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Michelin XWX

Started by jbrasile, 19 March 2012, 12:31 AM

Type17

Quote from: Kjhall65 on 23 March 2012, 11:25 PM
I don't know about other states in Aust, but in the ACT you can't get the car passed for rego if the tires are more than 10 years old...


That's similar to the Irish NCT (National Car Test) - any tyre can fail on tread-depth, damage, cracking, etc, but if the tyre is over 6 years of age, you get a warning note on the result sheet advising that it is old and should be changed (although the car still passes if all other aspects of the tyre(s) are ok).


The 12 year-old Michelins will be hard and slippery in the wet - the only use that I can see for them is for vehicles in a museum, where they are on display, and only go out on dry days at less than 40 MPH / 60 Km/h.


Here's a page about tyres, which mentions age (note the 116 story halfway down!) http://www.carbibles.com/tyre_bible.html
'76 350SE in Silver-Green

littlefin

Quote from: Type17 on 24 March 2012, 03:29 AM
Quote from: Kjhall65 on 23 March 2012, 11:25 PM
I don't know about other states in Aust, but in the ACT you can't get the car passed for rego if the tires are more than 10 years old...

That's similar to the Irish NCT (National Car Test) - any tyre can fail on tread-depth, damage, cracking, etc, but if the tyre is over 6 years of age, you get a warning note on the result sheet advising that it is old and should be changed (although the car still passes if all other aspects of the tyre(s) are ok).


That's very interesting. In the UK MOT test there is no age-related check on tyres, only checks on :

Condition, security, tyre size and type and tread depth. Spare tyres are not inspected.

In reality I have only ever experienced tyres to fail the test on tread depth or damage to sidewalls
110011 1967 230
108057 1972 280SE3.5
116024 1979 280SE
126037 1983 500SEL
124030 1989 300E

Casey

Quote from: Type17 on 24 March 2012, 03:29 AM
Here's a page about tyres, which mentions age (note the 116 story halfway down!) http://www.carbibles.com/tyre_bible.html

Heh,
"It's better to have something that will fail at speeds and stress levels you physically can't achieve, than have something that will fail if you nudge over 60mph with a six pack in the trunk."

carl888

Unfortunately I've not driven a car that was designed with the XWX as standard that drove as well with anything else.  Annoying for me, I have three XWX equipped cars.  Grrrrrrr.  The nice thing about them is they have a very soft compound.  If you look at the sidewall, the treadwear index is just 100.  (Compare that with a 4WD tyre at 350, or a slick at 40, most street tyres are about 250).  The other factor is they just look so right on the rims, the curvature of the sidewall is perfect.  Oh, and whilst marked "V" rated, they are really W rated, 270 km/h, they keep the "V" on the side simply for cosmetics.  I have been buying them for about 15 years, all made in France, except for the last lot I bought early this year, they had "Made in Serbia" on the sidewall!  I have to say, they did balance beautifully, so no quality control issues from this new factory it seems.

I've done 42,500 kms in the W126 and that set of tyres would have maybe 5,000 kms left in them, so for that compound I am staggered at the mileage.  Of course a 280SE doesn't have any power, so the rear is looked after better than say a 6.9!

You do have to be a bit careful fitting them, the last pics shows an XWX on the tyre changer.  Because the moulding process tends to make the sidewalls curve in and therefore not seal, you need to blast the bead with an air tank pressurised to 120 PSI  to "Pop" the sidewalls outward and seal enough whilst you hold you foot on the inflation pedal.  It's actually pretty dangerous, I wear a mask goggles and gloves much to the amusement of the troglodytes I share workshop space with.  You can see the tank I use in the bottom of the frame in the last pic.












carl888

The other 205/70-14 that a friend tested (Whos opinion I trust) is the Vredstein.  Also a V rating, and period looking too.  It's supposed to be very good:

http://www.vredestein.com/Banden_Bandtypes.asp?BandgroepID=5&BandtoepassingID=0&BandtypeID=17&PageID=2&Rimsize=14&UserSessionID=7326472

Type17

I have the Vredesteins on my car, and they are very good. I would have had to pay about US$2,000 for XWX's, so the Vredesteins are a great compromise, at about half that price. The only other options at the time were from budget brand tyre makes like Nangkang or Maxxis.


I have no direct experience of Michelins on my car (apart from 26-year-old ones!), but the Vredesteins fall well above what is acceptable, providing great grip in both wet and dry, a nice classic look, and they are very airtight, only losing about 2 psi over about 2 months.
'76 350SE in Silver-Green

mrkozzy

Carl888, where in Melbourne are the Vredesteins available? Any particular franchise, or is it specialist suppliers only?
Not having purchased tyres for years, I've  lost touch with who carries what.
I'm running old Michelins also, however I think the time has come to get more practicle with my next tyre purchase.
MrKozzy

carl888

Try here Mr. Kozzy:

http://www.antiquetyres.com.au/

And make sure you bring your car on the 29th. OK!


jbrasile

Hi Carl,

Thank you very much for your opinion as a long time XWX user. It really is a pity that the tires I found here in Brazil are 12 years old... to import brand new ones through the local Coker Tire agent would cost around US$1200.00 a tire! I may still do it for my clients 450SLC which is going to be a Concurs car but I was planning on getting a set for my 450SEL too... oh well...

Tks,

Joe


etmerritt33

I had XWX's on several Porsche 911S cars in the early 70's. I loved them but you had to be mindful of their limitations. They were not good in the wet and wore like crazy. The sidewalls were the stiffest of any tire I have ever seen. So, they gave a sensation of being on rails but with the 911 rear weight bias when they broke they did so suddenly. They were known for dry handling, high speed stability, and those ultra stiff sidewalls.

I have contacted Michelin about the new versions from Coker. They have modern tire compounds and some changes to belts. The thread pattern is obviously the same. So, they may wear better than the old versions. They also have a higher speed rating than the original versions. Also, Michelin confirmed to me that Coker is the only company that has the OEM molds and is authorized by Michelin to make the XWX's. I found another company in Europe on the internet that was selling new XWX's but when I asked them several times if they were authorized through Michelin they never responded.

I recently had a dilemma with tires for my 6.9. I tried really hard to rationalize buying a new set of XWX's from Coke but at close to $ 600 each for a wear item like a tire? I just could not bring myself to do it as I use my car. Only wish Michelin had not dumped the XWX and was still making them at an affordable price. I would love to have a set for my 6.9.

Hope this helps.

carl888

Joe....have a look at Longstone tyres UK.  If you ask nicely, they will ship the tyres to you for free, there is a special on at the moment.  I didn't realise they were that expensive in Brasil. 

As for Coker, I was under the impression that Coker XWXs were for the USA market only.  All mine in the last 15 years have come from France.  Except for this last lot, that came from Serbia!

Type17

As mentioned in the Random Pic of your car thread, I got to drive a 6.9 today, and it had XWX's on it.


After driving both cars on similar roads (winding rural roads, part-damp, and with farmyard mud in places, as well as on dry highway with a 100km/h (62mph) limit), and allowing for the different weights and suspension systems, I would rate the two tyres fairly similarly for grip and handling, but I have to say that the XWXs do look a lot better.


In the pics, the Gold 6.9 wears 215/70/R14 XWXs, and my green 350 wears 205/70R14 Vredestein Sprint Classics:





'76 350SE in Silver-Green

jbrasile

Type 17,

The more I look at 116's wearing XWS's the more I want a set.... drove the 450 this afternoon and I have to admit that the bloody Kuhmos give the car a superb ride though....

Carl, thanks for the tip on Longstone Tyres in the UK, I will contact them if I decide to do something crazy...

Tks,

Joe