I've been wondering for a while now whether my Vredestein Quatrac 5 All Season tyres are as good now as they were last winter.
I bought them to use as winter tyres, on a second set of rims, in Nov '18, just after I bought the car. They seemed fine, especially after the ditchfinders that were on the front when I got it. Admittedly, I didn't really know the car at that time, so perhaps I drove with a little more restraint than I do now, but only a little. Dry grip and steering feel were excellent, especially for a siped tyre. Drove the car with abandon, without a care in the world, and it never bit me.
Then, last week of March '19, summer tyres went on - the ubiquitous AD08R. Didn't 'alf take some getting used to, but once I did, they too were excellent on dry surfaces and, once the weather warmed up, OK on wet.
So, all last summer I stored the Vredesteins carefully, indoors, in bags after washing and drying them. Then, I guess some time around late November, I put the Vreds back on. This is where the trouble started.
Ever since putting the Vreds back on, I've noticed oversteer sometimes occurring even at low to moderate speeds and low throttle openings. Usually it's been wet, but there have been a few moments in the dry as well. And I'm thinking, I'm sure they weren't like this before. ISTR them being very good last winter. The tread's hardly down; I mean I only did about 4K on them. Now they're making me nervous to the point I don't trust them, and they're only a year and a bit old with just over 6mm rear and 7mm front.
I'm honestly thinking of ditching them after a hair raising moment today. Basically, the car did a bit of a wobble, 45-50 mph in a 50 mph limit, round a right hand bend and over the crest of a hill, and then the road straightens out. Got to the bend/top of hill, and felt the back end wobble just barely perceptively. Nothing you would call a slide; it just went ever so slightly light. Backed off, not wanting to invite trouble, but as I got to the end of the bend just as the road straightens out, the back end of my car went into lairy oversteer, and I only just got away with it. I'm no stranger to oversteer having owned more powerful RWD cars in the past. But this was just so drastic and so violent, I barely had time to react. It was more a weight shift than power oversteer, as I didn't really have any power on at the time. I was very lucky I didn't have an accident.
Much more excitement than you need on a Friday afternoon. I went home and had a nice sit down and a cup of cocoa after that one.
What I don't get is, the road was dry and it wasn't even cold today. How have my tyres gone from very good last winter to downright dodgy now? Incidentally, that piece of road it all happened on - I spent all last summer going through there at at least 50mph on my AD08Rs without the car batting an eyelid. I mean it was rock solid. I would think you could take the car through there at 70mph (if it were legal) without so much as a tremor.
Has anyone else put tyres in storage only to come back to them later and find they're not as good second time round?
Sounds like a stupid question but are they the right way round? Directional tyres are pants if they're on back to front.
Quote from: Call the midlife! on February 14, 2020, 19:48Sounds like a stupid question but are they the right way round? Directional tyres are pants if they're on back to front.
Good question. I'll have a look.
While checking "direction" have a check of the pressures. Other than that the suspension or hopefully not ,the subframe, could have suddenly deteriorated,
springs can break, what you describe seems to be a dramatic change in something and I can understand your concern.
The most obvious is that the All Seasons are not as good as the AD08Rs apart from in the very ccccold. Even in the wet the Yokohamas are surprisingly good.
Having become accustomed to the latter makes the Quatracs ´suddenly´ bad perhaps??
There is no reason whatsoever why they would go bad when stored till next winter season.
Well I've had a look, and they don't seemdirectional. I'll have a better look at them, and the subframe, in the light tomorrow. Car on 35K, so hoping subframe will be OK.
Coincidentally, checked pressures today. 32 rear, 26 front.
I hear what you're saying, Petrus, about the Vreds not being as good as the Yokos and perhaps I got too used to the grip that the Yokos provided. But the Vreds honestly weren't this bad last winter.
If they're not directional and the subframe is sound it could be that you've worn them off in one direction and you've got them going the other way this time? Maybe they just need wearing in again?
Quote from: Johnny5 on February 14, 2020, 20:38I hear what you're saying, Petrus, about the Vreds not being as good as the Yokos and perhaps I got too used to the grip that the Yokos provided. But the Vreds honestly weren't this bad last winter.
I can only repeat that tyres do not go off over a season in proper storage and you even kept them bagged.
Congrats btw that you got off with only a scare. Hope you find sómething.
Just in case something has gone wrong with the car, could you put the Yoko's back on & check the car feels ok?
Quote from: Call the midlife! on February 14, 2020, 20:46If they're not directional and the subframe is sound it could be that you've worn them off in one direction and you've got them going the other way this time? Maybe they just need wearing in again?
An interesting thought. You could well be right there. Perhaps
because they're not directional, I never bothered labelling them left and right before storing them. Come to think of it, I haven't labelled my 08s, either. Doh!
Quote from: Johnny5 on February 14, 2020, 21:32Quote from: Call the midlife! on February 14, 2020, 20:46If they're not directional and the subframe is sound it could be that you've worn them off in one direction and you've got them going the other way this time? Maybe they just need wearing in again?
An interesting thought. You could well be right there. Perhaps because they're not directional, I never bothered labelling them left and right before storing them. Come to think of it, I haven't labelled my 08s, either. Doh!
Easy way to test it, just swap them around and see? The Yokos ARE directional so in theory you shouldn't be able to get them the wrong way round, unless you're not using "winter rims" as well?
Quote from: Petrus on February 14, 2020, 20:23The most obvious is that the All Seasons are not as good as the AD08Rs apart from in the very ccccold. Even in the wet the Yokohamas are surprisingly good.
Having become accustomed to the latter makes the Quatracs ´suddenly´ bad perhaps??
There is no reason whatsoever why they would go bad when stored till next winter season.
Got to be this, it's probably you're feeling extra sidewall movement rather than the car actually losing grip?