd, i thought tyre pressures for S2 was around the 26psi but obviously thats also down to tyre make.

3rd, to much tyre pressure will make the car squirm but i do run my 16" at 30 psi when doing motorway/long journeys, on a fast run i`d run 26 to 28psi and on track i go as low as 20psi

Since it`s on a motorway and driving in vertualy in a straight line it doesn`t sound like tyre pressures if it`s happening in lane one you sure it`s not tramlining in the lorry routs?

[j700tus]

Monty, the manual that can be downloaded from here says 25nm?? Is this wrong? The disc still spins freely and i continued to spin it as it was tightened?
My S2 Owners manual that came with the car says in the tecnical data Pg.70 and 71 says standard pressures (for michelin XGTV Pilot SX)should be 2.0 bar (29lb/in) both front and rear.
I was driving in different lanes so am pretty sure it was not tramling in the lorry lanes and was on a road I use often.

[bobbrown]

I think you have missed a bit as they should be hand tight not left at 18 lbf.ft as you'll wreck the bearings.

wheel bearings.jpg

Bob

[j700tus]

Ah yes did miss that bit! Jolly good i didn't go more than a mile or two then! Is it just a question of tight enough to avoid wheel movement when pulled from above and at the side?

[JIMBO]

Hi,
As you say, not the best make to fit !!! They will improve once you have done two to three hundred miles on them,
but will never inspire great confidence. As for pressures, you will find that higher inflation will stabilise the side wall,
but too much will reduce the contact patch.I would suggest that 32psi is the maximum you should try.
Best regards
Jim

[RayD]

Is it just a question of tight enough to avoid wheel movement when pulled from above and at the side?

It is Paul,

There's some more information on here.

Ray

[RayD]

... As for pressures, you will find that higher inflation will stabilise the side wall,

Jim,

Is the side wall stiffness … or lack of it … quantified at all in the spec of a tyre?

Does the specified “Max Pressure” or “Max Load” give an indication of side wall stiffness?

Ray

[Rambo]

I wouldn't even put Nankang's on my white van Cheap price but poor quality. It'll be interesting to see what mileage you get out of them.

By the way, what's the speed rating on the Nankang's ?

[tomac1975]

They were on mine when I got the car, surprisingly the wear rate is excellent have been through 1 set of pirellis on my other halfs mini over the same time period and I drive mine a lot further 11,000 so far, (the Mini 9,000) . Toyo's are going on when the Nankangs are worn though.

They do get reasonable reviews though. http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Tyre/Nankang/NS2.htm

[j700tus]

I paid £45 a tyre and they are 205/45 16V.

I realise they are cheap but i don't do many miles, track it or race! I just like to pose in what has to be one of the most beautifully designed cars!

My last tyres perished before the tread had really started to wear ( still a finger nail depth of tread left) and they were Michelins. I therefore couldnt justify to myself spending over £100 a corner to replace them, after all they are on the back and are not having to cope with the power and the steering. I may change my mind however if they turn out to be completely terrible but reviews of them seem to be either very postive or negative!

[JonT]

after all they are on the back and are not having to cope with the power and the steering. I may change my mind however if they turn out to be completely terrible but reviews of them seem to be either very postive or negative!

Err, yes, but... They may not be handling the power or steering, but they're the important bit that stops the back of the car overtaking the front of the car in a corner. If you've got a decent brand at the front and TDFs(*) at the back, they're a particularly dangerous combination in the wet.



(*) TDF - Taiwanese Ditch Finder - a term I first came across on the MR2 forum often used to describe the tyres after people reported car-hedge interface problems after fitting cheap tyres.

[dapinky]

When i got the blue car, it had Michelins on the front, and Federals on the back - nearly new with 7mm of tread.

On a motorway roundabout, slightly damp, 40 mph (easily travellable at twice that) i had to lift off the throttle and the back end decided to be the front end!

I caught it quite easily, drove home and took the wheels off!

Now i run Michelins at the rear, Yokohamas at the front, and have done the same roundabout at increasing speeds up to 70, lifting off on purpose (with no other traffic about!) and not had the same thing happen.

You can't have confidence in a tyre that has let you down, and now have total confidence in the ones on the car.

(That said, i'll be due a change later this year and will probably go for a full set of Toyo R1r or T1r - depending on price/availability at the time.)

Anyone want a pair of nearly new TDFs ?????????

[M100_DMM]

That said, i'll be due a change later this year and will probably go for a full set of Toyo R1r or T1r - depending on price/availability at the time.

Just put a full set of T1-R's on my SE (to replace the brand new TDFs that it came with). Excellent value at £65 a corner fitted.

[bobbrown]

A few observations with regards to tyres.

I do not take much notice of tyre reviews as it is all a bit too subjective and the fact that different cars with same tyres can give differing results and people’s requirements are different like some just want them to last for ever and a day. Or they have Carlos Fandango wheels with the car lowered to 1/8” off the ground and wonder why it does not handle and then blame the tyres.
It is a well documented fact that cheapo tyres to do not offer the same level of grip as some of the more better known brands particularly when braking as in the case of an emergency stop. Good tyres will stop the same car from 60mph 30 to 40 feet earlier than the same car on cheapo tyres.
Tyres that last on the Elan are not at the top of my list of requirements for a given tyre, as long as they give good predictable grip in the dry and are reasonable in the wet they are OK in my book. Note the predictable, no good having a tyre that has excellent grip but when it does let go give no warning signs it’s about to let go.
If you are looking to save a few quid then consider this if the tyres you fit are not as good as they could be then you run more of a risk of damage to the car as you may not stop in time before hitting some thing or lose the car on a corner when with better tyres it could have been avoided.
So is it false economy to fit cheap tyres, open to debate, if you only potter about then it is probably not a problem but if you drive the car more energetically then the you increase the risks with cheap tyres.

Bob

[Rambo]

...have done the same roundabout at increasing speeds up to 70, lifting off on purpose (with no other traffic about!) .....

Just testing my scientific theory Officer. Honest.

[Rambo]

I resorted to cheapo tyres on our daily driver (Ford Focus) for the 1st time ever recently, much against my better wishes. Never again. They lasted 6000 miles before the carcass started to break up !!! Grip was atrocious and sidewall rolling was much more evident. They were replaced by Michelin's and they have transformed the car back to being a safe and enjoyable drive.