2K Outback Tire Replacement

I highly recommend these Kumho's. They're the third set of tires I've had on this 01 outback and I'm the happiest with them. I had the original Firestones, and then some Dunlop D60 A2's that SUCKED (went out of round in a big way), and now these Kumho's.

As I've said in threads here earlier, Tirerack isn't necessarily the place to get em. Give your local tire seller a chance to special order these for you and match the tirerack price. Often they will, and you'll enjoy lifetime rotation and balancing that you'd otherwise have to pay for if you bought them from tirerack and just had them mounted locally.

Caveat: some tirerack installers sell reasonably priced lifetime rotate/balance packages that net you out ahead.

Best Regards,

-- Todd H.

2001 Legacy Outback Wagon, 2.5L H-4 Chicago, Illinois USA

Just got Goodyear Assurance Triple Treds for my 97 (I had to also get new wheels since they didnt' have my size.) They were top rated for both wet and snow traction and they have definitely met my expectations.

The Yokahama's on my Forrester are excellent. I've been in Vermont with everyone else in the ditch and me moving along. Then again, I wasn't driving like an idiot. They are expensive, though, and wear fast.

I have friends with the Kuhmos and they love them.

The response from BKS must be the first I have ever heard which compliments the Yokahamas that Foresters are stocked with. I got rid of them after

17,000km and replaced them with Goodyear TripleTread. Here's a snip from a group response I sent a while back -

Re: Triple Tread - They have a better rating than Michelin Hydroedge (all-season). Note that the stock Geolandars have a Treadwear rating of 340 and a Traction rating of B. Compare that to the Triple Treads with a treadwear rating of 740 (roughly 2.5 times the tread life) and Traction rating of A. The Triple Treads really made the Forester seem like a different (better) handling car. I think the Geolandars would be a disaster on anything but a sophisticated AWD vehicle like a Subaru. What was Subaru thinking with that choice?

What's your source for these ratings?

However the temperature rating for the Geolander is A while the Triple Tread is B. The Geo is the only tire I've seen where the traction rating (braking on wet pavement, no standing water) is lower than the temperature rating. For most passenger car tires, if it's rated to go at speed, it's pretty much a given that it can brake well on wet pavement

I think the treadwear is the most vague of the UTQG rating. OTOH, the Geos wear out pretty quickly and the Triple Treads should outlast them by a lot. Unless you drive fast...

Inexpensive tires?

You can look up these UTQG ratings on

or

You can find these ratings on the side of the tire. It's standardized (arguably).

I just switched from decent but 70% worn Potenza RE910 to the Kumho HP4 [205/55-

16 on a 98 GT Wagon].

So far they are quieter, better ride, much better in snow and seem to get better mileage.

florian /FFF/

"H" wrote in news:CdZJd.153822$KO5.108258@clgrps13:

The TripleTred has a lower speed rating than the Outback's original tires. T rating vs. H rating which is 118 mph vs. 130 mph. I don't plan to hit even 118 in the Outback.

Do you think there was any decrease in high speed handling with the change in speed rating?

Dave

I have about 4000km on the Goodyear Triple Treads now (04 ForesterXS). We've had wet snow, wet, gritty roads and heavy rain. My opinion is that these tires are far superior in handling all those conditions. As for the speed rating, I don't drive 118MPH+! I think the Vehicle responds way more accurately to input now. The Yokahama Geolandars were basically a small truck tire. They are jittery by comparison. Normally you trade wear for grip and visa versa, not so with the Geolandars. I highly reccomend anybody who has not driven their Subarus with a non-stock tire should do so. Choose a tire based on your driving needs. Me, I live on Vancouver Island (wet, coastal), I drive mostly highway miles at all times of the year. The Triple Treads are comfortable, grippy in wet or dry, good in the snow and improved the handling of the Car. And yes, Subarus are cars, not trucks.

This is well said:"Choose a tire based on your driving needs." so I wanted to ask you:

By your opinion how quiet/comfortable is your ride now comparing to stock tires?

I'm between TripleTred and ComforTred. I want tire that is veeeerrrryyyy quiet and has good (not excellent) traction on wet road (Vancouver, Burnaby, Richmond BC).

Did you consider ComforTred at all or your choice was based on TripleTred features? Where did you get your tires?

Too many questions, sorry to bother you but I want to finalize my decision and this thread came in the perfect moment (for me). :-)

Thanks >I have about 4000km on the Goodyear Triple Treads now (04 ForesterXS). We've

I chose my tire based on the fact that I have to access construction sites, bridge sites and dam sites for my work. I knew I didn't need an aggressive off-road tire. I considered the comfort tread but decided that if quiet ride and comfort was the primary criteria for making a choice, well I would probably have chosen a different vehicle altogether. The Triple Treads, in my opinion, offered a year-round solution, compromising only slightly on ice and deep snow/mud performance. I judged (without driving them) the Comfort Treads to be more tuned to Luxury type driving and vehicles. I like to feel connected to the roadway with good feedback. I look for predictable response and good (not extreme) comfort, this is what I got with the triple treads. You live in Lower Mainland (I grew up there), It;s nice to have a very good rain tire. What you want is stopping and turning power in the wet. Any tire can handle dry roads. Believe that the Geolandars are a hideous tire choice for the Forester.

H in Nanaimo

"Voja" wrote in message news:WMgKd.46968$Ob.27918@edtnps84... This is well said:"Choose a tire based on your driving needs." so I wanted to ask you:

By your opinion how quiet/comfortable is your ride now comparing to stock tires?

I'm between TripleTred and ComforTred. I want tire that is veeeerrrryyyy quiet and has good (not excellent) traction on wet road (Vancouver, Burnaby, Richmond BC).

Did you consider ComforTred at all or your choice was based on TripleTred features? Where did you get your tires?

Too many questions, sorry to bother you but I want to finalize my decision and this thread came in the perfect moment (for me). :-)

Thanks in advance, Voja

H wrote:

I have about 4000km on the Goodyear Triple Treads now (04 ForesterXS). We've had wet snow, wet, gritty roads and heavy rain. My opinion is that these tires are far superior in handling all those conditions. As for the speed rating, I don't drive 118MPH+! I think the Vehicle responds way more accurately to input now. The Yokahama Geolandars were basically a small truck tire. They are jittery by comparison. Normally you trade wear for grip and visa versa, not so with the Geolandars. I highly reccomend anybody who has not driven their Subarus with a non-stock tire should do so. Choose a tire based on your driving needs. Me, I live on Vancouver Island (wet, coastal), I drive mostly highway miles at all times of the year. The Triple Treads are comfortable, grippy in wet or dry, good in the snow and improved the handling of the Car. And yes, Subarus are cars, not trucks.

"David Patnaude" wrote in message news:Xns95EB9AD2CE4EBdmpjunk@130.133.1.4... "H" wrote in news:CdZJd.153822$KO5.108258@clgrps13:

Re: Triple Tread - They have a better rating than Michelin Hydroedge (all-season). Note that the stock Geolandars have a Treadwear rating of 340 and a Traction rating of B. Compare that to the Triple Treads with a treadwear rating of 740 (roughly 2.5 times the tread life) and Traction rating of A. The Triple Treads really made the Forester seem like a different (better) handling car. The TripleTred has a lower speed rating than the Outback's original tires. T rating vs. H rating which is 118 mph vs. 130 mph. I don't plan to hit even 118 in the Outback.

Do you think there was any decrease in high speed handling with the change in speed rating?

Dave

Thanks for the info. Your input means a lot to me since you know what kind of weather I'm dealing with here. :-)

Cheers, Voja

H wrote:

I second that...

I have a 1997 Subaru Outback and went looking and researching for a tire that would really deliver on it all, such as dry and wet braking and handling, winter driving/traction and a quiet ride. Some leading recommendations were Michelin HydroEdge, Toyo Spectrum, Goodyear Triple Tread and BigO Euro Tour. I came close to getting the Michelin HydroEdge, but the reviews were just too mixed. I read the design and logic behind the Goodyear Triple Tread and talked to a number of tire shops. When I told different tires shops what I was looking for, they kept recommending this tire. Finally, I talked to a person at one tire shop that got a chance to demo them and loved them. I decided to take the risk and be one of the first to give the tire a try.

I have put 6,000 miles on them and can sum them up in one word: WOW! What a difference. With my old tires, I had to turn up the stereo once I got on the freeway. I don't even touch the dial now. You will not believe how quiet these tires are. I used to think the reason I felt every crack in a road was the Outback's stiffer suspension. The difference with these tires is incredible. I took a tight circle freeway offramp with a 20 mph speed limit at 40 mph and the car took the turn better than going 20 mph with the old tires. Where I used to get a side lean in a corner, these tires hold solid and make cornering effortless. I was driving one day down the freeway going from dry road to heavy spring showers and could feel no difference - and the traction was solid.

I just got back from taking them up to mountains. While I was there I got to try the tires in snow, ice and combo of slush and ice. I was amazed how well these tires griped in all these conditions. I was deep in the mountains on logging roads and really tested these tires. They exceeded my expectations!

What average mileage did most people find they needed to replace their WRX tires?

Can a 215 be shoe-horned onto where an OEM 205 goes?

Mike