What's wrong with the OEM Goodyear SR-A Tires?

SavageUrge · **Posted:** Mon May 21, 2007 1:02 am

quote:
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Glad you liked the Goodyears [SR-A] SavageUrge, you could give me a whole truck load of them and I could only think of one thing to do with them, throw them on brush piles and burn them!
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I think I am the only person - ever - on this board to actually admit to liking, or at least not minding the stock Goodyear SR-A tires. Like I said, maybe I got some good ones..? I don't know but I don't go off-road so that could have something to do with it. I'm strictly on-road.
As I stated above, I had no problems with them except one very minor issue, and I'm getting more curious by the day as to why everyone hates them so much.
Personally I am having a VERY poor experience with Firestone Destination A/T's which everyone seems to rave about.

So here it is - let the bashing begin! I want to hear exactly why nobody likes the stock tires.

Alak · **Posted:** Mon May 21, 2007 2:10 am

Dad's jeep has the stock SR-A's (Cherokee) and my KJ has the ST's. On road, they are a typical passenger tire. Soft, predictable, quiet.

Off-Road, was a much different experience. It was filled with question marks, swearing and continual avoidance of off-road areas afterwards.

I'd like to think of it as a 'dirt road' tire and not off-road.

DnA Diesel · **Posted:** Mon May 21, 2007 10:04 am

ST's on mine, soon to be replaced with Mich X-terrains on the mags (for streeting/hwying), and a separate set of Yoko Geolander M/T+ on steelies for the trails.

The STs have very little sidewall strength and let the Lib wallow like a drunken sailor. The traction is not great, although I will say that breakaway is very progressive, it's just that it starts very early...there is not much contact patch width for the tire profile. The wet weather traction really falls off, I'm not very happy driving in the rain (I even extended taking my winters off (Yoko Geo I/T+) to make it through the wet spring). Treadwear is worse than other tires I've had...20,000 km and only 5/32" left on them. I would not get another set of Goodyear tires ever...

meh_kick · **Posted:** Mon May 21, 2007 10:36 am

SavageUrge wrote:

So here it is - let the bashing begin! I want to hear exactly why nobody likes the stock tires.

My bottom dollar says it's all about driving habits and location. On road, with a light foot, I only once broke them loose and that was on a snow covered street in 2wd, not 4. Even in the rain I had pretty good success over the the 72,000 miles.

Grip on sandstone was good (though I think slicks could even hold their own on that grippy surface) but any other offroad terrain would not be so accomodating. They were designed as a Highway tire, and perform better than the other stock option (ST) because of the increased width and more aggressive tread design. They're not the "best" street tire, but rarely will you see a factory install one for you.

And besides, it's usually the squeaky wheel that gets the grease.

ATXKJ · **Posted:** Mon May 21, 2007 10:38 am

SavageUrge
I think the issue goes back to an earlier discussion - you said you run Max tire pressure (44psi) all the time.
I tried mine at 40 psi for a while and they did have more traction than the factory recommend 33 psi (they were still paper thin and seem to be nail magnets).

but what you do when you run at a higher pressure is that you reduce the tire area contacting the road and increase the force on that area i.e. at 33 psi each tire has about 30 sq inches of rubber on the road at 44 psi it has 23 sq inches of rubber for the same 4000 lb vehicle.

That difference in contact are changes the ability to pump water away from the tread - hydroplaning and the absolute traction - the point at which the tire is about to slide.

So at 33 psi - the SR-A tread hydroplanes easier than at 44 psi.
it should also wear out faster at 44 than 33 - but it's a fairly hard compound so apparently it lasts fairly well (I don't know I got rid of mine at 13,000).

The other point at 44 psi - you should have less maximum braking and cornering ability than at 33psi - you've reduced the surface area on the road - although that will only show at maximum - i.e. just as the tire is about to lock up or slide out, if you don't drive at the limit - you may never see this.

It's a tradeoff - if you're comfortable with it that's fine - just be aware that you've changed it.

callaway · **Posted:** Mon May 21, 2007 10:52 am

SR-As have been on my jeep for well over a year and, aside from some deep deep snow, I haven't had any issues on road (I run the tires at 40psi on the street). I've taken them off road twice and while a more aggressive tire would have helped, the air'd down sras did just fine.

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Mon May 21, 2007 12:18 pm

Couldn't tell you anything about the SR-A's,my KJ left the dealer lot with MT/R's on,the SR-A's went on the Grand I traded in.They look like they would be well suited for around town soccer mom's but anything beyond that they look useless.

tommudd · **Posted:** Mon May 21, 2007 11:08 pm

After running mine one winter I had to get them off would not go good in the snow at all of course was used to the Cherokee with a little more rugged tire. Wet roads was very dangerous, slid through two stop lights and I could smoke em any time I wanted, put the Firestones on and my fun ended. Yes I do drive maybe more agressive than others do, I have never had a light right foot. My nephew thinks its cool cause his 52 year old uncle still stops and does burnouts every now and again, so I put tires to a real test. So maybe if you drive like Grandma and dont ever go on any mud or grass then you will be fine!

InCommando · **Posted:** Tue May 22, 2007 2:10 am

In racing terms, they are "greasy" and like to lose traction on wet pavement. Their compound/temp range seems to be off. They are prone to damage off road. OK in the snow, horrible in mud.

Pablo · **Joined:** Thu Feb 02, 2006 10:06 pm **Posts:** 1201

I ran over a little itty bitty thorn, and it punctured my sidewall. Took the thorn out and heard air escaping--, so I put the thorn back in and drove to the tire store to get a new tire. I did not get a matching OEM Goodyear however, as they wanted $120 for it. I would not pay $120 for four of them, let alone one. When they showed me the tire off the vehicle I could not believe how paper thin the sidewall was. The sidewall on my mountain bike was about as thick, and probably stronger as it is made of kevlar.

The thread wear of the Goodyear has been ok, but not great. When it is hot out, the tires feel vauge even on a dry road. Perhaps they work better in cooler climates. They feel like your riding on butter when it gets over 105 F outside. The compound they are made out of just feels too soft and mushy... like a street slick but without the "tacky" quality that a good racing slick tire would have.

LibertyGuy · **Posted:** Tue May 22, 2007 4:41 pm

The Goodyear SR-A's are awesome when they're new but once the tread is half done they're horrible. My jeep fishtails in the rain now. I'm going to get a new set (not Goodyears) before the snow hits.

dgeist · **Posted:** Tue May 22, 2007 6:04 pm

SavageUrge wrote:

quote:

So here it is - let the bashing begin! I want to hear exactly why nobody likes the stock tires.

Before I got the KJ, I was driving a 1988 ford van with 2 year old yokohama street tires and 2 bad shocks. It felt more confident in a turn than the KJ on the goodyears does. I don't have any particualr complaint against, them, they just feel really vague (probably the thin sidewalls) compared to every other car and truck tire I've used. In retrospect, I wish I had negotiated for SOMETHING else at the time of purchase.

StuckInMuck · **Joined:** Sat May 19, 2007 7:18 pm **Posts:** 27

I'm getting ready to buy destinations.. What problems exactly are you having with them :?:

YJBeef · **Posted:** Tue May 22, 2007 9:00 pm

I hate the sra's because I have punctured 2 tires in nothing, they are crap after only 28k, They were good the first year in snow, not mud, last winter I got stuck twice in less than a half a foot of snow. They spin in the rain just by tapping the gas, shall I go on. I can't wait till we put something else on the libby.

SavageUrge · **Posted:** Wed May 23, 2007 4:01 am

Let me list the problems I am having with the Firestone Destination A/T's

1) Lousy Gas mileage and lot's of road hum compared to the Goodyear SR-A's
2) I'm having a helluva time trying to keep the Jeep going in a straight line. This was a non-issue with the stock tires. Yes, an alignment was performed after the Destination's were installed.
3) The rear end of a Jeep should not suddenly break free on a slushy road while traveling in a straight line @40mph causing me to lose TOTAL control of my vehicle and crash into 2 other cars. With the stock tires I achieved reasonably decent traction in snow and NEVER had the rear break out except once on an icy bridge. Even then, I took my foot off the gas and the Jeep straightened right out immediately. $4200 for my Jeep + a guard rail (Thanx NY State :evil:

) + whatever the other 2 vehicles cost to repair later, I am scared as H*LL to ever drive with these tires in snow again.
4) With approx. 25,000 miles on and properly inflated, these tires are already past 1/2 way gone. I replaced the stockers at 52,000 miles with about 5,000 more miles to go.

*DISCLAIMER*: I AM NOT trying to say that Goodyear SR-A's are the greatest tires in the world. I am simply comparing the differences between the two.

If you drive strictly on-road as I do, DO NOT buy these tires. Especially if you value your hard-earned money and the safety of your family.

QuestMan · **Posted:** Wed May 23, 2007 7:39 am

Actually, I've never had a problem with my SRAs. I DO wheel, and was up to my axles in mud, at Camp Jeep last year. The only time I got stuck, was when I high-centered on a boulder. After lifting the Jeep, I drove it 1400 miles before getting an alignment, since I keep reading that it's important to let the Jeep settle 1st. (Took it up north for the weekend, and that pretty much killed about 1300 miles - I figured when I got home, it'd settled about as much as it was going to settle, and got her aligned 2 days ago). NOW, I'm probably going to replace the stockers, since the alignment issue kinda wore them a little. But, then again, I'd planned on replacing the stock tires all along, once the lift was complete. I'm probably going to wait until fall, (Unless I get the bug sooner), but I haven't regretted the stock SRAs, yet.

Maybe Michigan mud isn't as slick as other areas? :lol:

Oh, and I've stopped the Jeep in a 3 foot snow drift. Got out, waded around it for grins and giggles, and STILL had no problems getting back out of the snow. So.............I'm sure there are better after-market tires out there, (I'm going for the Dueler Revos when I change out), but the SRAs haven't been a bad 1st tire, so far.

StuckInMuck · **Joined:** Sat May 19, 2007 7:18 pm **Posts:** 27

SavageUrge wrote:

Let me list the problems I am having with the Firestone Destination A/T's

1) Lousy Gas mileage and lot's of road hum compared to the Goodyear SR-A's
2) I'm having a helluva time trying to keep the Jeep going in a straight line. This was a non-issue with the stock tires. Yes, an alignment was performed after the Destination's were installed.
3) The rear end of a Jeep should not suddenly break free on a slushy road while traveling in a straight line @40mph causing me to lose TOTAL control of my vehicle and crash into 2 other cars. With the stock tires I achieved reasonably decent traction in snow and NEVER had the rear break out except once on an icy bridge. Even then, I took my foot off the gas and the Jeep straightened right out immediately. $4200 for my Jeep + a guard rail (Thanx NY State :evil:

) + whatever the other 2 vehicles cost to repair later, I am scared as H*LL to ever drive with these tires in snow again.
4) With approx. 25,000 miles on and properly inflated, these tires are already past 1/2 way gone. I replaced the stockers at 52,000 miles with about 5,000 more miles to go.

*DISCLAIMER*: I AM NOT trying to say that Goodyear SR-A's are the greatest tires in the world. I am simply comparing the differences between the two.

If you drive strictly on-road as I do, DO NOT buy these tires. Especially if you value your hard-earned money and the safety of your family.

What you describe with your rear end breaking lose with the a/t's is perfectly normal for all-terrains on a slippery hard-surfaced road. if you get 50k miles out of all-terrains that is good and again perfectly normal. Now when you lousy gas mileage how much of a difference did you see?

welby · **Posted:** Thu May 24, 2007 7:23 pm

I've heard the SR-A's described as soft. I'm not sure on the compound make up, but they act like a hard compound. I bought my jeep used and they looked like they were nearly new when I got it. 27k miles later, they still look nearly new! They are very bad in the rain when braking and cornering. They ride pretty nice, look ok, and are wearing extremely well. They're also dry rotting badly now.

Overall, do I hate them? no. Would I ever spend money on them? no.

Albert · **Posted:** Fri May 25, 2007 9:09 am

I just didn't like them and took them off at 15,000 miles and put on a/t's.

They are "taking a nap" in the garage.

jcphoto20 · **Joined:** Sun Nov 19, 2006 1:36 am **Posts:** 507

[quote="StuckInMuck"][quote="SavageUrge"]Let me list the problems I am having with the Firestone Destination A/T's

1) Lousy Gas mileage and lot's of road hum compared to the Goodyear SR-A's
2) I'm having a helluva time trying to keep the Jeep going in a straight line. This was a non-issue with the stock tires. Yes, an alignment was performed after the Destination's were installed.
3) The rear end of a Jeep should not suddenly break free on a slushy road while traveling in a straight line @40mph causing me to lose TOTAL control of my vehicle and crash into 2 other cars. With the stock tires I achieved reasonably decent traction in snow and NEVER had the rear break out except once on an icy bridge. Even then, I took my foot off the gas and the Jeep straightened right out immediately. $4200 for my Jeep + a guard rail (Thanx NY State :evil:

) + whatever the other 2 vehicles cost to repair later, I am scared as H*LL to ever drive with these tires in snow again.
4) With approx. 25,000 miles on and properly inflated, these tires are already past 1/2 way gone. I replaced the stockers at 52,000 miles with about 5,000 more miles to go.

*DISCLAIMER*: I AM NOT trying to say that Goodyear SR-A's are the greatest tires in the world. I am simply comparing the differences between the two.

If you drive strictly on-road as I do, DO NOT buy these tires. Especially if you value your hard-earned money and the safety of your family.[/quote]

What you describe with your rear end breaking lose with the a/t's is perfectly normal for all-terrains on a slippery hard-surfaced road. if you get 50k miles out of all-terrains that is good and again perfectly normal. Now when you lousy gas mileage how much of a difference did you see?[/quote]

what you discribe with the firestone a/t is exactly what is expected of a knock off of a bfg at, all very real problems with those pieces of stuff.

What's wrong with the OEM Goodyear SR-A Tires?

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