uhhh another tire question

dsmith · #1 (**permalink**) 04-13-2011, 02:45 PM

Bob

sorry - another tire question - have been searching the site - but can't come up with much....

ERA #63 - 428CJ

my Bridgestones are shot - never liked them anyway

p265/50R15 and P295/50R15 are the front and rear sizes on the car now

What is my best choice for tires - am having problems locating tires to fit...

thanks
dsmith

FWB · #2 (**permalink**) 04-13-2011, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dsmith

Bob

sorry - another tire question - have been searching the site - but can't come up with much....

ERA #63 - 428CJ

my Bridgestones are shot - never liked them anyway

p265/50R15 and P295/50R15 are the front and rear sizes on the car now

What is my best choice for tires - am having problems locating tires to fit...

thanks
dsmith

i'm running the mickey thompsons in 15" i have 8" rims in front and 10" ones in back. my backs are 275-50-15....i'm sure you will see something that is comparable in their line

PeteF · #3 (**permalink**) 04-13-2011, 03:44 PM

When my Dunlops wore out (not currently available), I switched to Firestone Indy 500s, 235/60-15 front, 295/50-15 rear (sizes recommended by ERA). They are good for the street in balance, roundness, and grip.

Bob In Ct · #4 (**permalink**) 04-13-2011, 03:46 PM

I would avoid the BFGs. They tend to not be very round and they are not too sticky.

Bob

Snakebit · #5 (**permalink**) 04-13-2011, 04:05 PM

Mickey Thompson S/R tires 26x10x15 front and 26x12x15 rear

Pete Munroe · #6 (**permalink**) 04-13-2011, 08:36 PM

FWB and Snakebit,

FWB, which M/T's are you running...the S/T or the S/R...? Huge difference I am thinking.

I have been looking at the S/R radials...(AVONS are out of my price range) and I will never run another bias race tire, DOT approved or not (Hoosier Street T/D's...track dream, street nightmare) I assume Goodyear Billboards are the same as the Hoosier Street T/D's.

The M/T S/T's appear to be a regular street radial, give or take the same as the Dunlop G/T Qualifiers, Firestone, BFG, etc...good street radials, but not performance oriented sticky tires for open tracking a Cobra type car.

The M/T S/R LOOKS to be more of a track tire at a lower price. Softer rubber???, stickier???, shorter life span??.

Who actually has used the M/T S/Rs' and how did they seem to work...if you have NO experience with other tires, please say so to help put things in perspective.

Always a good, if frustrating anecdotal topic.

Pete

hinoonaz · #7 (**permalink**) 04-13-2011, 09:06 PM

I am running M/T Sportsman SR's. Not one bit of a problem for almost 3 years. They stick fine and am still trying different tire pressures for other than street. I had BFG which is not sticky at all as most would agree. They do hook up but probably not as well as some 17's out there from what i have heard. About a grand for a set mounted and balance.

209 · #8 (**permalink**) 04-13-2011, 09:43 PM

Started with BFG's and just switched to M/T SR's. No mileage as of yet, dealing with other issues. 209

RICK LAKE · #9 (**permalink**) 04-14-2011, 04:25 AM

dsmith D 15" tires are going the way of the dodo bird and becoming harder to get with both great handling and wear numbers. The easiest thing is to start at tirerack and get all the printouts of the size tire you are looking for in 15" I have run GT Dunlops on all my other cars for many years. Started with BFG's and was never happy with them except for smoking burntouts. Alot of guys have gone to Avon's, even on the track and they are amazingly good for all around. They are a little soft and pick up alot of debrie. 200 wear is a soft tire but a couple of seasons or 10K miles is a good life for them. They last longer than 10K.
Don't get mad but here's the other question, if the car is not looking 100% orginial looking, is not your life worth a couple of extra bucks for a better set of tires?? I run 95% track in a street class. My 17" tires are Pilots, about $400.00 per tire. I don't want to have to worry about a failure of the tires along with everything else or being cheap. The car will stay in the trailer before risking myself or it by cutting corners. The car is what $55-60K,

and you want pep-boy tires on it made in Korea.

Fathers day is coming,

ask the children for some help for Daddy's car.

Rick L.

dsmith · #10 (**permalink**) 04-21-2011, 09:00 AM

Thanks to everyone that replied...

BABY HAS NEW SHOES...

Tires are Mickey Thompson SR 26x12-15 and 26x10-15, arrived on Monday - $850 shipped from Summit.
It was drizzling outside - Tuesday's forecast was no better and Wednesday was raining as well... the wait damn near killed me. BUT Thursday saw a brief break in the weather, cool but sunny... rims were deshod of the BFG's (sorry I refered to them as Bridgestones in my initial post - probably a throwback from the old motocross days), rims were cleaned inside and out, new valve-stems (make sure whoever is changing these for you has the large variety in stock or you will be running to the parts store) MT's were finally installed and balanced (the BFG's had been rebalanced on several occasions in an attempt to eliminate the sterring wheel shake - to no avail)

Does it sound like I am smiling???? OK, just a little at this point...

It is hard to believe I am driving the same car... Same sexy sound, same sexy looks, but oh my gosh - what a difference those tires make.

28lbs cold pressure - there is no shake and the car can be driven at highway speed with one hand on the wheel (just a light grip too!!). The truck grooves in the asphalt on the interstate - don't even see them or feel them anymore - no more geting tossed about... They used to send me into the other lane like I had jerked the wheel in an attempt to make a hard left.... now it is smooth as silk

The MT's are pliable - "gummy bear" consistency and a shallow, but aggressive, tread - they GRIP... used to be that a healthy shift from 1st to 2nd at about half throttle, the rears would break loose with noticable tire spin... now my eyeballs spin in my head from the g-force - straight ahead launch - totally hooked up.... going to have to seriously try and break her loose instead of it routinely happening (fresh 428 - we are not lacking an ounce of torque)

YEA, I am smiling... BIG, grinning from ear to ear, same smile as when I got back from my first ride in her (I bought mine used) except I didn't have those BFG white knuckles

thanks again for everyon'e advice

smith

Pete Munroe · #11 (**permalink**) 04-21-2011, 02:42 PM

D Smith,

Glad to hear your results with the Mickey Thompson S/R's.

I checked prices at Summit, sizes 26x10.00R15 and 26X12.00R15, shipping and handling to Los Angeles, $853.15 same as your results.

Checked the price on AVON CR6ZZ in 245/60R-15 and 295/50R-15 from Roger Krause tires in the bay area, $1642.00 not including shipping, handling and CA sales tax.

The AVON may be a superior tyre, but it's sounding like the M/T S/R's are good value in a street/open track tire.

I am on Dunlop G/T Qualifiers now after a set of Hoosiers T/D's. Next set of tires will probably be the M/T S/R's.

Pete

GLS-BDR226 · #12 (**permalink**) 04-21-2011, 08:32 PM

Just replaced some BFGs with Cooper Cobra GT Radials-235 60 15/295 50 15s. $816 mounted, balanced, tax including $42 labor to clean the insde of the rims!!! Haven't had a chance to try them out due to rain. I'll check them this weekend and report back. I read in other posts that the MT, Cooper, Mastercraft and Avon are all made by Cooper. I'm sure the compounds are different but pictures of the tread pattern look similar.

tin-man · #13 (**permalink**) 04-22-2011, 02:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dsmith

The MT's are pliable - "gummy bear" consistency and a shallow, but aggressive, tread - they GRIP... used to be that a healthy shift from 1st to 2nd at about half throttle, the rears would break loose with noticable tire spin... now my eyeballs spin in my head from the g-force - straight ahead launch - totally hooked up.... going to have to seriously try and break her loose instead of it routinely happening (fresh 428 - we are not lacking an ounce of torque)
smith

Happy to hear you found what seems the right tire for you, sounds awesome. If you don't mind keep us posted on your experiences since I too will be putting Mickey T's on my ride when its finished the install.

Cheers, John, AKA, tin-man

SunDude · #14 (**permalink**) 04-22-2011, 06:55 AM

The Mickey Thompson Sportsman S/Rs look awesome. I'd be happy to see what you think of them too, as the Goodyear Eagle GT IIs on my Superformance are middlin at best.

Does anyone know how the S/R sizing compares with metric?

My SPF is currently wearing 255/60R15 in front and 275/60R15 in the rear on stock SPF Halibrands by WAW. Would the best match in the S/Rs be 26x10x15 for the front and 28x12x15 for the rear?

Thanks.

scaffold · #15 (**permalink**) 04-22-2011, 07:53 AM

just took off a worn-out pair of Coper Cobra's with 4000 miles on them. Trying Hancook's this time--can't get any less mileage out of'em

GLS-BDR226 · #16 (**permalink**) 04-22-2011, 08:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scaffold

just took off a worn-out pair of Coper Cobra's with 4000 miles on them. Trying Hancook's this time--can't get any less mileage out of'em

Ouch

!! I hope I get better mileage than that. I replaced the BFGs because they were over 7 years. But they had plenty of tread left after 4600 miles.

RET_COP · #17 (**permalink**) 04-23-2011, 07:09 AM

GLS-BDR226 I would be interested in your evaluation of those tires as I was going to replace my BFG with the same. I look forward to your post.

Scaffold Was that just the rear tires? Did you beat the hell out of them or was that just driving? I would be interested to know.
Lou

dsmith · #18 (**permalink**) 07-29-2011, 02:41 PM

Well - gotta tell you - I couldn't be happier with those Mickey Thompson tires... like a gummy bear that has been in your pocket a while - soft and sticky - have several hundred miles onn them now and they are wearing great...not showing any real signs of use at all.

All of the front end vibration from the BFG's is gone as well... smooth as silk... corner's like a demon

as far as the Avon's - I would rather have two sets of MT's than one set of Avons....

JMHO

just wanted to keep everyone posted - have a great summer....

smith

GLS-BDR226 · #19 (**permalink**) 07-29-2011, 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RET_COP

GLS-BDR226 I would be interested in your evaluation of those tires as I was going to replace my BFG with the same. I look forward to your post.

Scaffold Was that just the rear tires? Did you beat the hell out of them or was that just driving? I would be interested to know.
Lou

I have about 500 miles on the Coopers. So far they have been fine. No traction problems but I have a 302 so I don't have the torque some have. A lot smoother than the BFGs. Wear has been fine as well. None that you could notice.

RET_COP · #20 (**permalink**) 07-30-2011, 10:11 AM

I purchased the Mickey Thompson Sportsman S/R and I have to agree these tires hold the road very well.
Lou