Sumitomo HTR+ 255/45/17 Opinions

[Jeff Williams]

I like th e look of the tires on the rear of the car.

I like the tread pattern (not directional).

I like the price.

I like the width of the tires (9.1" wide).

They are a little more "swishy" in the rear, than the NITTO NT-455 225/50/17's I had.

This could be a result of the wider tires, a little more sidewall, or because the sidewalls seem to be much softer than the NITTO's.

I am happy with the tires, so far.

Don't have an opinion on the noise, since I still have the NITTO's on the front.

[911/Q45]

I've had mine for over a year and about 12,000 miles now and like everything but the tread wear. I might get 15K out of them. Great ride, handling, price and very quiet.

[maxnix]

Not to hijack the thread (very much), but I drove my wife's 2000 Q45 with the SZ50 EP in a steady rain the other day and experienced nil slippage. Meant to see what it would take to break the back end loose, but did not apply over 70% throttle.

The other cars could not keep up. Almost like they were driving on ice. Truly amazing to drive that quickly in the rain and see no decline in performance over the dry performance. And they are quiet too.

Better than AVS dB (not S2, in my case) and far better than Michelin XGT V.

[AZhitman]

Hi, Jack!

[szh]

Not to hijack the thread (very much), but I drove my wife's 2000 Q45 with the SZ50 EP in a steady rain the other day and experienced nil slippage. Meant to see what it would take to break the back end loose, but did not apply over 70% throttle.

The other cars could not keep up. Almost like they were driving on ice. Truly amazing to drive that quickly in the rain and see no decline in performance over the dry performance. And they are quiet too.

Better than AVS dB (not S2, in my case) and far better than Michelin XGT V.

Yes!!! I agree entirely with your experience - the SZ50EP's are amazing tires!

Z

[nuQ]

recently purchased yoko es 100's, and they do grip very well, wet and dry, although noisy!!!! had the sz50's on my old subaru svx, loved them! their wet grip was AMAZING!!! if not for the $$$ situation a few months ago, i would have gone with the firestones, maybe next set.

[Jeff Williams]

I am in the process of purchasing and installing new struts/shocks/ tension rods/upper links/bushings. This might help the car, a lot.

I think I will also pump up the air pressure, a bit. I run the NITTO's at about 40 PSI, but I bet the tire store didn't put over 35 in the Sumitomo's. I have been too busy to check.

[maxnix]

I am in the process of purchasing and installing new struts/shocks/ tension rods/upper links/bushings. This might help the car, a lot.

Yeah, me too. Purchased everything but the spring seats, plus the front bar bushings. Not cheap, but I don't want to do it again for eight more years.

The list of the shock mounting rubber for a 1995 G50 Q45t is:

54050-60U10 ASR 2 BUMPER ASSY-BOUND J32 13.64 27.28 54320-60U05 2 INSULATOR-STRUT M J29 31.29 62.58 54613-60U10 ASR 2 BUSH - STABILIZER V05A 4.38 8.76 56112-A0100 ASR 2 BUSHING V05B 2.13 4.26 56112-V0100 ASR 2 BUSH - STABILIZER V05B 2.24 4.4855240-60U05 ASR 2 BUMPER ASSY-REAR J33 30.34 60.6856218-01U00 ASR 2 BUSHING-SHOCK ABS V05B 4.01 8.0256217-71L00 ASR 2 BUSH-SHOCK V05B 1.86 3.7255248-2Y000 ASR 2 COVER ASSY-BOUND J33 5.94 11.88 __________________Brian1995 Q45 & Q45t & 2000 Q45

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[Jeff Williams]

I now have the 255/45/17's on the front. The tires are very quiet, so far.

I ahve about 2,000 miles on them, but have not driven in any heavy reain, yet. I should get my chance tomorrow, though.

So far, I like them.

As far as the bushings, I only bought the boots, and the sway bar rubber. I have the tension rods, and will check the upper links, when I take it apart.

[QuickSilver]

Jeff,

How long did your NITTOs last you? How wide are your wheels?

I'm going to be purchasing a set of tires in the next few days and was planning to go with Falken Ziex ZE-512 or Nitto NT455 in a 245/45/17 size. Now may consider the Sumitomo's-What they cost you? Would you choose the Sumitomo's over the Nitto again if they give 15k miles of wear?

[Jeff Williams]

I had the 225/50/17's in the NT455. I was not aware they made them in the 245/45/17. I thought you had to go to a NT555.

Anyway, I got great mileage from them. I want to say, close to 40,000 miles. I did not compare the tickets, but I will check tonight.

I was extremely happy wiht the handling, the wet and dry performance was great. The tires made some noise from day 1. They were tough to balalnce (this is more likely a product of the wheels). ONce they were a little out of balance, they feathered, on the inside edge, and the noise was a little more. (kinda like a Honda Accord).

The inside edge actually wore down. The outer edge still had 5 mil of tread, but the inside was smooth.

I will keep a better eye on the Sumitomo's.

If the Sumitomo's only last 15,000 miles, I will definitely NOT be getting another set. I can't afford getting new tires every 3 months!

The NITTO's were $114 each, and the Sumitomo's were $102 each.

I might try the Falkens next, or go with a Bridgestone, depending on my financial situation.

I hope the Sumitomo's will last me 8 months, like the NITTO's did.

My wheels are 8" wide, with a 40 MM offset.

[QuickSilver]

Damn, isn't 40,000 miles on any 17" tire a record of some sort on a G50 Q? You must maintain your tires and wheels flawlessly. Aren't the Nittos directional and can only be rotated from front to back?

It's hard to argue with great handling performance and such a long tread life, despite the noise. I was favoring the Falkens based on Hitman's recommendation and their protective lip, but now I going to think a little longer about the Nittos based on your mileage experience. Is the noise that noticable and bothersome?

I'm planning to mount 255/45/17 tires on a 17X7" aftermarket cast wheel. Do you think the softer side wall of the Somitomo's softer sidewall will help me maintain a larger contact patch with my narrow 7" wheels? What's the load rating of the Somitomo's?

Jeff, it sounds like you're going to quickly become our expert on inexpensive tires for the Q with you driving 5,000 miles a month.

[Jeff Williams]

Yes, the NT455's are directional. I did only swap from front to back. I rotate every 5,000 miles, and balance.

The noise is not as bad as all-terrain tires on a truck, but not desirable in a Q. It would bother me, when I wanted to just drive, without the radio on. I like a silent ride, sometimes.

The load rating of the NITTO's is a 94H, which might be a little low, for the Q.

I would be concerned about the 255 on a 7" rim. The tread width is 9.1". A 225/50/17 would fit better. It has an 8.1" tread width.

The load rating of the Sumitomo's is 98W, which is fine for the Q.

I use Tire Rack (banner at right) for all my tire comparisons, and shopping.

I have a local tire shop that give me free balalncing, and rotation, so I buy my tires there, and have been for 20 years.

[QuickSilver]

Yeah, the 94W on the Nitto would rule them out.

Why the 225/50/17s and not the 225/45/17's. I haven't figured out the importance of aspect ratios. But I figured I would want a 45mm tall tire on a 17" wheel to keep the speedo accurate.

As for a 245 or 255 wide tires on 7" wide wheels, I think a few of the guys here have 255 with out any problems. But what's the gain and loss? I think the gain is the looks of wider tire and added curb rash protection for the wheels. But is there a safety issue with such a narrow wheel width?

What is a better aspect ratio? 5.44(245/45) or 5.66(255/45) or 4.50(225/50) as you suggest?

[Jeff Williams]

Look at tire height, or better yet, rotations per mile. I think the Q was roughly 26" tall, and 800 rotations per mile.

I think the 225/50 is about 26" tall, which is what the 255/45 is, roughly.

Tire rack gives you the height, and rotations per mile in the "specs" section, for all their tires.

The NITTO's never gave any indication they couldn't handle the weight. I kep them in the 38 to 40 PSI range. Most of my driving is highway, and not too many curvy roads, on my trek to work and back.

I would not go with a 40 series tire, because the ride would be too rough.

The Sumitomo's ride a little smoother than the NITTO's, because the sidewall is much softer.

[QuickSilver]

Going by what I just learned on tirerack.com, the 255/45/17 seems to be my ideal size.

If I wanted to stay close to OE with some added vanity, the 255/45 are the closest to 26.0" OE height:(215/65/15)

255/45/17=26.03"245/45/17=25.68"245/50/17=26.64"

Now, what are the risks and draw backs of running 255/45/17 tires on 7" wide cast wheels(17s)?

[IvoryJ30t]

no, you got the sizing of the tires wrong.

255/40-17

255 is tread width in millimeters40 is tire height expressed as a percentage**17 is the wheel size in inches

** in this case, the tires height is 40% of 255 millimeters

or 102 mm

[QuickSilver]

Thanks. Though there are many brands with 255/45/17 out there. The Flaken Ziex ZE-512 are available in this size at VictoriaTire.com for $113 each. I agree with Jeff in that 40 aspect ratio tire would probably be to rough.

One problem with 255/45/17s on 17X7.0" wheels is possible increased/imbalanced wear due a possible bowing contact patch. Of course there's potential warrenty voiding. But why? Haven't found the specific concerns on tirerack yet.

[maxnix]

You will most likely have Grant recommending at least 8" rims in that low an aspect ratio if you post on the tires forum.__________________Brian1995 Q45 & Q45t & 2000 Q45

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[QuickSilver]

Thanks guys. I'll post my question in tire section.

The Sumitomo HTR+ seem like a good tire for the money. Though I think I'll try the Falken Ziex ZE-512 first if I go with the 255/45/17 size. They have a load index of 102 vs. 98. The 94 load index of the 245/45/17 Sumitomos would rule them out for now.

[QuickSilver]

With the help of Z, Grant and Chet in the tire section, I think we found a compermise to a proper load indexed tire for the Q on a 7" wheel.

There a few 255/50/17 tires with load index of 101W that are manufacture approved for a 7.0" wide wheel. I believe the only issue is the 27.1" total diameter will throw off the speedo. I'll be looking to get a set of better suited wheels after I upgrade my suspension.

[cousteau77]

I've had the Falken Z-rated 245/45/17s on my 93qt since spring of 2000. They were noisy from the beginning and have only gotten louder over time. The grip and the feel were very good early on, but the tread does'nt last long. I've only got about 13,000k on mine because I only ride them in the Spring and Summer (switch back to my factory 15s in the winter and fall), but still I was fish-tailing all over the road this past week of daily rain. I only bought the Falkens because after 2 and a half months I got tired of waiting for the Khumo Ecstas to come in off back-order. I intend to replace the Falkens with the Khumos this spring, although I've seen where tirerack.com has rated the Khumos as average behind many other brands in this class. This is contrary to what I have heard by word of mouth. Does anyone have any experience with the Khumos.

Jacques

[Jeff Williams]

I've had the Falken Z-rated 245/45/17s on my 93qt since spring of 2000. They were noisy from the beginning and have only gotten louder over time. The grip and the feel were very good early on, but the tread does'nt last long.

Jacques, that is good information on the Falkens.

I saw the Kuhmo's at my local tire store, but was skeptical of their quality. They are all over eBay.

On the Sumitomo's, It was 40 degrees this morning, and they took about 3 miles, before the "thump" warmed up, and they were back to round.

Wednesday night, it rained all the way home. Where I could drive 75 MPH+ in a moderate to heavy downpour with the NITTO NT455's, I was a little nervous at 70 MPH with the Sumitomo HTR+'s. I guess this is where the directional tread is best.

If I can get 40,000 miles out of them, I might try them again.

I too am interested in some real-life experience with the Kuhmo's on a Q.

[QuickSilver]

The Kuhmo's are listed as 4th, just behind the Falken's, on Chet's list of favorite inexpensive tires. I believe his rankings are in respects to handling only, and don't take into consideration tread wear or wet weather driving. His does make specific make the following comment:

"best(lowest) price" and "best performance" NEVER go together.

extreme case: formula one tires cost 900 dollars a piece.

-Kumho's are what I consider a "well i wanted big wheels to LOOK like I wanted to go fast" tires. They stick decently, and roll like complete *** unless you very carefully index them. 9/10 people who acclaim kumho's have JUST upgraded their wheel/tire package from a H-rated to a 17" or higher Z rated. Obviously you’re going to get some improvement. Duh.But hey, they are cheap. For the cost minded person with a high-performance tire size selection.UTQG's:Ecsta MX: 220/AA/AEcsta Supra 712: 280/A/A

[QuickSilver]

Jacques, how wide are your 17" wheels?

I was about to buy a set of 245/45/17 Falken's this weekend for $360.00. However, the Kumho are not much more at tirerack at $400 and I could try the 235/50/17 size on my 17X7.0" wheels.

Fred is running 245/45/17's on 17x7.0", but I doubt they're Kumho or Falken's.

[cousteau77]

I've got 17 x 7.5 wheels.

Jacques

[szh]

Those .5" inches make the difference ... makes the 245/45-17's fit on them per the tire mftr spec!

Z

[Jeff Williams]

Jacques, how wide are your 17" wheels?

I was about to buy a set of 245/45/17 Falken's this weekend for $360.00. However, the Kumho are not much more at tirerack at $400 and I could try the 235/50/17 size on my 17X7.0" wheels.

Fred is running 245/45/17's on 17x7.0", but I doubt they're Kumho or Falken's.

Whatever you end up buying, make sure you have a 30 day return policy, if you are not satisfied.

[QuickSilver]

Will do on the 30 day return policy. Will also be getting "lifetime" alignment with the newest John Bean(?) machine.

Going to give the Kumho Ecsta KH11, their ultra performance touring tire, a try. Will be within manufactures spec in regards to mounting with either a 235/50/17(26.3"OD) or 235/55/17(27.2"OD).

I prefer the 235/55 with a load index 99 vs the 96 on 235/50 for potentially better handling and a fuller wheel well. However, the third link cleareance is going to very, very close.

Any objections or opinions on the Kumho 235/55/17's?

[QuickSilver]

One promblem with the Kumho Supra in a 245/45/17 size is their 95 load rating vs. the 99 in Falken.

The tirerack's Grand Touring Summer Performance tire test ranks the Kumho KH 11 just slightly below the Michelin Pilot Primacy and Bridgestone Turanza ER30. The 245/45/17 size is not available with Kumho KH 11.