Yokohama A-Drive Reviews

inder · 27th August 2010, 17:49

went to the tyre dealer,he checked the tyres and checked the allignment.
He said it is due to ball joints going bad,suggested to replace them ASAP.What do you guys suggest?

here are the pics:

NOS Power · 27th August 2010, 18:04

The dealer is absolutely right. Replace them immediately.

Also get your suspension components checked, like bearings, bushes, joints, arms etc. Imperfections in these components leads to excessive and uneven wear.

Hatari · 27th August 2010, 18:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by inder

Can anyone provide me the contact details of Yokohama india or their website.I had changed my stock santro tyres last year to yokohama 165/65/13. And after ~12k Km the front tyres are spoilt.I can see steel/metal threads on both the front tyres on the inside.What might be the problem,I am going to the tyre dealer today.

This is a no if delhi, he'l give you the local no

Yokohama
Gaurav Mahajan
011-66032066 ext 166.

Jaggu · 27th August 2010, 19:21

Fix that suspension ASAP and replace the tyres. Its dangerous to drive around in those, especially in this rainy season.

kpzen · 27th August 2010, 23:00

Inder

Those tires are in horrible shape, don't even think of calling Yokohama for this...
Replace them and get the suspension checked immediately.

Didn't you get the alignment and balancing done in 12k kms ?

inder · 28th August 2010, 10:44

Alright guys,thanks for your views,will get the suspensions rectified and then change the tyres. Is it ok if I opt for other brand on the front 2 tyres? also is it ok to keep the front stock(155) and rear 165. Have been quoted 1100 for replacing ball joints,is it ok?

sukiwa · 28th August 2010, 19:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by inder

Is it ok if I opt for other brand on the front 2 tyres?

You can opt for different brand of tyres. But, ensure that you have same brand (& model as well) of tyres on front & rear axle.

Mount new tyres on rear axle, read here. Move existing Yokos from rear to front. Carry out tyre rotation correctly if not done so far.

Quote:

also is it ok to keep the front stock(155) and rear 165.

Keep same profile on front & rear axle. One wouldn't gain anything with difference in tyre widths in Santro. And price difference isn't that much.

glidealong · 30th August 2010, 00:00

Almost covered 1K after the upgrade to 185-70-14 on my swift vdi stock rim, here is what i think about the A-drives

1. OSM grip - the car definitely feels rooted to the ground. I say this because I did a high range trip to Bonacaud and the tyres held the ground in torrential rain on very curvy roads at a speed of more than 70 KPH. The old JKs used to skid at around 70KPH on the same roads on a bright sunny afternoon. Details of the travelogue at http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...-bonacaud.html
2. More cushiony
3. Quiter.
4. Better looks
5. Better braking.
6. Stepped down feedback, earlier i used to feel the potholes on my hands on the steering, now it's more muffled.

On the worrying side, whenever I take a look at the tyres I kinda see some visible bruises which makes me think if I am gonna change this in another 20K.. Maybe the softer rubber, only time will tell if Yoko A drives will last as much as the stock JKs(47.5K)

anoop.mathew · 30th August 2010, 10:00

Are there different models in the Yokohama A-drive series? I have heard of AA01 and A300 patterns - is it just a difference in the pattern or there different uses as well?

I would like to upgrade to tubeless on my Santro Xing. I would like to upsize to 165/65/R13, if I can do it on stock steel rims. If not, I'll go for 155/70/R13. I am looking for comfort, durability (Michelin XM1+ seems to have a high incidence of sidewall damage), low road noise and fuel efficiency. They will mostly be used for an office commute on Mumbai roads (SakiVihar, JVLR, Andheri-Kurla Rd), which are notorious for sharp metal edges to the manholes.

I am being quoted Rs.2680/tyre for AA01 in Mumbai. Is that a good deal? The quotes for the other tyres I considered are

Michelin XM1+ - 2925
Turanza ER60 - 3000
Apollo Accelere - 2750

Advice on what is the best option would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for your time.

kpzen · 30th August 2010, 12:34

AA01 = A drives
A300 = ASPEC series

Both are good comfort oriented tires. A300 is only better than A drives in terms of road noise. The pattern of A300 is such, that it will look smaller than A drives.

The prices quoted are on the higher side. Check with some dealer also.

anoop.mathew · 31st August 2010, 09:51

Thanks, kpzen, for your prompt response. I'll go with AA01 for now, as it seems to be a proven tyre on Indian roads.

The prices quoted were from Saifee Tyres, which is highly recommended at T-BHP. Looks like the prices have increased recently. Please do let me know if there is a reliable dealer offering it at a lesser price.

vkochar · 31st August 2010, 11:27

I am going in for A Drives 185/65/R14 on my verna stock rims this week.

Hope I am making a right decision. The stock tyres 175 bridgestones lasted more than 40k and am very happy.

Duration in Kilometre wise I assume the Yokos going To give me 35k + at least !

Sugeestions / advise welcome.

cityvic · 31st August 2010, 18:41

I recently got Yokohama A drives for my NHC.

They costed me around 3.5k per tire.

The grip has considerable improved alot.

The cabin is much more silent now too.

These tires are way better than the stock S322s,which lasted for 55k.

Atlast a good investment.

buntydey · 8th September 2010, 22:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by glidealong

Almost covered 1K after the upgrade to 185-70-14 on my swift vdi stock rim, here is what i think about the A-drives

1. OSM grip - the car definitely feels rooted to the ground. I say this because I did a high range trip to Bonacaud and the tyres held the ground in torrential rain on very curvy roads at a speed of more than 70 KPH. The old JKs used to skid at around 70KPH on the same roads on a bright sunny afternoon. Details of the travelogue at http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...-bonacaud.html
2. More cushiony
3. Quiter.
4. Better looks
5. Better braking.
6. Stepped down feedback, earlier i used to feel the potholes on my hands on the steering, now it's more muffled.

+1. Did almost 3K on my new Yoko A drives, and so far its a positive feedback from me (knock on wood).

adityarao · 20th September 2010, 13:50

I upsized by Swift Vxi stock JK to Yoko 185/70 R14 at Xenex Hyderabad (near HITEC City) yesterday. After tough negotiations, I could get it down to 3350/- each for A-Drive + Wheel Balancing/Alignment - total of 13,400/- + 500/- = 13,900/-.

He claimed 2 price increases over the last 2 months and said that this is the best deal I could get. Is this a reasonable deal?

But, I must confess that it feels like heaven after being on the hard JK tyres, which came on for close to 45k (about 4yrs).

27th August 2010, 17:49	#316
inder BHPian Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: nagpur Posts: 388 Thanked: 101 Times	went to the tyre dealer,he checked the tyres and checked the allignment. He said it is due to ball joints going bad,suggested to replace them ASAP.What do you guys suggest? here are the pics: Attached Thumbnails Last edited by inder : 27th August 2010 at 17:55.
	() Thanks

27th August 2010, 18:04	#317
NOS Power BHPian Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Kolkata Posts: 404 Thanked: 81 Times View My Garage	The dealer is absolutely right. Replace them immediately. Also get your suspension components checked, like bearings, bushes, joints, arms etc. Imperfections in these components leads to excessive and uneven wear.
	() Thanks

27th August 2010, 19:21	#319
Jaggu Team-BHP Support Join Date: May 2004 Location: Bangalore Posts: 20,370 Thanked: 17,303 Times	Fix that suspension ASAP and replace the tyres. Its dangerous to drive around in those, especially in this rainy season.
	() Thanks

27th August 2010, 23:00	#320
kpzen Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Faridabad Posts: 5,608 Thanked: 1,883 Times View My Garage	Inder Those tires are in horrible shape, don't even think of calling Yokohama for this... Replace them and get the suspension checked immediately. Didn't you get the alignment and balancing done in 12k kms ?
	() Thanks

28th August 2010, 10:44	#321
inder BHPian Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: nagpur Posts: 388 Thanked: 101 Times	Alright guys,thanks for your views,will get the suspensions rectified and then change the tyres. Is it ok if I opt for other brand on the front 2 tyres? also is it ok to keep the front stock(155) and rear 165. Have been quoted 1100 for replacing ball joints,is it ok?
	() Thanks

30th August 2010, 00:00	#323
glidealong BHPian Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Trivandrum Posts: 97 Thanked: 9 Times	Almost covered 1K after the upgrade to 185-70-14 on my swift vdi stock rim, here is what i think about the A-drives 1. OSM grip - the car definitely feels rooted to the ground. I say this because I did a high range trip to Bonacaud and the tyres held the ground in torrential rain on very curvy roads at a speed of more than 70 KPH. The old JKs used to skid at around 70KPH on the same roads on a bright sunny afternoon. Details of the travelogue at http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...-bonacaud.html 2. More cushiony 3. Quiter. 4. Better looks 5. Better braking. 6. Stepped down feedback, earlier i used to feel the potholes on my hands on the steering, now it's more muffled. On the worrying side, whenever I take a look at the tyres I kinda see some visible bruises which makes me think if I am gonna change this in another 20K.. Maybe the softer rubber, only time will tell if Yoko A drives will last as much as the stock JKs(47.5K) Last edited by glidealong : 30th August 2010 at 00:01.
	() Thanks

30th August 2010, 10:00	#324
anoop.mathew BHPian Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Bangalore Posts: 92 Thanked: 46 Times	Different models in Yokohama A-drives? Are there different models in the Yokohama A-drive series? I have heard of AA01 and A300 patterns - is it just a difference in the pattern or there different uses as well? I would like to upgrade to tubeless on my Santro Xing. I would like to upsize to 165/65/R13, if I can do it on stock steel rims. If not, I'll go for 155/70/R13. I am looking for comfort, durability (Michelin XM1+ seems to have a high incidence of sidewall damage), low road noise and fuel efficiency. They will mostly be used for an office commute on Mumbai roads (SakiVihar, JVLR, Andheri-Kurla Rd), which are notorious for sharp metal edges to the manholes. I am being quoted Rs.2680/tyre for AA01 in Mumbai. Is that a good deal? The quotes for the other tyres I considered are Michelin XM1+ - 2925 Turanza ER60 - 3000 Apollo Accelere - 2750 Advice on what is the best option would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for your time.
	() Thanks

30th August 2010, 12:34	#325
kpzen Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Faridabad Posts: 5,608 Thanked: 1,883 Times View My Garage	AA01 = A drives A300 = ASPEC series Both are good comfort oriented tires. A300 is only better than A drives in terms of road noise. The pattern of A300 is such, that it will look smaller than A drives. The prices quoted are on the higher side. Check with some dealer also.
	() Thanks

31st August 2010, 09:51	#326
anoop.mathew BHPian Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Bangalore Posts: 92 Thanked: 46 Times	Thanks, kpzen, for your prompt response. I'll go with AA01 for now, as it seems to be a proven tyre on Indian roads. The prices quoted were from Saifee Tyres, which is highly recommended at T-BHP. Looks like the prices have increased recently. Please do let me know if there is a reliable dealer offering it at a lesser price.
	() Thanks

31st August 2010, 11:27	#327
vkochar Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Delhi / Agra / London Posts: 2,159 Thanked: 907 Times View My Garage	I am going in for A Drives 185/65/R14 on my verna stock rims this week. Hope I am making a right decision. The stock tyres 175 bridgestones lasted more than 40k and am very happy. Duration in Kilometre wise I assume the Yokos going To give me 35k + at least ! Sugeestions / advise welcome.
	() Thanks

31st August 2010, 18:41	#328
cityvic Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Calcutta Posts: 1,764 Thanked: 3,391 Times View My Garage	I recently got Yokohama A drives for my NHC. They costed me around 3.5k per tire. The grip has considerable improved alot. The cabin is much more silent now too. These tires are way better than the stock S322s,which lasted for 55k. Atlast a good investment.
	() Thanks

20th September 2010, 13:50	#330
adityarao Newbie Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 18 Thanked: 6 Times	I upsized by Swift Vxi stock JK to Yoko 185/70 R14 at Xenex Hyderabad (near HITEC City) yesterday. After tough negotiations, I could get it down to 3350/- each for A-Drive + Wheel Balancing/Alignment - total of 13,400/- + 500/- = 13,900/-. He claimed 2 price increases over the last 2 months and said that this is the best deal I could get. Is this a reasonable deal? But, I must confess that it feels like heaven after being on the hard JK tyres, which came on for close to 45k (about 4yrs).
	() Thanks