Tire sizes

Omathisen · #1 (**permalink**) 03-11-2009, 11:10 AM

Hi,
While I am sorting out the handbrake, I am also looking for new tires. But with 16 inch rims that requires a little looking. I have come up with this so far:
front: Hoosier P245/45ZR16, back: Hoosier P275/45ZR16
or mixing it up, front: Riken 245/50ZR16, back: Cooper 295/50R16.
I am presently running Goodyear Eagles GSC 245/50ZR16 in front and Goodrich Comp T/A 275/50R16 in the back, and they have been great, but are getting old.
The Hoosiers would have less height. The Rikens would be the same size and the Coopers slightly larger, as far as I can tell.
I found some Goodyears on web sites, but when I called Goodyear they told me they do not make tires any more in that size range for 16 inch rims. Goodrich told me the same, as did Hankook.
Any opinions on the tires and sizes I found?
What is the size range that will work and fit, given the 16 inch rims?
Thanks.
OMathisen

RICK LAKE · #2 (**permalink**) 03-11-2009, 12:08 PM

Omathisen What rims are on your car? Are they the 6 pin knockoffs? I know this is not the cheap way but going to a 15" or 17" rim will give you alot more choices for rubber. I went from a 15" wheel and rim with BFG junk tires to 17" Mich Pilots with 335/ 35 17" tires. Big improvement in handling and driving. 16" where a short term bandage while the tires went from 15" to 17" wheels. If you are going to keep the car, this may be the cheap and better way to go. Does your car have the room for a 335 tire without rubbing? There are 295 and 315 size tires also. I can tell you that Coopers are a heavy tire that get hard and last forever. There handling drops after about 20-30 heat cycles on them. You might want to look at the billboard Goodyears with 15" rims. The cars came withthem and handle well. The only down side is they need about 2-5 miles to warm up and stop the thumping from flat spots from sitting on tar or concrete floors. I only checked Tire Rack, they carry the most tires on line. Rick L.

WarrenG · #3 (**permalink**) 03-11-2009, 12:57 PM

I wouldn't advise switching to 15". That is what I have now and based on the way 15" choices are disappearing I'm now wondering where I'm going to get decent replacements when the ones I have now are worn out.

strictlypersonl · #4 (**permalink**) 03-11-2009, 01:57 PM

Think Avons.

Pete Munroe · #5 (**permalink**) 03-11-2009, 09:15 PM

Oma,

Mickey Thompson markets several street oriented radials in 16" sizes.

Folks assume a M/T tire is only a drag tire but i am not sure that is really the case. BFG drag radial's work VERY well on a friends street driven 911 Turbo Porsche, and he has been actively vintage road racing for 30 years+.

http://www.mickeythompsontires.com/strip.php?item=ETStreet[/url]

http://www.mickeythompsontires.com/s...StreetRadialII

Poke around as M/T has more than a few street/race tires.

Easy to say you should get another set of wheels, but 16" is still available in a performance radial...for another year or two...?

I would steer clear of "bias type" tires for the street...they follow every groove in the road...my old Hoosiers T/D's, a bias type, were not fun on the street as they follow every crack in the road.

Are the AVONS and the G/Y bilboards radial or bias? general question.

If most driving is on the street things to consider other than what the letters on the tires side wall say...

Got the Bug · #6 (**permalink**) 03-11-2009, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pete Munroe

Are the AVONS and the G/Y bilboards radial or bias? general question.

The Avons are radials. GY Billboards are bias ply only. It would be great if GY made a Billboard in a radial.

decooney · #7 (**permalink**) 03-11-2009, 11:26 PM

Cooper Cobra tires in 15" are another option.

In addtion to the list Bob has on the ERA website...
A buddy of mine just scrapped his older TAs, was looking for a 265/50/15s for the front for his Arntz Cobra. If you think finding 15s is hard, just try finding 265/50s for the front. Not much of this size out there. Low and behold, after doing a little searching we came upon the Cooper Cobras tires. After more digging we found out these are actually made by Avon. Even have a Cobra snake logo on the side if you like that. Sort of an older looking agressive tread pattern too. So far so good for another street tire option.

We saw a few guys had these on their cars already at the last Cobra Bash.

Got the Bug · #8 (**permalink**) 03-11-2009, 11:38 PM

Duane - Is this the Cooper Cobra tire?

http://www.coopertires.com/html/prod...?page=cobra_gt

decooney · #9 (**permalink**) 03-12-2009, 04:09 AM

Hey Doug,
Here is a picture of them from another foreign site for both sides. Looks nice with the blackwall out; there is a little Cobra snake head just before and after the letters. We were not sure if they would look good or not based on photos. Once you see them on the car, they don't look too bad.

At least on other alternative out there if you don't mind the agressive tread. Photoguy / Alan put these on his car. They do squeel a little when you light 'em up as compared to something like a TA radial, but it's all good.

strictlypersonl · #10 (**permalink**) 03-12-2009, 05:49 AM

There's a chart with tire diameters here. Not all sized are available, unfortunately.

patrickt · #11 (**permalink**) 03-12-2009, 05:56 AM

Bob, and am I correct that starting with ERA #731 the 245s fit comfortably up front but for cars before that it was "touch and go?"

strictlypersonl · #12 (**permalink**) 03-12-2009, 06:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by patrickt

Bob, and am I correct that starting with ERA #731 the 245s fit comfortably up front but for cars before that it was "touch and go?"

Yes. The left side tire might touch the wheel well when turned sharp left.

RICK LAKE · #13 (**permalink**) 03-12-2009, 12:58 PM

patrickt Pat I ran the 15" and now 17" tires. I have no rubbing but have the car at a lower ride height than the stock setup with the 17" wheels. Can't believe that Bob would have let 735 cars get built and have a rubbing problem with them. I also think that a weight issue on the L/F corner may have something to do withthe rubbing. I have heavier spring in my car, over 400 per inch and 1/2" height differents between right and left side. This is for my added weight in the car.

Rick L.

strictlypersonl · #14 (**permalink**) 03-12-2009, 01:44 PM

There is an occasional rub problem only with the 245-60-15 tire, not with the tire that we recommend. Springs have nothing to do with the situation. If the proper tire rubs at any point in the full jounce-rebound-left-right range, I regard it as a design flaw.

patrickt · #15 (**permalink**) 03-12-2009, 01:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by strictlypersonl

There is an occasional rub problem only with the 245-60-15 tire, not with the tire that we recommend.

And on the newer 731 and on cars the left front Avon apparently only rubs when you've got the steering wheel cranked to the locked position (which doesn't really happen all that much except in parking lots, I guess).

Omathisen · #16 (**permalink**) 03-12-2009, 06:27 PM

With the input from you guys and from ERA, I have also talked to tire manufacturers and dealers as well as Compomotive. Everybody has been very helpful, and I think I have found a variety of solutions without going to different wheels. I will post again once I get new tires put on and tested. Being in New York that might be a few weeks.