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  #31  
Old 11-10-2000, 05:39 PM
Nick Jamal
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Hi Mike!
Yes, I am at Western (have been forever, it seems...) - I drive a 300E. About the speed ratings, here's a link to tirerack's page with some
info:http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/speed.htm
Regarding your new tires, I'm glad you're happy with them - they will certainly last a lot longer than many of the other choices out there! I'm pretty certain that tire is not offered in an 'H' speed rating, though - only 'T'. One thing to note about speed ratings is that they are not intended to be a 'speed limit' for your tires (you will generally see H-rated for 210km/h, Z for 240km/h, T for 190km/h, etc.) but an indication of the tire's overall performance characteristic - i.e., you don't need to hit 240km/h to feel the performance benefit of a Z-rated tire. That's why I mentioned the S rating on the snows at Can Tire - it's unusual (and better) than almost any other multicell (ice-gripping) tire, like the Blizzaks, which are only Q-rated (160km/h).
As for the oil change, I do all of mine myself too - it's a nice bonding session with the car! You may not even need ramps if you can get under the front of the car - I used to be able to before I installed sport springs - now I drive up on a couple of plywood boards, just about 3" worth.
Regards,
-Nekky

[This message has been edited by Nick Jamal (edited 11-10-2000).]

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  #32  
Old 02-09-2003, 07:04 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Toronto, Canada
Posts: 700
190 on the 401!!! WOOOHOO!!!

Hey it's great to know that there are some people in my area in this forum, we should all get together some day he he he!
I thought I was all alone here

I had a friend drive me from work in his lotus esprite turbo and he did 210 around 1am on the 401, that's as fast as I ever went, I'm a bit cautions with speed, I had some incidents

If anyone knows any good reaods for the 190 in the GTA please let me know I'm dying to go driving once this hellish winter is over and my car is restored

xp
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  #33  
Old 02-09-2003, 08:01 PM
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Join Date: Aug 1999
Location: ajax, ontario, canada
Posts: 773
XP,

(almost) every fall when the leaves change their colors, I make the drive up to the Muskoka area, where there are excellent 2-lane winding blacktops. For example, you could take:
* 400 North
* take 11 past Orillia
* after Huntsville, take 60 East - this is the beginning of the interesting scenery and roads
* take 35 - this is the best part, and will eventually merge with 115 and the 401 at around the Newcastle area

Not the place for outright top speed runs, but the winding roads make the drive interesting. And because there are always those slower cars, you will want to test the midrange-to-highend power of your car (better if it is one of those inline-sixes or 16-valvers), when you overtake them. This will also allow you to practice overtaking, which is an important skill on 2-lane roads.

Drive safely though, and give yourself (and other drivers) a lot of margin. My car does not have daytime-running-lights, so I turn on my foglamps, so I will be more visible to oncoming cars and those I overtake (important on winding roads, where other drivers do not see you early enough, compared with long straights).

The winding roads also give you an opportunity to appreciate the high-speed ride and handling of your car. Also, I haven't seen a cop car anywhere there - the winding 2-lane roads are more difficult to monitor because there are less opportunities to get a "fix" on a car's speed (I hope I'm not speaking too soon).

Or, you can take in the scenery with someone special riding shotgun. Or if you are into nature photography, there are many picturesque views (you have to time your visit to have the leaves still on the trees, for maximum effect). Or you can sample the many Bed-and-Breakfasts along the way.

happy motoring!
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  #34  
Old 02-10-2003, 08:40 AM
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Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: a space in time
Posts: 132
tire pressures

greetings to the 401 GP crowd. A few thoughts on tire pressure; although there are experts in the tire field who have forgotton more than i have learned, i'll give this a crack. For safe high speed motoring, an individual should follow the automobile manufacturer' s specs for tire pressure as outlined in the manual or elsewhere on the car. The auto manufacturer, not the tire company determines what tire pressures are appropriate for a given auto. The tire pressure on the sidewall of the tire is the maximum allowable air pressure for that tire as determined by the tire maker and does not reflect a pressure to be used on any vehicle. Air pressure is critical to the life and safe handling of the tire(s) on any vehicle. The cold inflation pressure as indicated by the auto manufacturer takes into account the weight of the car, the normal intended purpose of the car (luxury, sporting), and the natural rise in pressure in the tire as it is operated at normal highway speeds. The tire itself merely holds the air, it is the air pressure that actually supports the vehicle. As the tire turns, the sidewalls flex causing heat buildup within the tire structure itself. The "normal" pressure is selected after extensive testing by the auto manufacturer at normal highway speeds and takes into account weight, ride, handling, and heat buildup in the tire. The manufacturer's recommendation to raise the air pressure for higher sustained speeds is as a result of the recoqnition that at higher speeds there is more sidewall flex generating more internal heat in the tire. The raised pressure helps minimize the heat buildup by essentially stiffening the sidewall of the tire and preventing more flexing. The heat buildup in a tire can become so high in a tire that is underflated relative to the tire's true need for a certain air pressure, that the tire's components will start to break down, sometimes catastrophically. I have attended numerous accident scenes, where upon investigation, at least one of the tires on one of the involved vehicles indicates that the tire was operated severely underinflated; the sidewall of the tire looked like it had been scorched with a blowtorch. I would suggest that the handling of that vehicle at speed would have been seriously compromised, and quite possibly have contributed to the accident. With the amount of highway travel that the forum's membership travels, i am sure that you have at some point seen the remains of large truck tires on the road. Inevitably, investigation of the vehicle and the tire casing will show that that tire as well as the other tires on the vehicle are underinflated from minimum specs. One of the tire manufacturer's websites has a chart for a specialty tire (ultra performance) showing the adjustments needed for air pressure based on anticipated sustained speeds; it also outlines the decreased weight (load) carrying capacity of the tire as the rate of sustained speeds are raised. The tire pressure ratings in your manual or on the vehicle are minimums for safe operation of the vehicle at minimum load; bear in mind that these ratings may be heavily weighted in favour of ride quality, and not life expectancy or handling.(can you say explorer?)
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  #35  
Old 02-10-2003, 09:10 AM
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Location: Epsom Downs, England
Posts: 152
Mike,

High speed vibration can often be propshaft universal joint (or constant velocity joint if fitted) worn or out of line.

Check the amount of backlash as a guide to the degree of wear.
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  #36  
Old 02-10-2003, 09:22 AM
I told you so!
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Motor City, MI
Posts: 2,853
Mithra, good information! What you said at the end weighs heavily with me. Even before the Explorer/Firestone fiasco I always wondered what agenda the manufacturers had in mind when coming up with tire pressure recommendations.

I typically add at least 4 psi to the auto manufacturer's recommendations for tire pressure - up to the tire manufacturer's max recommendation. This is because in all my years of maintaining cars I have yet to experience an overinflation wear pattern, yet I often had tires with an underinflation wear pattern.

BTW, I too am part of the 401 crowd.
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  #37  
Old 02-10-2003, 12:19 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 492
My $0.02.

Tire Pressure: Factory AMG package 225/50/16 Fuel filler door 32 front, 36 rear. Continuous speeds over 100 mph: Front 33, Rear 37 PSI. That is from the factory and I only add a lb or 2.

Snows? The Best are NOKIAN Hakka Q. Grip on snow and ice, quiet and very stable. Not great in the wet but it's the trade off for Ice. Also not as good in the dry, but they are snow tires.

I have some all season radials that are like slicks on the snow. Gotta have snows or I can just park it if it snows at all.
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  #38  
Old 02-10-2003, 01:22 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Canada
Posts: 1,774
My toonie's worth...

Hey lads,

I've gotten more bloody speedy tickets on the 401 than I can count. Mostly late night speeding romps.

Best snow tires, IMHO are Nokians. I agree with the previous post. Expensive though. So I use Toyo Observe snow tires. Also excellent and close to on par with the Nokians as far as grip, treadwear and noise go but about $30-40 cheaper per tire. I've used everything from Crappy Tire Nordic tires to Michelin Artic Alpins to Blizzaks. The Toyos are far better. I paid $140 each installed for 195/65R15. Continental snow tires are not very good, I've used them.

In fact I have four slightly used Continental Super Contact tires available. P185/65R15. All four are yours for $100 if you want 'em.

For summer use, and for high speed driving, I use AT LEAST an 'H' rated tire. Preferably a 'V' rated. If you are getting that high speed wobbling, I'd put my money on the tires. I'm currently using Toyo Proxes H4 for my summer use. They're very rigid and excellent at high speed. Of course, they're crap in the snow so come November, the Observes go on, whether or not there's snow yet. The Michelin Pilot series is also an excellent tire, but I would definitely go for the 'V' rated. As was stated, the benefits of a HIGHER RATED tire can be felt immediately. They are more stable laterally and less prone to wobble at high speed. Very important things if you indeed travel at high speed occasionally...if you have to brake suddenly at high speed, you'll want good tires...

At 200 KPH+, the Proxes H4 are as solid as a rock. Myself and a couple OPP officers can attest to this.
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2007 E550 4Matic - 61,000 Km - Iridium Silver, black leather, Sport package, Premium 2 package
2007 GL450 4Matic - 62,000 Km - Obsidian Black Metallic, black leather, all options
1998 E430 - sold
1989 300E - 333,000 Km - sold
1977 280E - sold
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"And a frign hat. They gave me a hat at the annual benefits meeting. I said. how does this benefit me. I dont have anything from the company.. So they gave me a hat." - TheDon

Last edited by Zeus; 02-10-2003 at 01:28 PM.
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  #39  
Old 02-10-2003, 02:04 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2002
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Posts: 132
snows

i have presently on the 600sel a complete set of goodyear v rated ultra grips (snows)...they have so far done a great job, and actually handle better than the p6000 summers for the car. For the gentlemen that know the niagara area; the 600sel on these snows will take the curves on the 406 south bound at 4th ave at 120kph with nary a concern, the p6000s get squirrely at 110kph.
Did I just admit that i exceeded the posted limit? egad!

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A mercedes is an inanimate object and therefore must respond to logic and reason.
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