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SUVs Toyota RAV4 Toyota RAV4 pre-2006
2123 messages, Last post on Aug 20, 2009 at 7:57 PM
You are in the Toyota RAV4 Forum. Your Hosts are steve_ & tidester
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To repeat what I wrote back in 11/01 (just a couple posts before the dudleyr post that Steve_Host linked us to above), the way the magazine (R&T? C&D? Autoweek?) article described it was as follows: A constant vehicle weight and a constant inflation pressure will lead to a contact patch that is the same area (total square inches), no matter what the tires' aspects are. The thing that varies is the shape or configuration of the contact patch (narrower/longer v. wider/shorter). And narrower/longer is better in the wet stuff because it has to fight its way thru less of it, and disperses it out to the side of the tire better than a wider/shorter tire. Net result: If you are more concerned about wet traction, the narrower tire is the better choice. |
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Replying to: 01rav4owner (Dec 09, 2003 12:38 am) |
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Just got new 2005 L package two weeks ago. I like the car but the standard audio equipment sucks of course. I'm having the speakers replaced with MB Quart components in front and Infinity's in back. Also installing an Alpine XM-Ready Head Unit CDA-9833, and a four channel amp. The Good Guys will be installing this Sunday. No issues with replacing the factory equipment Im told. I am wondering if anyone can speak to the replacing the 215/70R16's tires with the larger 235/60R16's? If anyone has done this can they explain the difference in ride and handling characteristics? And can I keep my factory alloy wheels? The dealer gave me the Toyo Tranpath A-14's, which seem okay so far. However I may change at 15-20 K miles if the handing and ride is signifcantly better with the larger tires. Thanks.
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Replying to: suvshopper4 (Dec 10, 2004 4:35 pm) In snowy conditions, starting and stopping go to wide tires, handling goes to small tires. Agreed hitting a patch of deep snow from a dry road is much easier to navigate with narrow tires. Getting out of a deep patch on a steep hill is much easier with wide tires. So since most of us don't drive around 24x7x365 in a foot or more of snow, wide tires are the better all-around choice.
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Replying to: kdshapiro (Dec 17, 2004 6:13 am) For you, maybe. I agree with the first part, about not needing a tire for driving in the snow full time. But what about in the rain? Narrower tires are better for this too because they have to displace less water/snow than wider tires, as already explained. And the better dry grip that is provided by wider tires, that matters more to someone driving a vehicle at 9/10ths of its limits. Doesn't matter much to me in my everyday driving. As is often stated, all tires are a compromise. I'd rather have the benefit in the sloppy weather. Narrower tires are the better all-around choice for me.
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Replying to: suvshopper4 (Dec 17, 2004 4:21 pm) To some, that may make a difference. |
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Replying to: suvshopper4 (Dec 10, 2004 4:35 pm) In order for the contact patch to be the same regardless of tire width, all tires would have to be made of the same material and have the same sidewall height. Hence the original statement: "Wider tires don't have a larger contact area" is a very conditional one. Switching to a wider tire of the same material and keeping the same sidewall height (not ratio, actual height) will widen the contact patch and shorten it (even then, that ignores the fact that the tire will deform slightly differently due to its different shape and the tread pattern will probably be stretched width wise, but not shortened length wise). Stiffer materials will cause the tire to deform less, decreasing the contact area and increasing the PSI applied to the ground. A shorter sidewall will also allow the tire to deform less with the same result. These are probably the reasons that you want a wider tire when you switch to a larger rim and sportier tires: you're making up for the lost lengthwise contact with widthwise contact. Hopefully you will also realize that getting a "stiffer" (sportier, etc) tire may improve handling, but unless the tread is better, you will lose traction (due to smaller contact area) and therefore lose braking ability and be easier to spin the tires. If you still don't believe, use extremes to disprove: Assume that tire rubber is in fact rigid steel. In this case the contact patch over a flat surface is a line the width of the tire. This is regardless of the pressure of the air in the vehicle. A wider tire will have a larger contact area. Now assume that the tire rubber is similar to a balloon and is easily capable of elongation and stretching. At the same air pressure, the air will move to the top of the tire, elongating and stretching the tire leaving none at the bottom and allowing the rim to touch the ground. The contact area is only as wide as the rim, while the "tire" angles up from the edge of the rim. How about a bicycle tire? The actual rim would have to deform to make the contact area long enough to match a tire 10 times wider. |
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Finally got around to taking my wife's 2003 RAV4 2WD back to the shop for the dash-rattle which first started to mainfest itself a little over a year ago (I was hoping it'd go away... it didn't). The sound was registered and heard by both the Service Manager and examining tech.. The TSB dash noise-rattle kit was used to fix. On the way home, noise came back worse than ever in the dash. Took it back 2-weeks later and they applied a complete dash noise reduction kit per Toyota. They kept the vehicle overnight, took apart the dash completely to apply the foam-pieces and spacers. This seemed to have solved the problem as of yesterday. This work is covered under warranty and if recognized the dealership will fix-it (at least mine did). They did not argue or attempt to pass this off as 'normal', because it was clearly audible. Apparently this seems to be more of extensive problem with RAV's than Toyota wishes to admit. Don't know about the 2005's, but 2000's - 2004's have had the issue with the cowl/dash noise. My wife loves her RAV4, but the noise was driving her crazy. As frustrating as this is, I refrained from being confrontational with the dealership. Instead both times I used firm but soft(er) tones explaining the problem and that I would be disappointed if Toyota had this issue that couldn't be fixed... yada, yada. In this case positive measures prevailed and for now the RAV is noise-free from the dash. We even got a couple of coupons for free-oil changes thrown in for our patience. Actually, I'm disappointed that Toyota has not fixed the problem at the factory from the 2000 model-up, but at least this dealership didn't seem to run from the issue.
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Replying to: escapenut (Dec 29, 2004 12:01 pm) |
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My wife's RAV4 has been ultra-dependable to date other than the dash-rattle which is a major annoyance over rough surface roads. Ironcically, the dash rattle did not start immediately after purchase. I think my wife first heard it and then me about 1 yr. ago. Then is started to become more intrusive. I will admit that it seems to be worse during the colder-winter months. I printed off the cowl-rattle cure for the RAV4 that someone had thoughtfully written, with pictures. I've filed it but may get it out just to review the procedures for the permanent-fix (aftermarket) fix that was formulated just in case it's needed again. Again, the final fix was a dealer applied complete dash-rattle kit from Toyota. I'll try and supply the kit number from the work order sheet next time I post. Admittedly my wife literally starts the car and within 5-mins. she's at work. Not too good for engine warm-up and carbon-deposit build-up. So at least once per week I take it for real warm-up for at least 1/2-hour or more on the freeway somewhere.
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