XPost: comp.mobile.android, misc.phone.mobile.iphone   
   From: spam@nospam.com   
      
   Xeno wrote:   
      
   >> If they come with the vehicle stock, then it's my observation that, in   
   >   
   > Look at the *target market*. The manufacturer will put on the vehicle   
   > what they think the public wants, not necessarily what is best for   
   > *all-round use.   
      
   You are correct in that my bimmer has wide tires and a lower profile ratio   
   while my Toyota has tall tires and a higher profile ratio, where both would   
   likely benefit from the substitution of wider tires & lower profile ratios.   
      
   However, my rule of thumb is the same as what the tire shops do though,   
   which is I never put on a "worse" tire (by the specs) than the OEM tire.   
      
   In practice, that means it's never of a thinner width, and it's never a   
   lower load range nor speed rating. The profile is up for grabs though,   
   although I don't mess with the ratio as it changes other things too much.   
      
   >> general, the choice by the manufacturer makes sense; but if they're   
   >> aftermarket choices, often, in my experience, they don't make sense.   
   >   
   > Manufacturers are *market driven*.   
      
   Yes. But we're talking _safety_ specifications, such as the load range.   
      
   A reputable tire shop will even refuse to put a tire of just a lower speed   
   rating than what the OEM tire was (ask me how I know this).   
      
   >> Like putting low-profile tires on a SUV.   
   >> That makes no sense from a performance standpoint.   
   >   
   > Low profile tyres make a lot of sense from a *highway* performance   
   > standpoint.   
      
   Hmmmm.... Are you sure? They make a difference in _steering_ of course.   
   But how does a low-profile tire help in "highway performance" overall?   
      
   > Low profile tyres make no sense at all in any sort of rough   
   > road/off road scenario. So, for an *SUV*, standard profile tyres are a   
   > better *compromise*.   
      
   Well, back to _steering_, which is what I think of the purpose of   
   low-profile tires, you don't _expect_ great steering response in a SUV or   
   pickup truck, and, you have a different suspension in SUVs and light trucks   
   (which, of course, is where low-profile tires have drawbacks).   
      
   To me, the purpose of low profile tires is quick steering, and for that,   
   they work fantastically well. But who is expecting quick steering out of a   
   pickup truck that is also expected to haul heavy loads over rough ground?   
      
   What else does a low-profile do fundamentally than provide quicker steering   
   response?   
      
   >>   
   >> It's a "fashion" statement just as the green dunce cap is on tires.   
   >   
   > Pretty much.   
      
   Yup.   
   But hey, I just looked at my own tire pictures, and look'it what I found!   
       
      
   Note: I used to mount yellow to valve stem and then red to valve stem.   
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   Usenet is a team where every player tries to move the ball forward.   
      
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