[MichaelDay]

quote:Originally posted by robinjoe

Here is another "newbie" question:

Will an otherwise identical (make and model) 7" wide tire last longer than a 6" tire?

It would seem to make sense since the tire will be slipping less, and the weight is distributed across a larger area. Don't you use a lower tire pressure on a wider tire since you are distributing the weight across a larger area?

Also, how reliable are the tread wear, traction, and temperature ratings printed on the sides of the tires? Are these determined by the manufacturer, or a standards testing agency of some sort?

The short answer to your question for the normal driver is NO. Now if you spend a lot of time spinning your tires and the wider tire hooked up better it would probably last longer. The thread compound is the major factor in tire longevity. Sticky tires are softer and wear faster. Actually, it can be counter-intuitive. Many times, you slow down on corners because you hear it squealing. The softer tire will frequently make less noise as it slips and you push it harder.

The ratings are relative and I have found that differences of 20-40 points aren't going to show up in day to day driving. The Uniform Tire Quality Grading System (UTQGS) is a government dictated test that the manufacturers run. A control tire is used that has a VERY short life. Only 15% of the current tires last less than twice (200) as long as the control tire. 40% of the current tires last less than three times as long (300). 8% of the current tires last over 5 times as long as the control tire (500). The traction rating is based on ability to stop on wet roads. 75% of the current tires on the market are rated "A". Only 3% are rated "AA", the best while 22% are rated "B". For temperature, 27% are rated "A", 59% "B" and 11% "C" with A rated tires holding up best to resistance to breakdown under high temperatures. Tire temperatures increase with speed as well as ambient temperature.