Honda Car Forum

Dufus Systems wrote:
> jim beam <nospam@example.net> wrote in
> news:iridndeOacqZWGDenZ2dnUVZ_sGdnZ2d@speakeasy.ne t:
>
>
>>Stephen H wrote:
>>
>>>I perform about 150-200 alignments a year, seldom are they dangerous
>>>on the road prior to the job.
>>
>>maybe not pottering about town or straight line on a freeway, but i
>>assure you, if the rear alignment on a civic is out, it radically
>>affects cornering stability - it makes a huge difference to the
>>adhesion limit and therefore can significantly reduce cornering speed.
>> do the experiments yourself some time.
>>
>
>
> In principal I agree but, how many people actually drive 9-10ths on the
> road? I think alignment guy's speaking of normal drivers.

but how many accidents occur at any less than 9/10th's? /and/ adhesion
limit depends on alignment!

>
> In the back and front on normal honda's, the only adjustment is toe (how
> pointed in the tires are to each other). In the front, if the caster's off
> you actually have to loosen and move the entire subframe fore and aft
> (which means effectively it's not adjultable) . Camber's completely not
> adjustable. If you have bad camber, you've either lowered the car or
> something's bent.

right, but if it's bent, straighten it! that's why we check these things!

>
> You can put adjustable parts in, if you want to change the camber, upper
> control arm's in the back and front can be replaced with adjustable ones.

unless the car's lowered and as long as the bushings are factory,
standard settings are fine.

yet OTOH, I've only seen a few punctures on the Prius/Potenza Combo...
Perhaps you just had a string of bad luck?
But seriously, When the Prius came out it was pointed out that the tires had
a heaver load rating than Standard Potenza's--We had to order extras in. We
saw a lot of premature wear on those tires, not lasting near as long as
needed, so the BOSS suggested bumping the pressure up a bit (34psi I
believe) and the wear slowed down. A local shop put a Toyo on the car and
when the dealer saw it they suggested the car be towed to a good tire shop
to have a proper tire with the adequate load rating put on.


Now this is all fine and dandy; and mind you this is Toyota thought process
not my personal thought. Just be sure the Pirellis are rated for that car.


--
Stephen W. Hansen
ASE Certified Master Automobile Technician
ASE Automobile Advanced Engine Performance
ASE Undercar Specialist

http://autorepair.about.com/cs/troub...l_obd_main.htm
http://www.troublecodes.net/technical/



"Michael Pardee" <michaeltnull@cybertrails.com> wrote in message
news:W8adnUNmffroLGDe4p2dnA@sedona.net...
> "Stephen H" <hansensw@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:ekbLf.444760$qk4.160397@bgtnsc05-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...
>> I hate Michelins only because thy have a stiff sidewall and are hard to
>> remove from the rim sometimes. But as far as being "nail magnets" it
>> seems as though all tires are equal. We do see more nails and flats in
>> tires that are 80% worn...
>>
> Our Prius came with Potenza tires, which have a treadwear rating of 160
> (!) - those really were "nail magnets." We had more punctures with those
> in two years than we had altogether in a 2-car family for more than 20
> years. I think the soft compound let road debris get a perch and work its
> way into the tire. The Pirellis we put on haven't had a puncture yet.
>
> Mike
>