BillBoards and MY TEST DRIVE!!! Way different!

[decooney]

I ran two sets of Goodyear Eagle Billboard tires on my ERA. For regular spirited street driving in Northern CA (cool winters and hot summers), I honestly did not care for them. I found the tires started to function properly once I hit 10+ switchback turns and started to get heat in the tires. They look cool as heck, but they always felt a bit loose to me until I could get to a place where I could start to exercise them a bit. Also, I rebalanced mine a number of times through the wear cycles but found the two sets I had were a bit out of round. They would skip a little during rolling burnouts too, acting rather choppy at times. I ran my car with different fore/aft weight settings and different tire pressures to see if I could improve on the tires some more. Also, tried different front and rear alignment settings. They did hunt like crazy on some roads. That got old on my 2nd set. I often jacked my car up to prevent flat spots for long sitting periods. Only when I changed back to a set of average radials did I realize how much I missed them and their smoothness over the Billboard tires. For regular driving, my current radials stick as good. For me, unless I could heat up the billboards, the were not worth it. If I were to switch out my average radials for a new set of sticky tires now, it would most definitely be for the Avons over the Goodyear Billboards. Sorry to rain on the parade, this was just my personal experience and feedback after trying two consecutive sets in a row.

[gsharapa]

I have about 900 miles on my BB and love them. Love the look and when they heat up they bite good. When my car is sitting for 3 or 4 weeks I do rotate them a bit to eliminate the flat spotting but even if they do flat spot a bit a mile down the road they are fine. Mine came from Roger Kraus also. Pics in my gallery but just made my wheels look vintage last weekend and love the new look with the BB..

[mdross1]

Have read just enough now to make my decision no BB for me not dealing with bias tires here in the Northeast.Grew up having to use them,remembering all the problems makes radials for everyday driving the only way to go.Funtion wins out over form in this case.

[601HP]

I purchased the first set of GY BB tires about 10 years ago. I'm now on the 2nd set of them.

Early on I was disappointed in these tires while street driving. I had the steering wheel nearly yanked from my hands more than once because of tire darting. I almost gave up on the tires, but I experimented with tire pressure and achieved amazing (I almost hate that word. Its over-used all the time) results.

This morning I visited the Roger Krauss Racing Tire site and found a general SCCA and Vintage Racing tire pressure chart for TRACK use. It is very generic. For a Cobra it lists 20# cold, 27# hot. But..............we're talking about using this tire on the street.

There isn't a minimum or maximum tire pressure cast in the sidewall of these tires. For my initial street driving 10 years ago I probably set the pressure at 24 front, 22 rear. The handling was as I described above. At times it was unpleasant whether at 35 mph or 55 mph. It was very often 2-handed steering with a very firm grip.

I was so annoyed by the street manners of the tires that I considered dis-mounting them. But..........I experimented with the pressure by increasing it by 2 pounds all around, and went driving. There wasn't much improvement. I raised the pressure more, and continued incrementally raising the pressure until I was satisfied with the results. For years now I have been driving at 32# front, 30# rear.

The overall improvement at my stated pressures is NIGHT and DAY difference. I now drive with my left elbow on the door and hold the wheel with a light grip. My right hand is free to shift, or rest, or scratch the privates.

There are more chapters on these tires. They will eventually exhibit sidewall cracking. Somewhere on this site I read this is the result of ozone presence, and the lack of preservative included in the tire manufacture process. I replaced my first set with the tires now on the car (my 2nd set) because of this condition.

The last chapter; be prepared for the leading face of the rear fender to be peppered with road shrapnel. These tires are sticky and will toss extra grit at the fenders which will destroy your paint unless you opt for some type protection. I recently used a lot of touch-up paint, then wet sanded with 1200, 2000 and 3000 grit paper; then used 3 levels of Griot's polish; and finally applied 3M Paint Defender. I haven't accrued enough miles since applying the Defender to determine its advantage, or not.

Truth be told, I like the tires a lot. However, when this 2nd set has to be replaced, I'll buy Avons. I'm assuming the Avons will have the ozone protection included in the manufacturing process.

David

[xlr8tr]

just raised the pressure on mine to 28 front (cold) 25 rear, and that made a huge reduction in steering stiffness. I was running about 24-25 before. I may back off a pound at a time to see where it starts to get stiff again.

[boxhead]

I recently fitted BB tyres to mine.
I find mine do Hunt a bit, but I suspect I need to change alignment settings.
Would love to hear what figures others are running?




Love the look they give any car.

[Bernica]

Originally Posted by xlr8tr

just raised the pressure on mine to 28 front (cold) 25 rear, and that made a huge reduction in steering stiffness. I was running about 24-25 before. I may back off a pound at a time to see where it starts to get stiff again.

I ended up at 28 front and 26 rear. I have a fairly curvy road just out the driveway that lets me warm them up,kills the flats and makes them stick. Then you will start hearing the "popcorn" sound as they start throwing 'dem rocks. Love the tires, hate that the sidewalls crack up so fast. But then, they were made to be raced, then thrown away.

[vatdevil]

Originally Posted by Bernica

I ended up at 28 front and 26 rear. I have a fairly curvy road just out the driveway that lets me warm them up,kills the flats and makes them stick. Then you will start hearing the "popcorn" sound as they start throwing 'dem rocks. Love the tires, hate that the sidewalls crack up so fast. But then, they were made to be raced, then thrown away.

How many years before the sidewalls crack? Are they date stamped?

[fordracing65]

Originally Posted by gsharapa

I have about 900 miles on my BB and love them. Love the look and when they heat up they bite good. When my car is sitting for 3 or 4 weeks I do rotate them a bit to eliminate the flat spotting but even if they do flat spot a bit a mile down the road they are fine. Mine came from Roger Kraus also. Pics in my gallery but just made my wheels look vintage last weekend and love the new look with the BB..

Are those MAGNESIUM wheels??? They look aged...

[rodneym]

Originally Posted by fordracing65

Are those MAGNESIUM wheels??? They look aged...

While they do look cool IMO (as well as the rest of gsharapa's car ) I'd say they are not mags. The casting looks too crisp and the valve is not on the rim.

But then again, I wouldn't be surprised if some mags had the valves in the spokes

Do tell, gsharapa!

[601HP]

I recently fitted BB tyres to mine.
I find mine do Hunt a bit, but I suspect I need to change alignment settings.
Would love to hear what figures others are running?

Alignment won't cancel the tendency to hunt. Been there.

These tires are thin wall, which exacerbates the squirrely tracking at lower tire pressure. Raising tire pressure is a compensatory measure.

David

[601HP]

How many years before the sidewalls crack? Are they date stamped?



Vatdevil,
My tires are almost a year old. The first very faint indication of cracking is already visible.

I haven't found any date coding on the tire.

David

[1985 CCX]

I LOVE MY BB's.........

1) Safer than BFG's (had them = scary)
2) Grip is great
3) Handling is above average...

Blue streaks are awesome too.
Avon's are great I hear, never drove on them. Kevin has a point that pin drive wheels are also not a std DOT used today. These are specialty cars and that said are not standard in options.

I would argue a light car like a Cobra is not safely served with tires typically peddled in the market today.

[Fred Z]

Gotta love this site!! So, this is why it is called a ....for um...not a ONE um!
my bad, bad bad joke.
Duane, no issues here.....rain is a part of the day here. Dave.....the important issue is, and always will be....scratching the privates...hell with the ride! Ha.
Boxhead...........maybe they wouldn't wander so much if you would lend yourself to driving the streets and get off that grass!! ho ha.
Seriously, though, that is why we have different opinions based on different rides experienced. I can't get them to search and hunt like many here and cannot ascertain why, but hey, not *****i**g, very happy. Running 25 front and back has worked so not sure how much I need to experiment since they ride great!! But what do I know.....nothing!!
Have your day on the road, with or without these Big Fellas and drive safe.

[Fred Z]

Hi guys,,,,just an update on the tires as some have privately asked for same.
It's been over 3 months now and I have driven a lot of miles, lots of different terrain and roads of all kinds of speeds! I can only say,,,with complete honesty that I love them! I am only sorry that I was not able to enjoy the benefits of these tires way back in the beginning. I am not disparaging anyone's comments or take on the tires from their perspective. I am just offering my own experience.
For those who have been wondering, considering or evaluating the idea of the BBs.......I say go forward and you will most likely NOT be sorry. Now, if you are very very very detailed and want pure ride with never ever any slight hunts then you will probable STILL not be disappointed but they do move with the road slightly. But that is so occasional that I never even know it. The benefit is so much more enjoyable that the off time is not a bit of a deterrant.
That's it! message me or post here if you want more. But I will have these on my car till it dies!

fred z

[blown871]

hmmmm might be spend ng some $ this winter...

[Fred Z]

For what they cost its well worth the hook up, not to mention the look
But the point is..... They work w the car!!

[NJDrivingSchool]

A lot of possibilities can happen accident. That’s not sure, Great compilation. Thanks for sharing this information and wonderful car i really impress.