Falkens or Continentals On The Rear?

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Lancsbob
Joined: Fri 15 Aug, 2014 16:35
Posts: 256

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Location: Ormskirk

Falkens or Continentals On The Rear?

Post by Lancsbob »

Car just passed MOT :) :) but told rear tyres need replaceing ASAP.
Reading on here that Falkens or Continentals are recommended.
Car does tramline a little.
Came with new Bridgestone's on front
Mines a 2002 2.2.
Any suggestions?

Bob
deni2s
Joined: Mon 25 Mar, 2013 22:02
Posts: 761

  Z3 roadster 2.8

Re: Falkens or Continentals On The Rear?

Post by deni2s »

Don't know about Falkens, but I wasn't convinced by Continentals. Got punctured one wheel somehow fast, and also didn't like the tire wear. Got Pirelli after that, like them better.
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TitanTim
Joined: Mon 23 Jun, 2008 18:56
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  Z3 roadster 1.9i
Location: Stafford

Re: Falkens or Continentals On The Rear?

Post by TitanTim »

When I changed the alloys on the Zed some time ago I went from Michelin Pilot Sports to Falken 452s albeight slightly wider fronts with spacers and the car was never happy, tramlining excessively. I don't think Falkens are a particularly bad brand, they are a budget tyre, but felt not great either and would stick to Michelins in future as a good alrounder for wear and performance. I always thought Continentals were fitted originally at time of production.

Tim.
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siwilson
Joined: Fri 19 Jun, 2009 09:54
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  M roadster S54
Location: Horley

Re: Falkens or Continentals On The Rear?

Post by siwilson »

I would go go with whatever you have on the front if they have plenty of meat on them. Mixing is generally not good.
2001 M roadster S54 Laguna Seca Blue
Bonzo
Joined: Wed 21 Mar, 2012 21:52
Posts: 866

  Z3 roadster 2.8
Location: Norfolk

Re: Falkens or Continentals On The Rear?

Post by Bonzo »

Agreed, did that on Z3lda. She had Avon ZV5's on the rear + Michelin's on the front = tramlining. :cry: Fitted ZV5's on the front, now no tramlining! :D

Bonzo.
Z3lda (Zelda), 1998 2.8, Montreal Blue, Beige Oregon leather interior and M steering wheel, Sports Seats, Wood trim, Chrome Line Interior, Centre armrest with Cupholder, Alpina Softline wheels, Chromed Angel Eyes, De- tango'd, Rear stone guards, Sport aerial, ASC front strut brace, Strong Strut Butt Strut and Body Brace, Uprated brake fluid, Yellowstuff pads 78k.
stevie_a
Joined: Tue 13 Dec, 2011 23:18
Posts: 43

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Location: Glasgow

Re: Falkens or Continentals On The Rear?

Post by stevie_a »

I am running 914's all round, great tyres, reduces tram lining on my car ( but i don't not have big wheels )

as for Flaken tyres i have them on :

x4 on the z3

x4 on the Volvo

x4 on the Triumph

x4 on my work van

so you could say i am well happy with them.
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peterandjenny
Joined: Thu 26 Feb, 2009 14:07
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  Z3 roadster 2.8
Location: milton keynes

Re: Falkens or Continentals On The Rear?

Post by peterandjenny »

We went from Michelins ( directional ) that made the car feel disconnected from the road at times, to falkens and much happier.
Lancsbob
Joined: Fri 15 Aug, 2014 16:35
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Location: Ormskirk

Re: Falkens or Continentals On The Rear?

Post by Lancsbob »

peterandjenny wrote:We went from Michelins ( directional ) that made the car feel disconnected from the road at times, to falkens and much happier.
Is there a particular type/number of Falken to get?

Bob
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peterandjenny
Joined: Thu 26 Feb, 2009 14:07
Posts: 620

  Z3 roadster 2.8
Location: milton keynes

Re: Falkens or Continentals On The Rear?

Post by peterandjenny »

Will look when I get home as do not remember atm
bertiejaffa
Joined: Fri 26 Jul, 2013 09:28
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  M roadster S50
Location: Manchester

Re: Falkens or Continentals On The Rear?

Post by bertiejaffa »

912 / 914 are the numbers mostly discussed for Falkens.

I have Barums on my 2.0l (made by continental) and they are sweet - all tramlining stopped 100% when I replaced all 4 tyres (approx £80-£100 each)
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brat
Joined: Sun 18 Sep, 2005 04:57
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  Z3 roadster 2.2i
Location: Auckland

Re: Falkens or Continentals On The Rear?

Post by brat »

There is a lot of members having trouble with tramlining. Tyre brands are to be considered but the biggest cause of tramlining is ftting wider Wheels and tyres on the front which can change the steering axis inclination. The distance the steering axis is offset from the wheel/tire centerline is called the "pivot radius". Cars are normally designed with a positive pivot radius in order to provide a feel of the road. However, if the pivot radius is too great, for example by fitting wider wheels and tyres that project outboard without reducing the offset then obstacles and uneven surfaces will produce increased but unwanted steering inputs like tramlining that in the extreme can even cause loss of control. A 25mm width in tyre size that will change the pivot radius by 12mm is all it takes.
Last edited by brat on Fri 18 Mar, 2016 05:16, edited 1 time in total.
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stevov
Joined: Sun 21 Dec, 2014 15:56
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Re: Falkens or Continentals On The Rear?

Post by stevov »

I changed my wheels from 16 to 17 and the offset on the front from 47 to 41 which increased the pivot radius and the steering improvement was very noticeable.. Far better handling now . tyre width should not change the pivot radius. The centre line is still the centre line. Tyres don't change wheel offset.
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brat
Joined: Sun 18 Sep, 2005 04:57
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Location: Auckland

Re: Falkens or Continentals On The Rear?

Post by brat »

I agree although you did miss that I included wheels and not just tyre width alone. Your pivot radius has increased by 6mm as you mentioned so wheel/tyre width does change the pivot radius and more-so when owners do not understand and therefore do not reduce the offset . . I do question the steering improvement although that depends on your driving habit, road surface, brand and style of tyre, inflation etc etc. Cheers
Last edited by brat on Fri 25 Mar, 2016 06:11, edited 1 time in total.
Alan W
Joined: Thu 20 Jun, 2013 10:56
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  Z3 roadster 2.8
Location: Bexley, Kent UK

Re: Falkens or Continentals On The Rear?

Post by Alan W »

My car still got the standard 16" x 7.5"j style 64's and it does tramline.

When I bought the car it came with Michelins all round and have since tried part-worn Conti's from Germany but the car doesn't like them on the front and I'm guessing that's because they've been used by another vehicle.

I'm about to get the car MOT'd and taxed so its back on the road for April.. haven't driven it for nearly a year so if it still tramlines I'm gonna stick a couple of brand new tyres on the front, probably Goodyear Efficient Grip Performance which have excellent economy and wet grip ratings along with low noise. They are around £93 fitted and balanced through black circles. I will report back on how good they are.
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petecossie
Joined: Wed 11 Apr, 2007 13:13
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Location: Billingham

Re: Falkens or Continentals On The Rear?

Post by petecossie »

I'm on my second Z3M Coupe and like the first car I have stayed with Falken tyres. Going back to when I was thinking of buying my first car back in 2004 I spoke to a few breadvan owners at Gaydon Festival and one owner (on the Z3 M Coupe site ZZZEMMCO) told me the tyres he used with the standard Roadstar wheels was the Falken 452. He spoke very highly of them and he used them when driving the Ring also on track days in UK. That was good enough for me. He advised going up one size both front & back, so I fitted Falken FK452 - 235/45 98Y R17(front) & FK452 - 255/40 98Y R17(rear). The car was steady as a rock, no tramlining and I did a couple of track days at Croft plus a couple of continental trips, first to Southern France to the Millau Bridge and another to Scandinavia (ferry Harwich to Esbjerg travelling through Denmark to Copenhagen, over the "Bridge" to Sweden, then on to Norway for a weeks tour returning on ferry from Bergen to Newcastle. Never had a problem.
With the present car one of the first things I did when I bought it in 2012 was replace the tyres (Goodyear F1 50% worn) with Falken 453 all round in the same sizes mentioned above as the 452 was no longer available.
Once again these have proved to be totally reliable, no tramlining and steady as a rock. There might be other makes of tyre that might out perform Falkens in certain aspects but as a good all rounder which isn't too expensive they are hard to beat.
Pete C

2000 Z3M Coupe - Cosmos Black Metallic/Black Interior.

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2003 E46 M3 6 speed manual - Carbon Black/Black Interior.
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Warrior
Joined: Tue 11 May, 2010 10:02
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  Z3 roadster 3.0i

Re: Falkens or Continentals On The Rear?

Post by Warrior »

Falken 914's all round stopped my tramlining..........
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c_w
Joined: Thu 19 Aug, 2004 16:50
Posts: 4032

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Re: Falkens or Continentals On The Rear?

Post by c_w »

petecossie wrote:I'm on my second Z3M Coupe and like the first car I have stayed with Falken tyres. Going back to when I was thinking of buying my first car back in 2004 I spoke to a few breadvan owners at Gaydon Festival and one owner (on the Z3 M Coupe site ZZZEMMCO) told me the tyres he used with the standard Roadstar wheels was the Falken 452. He spoke very highly of them and he used them when driving the Ring also on track days in UK. That was good enough for me. He advised going up one size both front & back, so I fitted Falken FK452 - 235/45 98Y R17(front) & FK452 - 255/40 98Y R17(rear). The car was steady as a rock, no tramlining and I did a couple of track days at Croft plus a couple of continental trips, first to Southern France to the Millau Bridge and another to Scandinavia (ferry Harwich to Esbjerg travelling through Denmark to Copenhagen, over the "Bridge" to Sweden, then on to Norway for a weeks tour returning on ferry from Bergen to Newcastle. Never had a problem.
With the present car one of the first things I did when I bought it in 2012 was replace the tyres (Goodyear F1 50% worn) with Falken 453 all round in the same sizes mentioned above as the 452 was no longer available.
Once again these have proved to be totally reliable, no tramlining and steady as a rock. There might be other makes of tyre that might out perform Falkens in certain aspects but as a good all rounder which isn't too expensive they are hard to beat.
The Coupe generally doesn't tramline so any tyres are fine, from softer-walled road tyres to hard-walled semi slicks :drive
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