Bridgestone to Good Year. Iffy handling...

[Lazza]

All tyres are a bit slippery when new. They are coated with a releasing agent (why they are shiny) and need a few heat cycles and a bit of scrubbing in before they really work.
I really think you would be better off with a full set of F1s than the Bridgestones which everyone knows are pretty bad.

 

[strugglinauthor]

All tyres are a bit slippery when new. They are coated with a releasing agent (why they are shiny) and need a few heat cycles and a bit of scrubbing in before they really work.
I really think you would be better off with a full set of F1s than the Bridgestones which everyone knows are pretty bad.

Thanks, I wasn't aware of that. I did quite a long run on some wonderful Welsh roads today. Still a bit of flickering from the dashboard but it seems to have lessened, so I'll have a think on those F1s for the front...

 

[Busterboo]

All tyres are a bit slippery when new. They are coated with a releasing agent (why they are shiny) and need a few heat cycles and a bit of scrubbing in before they really work.
I really think you would be better off with a full set of F1s than the Bridgestones which everyone knows are pretty bad.

Thanks, I wasn't aware of that. I did quite a long run on some wonderful Welsh roads today. Still a bit of flickering from the dashboard but it seems to have lessened, so I'll have a think on those F1s for the front...

Two things, strugglinauthor. The major manufacturers haven't used release compound on their moulds for a long time. They're Teflon-coated.

And if there's "a bit of flickering from the dashboard" while you're driving on the Welsh hill, it's not the tyres. It's you. :wink:

 

[strugglinauthor]

And if there's "a bit of flickering from the dashboard" while you're driving on the Welsh hill, it's not the tyres. It's you.

True!

The major manufacturers haven't used release compound on their moulds for a long time. They're Teflon-coated.

I'm confused as most sites on the Net suggest they do. The internet is indeed a mine of mis-information. I've dropped a note to the Goodyear tech team to get their view

 

[Busterboo]

It'll be good to get a definitive answer.

 

[Lazza]

Even F1 tyres are now shiny and they say that’s due to using a releasing agent which they didn’t do until this season. I’m happy to be proven wrong and it doesn’t really matter what it is as they are coated with something shiny & slippery.

 

[Busterboo]

Even F1 tyres are now shiny and they say that’s due to using a releasing agent which they didn’t do until this season. I’m happy to be proven wrong and it doesn’t really matter what it is as they are coated with something shiny & slippery.

Yes, I noticed that and heard the commentator mention release agent.

 

[flybobbie]

The only time i had my traction light come on was when i realised the standard dampers were worn out at 50k miles.
So replaced with Bilsteins.

 

[strugglinauthor]

The only time i had my traction light come on was when i released the standard dampers were worn out at 50k miles.
So replaced with Bilsteins.

I did wonder whether it may all be a coincidence and something else was causing it. That said, it would be a mighty coincidence. I'll see what Goodyear say.

 

[jonas123]

I put 2 goodyear f1s non-rfts on my rears about a year ago, leaving the pirelli rft's on the front. Was a very bad idea. The car was ok up to about 60mph but then above that it would start zig-zagging and i'd have to focus on keeping it going straight! Was quite scary. Fortunately I got a puncture after about 200miles and changed them back to the pirelli run flats. An expensive mistake...

 

[strugglinauthor]

I put 2 goodyear f1s non-rfts on my rears about a year ago, leaving the pirelli rft's on the front. Was a very bad idea. The car was ok up to about 60mph but then above that it would start zig-zagging and i'd have to focus on keeping it going straight! Was quite scary. Fortunately I got a puncture after about 200miles and changed them back to the pirelli run flats. An expensive mistake...

Sounds very scary. I suppose we'll never know, but I wonder if it was because of the mixed brands, mixing RFTs with non-rfts or a combination of the two?

 

[andyf1140]

I had the same experience with mismatched tyres mow o have the same all round it's much better

 

[strugglinauthor]

I had the same experience with mismatched tyres mow o have the same all round it's much better

Thanks andyf1140, that's useful to know

 

[strugglinauthor]

Ok, I had a long chat with a very helpful guy in Goodyear's technical team and I have an answer. I wasn't aware that BMW approved tyres are 'star marked'. Now whether this means that all Bridgestone RE05s are star marked or you specifically have to ask for them to be, I've no idea. Anyway, the Goodyears I fitted are not star marked. What this all means is that within the international standards on tyre construction a small margin of tolerance is allowed on tyre sizes and we're talking a few mm here. With star marked tyres the sizes are exact. The guy said that the software in all but the very newest BMWs can get upset when the tyre is not star marked and so, presumably, could be fractionally smaller or larger. As far as the software is concerned the tyres are not travelling at the correct speed and so it detects a skid situation.

The only solution, which is what I kinda expected, is to switch back to a star marked tyre or, to be safe, a Bridgestone RE05. The guy agreed that matching the fronts with the rear Goodyears should help to fool the software. He said that if other Z4 owners have done this successfully then I'm likely to be OK, but he couldn't guarantee it.

So there you go. Looks like I'll have to go with Plan B and switch the rears back to Bridgestone.

If anyone would like to buy some Eagle F1s with a about 100 miles on them then let me know!

 

[andyf1140]

If the software is that sensitive how does it cope with tyre wear?

 

[strugglinauthor]

If the software is that sensitive how does it cope with tyre wear?

Agreed. I've absolutely no idea :?

Incidentally he also cleared up the release agent query. Answer is that different factories use different processes: some use release agents and some use Teflon coated moulds. He said that after circa 100 miles it should have worn off anyway...

 

[mr wilks]

Ok, I had a long chat with a very helpful guy in Goodyear's technical team and I have an answer. I wasn't aware that BMW approved tyres are 'star marked'. Now whether this means that all Bridgestone RE05s are star marked or you specifically have to ask for them to be, I've no idea. Anyway, the Goodyears I fitted are not star marked. What this all means is that within the international standards on tyre construction a small margin of tolerance is allowed on tyre sizes and we're talking a few mm here. With star marked tyres the sizes are exact. The guy said that the software in all but the very newest BMWs can get upset when the tyre is not star marked and so, presumably, could be fractionally smaller or larger. As far as the software is concerned the tyres are not travelling at the correct speed and so it detects a skid situation.

The only solution, which is what I kinda expected, is to switch back to a star marked tyre or, to be safe, a Bridgestone RE05. The guy agreed that matching the fronts with the rear Goodyears should help to fool the software. He said that if other Z4 owners have done this successfully then I'm likely to be OK, but he couldn't guarantee it.

So there you go. Looks like I'll have to go with Plan B and switch the rears back to Bridgestone.

If anyone would like to buy some Eagle F1s with a about 100 miles on them then let me know!

:rofl:

I'm on my 3rd E89 & over those 3 cars probably tried 12/15 different sets of wheels.
Other than the Bridgestone rfts on 2 of those sets none were "star marked BMW approved".
I'd give the tyres at least 600/700 miles , I'd make sure pressures are "good", around 36/38psi rear 34/36front & also have alignment done begore you go switching back to star rated rubber.

 

[strugglinauthor]

Interesting. Thanks for the view. I can't help thinking that part of the problem is mismatched brands, so maybe I'll give the current rears a little longer and if things don't improve then I'll remove and store the Goodyears for later use, replacing with Bridgestones. After all, I don't plan on changing the Z4 any time soon.

 

[Nictrix]

Ok, I had a long chat with a very helpful guy in Goodyear's technical team and I have an answer. I wasn't aware that BMW approved tyres are 'star marked'. Now whether this means that all Bridgestone RE05s are star marked or you specifically have to ask for them to be, I've no idea. Anyway, the Goodyears I fitted are not star marked. What this all means is that within the international standards on tyre construction a small margin of tolerance is allowed on tyre sizes and we're talking a few mm here. With star marked tyres the sizes are exact. The guy said that the software in all but the very newest BMWs can get upset when the tyre is not star marked and so, presumably, could be fractionally smaller or larger. As far as the software is concerned the tyres are not travelling at the correct speed and so it detects a skid situation.

The only solution, which is what I kinda expected, is to switch back to a star marked tyre or, to be safe, a Bridgestone RE05. The guy agreed that matching the fronts with the rear Goodyears should help to fool the software. He said that if other Z4 owners have done this successfully then I'm likely to be OK, but he couldn't guarantee it.

So there you go. Looks like I'll have to go with Plan B and switch the rears back to Bridgestone.

If anyone would like to buy some Eagle F1s with a about 100 miles on them then let me know!

This is more of an issue with 4 wheel drive cars with staggered tyre fitments as the transfer boxes struggle to cope with different tyre diameters and can prematurely knacker the box. The tyres being star marked mean that the tolerances in the diameters are smaller.

 

[enuff_zed]

Ok, I had a long chat with a very helpful guy in Goodyear's technical team and I have an answer. I wasn't aware that BMW approved tyres are 'star marked'. Now whether this means that all Bridgestone RE05s are star marked or you specifically have to ask for them to be, I've no idea. Anyway, the Goodyears I fitted are not star marked. What this all means is that within the international standards on tyre construction a small margin of tolerance is allowed on tyre sizes and we're talking a few mm here. With star marked tyres the sizes are exact. The guy said that the software in all but the very newest BMWs can get upset when the tyre is not star marked and so, presumably, could be fractionally smaller or larger. As far as the software is concerned the tyres are not travelling at the correct speed and so it detects a skid situation.

The only solution, which is what I kinda expected, is to switch back to a star marked tyre or, to be safe, a Bridgestone RE05. The guy agreed that matching the fronts with the rear Goodyears should help to fool the software. He said that if other Z4 owners have done this successfully then I'm likely to be OK, but he couldn't guarantee it.

So there you go. Looks like I'll have to go with Plan B and switch the rears back to Bridgestone.

If anyone would like to buy some Eagle F1s with a about 100 miles on them then let me know!

This is more of an issue with 4 wheel drive cars with staggered tyre fitments as the transfer boxes struggle to cope with different tyre diameters and can prematurely knacker the box. The tyres being star marked mean that the tolerances in the diameters are smaller.

That's interesting. My daily 335d X-drive may be susceptible to this then, but as 90% of the time most of the drive is to the rear wheels, surely they would wear faster and then the mismatch in diameters should cause an issue? All sounds a bit 'smoke and mirrors' to me, but then I'm no car mechanic :?