slickhoosi

After eeking 23,500 miles out of my Bridgestone Potenza RE050As, I faced the common situation of pulling the trigger on a new tire and possibly a new size, due to limited selection and higher prices in the stock size. I found some pictures of IS-Fs on 245s and 275s...similar enough that I felt confident enough to buy the Michelin Pilot Super Sports (PSS) in 245/40 19 and 275/35 19 (+10mm) on the stock wheels. I'll post some pictures here to assist other in the same situation.

Answers:
No, there is no rubbing.

Yes, these tires are incredible - great grip and as quiet and smooth-riding as anything on the market.

No, they do not look ballooned out over the wheels. The entire sidewall is very perpendicular to the wheel (no stretch). I prefer this look - you tell me if you see any race cars at Le Mans with stretched tires for added performance (I'll save you the airfare, there are none).

Expected longevity - 5,000 miles on this set, still showing 8/32ds left (started with 10/32s). I'm expecting and hoping for around 20,000 miles.

Fire-away with any other questions you have, or if you'd like to see a picture larger. Cheers!

IMG_4832 by /[]I[]\, on Flickr

IMG_4830 by /[]I[]\, on Flickr

IMG_4827 by /[]I[]\, on Flickr

IMG_4833 by /[]I[]\, on Flickr

IMG_4828 by /[]I[]\, on Flickr



IMG_4833 by /[]I[]\, on Flickr

IMG_4837 by /[]I[]\, on Flickr

IMG_4838 by /[]I[]\, on Flickr

IMG_4827 by /[]I[]\, on Flickr

IMG_4828 by /[]I[]\, on Flickr

IMG_4830 by /[]I[]\, on Flickr

IMG_4832 by /[]I[]\, on Flickr

msp713

Thanks for sharing the pics with us. I'm over 23k as well on my tires...do you mind sharing who you got your tires from and the cost?

Also is your car lowered or at the stock height? I was considering getting a larger tire size like you and lowering on tanabe nf210s but not sure if I'd encounter any issues with rubbing or alignment

XBimR

For the writeup, very timely for me. Any difference in the speedometer or mileage you've noticed? Did you get it done at a Lexus dealership or elsewhere? If Lexus, did they note anything to you about warranty concerns?

For others: I have a '13 fsport with 25.5k, re050. Tracking for about 30-32k before tires need to be replaced, going with pss, had them before on be and can confirm they are a great tire

pheonix72

iTrader: (6)

I believe the Original tires were 235/40/19 for the fronts. Therefore, the speedo error would be -4.62% (reading at 60mph would be 57.23mph and -4.6% on the car ODO). The fronts also gained 16.25mmm (.64 inches) in height. The rears gained 17.25mm (.68 inches) in height.
I think the OP's is sitting on OEM springs.

slickhoosi

msp713:
I suggest checking the inside shoulder of your rears...I didn't intend to take mine to the cords, but that is what I saw upon removal. I bought my tires from the Tire Rack (highly recommended) for $1205 (including 9% sales tax, without all the tax and fees around $1100). I have a Tire Rack warehouse locally, so I avoid the shipping cost by picking them up myself. Stock ride height. I'm not sure if it is a relevant comparison, but I have had the car loaded with luggage and people (noticeably lower in the rear, guessing ~2 inches) with no rubbing.

XBimR:
Regarding the speedo/odo errors, pre-purchase I calculated the difference in sizes...don't exactly recall my methodology or research techniques, but it was around 1-2% higher indicated speed/distances. With what I understood about the car erroring slightly high to start with, I determined this would merely make my speedo more accurate (not sure if the odo has the same high-reading tendency). I have no bloody idea how you are getting that kind of life from your tires...AWD, non-staggered and you can rotate? Yes, local Lexus dealer did the install...also install tons of scratches on 3 of the 4 wheels...then repainted them in a not-quite-matching color...that reminds me-gotta search eBay for a tire mounting/balancing machine. Zero warranty concerns. What I have noticed is that, from a stand still the car responds softer with the larger tires. On the stock tires and then the +10mm PSS, the circumference deltas changed a little. I theorize that the VDC/TC/computers sense this difference and slightly soften throttle response and delay torque converter lockup because of a perceived rear-wheel slippage. I test this theory by deactivating stability/traction control and accelerating from a stop, the car responds with more vigor in this situation. I asked the dealer if they can update tire sizes on the car's computer, they can't or have no idea how to. The lead service writer said the car has a learning computer it will auto-adjust. 5,000 miles later, still no auto adjust. I have meant to reset the computers by disconnecting the battery to see if that helps, but I have not accomplished this yet (don't want to explain to my wife why her seat memory is outta whack and the radio presents moved...).
The Tire Rack website did not have complete data on all the tire (lacking revolutions per mile)...so my crude calculations are below. The 1.03 factors was derived from somewhere (...?) I think to account for growth of the tire at speed and perhaps increased internal air pressure resulting from operation. The Pi value was expressed to many more digits, only displayed to the hundredths decimal place.
So, I calculated the side wall difference to be in the realm of non-detectable without specific measurements...this from an eyeball trained to spot a 3/4 or 5/8 inch nut in <1 second (my own assessment)!

tirecals by /[]I[]\, on Flickr


pheonix72:
I don't think my calculation every resulted in a ~4-5% difference. I thought I exhausted most of the interwebs resources on the subject...but not saying I didn't mess something up. Your calcs for the increased height seem reasonable. I divided your differences (.64 inches in front and .68 inches) by two to deter mine how much larger the sidewall would be...~1/4 of an inch...and with the rounded shoulder area, who knows where to measure this from...at any rate, the car does not look like it is ready to wrinkle the rears at the drag strip.

Cheers!

pheonix72

iTrader: (6)

Your original post shown that you purchased the "Michelin Pilot Super Sports (PSS) in 245/45 19 and 275/40 19). However, the table above shown you are compared/calculated for 245/40 and 275/35. I think this is where your calculations were different than mine.
Anyhow, the tires fit really nice and as long as you like them then who cares

XBimR

Thanks again for the detail Slickhoosi

You asked "I have no bloody idea how you are getting that kind of life from your tires...AWD, non-staggered and you can rotate?"

Rwd version, I guess I would account for it by saying I only have an occasional lead foot and drive in city traffic a lot. The other thing I do is keep the tire pressures up (37 lbs cold), which in the past has led to longer tire life on my previous cars.

slickhoosi

pheonix72 - you're right, I messed up my sized in the OP. That makes me feel better than thinking my hours of research was in error!

pheonix72

iTrader: (6)

Glad you are feeling better now. Here is the website I usually use for tire/wheel calculation.
http://www.willtheyfit.com/index.php...et2=35#content

vinnier6

Tires look good...hopefully you can get 30k from them

portdallas

I just picked up a 2013 GS 350 F-Sport, I got it non-certified from a Toyota dealership and I am mired in regret. I have to replace the Dunlops and didn't realize they were so expensive (amongst other things).

But I am trying to salvage the situation and fall in love with this car, it drives like a dream aside from a shake at 75MPH. The 2 Dunlop Sport GT Maxx in the rear are the stock size and are new and the front are worn.

Discount Tire can put on 4 new Michelin Pilot Sports (not Super Sports) with the 245/40/19's in front and 275/35/19's in the rear with certificates for about $1280. I am ready to do this but I am worried it will impact performance, gas mileage etc. I cannot do the Dunlops long term as they are too pricey. The dealer wants $1600 for new Dunlops.

I am happy to see the pics on this thread and they look good in the larger size, I am just curious if there is anything I should be aware of before pulling the trigger.

Would appreciate your guy's thoughts.

vinnier6

There are other tire options....look at the Bridgestone potenza 760....I think you can get the set at discount tire for under a grand....

SlangBlade

Thanks for sharing, this was my planned setup once my current tires are dust.

Did you (or anyone else who's staggered?) find that when the rears were done, that you still had a lot of life left on the fronts? Or is wear pretty even between front and rear?

slickhoosi

====================================================
Yes, I still have life on the OE fronts (~4/32ds). They're sitting my my garage now, I'll post them for sale here soon (they may help get someone to their lease turn-in or get the fronts through until the second set of rears is ready for replacement and switch to a different tire).

slickhoosi

Update: the MPSS rears were changed at 25.5K miles. They had a couple of thousand more miles in them, but I had a screw in the tire and just replaced them (already had the tires on hand). Those 25.5K miles were 85% highway (interstate). The front MPSS are still going strong today at 30K miles (again, 85% interstate) with zero tire rotations.