Originally Posted by CapriRacer
Originally Posted by Pew
Originally Posted by CapriRacer
OE tires generally use silica because OE tires have RR requirements and it is better to use silica to get better grip and/or treadwear. So you could say the an OE tire generally implies the use of silica.
Would that mean all tires of the same model, or just the specific tires that go to the OEMs?
Just the tires that go to the OEM's. - except that some of those tires find their way into the tire dealer's inventory. Here, allow me to explain in more detail.
Car manufacturers issue specs to their parts suppliers - and that includes tires. For tires, there are generally only a handful of tire manufacturers that supply tires to a given manufacturer. Those tire manufacturers have to go through all kinds of scrutiny - in particular quality programs such as TS16949
The specs include just about anything you can think of. The specs are such that the tire will not only NOT be like what a tire manufacturer would design for the replacement market, but also be oriented towards fuel economy (rolling resistance), - and further, the tire specs for a given vehicle will be different that what other vehicles specify - even within the same company!) That is the tires will be so unique that they are almost certainly not like any other tire on the market.
Some tire manufacturers have a particular line of tires (maybe more than one!) that they designate as "OE Only". Some use existing tire lines where they take the size being requested and redesign it to the OEM's specs. And some do both!
There is about a 2 year qualification period, where the tires are tested. In the end, one tire manufacturer is selected to supply a given vehicle platform - and the other tire suppliers don't put their tire into product (because there is no market for it!)
Because the OEM specs include tight balance and uniformity specs, it is common for tires that aren't quite good enough to meet those tight specs, but are otherwise OK, to be sold in the replacement market - that is, tire dealers. We call those "downstream".
A longer version:
Barry's Tire Tech: OE Tires
Questions?
Thanks CapriRacer. So, I do have a question or need for clarification. If I'm understanding correctly, the tire that came as OE on my car, may not be the same as the tire I receive if I replace my tires down the road with same exact tires. My 2019 Kia Sorrento came with 235/55/19 Kumho Crugen Premium a/s tires. In a few years if I buy that same tire, it may not be quite as good as the tires that I now have from the factory?
I find it interesting that you mention 'tight balance' for OEM tires vs downstream. I have always noticed over the years that the best balance jobs on tires were always the tires that came on the car (I'm talking new cars). It never occurred to me that it may be the tire that was better balanced, as opposed to the 'balance job'. Replacement tires were never balanced quite as well as the originals.
Thanks for any more input.