Tyre wall stiffness - how do you tell?

[mark123]

How can you tell if a particular make/model tyre has a stiffer side wall than another?

Can you use the load rating i.e. 195/45R16 80V, where the 80 is the load rating. Does higher load rating equate to stiffer side wall?

 

[McBunny]

yes it does but even still some are stiffer than others

 

[c__w]

I'm not sure if the load rating is a reliable indicator of sidewall stiffness. Easiest test is to let the tyre down on teh car and if it flattens like a pancake it's soft, if it doesn't (like PE2s) they're not too soft!!

 

[Chris n nic]

I had this years back. A few people had said that Uniroyal Rainsports were a decent tyre so got some instead of the contis....it felt like the car was on jelly! Felt very loose and ragged so since then I have stuck to the Contis with fear of wasting cash on tyres that would feel terrible...I put them side by side with the contis without wheels and the difference when pushing them down was a fair bit

Chris

 

[Steve]

I'm not sure if the load rating is a reliable indicator of sidewall stiffness. Easiest test is to let the tyre down on teh car and if it flattens like a pancake it's soft, if it doesn't (like PE2s) they're not too soft!!

PE2's are very soft compared to RS2's & 888's.

 

[c__w]

PE2's are very soft compared to RS2's & 888's.

R888s are quite soft compared to full slicks...

 

[c__w]

I had this years back. A few people had said that Uniroyal Rainsports were a decent tyre so got some instead of the contis....it felt like the car was on jelly! Felt very loose and ragged so since then I have stuck to the Contis with fear of wasting cash on tyres that would feel terrible...I put them side by side with the contis without wheels and the difference when pushing them down was a fair bit

Chris

Yea they are probably one of THE softest tyres I've ever seen, the sidewalls are like sponge - the tyre is geared for wet weather though hence presumably the softer walls.

Bridgestone tend to have stiff sidewalls, the S02 was a great "stiff" tyre. In fact the ones I had on my BMW (they were Porsche-spec ones though) were stiffer than the R888s I had put on after - the car even rode better! Much noisier though!!

 

[Chris n nic]

Lol not surprised tbh fella...I changed lanes on the motorway (not erratically) and it felt like the car was still shifting left when I had got into the lane. Are pradas bad as well? I used some at Oulton last time I was there and they felt a little loose as well

Chris