Tire question - Load index

B6/7 S4/RS4
#1

I’m looking to pick up a new set of tires for summer use and I’m trying to decide if PS2’s are a viable option. I’ll be running them on my B7 S4 with a set of 19" RS-10’s and wanted to get a 235/35/19 series tire. The PS2 in that size has a load rating of 87Y which is 1201 lbs.

So my questions for you guys are, should I stay away from PS2’s because of this? If so, what tire are you guys running in 235/35/19 that meets the load requirements of the S?

Weight is a big factor in this choice since I’m looking to shed some lbs from my current 245/35/19 tires which are 26lbs. The PS2’s are 22lbs.

#2

I think 93 is recommended by Audi and I personally wouldn’t go below that. A 91 would probably be ok though.

#3

I think the Porsche spec PS2 is XL rated. Porsche spec is designated by N3 or N4 or something like that.

#4

I agonised for some time about load ratings. Here’s what I know:

I have unknowingly run 91 non-XL load rated tyres for 2 summers now, including a trip to the strip. I only realised this winter when I was looking at selling the wheels+tyre and was like “OMGWTF!”. Then I realised nothing bad had happened.

From what I’ve read, XL load rating is important for the shifts in weight that the S4 can go through and the tyre’s ability to suck up the extra, transient weight.

Another good point of view is why risk damage to valuable wheels and/or suspension. Or why risk premature tyre wear from the wrong specs. There’s a reason some tyres are the way they are (i.e. higher profile, wider etc) - to take that weight.

I’d say an 87 rated tyre is way out.

http://www.michelin.ca/tire-selector/name/pilot-sport-ps2-tires#techspec_table

Looking at the above table for the PS2, there’s a 225/40ZR19/XL (P/N 03912) or 245/35ZR19/XL (12666).

TL;DR Get an XL rated tyre.

#5

Tire…not tyre. Lok

#6

Audi said 91Y in a report (but I think this was accidentally transposed from the A4 info)
Door jamb says 95 XL

Run 95 XL and don’t cheap out. It’s pretty simple. Overkill maybe…but why fuck with it? You don’t run shitbox oil in the car…you don’t run 87 octane fuel in the car. This is just another ‘get the best’ thing with these cars that is really pennies in the long run.

#7

Tyre is British. Bangoman is British.
Britain kicked out a bunch of religious nuts and sent them to America a few hundred years ago, and they immediately began misspelling everything.

So it’s tyre…and aluminium…and honour. Motherfucker.

#8

Epic comeback day!!!

#9

Thanks for all the input guys. Definitely not trying to cheap out, just trying to shed some weight and get into a better summer tyre. Going back to tyrerack for more research.

If anyone is running 235/35/19 on their S, please chime in with what you have.

#10

Que?

#11

He was referring to sakimano’s come back to B6JoeS4’s diss on writing tyre instead of tire :slight_smile:

I have 245/35/19 Hankook V12s. They come in 235 as well with a 91Y XL load rating which is borderline but should still be fine. Not super light but not heavy either (24lbs for the 235 vs. 22lbs for the PS2). They used to be a great deal but they’ve slightly gone up in price so not as good of a deal anymore. Still WAY cheaper than the PS2s though ($208 per on tirerack vs. $347 per for the PS2).

#12

Nah, the 235/35/19 Porsche is an N2 and it’s rated at 87Y. Seems like it’s the only one they have in that size. There are no N3/N4 in 19".

#13

These were the specs of the ones I found. The set I was looking at had an average of 70% tread left and the guy was asking $400. Damn good deal.

#14

Indeed. Still, I suggest sticking to the 90s for load rating.

#15

Ah, gotcha… I’m slow in the morning.

I’m definitely considering the V12’s. 24lbs aint bad and I’ve read a ton of good stuff about them. The lightest tire I could find on tirerack is the Conti ExtremeContact DW. I’m not a huge fan of Conti’s but the 235/35/19 only weighs 21lbs and is XL rated! I’d be at 40lbs per corner with those tires, which exceptional for a 19" setup.

#16

They’re a decent tire but slightly softer sidewall. For very aggressive driving, it might get on your nerves. For normal and occasional hard driving, it might suit you just fine.

#17

I was debating between the V12 and the DW. The V12 has great reviews and all but I chose the DW for two reasons. The V12 is an old design and it’s probably going to be refreshed sometime this year hopefully. The other reason was the weight. 12lbs all around can make quite a difference, so I went DW. Also, there are some random complaints about the V12 that come down to quality. Things like noise after 10k, blow outs, etc. so that was part of it. The other thing was the sidewall appearance. The DW simply looks better to me. It has a rounder, cleraner sidewall and the tread looks better.

I wasn’t going for roadracingsuperstar tires. I drive casually 95% of the time

#18

I’m the same way, casual most of the time and only get on it during the rare highway trip. I never speed on the city streets around me. To many pedestrians and potholes.

So what’s your take on the DW’s since you own them? Any concerns with the soft sidewall that Axel mentions?

#19

No clue yet. They’re brand new sitting in the basement mounted on some Enkie RPF1’s. From what I’ve read, the soft sidewall/mushiness is a lot more prevalent in the DWS. The DW is not necessarily soft, but it looks soft when you compare it to other things in it’s class with very stiff sidewalls, like the V12 or RE-11’s. We will see how it is.

#20

If that’s your driving style (spirited driving only on the highways and rare), then the Continentals should suit you just fine.