Skoda RS replacement tyres - interesting

[dArK5HaD0w]

So a 235/40 R18 tyre on a 7.5J rim would not recommended by the tyre/rim manufacturer, but you could probably get the tyre fitter to mount them anyway. You should also expect the tyre/rim warranty (if any) to be null and void.

that's wat i read too elsewhere.
hence my initial doubts of fitting 235s.

[CanberravRS]

Article (Swedish): Not so superb Skoda!

Video (Swedish): Skoda Superb Wagon tyre forced off

Forum discussion: Superb Combi with 18" looses front tyre in Elk Test!


The article is dated June 2010 so I presume they've fixed the issue by now.

I did see that around May last year after ordering the car and got seriously concerned but after reading tech articles by Continental/Pirelli and Dunlop it seems that the Swede spec fitted tires are not up to it and should never have been fitted. Added to that from what i have read, it was a 2.0TDI and the ESP was turned off in that Superb as well, it was overloaded to the tune of 105kg over max which means they had stupid weight in the car.. so to me the whole test is useless to me with my V6 as its technically a totally different driveline/suspension/brakes/steering etc... There is no common or shared parts with the FWD model Superb's and even the suspension geometry is different.

This is the thing, you cant compare handling/tires and under-steer from the FWD to the AWD, its mechanically a totally different car, and even the weight distribution is different to the TDI as the V6 is more neutral due to the heavy haldex 4x4 unit attached to the rear diff.

I will simply look around a month or so before times up on these Conti's which im impressed with.. they hang on sooooo well. But it would also be nice to not be scrubbing the edges so quickly. ( As fore-mentioned i should slow down )

[Transporter]

Gee, I wander why I'm not surprised that Swedes did something like that?
I still remember when Swedes put through the Moose test MB A-class and as expected it failed. Despite they never use that test to test the vehicle like A-class, MB decided to recall all A class cars and fitted different rear axle and ESP to it, which solved the problem.

[zach]

my father just got these Sumitomo HTR A/S P01 (W) on his Accord and paid $115 a corner. Unbeatable value and they provide 65,000kms warranty on the 205/55/16s.

Took the Accord for a spin yesterday and was very impressed, Sumitomo's were exteremely quiet and gripped very well

[Diesel_vert]

I did see that around May last year after ordering the car and got seriously concerned but after reading tech articles by Continental/Pirelli and Dunlop it seems that the Swede spec fitted tires are not up to it and should never have been fitted. Added to that from what i have read, it was a 2.0TDI and the ESP was turned off in that Superb as well, it was overloaded to the tune of 105kg over max which means they had stupid weight in the car.. so to me the whole test is useless to me with my V6 as its technically a totally different driveline/suspension/brakes/steering etc... There is no common or shared parts with the FWD model Superb's and even the suspension geometry is different.

I interpreted it somewhat differently.

Prior to that article, the permissible front and rear axle loads were 1200 kg and 1250 kg respectively for all variants (except the Superb M5 GreenLine). However, 225/40 R18 XL tyres have a load index of 92, which is a maximum load capacity of 630 kg or 1260 kg per axle, leaving a margin of less than 1%. As a result, this was a car that could overload its 18" tyres even when adhering to the recommended pressures and loads, so your instincts were right.

Load capacity at various inflation pressures for EXTRA LOAD tyres with a load index of 92

Inflation pressure (bar)   1.9   2.0   2.1   2.2   2.3   2.4   2.5   2.6   2.7   2.8   2.9

Load capacity (kg)         450   470   485   505   525   540   560   575   595   615   630

As you probably already know, the maximum load capacity of XL tyres is only reached when inflated to 2.9 bar (42 psi) or higher. Load capacity progressively reduces as inflation pressure falls.

Hence after loading up the car accordingly and adjusting to the recommended inflation pressures, they ended up overloading the car. Skoda admitted as much that the weight figures and inflation pressures were incorrect and it was "impossible" for the magazine to have known otherwise.

After that article, Skoda have since reduced the permissible front and rear axle loads, which now vary from 1010-1150 kg and 1030-1160 kg respectively (V6 wagon is now 1150/1160 kg) leaving an increased margin of safety. These changes are outlined in the supplement to the owner's manual, dated 11/2010 (they also said the recommended pressures have been revised upwards, but this information is not in the supplement).

I assume owners are in the process of receiving the supplement booklet, along with any revised tyre inflation pressures.

This is the thing, you cant compare handling/tires and under-steer from the FWD to the AWD, its mechanically a totally different car, and even the weight distribution is different to the TDI as the V6 is more neutral due to the heavy haldex 4x4 unit attached to the rear diff.

The increased weight capacity of the V6 variants would allow the rear to take up more load, given a constant front axle load, leading to a less front heavy weight distribution. The only question is whether the tyre pressures are sufficient for a given load.

I will simply look around a month or so before times up on these Conti's which im impressed with.. they hang on sooooo well. But it would also be nice to not be scrubbing the edges so quickly. ( As fore-mentioned i should slow down )

Perhaps you could increase the tyre pressures further. That way you wouldn't need to slow down for corners.

[dArK5HaD0w]

Took the Accord for a spin yesterday and was very impressed, Sumitomo's were exteremely quiet and gripped very well

i checked out the tirerack site for Sumitomo in RS specs, i.e 225/40/18 - and i noticed that the load rating is only 88.
This does not meet the min req of "91" for the octavia rs.
ur not going to covered by insurance, and u'll b out of warranty.

EDIT: they do have one that meets the min load rating - Sumitomo HTR Z III

[Skodite]

Summitomo HTR Z III's on my Octavia are 92y rated..

[CanberravRS]

Thanks for all the info Diesel_vert i feel the more I research and the more others do as well.. the better informed we all will be over a potential issue.

[zach]

i checked out the tirerack site for Sumitomo in RS specs, i.e 225/40/18 - and i noticed that the load rating is only 88.
This does not meet the min req of "91" for the octavia rs.
ur not going to covered by insurance, and u'll b out of warranty.

Bugger sorry for bumsteer

[safetyman]

My wife recently put some kind of steel pole through the side wall of one our Conti SP2's on her way to work, and I discovered that the Continental Sport Contact 2's fitted to our vehicle were no longer available and had been changed to the Sport Contact 3.
I wasn't happy to have different tyres fitted to each side of an axle and was going to replace two but the price was exorbitant and I wasn't entirely impressed with the Continentals. The standard size of 225/45 -18 92Y is not considered to be a 'standard' Australian size as previously mentioned in this topic.

I looked around and decided on the Michelin Pilot Sport 3's from Jax who had them on special for $260, but in a change of size to the more common 234/40 -18 R18 95W. Because of the change in size, I opted for 4 replacement tyres.

I've got to say, these tyres are brilliant.

They're as quiet as the Continentals, not harsh in their ride and the size change has actually improved the accuracy of the speedo.
The seat of the pants feeling I get now when going for a 'spirited' drive tells me I can get up to some stupid speeds through corners, far higher than the Conti's.

They also have an ever so slight 'bag' to their sidewalls which gives the wheel and tyre combo a bit more old school 'presence'.
I believe this extra width has cost me just a fraction in steering response, but it really is minimal, possibly saved by the grippiness of the Michelins. It could possibly present a more noticeable difference if cheaper quality tyres in this size were used.

My advice, go for the change in size when its tyre change time.

Oh, and I kept the best one of the old tyres, picked up an Audi A3 18" rum from the wreckers for $100 and got rid of the space saver 80km/h limited steel wheel.
Gives me some more storage space in the boot too with the extra space around the edges of the tool storage kit for rags, gloves etc.