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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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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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Replying to: escapenut (Dec 30, 2004 5:43 am) |
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| My 2004, started rattling at about 2000 miles. The dealer installed the kit and it was quiet for about another 1000 miles. Now it rattles on and off, but the loud squeak is there after every bump. At 2300 miles the charcoal canister failed, then the vent hose to the canister cracked a week later, the catalytic converter needed replacement after that and then the air mixture fuel sensor failed at 3300 miles. The squeal sound started at 400 miles and is still there. At 4500 miles now no new problems, but I'm disappointed with the RAV and wonder what will fail next. | |
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As promised, here is the kit # that the dealer used to fix the complete dash rattle : 08231-00801, Noise Kit. So far so good on my wife's '03 RAV4 with the kit. It's been over a week now and seems to be working. The RAV4 has so far been good otherwise,; sorry to hear that some of you have had mechanical problems. You normally don't think of a vehicle assemble in Japan as having that many problems, but it does happen. I've got an '01 Ford Escape and don't have the rattles that the RAV had. But I've had other issues with my Escape too, but it's been a good vehicle so far for me.
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Replying to: escapenut (Jan 03, 2005 7:07 am) |
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