So today I hit the side curb going about 30mph and damaged both tires, my 275/60 r20 Michelin Defenders.
I’ve had them for a year and now I’m thinking of either going back to my original 21” wheels or putting some KO2s on them in size 285/55 r20. Must decide by the end of the day....

 

 

If I go with KO2s, shall I stick with 275/60 r20 or change to 285/55 r20? I know both are running on members LXs here. Any known advantages to choose one or the other?

 

275/60/20 9” tread width, 33” tire and $75 a tire cheaper

 

Ended up buying the defenders, did not want to chance having more noise and a bumpier ride, its one of the reasons I love my LX.

 

I too debated between the Michelin LTX and BF All Terrains. Since most of my driving is on streets, AND since the LTX tires do pretty well in dirt, mud, snow and ice, I figured its enough off-road and all weather capability for me and no need to go with heavier, more expensive, noisier tires. (If you are planning on towing heavy trailers and/or driving off road a lot, then go with the All Terrains) I purchased 18" land cruiser rims and opted for a little bit higher side walls. My 2010 LX had 20" rims and the ride quality was OK, but not great. With the 18" rims the car is as smooth as butter, especially when you hit bumps, transition onto driveways, etc. The car feels a little bit softer on the turns and on the highway (as expected) compared to the original 21" rims. The difference is not very noticeable in daily driving and barely affects stability But in return, it improves ride quality significantly. Enjoy your Michelin Defender LTX tires. They're great!

 

 

These tires are rated much better for hydroplaning and general high speed driving than the KO2's, one of the reasons I chose them. I will be careful though . I think the bigger problem would be the effect of a 285 55 20 would have on the ABS system being 5.7% larger tire than what it was designed for

 

 

ABS works perfectly on my 200 with 33's.

I was under the impression that the ABS system compares speed between the 4 wheels and reacts accordingly.

Correct or not?

 

Not according to the local performance shop the specializes in customizing everything from Lexus to Porsche.

[

QUOTE=hankinid;10081146]ABS works perfectly on my 200 with 33's.

I was under the impression that the ABS system compares speed between the 4 wheels and reacts accordingly.

Correct or not?[/QUOTE]

 

[QUOTE]=pizdets17;10081235]Not according to the local performance shop the specializes in customizing everything from Lexus to Porsche.[/quote}
So, what kind of performances does the local "shop" give? That said, how does the "shop" think tire diameter makes a difference??

If you follow that "logic", you're saying that ANY vehicle equipped with ABS is a danger to society if the tire size changes. Anecdotal experience would indicate some misunderstanding of ABS in general.

From... http://blog.lexus.co.uk/lexus-car-sa...-technologies/ ... Focus on the Bold part...

"Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
"Even though most of us think of the Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) as a relatively recent innovation of the past 25 years, Toyota Motor Corporation developed its first ABS system in 1967, and followed it up with two-wheel ABS in 1971 and four-wheel ABS in 1983.

"Most people are aware that ABS prevents a car’s wheels locking and brings you safely to a stop sooner, but its primary purpose is to maintain steering control during sudden braking, with shorter stopping distances resulting as a by-product.

"ABS works by monitoring the speed of each wheel to detect when a wheel locks under braking. When this happens, ABS releases the braking pressure momentarily before re-applying the optimum braking pressure to each wheel. By rapidly pulsing the brakes in this way, steering control is enhanced so that a potential collision may be avoided. This extra control also helps to improve the car’s ability to stop.

"ABS is fitted as standard across allLexus vehicles."

I can only add that if you drive a lot in snow, a switch to turn off ABS allows you to stop faster as locking the brakes causes a pile of snow to end up in front of the tires, lowering stopping distances. That assumes that you know how to stop in a straight line.

I'd be interested in your "shop's" answer.

 

first tire shop's page I googled:

In order to avoid problems with speedometer calibration, ABS, traction control and electronic stability control, the replacement tires should feature the same overall diameter/rolling circumference as the original-equipment tires.

Also since it motors vehicle speed, which is now thrown off by the non-oem tire size, I would assume unless you got the sensors reprogrammed it would have an effect.

 

Another from Kal-tire:

The total diameter of your tire and wheels needs to be the same as your original equipment tires. If you vary from the total diameter by more than three per cent, you could be risking problems with your vehicle’s computer, braking system, transmission and mileage.

 

Popular Mechanics:

"because the radius of the overall tire is larger, the effective gearing gets taller, slowing down the engine at any given speed--and robbing your car of acceleration. Third, because of increased angular momentum--weight concentrated near the rim--the ABS calibration goes wacky"