Gravel and tire wear

[spasm3]

I was commenting in another thread that I have had poor tire life from any LRR ( low rolling resistance) tires. After someone else posted the same make tires with better service life, I though about it I realized that my driveway might be a factor. I have a long drive about 1/3 mile that is gravel. Since I have had no tire wear issues with my truck and previous suv with non lrr tires ( I always got around 50k on the previous michelins on the escape). Could a driveway of this length on gravel affect tire wear on non lt( light truck) tires? It is the only reason I see different than others for my lack of tire life on LRR tires.

 

[Donald]

Hmmm, no expert but I would say no.

I think comparing tire life outside of a lab is very difficult.

 

[Eddie]

I would say if very loose gravel then yes it would not affect tire life much. My town still has stones and sea shells used in the asphalt in older streets and it cuts the heck out of tires.

 

[spasm3]

Actually its about a 1/2 mile ( one way). Also the road was recently paved so we were driving almost 3/4 mile on gravel. 2-3 trips per day.

 

[CapriRacer]

A couple of thoughts:

Yes, LRR tires tend to be less chip/chunk resistant than Non-LRR. So a 1/2 mile gravel drive might be tearing tiny bits of rubber off at a faster rate.

But the term "LRR" has a relative meaning, not an absolute meaning - and some LRR tires, like OE tires, are going to be extremely sensitive to unimproved highways.

Further, tire wear is also highly dependent on how much straight line driving vs how many turns you do, so trying to compare mileage with someone else is not a good idea.

Put another way, just like fuel economy, city driving isn't good for tire wear.

I would look at the tire tread and see if you see a smooth appearance (which is what you'd get on a nicely paved street) or is there texture (which would come from the gravel.

Oh, and freshly paved streets aren't good for tire wear either.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: CapriRacer
Further, tire wear is also highly dependent on how much straight line driving vs how many turns you do, so trying to compare mileage with someone else is not a good idea.

Put another way, just like fuel economy, city driving isn't good for tire wear.


I think he was referring to my comments about conti pro contact tires that my wife got 55k out of with 4/32+ remaining on, while theirs were done at 21k.

Thing is, my wife drives all city, with a ton of turns, parking, etc. so something still doesn't add up.

 

[Kuato]

Common sense would indicate that driving over a surface with many small sharp parts will wear out tires faster than driving on a smooth paved road. Also a LRR tire is a harder compound so would be more subject to the damage caused by those small sharp parts.

Since your driveway is paved now I would think your new tires will last much longer.

 

[spasm3]

Originally Posted By: Kuato

Since your driveway is paved now I would think your new tires will last much longer.


My road is paved, but my drive is gravel and will be gravel, aprox .5 miles one way, it was about 3/4 mile one way until the state road was paved. I have no wear issues with the tires on my truck or the previous escape. The elantra is wearing them fast, but very even across the tread and side to side. So its not an alignment issue or inflation issue, and my wife drives pretty easy compared to me. My olds went through the kumho kr 21 tires pretty fast, but i just thought it due to being a cheap tire.

 

[spasm3]

I just put my tread gauge on them. the rears are 3/32 across both
the front is at 4/32 on both with the passenger side at 5/32 on the outside edge.

P.S. I never cross rotate, I always keep the tires on the same side of the car.

 

[CapriRacer]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
.....Thing is, my wife drives all city, with a ton of turns, parking, etc. so something still doesn't add up.


You are right, something doesn't add up.

So how many miles a year does your wife drive? Does she have a typical commute? How long is it? How many substantially 90 degree turns are there in that?

My commute to work was 10 miles with 11 substantially 90 degree turns for a 1.1 TPM (Turns per Mile) I think that is pretty close to typical - except, I put on less than 6K miles a year.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: CapriRacer
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
.....Thing is, my wife drives all city, with a ton of turns, parking, etc. so something still doesn't add up.


You are right, something doesn't add up.

So how many miles a year does your wife drive? Does she have a typical commute? How long is it? How many substantially 90 degree turns are there in that?

My commute to work was 10 miles with 11 substantially 90 degree turns for a 1.1 TPM (Turns per Mile) I think that is pretty close to typical - except, I put on less than 6K miles a year.


Roughly 10000/year. All city, one straightaway of about 2 miles and the rest is a lot of random driving in town (suburbia so lots of right/left turns). Not the greatest of roads but all are OK, mix of asphalt and some concrete for the straight run. She does lots of short trips through the day for her job.

 

[spasm3]

My wife is driving about 20k year, easy on the car. not too much stop and go.
JHZR2, what pressure did you run in the continental contipros? I'm running 35psi all around.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: spasm3
My wife is driving about 20k year, easy on the car. not too much stop and go.
JHZR2, what pressure did you run in the continental contipros? I'm running 35psi all around.


35 all around and some time at 41f/38r just to try it, since that's what my saab is spec'd at.

 

[spasm3]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Originally Posted By: spasm3
My wife is driving about 20k year, easy on the car. not too much stop and go.
JHZR2, what pressure did you run in the continental contipros? I'm running 35psi all around.


35 all around and some time at 41f/38r just to try it, since that's what my saab is spec'd at.


Must be the long gravel drive. I may put the michelin defender or pirelli p-4 on it in the spring.

 

[CapriRacer]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Roughly 10000/year. All city, one straightaway of about 2 miles and the rest is a lot of random driving in town (suburbia so lots of right/left turns). Not the greatest of roads but all are OK, mix of asphalt and some concrete for the straight run. She does lots of short trips through the day for her job.


So if I am doing the math right, your wife's car is coming up on 6 years old.

BTW, what year make and model?

 

[yonyon]

Weight can also be a factor with tire wear. spasm3, could your wife be heavier than JHZR2's?

 

[spasm3]

Originally Posted By: yonyon
Weight can also be a factor with tire wear. spasm3, could your wife be heavier than JHZR2's?


LOL leave it to bitog members to consider every part of the equation!!

I'm not going to touch that one!!! But i've got to give points for humor and considering every factor!!

 

[PhillipM]

You've only got to listen to the carcass pinging and vibrating as various bits of gravel grab/pinch and release the tread to realise how much wear goes on even in a short distance. We do a lot of gravel racing, and the wear factor is about a 1/10th of the milage expected on smoother events (dirt road, not tarmac, although tarmac isn't much higher as heat related wear then becomes an issue)