To be fair Justin, some of the wear could be attributable to alignment, especially at the front...e.g. any lowering would affect camber, toe & caster.

However, since the wear in Australia and here was at about the same rate, I'm sticking with driving a Mini with a traveling load on a long trip.

Without the trip, mixed city/town/some highway driving say 2-3,000miles a year, maybe 5-8 years on the Falkens, but they are clearly not up to traveling at highway speeds over longer distances.

Rick, perhaps it is an alignment issue? I mean, roo being Australian, it seems to me you have the tyres installed upside-down

does your local supplier carry 10" yokos?

cheers, jb

Years ago, we crossed Canada to Quebec for MME on 10" Yokie GX501s.  They were hard and there was very little evidence of wear after a 7,500 mile trip.  Mini weighed between 2,000-2,100 pounds depending on fuel load etc.

I also used GX501s for the Sports Car Club Race Drivers' School...stayed ahead of a new Mustang in the wet (40 psi up front, 22 psi at rear).  Mini weighed approx. 1,750 pounds with driver.

The next long trip to MMW in Prescott & MME in Frederick on 10" Yokie A008s showed about 1/3 wear over 8,500 miles.  Mini & trailer all up weight +2,400 pounds.

In Australia, the 12" Falkens up front were badly worn by Denham and both John (10" Falkens) & I swapped tires front to rear.  The ones originally on the front were toast by Adelaide...new tires went up front and the original rears having done duty Denham to Adelaide went back to the rear and were garbage on getting back to Brisbane.

The tire wear here in North American was virtually identical.  In all long distance scenarios, the Mini, Mini/trailer and Window Van were carrying gear, spares, tools and travelling in warmer weather, though Australia's Kimberley was much hotter than anything we saw crossing Canada and the US.  All trips saw sustained mileage at 60 mph/100 kmh or thereabouts.

If anything was going on, it was just that the Minis were being driven.

IMHO ther's something strange going on there...  Falkens usually last for ages..that's the problem, they're rock hard so don't wear and don't grip... a bit like the old Michy ZX.

IME Yokos work really well for grip but only last about half as long as Falkens....

Cheers, Ian

Old rubber removed and wheels cleaned today.  Clear & paint to be stripped off, aluminum to be polished...then paint and clear before new tires go on.

Hopefully, new paint will have several weeks to set while we go visit the historic Viking capital in Old Uppsala, Sweden...drive a Moke...see the Sommarhaus...

After we get home, several light coats of clear...before mounting the new tires.

Leaving the 12" Falkens behind -

Wore 2 new tires out doing test drive Brisbane to Sydney/Rylstone Classic 3,000 miles, Mini50 week/Mini Muster etc. 750 miles, Brisbane around to Adelaide on the 'One Lap' 8,300 miles...some 12,000+ miles (mostly up front, 20% on the rear).

Wore 2 more new ones out Brisbane to Tasmania return and local at home 5,000 miles, plus 5,000 on MMEMW trip with another 2,000 miles at the back...some 12,000+ miles again.

Wore the 2 new ones put on in Adelaide - up front Adelaide to Brisbane 1,800+ miles and then at rear for Tasmania 5,000 miles and +5,000 miles on MMEMW trip before another 2,000 miles back up front...so <14,000 miles.

Looking forward to getting the Yokies on restored rims and with the suspension sorted for good.

Son Alex will be driving before we know it. His car has a fresh power unit , suspension and brakes. With a little luck we will have fresh paint and interior before he needs them. I rean out to Mid Ohio on 145 Falkins, I have not checked the date code but I'm sure they are a couple of years old. I have adjustable front end and filed the rear brackets for 1/16 toe in and .5 degree neg camber per side. Once I had the alignment I wanted I welded a thick washer to the bracket. I tend to drive very deep into turns before I brake if I brake at all. I was fine with the grip in the dry, of course more grip is always better. I hit a bad storm coming home and aqua planed three times in a straight line. This happened as I crossed the Ohio West Virginia line. It rained so hard people were stopping in the lanes. I turned on all my lights and worked my way though. I was thinking of a set of 165s but I don't run flares and if the front end rides up on the water at 70mph with 145s I wonder what 165s will do. I have several sets of 145 /12s mounted and balanced. I also have a set of 165s on 5 inch rims but I can't go the steam roller look. I'm surprised at your wear, no grip and fast wear don't add up. I have run 145 Kuhmos for 35,000 miles several times. I don't like the 008 look so when I go back to tens it will be 4.5 J mini lites with 165 Falkins. I have mounted several sets for customers on 6 s and they rode nice and handle well. We have less to pick from and that's not good. Steve (CTR)

I drove out and back alone and got mad at my driver more than twice. 

Gobsmacked....

Doorbell rang after dinner tonight...and there were 4 new Yokohama 165x60x12 tires for ROO courtesy of my Co-Driver on the +7,000 miletranscontinental haul to Mid-Ohio/MMEMW and home again.

Ken & I had never travelled together before, we had extreme rain/wind events, collapsing rubber cones...and he got mad at me at least twice...but Ken wanted to help out, having had a good trip across Canada, home via the USA.

Thank you Ken Martin!

(I had dropped off the mags to have the old tires removed earlier today and bought the stripper to begin the resto of the wheels...we will have fine footwear!)

Yes Spitz, those are the tires...but I would put no faith in the promo language...and I will not buy them again.

They must have been fun/scary in the rainstorms you encountered Rick. I have some 165 60 12's Bridgestone Potenza's right now and they seem great in all weather plus they wear well too but they seem to only be available in Japan.

I've been using these for the past couple of years.  Are they what you were using Rick?

My experience with Falkens is discouraging! I bought a new set 4 years ago and within two months both back tires, blew side bubbles and without contact whatsoever with pavement sides etc..

I was warned about the lack of grip with the Falkens when in Australia and found them prone to break traction when driving in the truck ruts on Canada's Hwy. 1 in the wet (when they all had tread)...startling, scary would be good adjectives.

I usually by falken for my cars, but I won't buy the for a mini ever again.  I can accept a lower tread life, but those were awful, and they had absolutely crappy grip (which is actually unusual for falken tires).

That would sum up the worn out rubber precisely!

I take it they are "no Falken good"?  

Cupcake,

Not showing A008s, just Yokie A032Rs and some Falkens in 10" but some may be on the way.

Rick 

Rick, does the supplier have A-008. I'm just about to buy from Tire Rack.

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Ah...no, no, no...

Garbage after not much more than 12,000 miles - +5,000 miles up front on last travels in Australia (Tasmania trip), 4,500 miles up front and 2,500 miles at rear on round trip to Mid-Ohio/MMEMW last month.

Will keep the new spare that did 2,500 miles up front on the return trip...the other two will also be garbaged.

They're probably good 'spare' candidates, no?