[bking]

Hello Guys,

I am in a big dilemma right now and would require your expert advice to move further ahead. Let me explain my problem statement and then pose 2 viable solutions. I would like to know the pros and cons of both.

I drive a 2018 Ford Figo TDCI Titanium and I changed its rims on the day of delivery itself. For close to a year and a half, I was running on MOMO Revenge Concave with Conti MC5 195/55. Whilst on this set, I had to change 2 tyres due to sidewall cuts and the rim width of 7.5J ensured somewhat bad ride quality but superb handling and high-speed stability. I didn't have a great experience with the rims as 2 of them got bent as well at medium speed impacts on pot holes.

When I was finally tired of driving a car that could never be properly balanced, I decided to change my rims in 2019 and changed to HRS rims of 6.5J width. The steering vibrations never went away even after various rounds of alignment balancing through multiple shops. I even bought a set of hub rings from the UK but they made no difference at all. The car also lost 3 tyres to sidewall cuts, one at highway speeds (pothole), one at city speeds (no pothole, no idea how the sidewall got cut), one due to low air pressure. The rims also didn't last great and now I stand with 2 bents rims again. My tyres are also not in great shape and I am again looking at changing all 4 tyres and rims.

I find it very hard to believe that just potholes can do so much damage to these expensive rims that I know feel like I have wasted my hard-earned money on.


Now I want to understand what should be my next course of action, I would like to stay in the 15-inch category and not move above or below. The options that I see are as below:

1. I migrate to 15-inch steel rims, they cost much cheaper (4k for a set of 4 as compared to 25-35k)

2. I migrate to 15-inch freestyle alloys, they are available at Ford for 23k + fitting (which is going to be exorbitant I believe)


What I am looking for:

1. A steering vibration(wobble) free drive above 80kmph (Have sorely missed this since my first set of revenge got bent, could never come back from it)

2. On par performance/grip levels, I believe that tyres are the most important component of one's car and I want my braking power and grip to be top notch.

3. High-speed stability and excellent highway manners, I like to do a lot of cross country road trips.

3. To not waste money, I've already spent 1.25L+ on these tyres and a new set of alloys plus tyres will cost me another 50k.


Advice on tyres:

- Should I stick to Conti MC5 195/55 R15 even when I've lost 6+ tyres to just sidewall cuts? The only reason I've been going back is that they offer superior grip levels and my dealer has been able to get me a goodwill warranty on 4 out of those 6 cut pieces and I've gotten replacements at 50% price. (Bear in mind that most tyres well driven less than 15k when they got cut and had 60-70% tread)

This also means that in the past 65k km, I've never really changed the entire set of 4 tyres which probably means uneven tread levels (does that cause vibrations?).

- Should I retain the tyre size or should I switch to a higher profile?
185/60 R15 or 195/60 R15 or 195/60 R14?
I am really confused. I was keen on low profile tyres when I bought the car but now it is majorly used for my office commute and outstation trips and I most drive sedately with some spirited rides that occur maybe once or twice in a couple of months.

- Soft compound or hard compound? Should I opt for Michelin/Conti/Yoko considering the experience that I have had with soft compound tyres or should I switch to Goodyear/Apollo/MRF/Ceat etc. that also offer unconditional warranties.


To bring things in perspective for one last time, in terms of money:

1. A set of soft compound tyres, 195/55 R15 / 195/60 R15 + 15-inch alloys from Ford (Freestyle ones) will cost me approximately 50k.

2. A set of soft compound tyres, 195/55 R15 / 195/60 R15 + 15-inch steel rims from Ford (Freestyle ones) will cost me approximately 30k.

3. A set of hard compound tyres, 185/60 R15 / 195/60 R15 + 15-inch steel rims from Ford (Freestyle ones) will cost me approximately 25k.


The car is going to stay with me for another 2 years and is going to see a running of anywhere from 30k to 40k km in that time frame.

Please advise, I just want to feel the same way I felt when I used to drive this car before my first set of alloys got bent. Vibration-free, planted at all sorts of speeds and extremely stable.

Thank you for taking your time to read this.

[gkveda]

Within 3 years of ownership, if you had to change 2 sets of rims due to bends or cracks and 2 sets of tires due to cuts in sidewalls, then, below are the most dubious factors that might have contributed.

1. Quality of alloy wheels.
2. Quality of tires
3. Quality of roads
4. Quality of driving

Since first 2 have been changed multiple times in last few years, but still did not solve the problem, they can be eliminated as most contributing factors. Or if local or china made, low quality tires and alloys are used when changing the damaged ones, you may have to relook at considering only high quality alloys and tires from reputed brands like bridge stone or Yokohama or Michelin (I don't think you get Michelin brand now)

Now coming to quality of roads, it is the same for all vehicles that run in your locality. I am not sure if most cars in your location have same issue of cracked wheels or side wall cut tires. If not, the only issue that personally I feel could be the factor for the issue is, quality of driving. (No offense meant)

Please look at your driving style. May be you are used to driving on smooth roads very swiftly and the same practice may be causing issues when you drive on pot holes with same style.

Or the way you cross humps, the way you brake the car, the way accelerate car, the load the car carries most of the times, many factors are there that causes the issues mentioned.

Also, the issue that you have not mentioned - shocks need to be checked thoroughly once. If the shocks are also impacted, all the eyes from my side would be pointing wards driving style and redefining it.

I may be sounding harsh but please don't miss out on the points mentioned

[Tgo]

The logical way to proceed, for me would be

- to revert to stock set of steel rims
- good indian made tyres (Apollo Alnac 4G) in stock size or one size up
- test thoroughly to see whether the wobble was from rims/tyres or whether there is some issue with suspension / wheel bearings
- once the wobbling is sorted, space out the rims a bit, colour-up those steelies to look the part
- live with a reliable and robust setup and replace the tyres a little early next time if there can be no compromise on grip

Wider rims and spacers, unless done with correct offset, tend to pound on the suspension extra hard. The problem may not be the rims and tyres, it could be the suspension components too.

Whatever you do, this one is going to be the last set you spend on for the time the car will be with you.

[bking]

Originally Posted by gkveda

Within 3 years of ownership, if you had to change 2 sets of rims due to bends or cracks and 2 sets of tires due to cuts in sidewalls, then, below are the most dubious factors that might have contributed...

I understand where you are coming from but let me elucidate the history of my tyre cuts.

- Tyre no. 1 & 2 got cut by almost invisible sharp objects coming out of the steps of houses in the street that I park my car in. Where I live, the streets are extremely cramped and hence these were made whilst manoeuvring.

- Tyre no. 3 was cut whilst coming back from Jaipur to Delhi when the car hit a pothole at 80kmph.

- Tyre no. 4 was a sidewall cut which god knows how it happened because I was driving on the outer ring road which has zero potholes and at just 60kmph since there are speed cams all over.

- Tyre no. 5 was due to my negligence since I drove an almost flat tyre from my house to the puncture shop only to find out that the tyre has been cut.


The suspension was checked at the recent service and seems to be doing okay, I don't hear any weird noises. There was a khat khat sound from the right side of the suspension which was diagnosed to be the steering rack and was replaced 3 months ago under warranty.

[landcruiser123]

If you want minimum cost, stick to OEM steel wheels and buy quality tires for the OEM size. If you feel the necessity, try getting slightly wider tires.

Your variant (Titanium) came with alloys as stock. Informed buyers might try negotiating hard for the lack of alloys.

[greenhorn]

Originally Posted by Tgo

The logical way to proceed, for me would be

- to revert to stock set of steel rims
- good indian made tyres (Apollo Alnac 4G) in stock size or one size up
-

Alnac is among the softer compound Indian models, and does have a reputation for sidewall cuts. If you want ruggedness, look at the mainstream Bridgestone stuff (my s322 were rock hard) or at Goodyear/yoko. My Earth 1 have been much better than my aspire so far.

[mav3r1ckblu3]

Originally Posted by bking

The car is going to stay with me for another 2 years and is going to see a running of anywhere from 30k to 40k km in that time frame.

Please advise, I just want to feel the same way I felt when I used to drive this car before my first set of alloys got bent. Vibration-free, planted at all sorts of speeds and extremely stable.

Thank you for taking your time to read this.

Diesel engines tend to be heavier as compared to Petrol engines. Hence most of the cars with Diesel engines come with an inch less radius wheels, and tyres with increased side profile as compared to their petrol cousins. E.g. The Tigor Diesel came with 14 inch wheels and tyre profile of 175/65 as compared to the Tigor Petrol which came with 15 inch wheels and tyre profile of 175/60.

Coming back to your case, I believe your OEM size was 175/65 R14 and you upsized them to 195/55 R15, which is definitely within the upsizing norms, however, any change in tyre profile comes at the cost of ride quality, the lesser the profile the more bumpier the ride and vice-versa, on our roads. The tyre pressure is also very important and under-inflation or over-inflation could also be the reason for the damages you've listed. Also, it's always recommended to fill the tyres when they're cold, in order for them to show the right tyre pressure being filled in them.

I'd suggest stick to the OEM size, or if you do need more width go for 185/65 R14 (if OEM is 175/65 R14). You can go with Continental ContiComfortContact CC5, which I personally use on my car, and has an even balance of soft compound ride quality and sturdiness.

I also found a short review of these in another thread:
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/tyre-...ml#post4870043 (Ford Figo / Aspire : Tyre & Wheel Upgrade Thread)


Happy hunting!

[ike]

Originally Posted by bking

2. I migrate to 15-inch freestyle alloys, they are available at Ford for 23k + fitting (which is going to be exorbitant I believe)

This is what I'd do. Since you are changing your tyres as well, get the fitting done at the tyre shop. Why let Ford charge you for this?

[Kosfactor]

Please do not throw more money at this problem yet.

Fill the tires cold air pressure to the recommendation on the door sticker, remove them and inspect both sides. If the tire looks evenly worn (you check the depth on either side of the thread) and there are no bulges etc it's most likely okay. Inspect the rims for any bends. Now put the tires back and tighten it properly.

Go for a drive and see if it tracks straight and there are not unusual vibrations, if there is, use the tbhp directory to find a competent alignment shop, ask the technician there to test drive the vehicle first before doing the alignment or balancing, if he is an experienced person, it should be easy to identify what the problem is.

[bhphog]

I drive the same car but lowered on Eibachs, have thought multiple times about switching to a branded set of Momo's or Lenso's but stayed away due to this exact reason.

My 2 cents, get either stock Figo's 15" or Ecosport's 16" alloys with Yokohama Earth 1 tyres, provided you know what width and profile fits with the alloys.

Get the steering rack aligned from Ford. Have the rods in the rack tightened.
You will be good to go.

[Indian2003]

Originally Posted by bking

Hello Guys,

I am in a big dilemma right now and would require your expert advice to move further ahead. Let me explain my problem statement and then pose 2 viable solutions. I would like to know the pros and cons of both.

Nothing is wrong with your alloys or tyres. They are not made to run into pot holes at speed.

I have 8 alloys that has been on car since 2002 and driven hundreds of thousands of kilometers. One set is put on every 6 months. I have had them straightened and powder coated once.

Try this new driving style. Look far ahead when you drive and you will see the potholes before you run into them. That way you will see the dangers before they surprise you.

If you eat alloys, you should get the cheapest steels you can buy until you learn to look after your car.

[ash22]

2. A set of soft compound tyres, 195/55 R15 / 195/60 R15 + 15-inch steel rims from Ford (Freestyle ones) will cost me approximately 30k.

Go for this setup. This will easily last you for 40k kms.
Easy on the pocket and good grip/ride quality with soft compound tyres.
Ride safe.

[bking]

Originally Posted by ash22

Go for this setup. This will easily last you for 40k kms.
Easy on the pocket and good grip/ride quality with soft compound tyres.
Ride safe.

I am inclined towards this setup as well but the only thing that is holding me back is that most soft compound tyres don't come with unconditional warranties. Can you suggest to me a good tyre that offers a combination of grip+ride quality+warranty?

Originally Posted by Kosfactor

Please do not throw more money at this problem yet.

I went to Ford ASC last Saturday and was told that the suspension is completely fine. We lifted the car up and the advisor showed me that two of the rims were bent, 2 tyres are at their last legs and out of the 2 new tyres, one of them has cuts in the tread which is another major reason that is causing all these vibrations. I am looking at getting a new brand of tyres because my experience with these Continental MC5 has been subpar apart from the grip levels that they offer.

[Kosfactor]

Originally Posted by bking

I went to Ford ASC last Saturday and was told that the suspension is completely fine. We lifted the car up and the advisor showed me that two of the rims were bent, 2 tyres are at their last legs and out of the 2 new tyres, one of them has cuts in the tread which is another major reason that is causing all these vibrations. I am looking at getting a new brand of tyres because my experience with these Continental MC5 has been subpar apart from the grip levels that they offer.

This level of damage happens due to low air pressure, according to my experience, even with severe use a properly inflated tire is all that is needed to avoid damage like this in most cases.

If the bent rims can be repaired without affecting the seal, go ahead, or else replace them. For tires, replace them all with a new set from any of the popular brands, a hot favorite now is Earth1 from Yokohama, seems to work well for our roads, just like Bridgestone but a bit cheaper.

Whatever combination you go for, remember to maintain cold air pressure according to factory spec for your tire size - check every week, the smaller the profile the more often you need to check and maintain it, not a single PSi more or less and it should not give you much trouble. Under inflation is going to kill the wheel and tire very quickly. We are using MC5 205 / R16 size on Ciaz, 195 on Figo etc since many years, its a good tire, but wont suit vehicles that already have a firm ride.

[bking]

Originally Posted by Kosfactor

This level of damage happens due to low air pressure, according to my experience, even with severe use a properly inflated tire is all that is needed to avoid damage like this in most cases.

If the bent rims can be repaired without affecting the seal, go ahead, or else replace them. For tires, replace them all with a new set from any of the popular brands, a hot favorite now is Earth1 from Yokohama, seems to work well for our roads, just like Bridgestone but a bit cheaper.

Whatever combination you go for, remember to maintain cold air pressure according to factory spec for your tire size - check every week, the smaller the profile the more often you need to check and maintain it, not a single PSi more or less and it should not give you much trouble. Under inflation is going to kill the wheel and tire very quickly. We are using MC5 205 / R16 size on Ciaz, 195 on Figo etc since many years, its a good tire, but wont suit vehicles that already have a firm ride.

I keep my tyres at 30 psi since mostly I am driving alone, I believe the recommended pressure is around 33psi. I am guilty of not checking my tyre pressure on a weekly basis and will keep that as a practice going forwards.