Maruti Suzuki Swift : Tyre & wheel upgrade thread

goldsun · 15th February 2009, 09:43

I have 185/70/14 on 14 inch alloys on my SWIFT VXi and it has run about 48k KMs. The tyres now look worn out and deserves replacement. I need the following advise from the experts here.

1. Is 50k KMs the expected life of tyres for SWIFT VXi? or should it last longer than 50k KMs?

2. What are the upgrade options that I can opt for, if I were to retain my 14 inch rims?

Thanks in advance.

DieselFan · 15th February 2009, 12:17

1. Each tyre has Tread wear indicator in its grooves that marks 1.3mm of tread left. One that gets exposed it is time for you to change the tyres irrespective of how many kms the tyres have run. you may find more details on this in -

Car Bibles : The Wheel and Tyre Bible Page 1 of 2

2. Ideal size for 14" is 185/70. You may also use 195/70 but this is a non standard tyre and may cost you much higher with minimal additional benefits. I would suggest you stick to 185/70. You may also look at better quality tyres. Let me know which brand of tyres you are using and the type of roads /speeds you typically drive and I can suggest if a change of tyre brand is recommended.

mjkaushal · 15th February 2009, 21:59

hey Dieselfan,

I am running a Swift VXI with 15" lensos with Goodyear's 195/60/15 GT3 tyres, but it makes a lot of " running noise " i.e, rubber beating the road sound . I travel mostly in Bangalore. Can you help me out with this reason with this peculiar noise.

DieselFan · 16th February 2009, 08:44

Hi MJ,

Some tyres do have a high noise while running. Is the noise intermittent?

Can't comment until I hear the noise. Can the noise be recorded and posted.

Fountainheader · 16th February 2009, 10:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by mjkaushal

hey Dieselfan,

I am running a Swift VXI with 15" lensos with Goodyear's 195/60/15 GT3 tyres, but it makes a lot of " running noise " i.e, rubber beating the road sound . I travel mostly in Bangalore. Can you help me out with this reason with this peculiar noise.

mjkaushal,
Most of the performance oriented tyres (Yoko ES100, BFG Sport) do make road noise. So I guess your case is also the same.

Nikhilb2008 · 16th February 2009, 13:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fountainheader

mjkaushal,
Most of the performance oriented tyres (Yoko ES100, BFG Sport) do make road noise. So I guess your case is also the same.

GT3 is not a performance tyre by any stretch of imagination!!

Alexishot · 16th February 2009, 21:43

Hi Team,

Can you guys share your opinion on 205/60 R14 for Swift. How do you think this would perform

Appreciate your help

vikram_d · 16th February 2009, 22:30

Alexishot

205/60-14 will be the wrong upsize. You need to get 205/65-14. But for 205 width tyres you will need minimum 6J rims. 7J is the correct one.

Do you plan to keep stock rims or get alloys?

zensure · 18th February 2009, 14:40

Hello there

This is my first post here in Team-BHP

I have swift VXi ABS, 165/80 R14 with Aura alloy wheel, 14 x 5.5J, offset 32 and 4 bolt. Though run for 16K, thinking of upgrading the tyres since I regularly go to Mangalore via Shiradi, Madikeri or Shimogga/Agumbe. One can find some of the worst roads out there.

Thinking of an upgrade of tyre only and not wheels. I understand that 185/70 R14 shouldn't have any problem with that. I saw in Michelin website Energy XM1+ in 195/70 R14, mentioning the min rim width 5' and recommended 6'. Checked around tyre shops here and not many are aware of this! Does anybody has any idea about this tyre? Will this be a good fit for the alloys I have?

thanks in advance,
suresh

vikram_d · 18th February 2009, 15:37

You can go in for either 185/70 or 195 70. Both of them will do. But for 5.5J rims I would recommend 185/70-14. 195 might balloon from the sides.

goldsun · 23rd February 2009, 09:39

Thanks DieselFan, the link was very informative and useful. My Swift is currently running on Good Year GT770+ 185/70/14. As I have not been consistent in tyre rotation, I have two of the tyres exposing the tyre wear indicators (Front Right and Rear Left). In both these tyres, I see the outer side is worn out more than the inner side. I am not sure if this is a serious concern for me.

Most of my driving is in City 45 kms approx in a day with a max speed of 65 kmph. Occasionally approximately twice a year, I take my Swift for a long drive ( beyond 200 kms) and when on highways, I max to 120 kmph.

Please suggest a good alternative tyre and on the inconsistent wear that I am observing in my Swift.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DieselFan

1. Each tyre has Tread wear indicator in its grooves that marks 1.3mm of tread left. One that gets exposed it is time for you to change the tyres irrespective of how many kms the tyres have run. you may find more details on this in -

Car Bibles : The Wheel and Tyre Bible Page 1 of 2

2. Ideal size for 14" is 185/70. You may also use 195/70 but this is a non standard tyre and may cost you much higher with minimal additional benefits. I would suggest you stick to 185/70. You may also look at better quality tyres. Let me know which brand of tyres you are using and the type of roads /speeds you typically drive and I can suggest if a change of tyre brand is recommended.

zensure · 23rd February 2009, 11:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by vikram_d

You can go in for either 185/70 or 195 70. Both of them will do. But for 5.5J rims I would recommend 185/70-14. 195 might balloon from the sides.

Guys,

Anybody having experience with 195/70 R14 on 5.5J rim for Swift VXi ABS?

Michelin XM1+ 195/70 R14 says min rim 5', recommended 6' and max 6.5'

What other best options I have on 195/xx R14 tyres on 5.5' rim?

thanks

DieselFan · 24th February 2009, 21:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by goldsun

Thanks DieselFan, the link was very informative and useful. My Swift is currently running on Good Year GT770+ 185/70/14. As I have not been consistent in tyre rotation, I have two of the tyres exposing the tyre wear indicators (Front Right and Rear Left). In both these tyres, I see the outer side is worn out more than the inner side. I am not sure if this is a serious concern for me.

If there is uneven tread wear on the outside or inside then it is due to improper alignment or suspension setup. get alignment checked up properly.

Quote:

Originally Posted by goldsun

Most of my driving is in City 45 kms approx in a day with a max speed of 65 kmph. Occasionally approximately twice a year, I take my Swift for a long drive ( beyond 200 kms) and when on highways, I max to 120 kmph.

Please suggest a good alternative tyre and on the inconsistent wear that I am observing in my Swift.

You can do well with 185/70/R14 JK tyres which are stock tyres for ZXI/ZDI, These you can find new at Rs. 1000 a piece from any of the tire replacement folks or folks in this forum who are planning to buy new Swift and want to upgrade their tyres.

rider60 · 2nd March 2009, 23:07

well finally i am upGrading both the tyres and rims on my swift LDi all over again previously i had put 195/60-R15 michelin MXV8 with League alloys, they were Transfered to my RED Beast Viva Crdi.

now i am in luck i found one of the last sets of Honda NHC alloys 14x5.5J from the show room being sold at a discount of 70% well they are FAT-FIVES and i intend to put on 185/70-R14.

now what i need to know is are they Enkei Make?

and i dont intend to spend more than 3200 per tyre in any case, so my choices are narrowed down to
1.continentel eco contact 3 185/70-R14
2.Bridgestone Turanza ER-60
3.Bridgestone Potenza G-III

any other tyre suggestions are also welcome in this size, i chose this profile for comfort over performance, the swift's stock suspension setup was really hard and bad with the 195/60-R15 mxv8 and dad drives this car so i better stick with 70 profile

so guys help me out, and please pardon me i dont have the time and patience to read through the thread now so please answer this query thanks in advance.

mobike008 · 2nd March 2009, 23:15

Yash, good that you finally decided to shod your car with better rubber.

My recommendation would be to stick to ER-60 of the lot as not sure about Continental as they are still new to India and G-3's are more for performance and less for comfort.

Ritesh told me they make some noise on high speed driving.

Btw, did you get the offer of NHC alloys from Ritesh or from the Honda showroom itself? And, i think the tyre size choice is good for comfort.

Also, why dont you look at Michelin XM1+, they are up for grabs at 3.6K/Tyre and now dont tell me you cannot afford that 400 bucks/tyre since its a 2 year investment.

15th February 2009, 09:43	#511
goldsun BHPian Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Mumbai Posts: 229 Thanked: 50 Times	Getting close to replacing tyres for my SWIFT VXi I have 185/70/14 on 14 inch alloys on my SWIFT VXi and it has run about 48k KMs. The tyres now look worn out and deserves replacement. I need the following advise from the experts here. 1. Is 50k KMs the expected life of tyres for SWIFT VXi? or should it last longer than 50k KMs? 2. What are the upgrade options that I can opt for, if I were to retain my 14 inch rims? Thanks in advance. Last edited by goldsun : 15th February 2009 at 09:44. Reason: Corrected grammatical errors
	() Thanks

15th February 2009, 12:17	#512
DieselFan Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,584 Thanked: 260 Times	1. Each tyre has Tread wear indicator in its grooves that marks 1.3mm of tread left. One that gets exposed it is time for you to change the tyres irrespective of how many kms the tyres have run. you may find more details on this in - Car Bibles : The Wheel and Tyre Bible Page 1 of 2 2. Ideal size for 14" is 185/70. You may also use 195/70 but this is a non standard tyre and may cost you much higher with minimal additional benefits. I would suggest you stick to 185/70. You may also look at better quality tyres. Let me know which brand of tyres you are using and the type of roads /speeds you typically drive and I can suggest if a change of tyre brand is recommended.
	() Thanks

15th February 2009, 21:59	#513
mjkaushal BHPian Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: BAngalore Posts: 125 Thanked: 104 Times	hey Dieselfan, I am running a Swift VXI with 15" lensos with Goodyear's 195/60/15 GT3 tyres, but it makes a lot of " running noise " i.e, rubber beating the road sound . I travel mostly in Bangalore. Can you help me out with this reason with this peculiar noise.
	() Thanks

16th February 2009, 08:44	#514
DieselFan Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,584 Thanked: 260 Times	Hi MJ, Some tyres do have a high noise while running. Is the noise intermittent? Can't comment until I hear the noise. Can the noise be recorded and posted.
	() Thanks

16th February 2009, 21:43	#517
Alexishot Newbie Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Pune Posts: 6 Thanked: 0 Times	Hi Team, Can you guys share your opinion on 205/60 R14 for Swift. How do you think this would perform Appreciate your help
	() Thanks

16th February 2009, 22:30	#518
vikram_d Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 2,422 Thanked: 1,189 Times	Alexishot 205/60-14 will be the wrong upsize. You need to get 205/65-14. But for 205 width tyres you will need minimum 6J rims. 7J is the correct one. Do you plan to keep stock rims or get alloys?
	() Thanks

18th February 2009, 14:40	#519
zensure BHPian Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 47 Thanked: 74 Times	Hello there This is my first post here in Team-BHP I have swift VXi ABS, 165/80 R14 with Aura alloy wheel, 14 x 5.5J, offset 32 and 4 bolt. Though run for 16K, thinking of upgrading the tyres since I regularly go to Mangalore via Shiradi, Madikeri or Shimogga/Agumbe. One can find some of the worst roads out there. Thinking of an upgrade of tyre only and not wheels. I understand that 185/70 R14 shouldn't have any problem with that. I saw in Michelin website Energy XM1+ in 195/70 R14, mentioning the min rim width 5' and recommended 6'. Checked around tyre shops here and not many are aware of this! Does anybody has any idea about this tyre? Will this be a good fit for the alloys I have? thanks in advance, suresh
	() Thanks

18th February 2009, 15:37	#520
vikram_d Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 2,422 Thanked: 1,189 Times	You can go in for either 185/70 or 195 70. Both of them will do. But for 5.5J rims I would recommend 185/70-14. 195 might balloon from the sides.
	() Thanks

2nd March 2009, 23:07	#524
rider60 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Bhagyanagaram. (A.K.A. Hyderabad) Posts: 1,619 Thanked: 56 Times View My Garage	well finally i am upGrading both the tyres and rims on my swift LDi all over again previously i had put 195/60-R15 michelin MXV8 with League alloys, they were Transfered to my RED Beast Viva Crdi. now i am in luck i found one of the last sets of Honda NHC alloys 14x5.5J from the show room being sold at a discount of 70% well they are FAT-FIVES and i intend to put on 185/70-R14. now what i need to know is are they Enkei Make? and i dont intend to spend more than 3200 per tyre in any case, so my choices are narrowed down to 1.continentel eco contact 3 185/70-R14 2.Bridgestone Turanza ER-60 3.Bridgestone Potenza G-III any other tyre suggestions are also welcome in this size, i chose this profile for comfort over performance, the swift's stock suspension setup was really hard and bad with the 195/60-R15 mxv8 and dad drives this car so i better stick with 70 profile so guys help me out, and please pardon me i dont have the time and patience to read through the thread now so please answer this query thanks in advance.
	() Thanks

2nd March 2009, 23:15	#525
mobike008 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 12,001 Thanked: 17,178 Times View My Garage	Yash, good that you finally decided to shod your car with better rubber. My recommendation would be to stick to ER-60 of the lot as not sure about Continental as they are still new to India and G-3's are more for performance and less for comfort. Ritesh told me they make some noise on high speed driving. Btw, did you get the offer of NHC alloys from Ritesh or from the Honda showroom itself? And, i think the tyre size choice is good for comfort. Also, why dont you look at Michelin XM1+, they are up for grabs at 3.6K/Tyre and now dont tell me you cannot afford that 400 bucks/tyre since its a 2 year investment.
	() Thanks