Cooper Cobra GT tires

llama man · #1 (**permalink**) 02-10-2003, 09:42 PM

I was looking at the Cooper Cobra GT tires for my project. The 15 inch rims are 7 1/2" front and 9 1/2" rear. Cooper makes 235/60/15 and 275/60/15. My questions are...1) are these sizes appropriate for my wheels? and 2) are the Cooper Cobra (R-speed rated) reasonable tires for the street.
Any comments?

Fast Farmer · #2 (**permalink**) 02-10-2003, 11:05 PM

A tire with a "R" speed rating is certified to 106 mph for sustained periods. A tire dealer once told me that manufacturers subject each model tire to extreme high speed failure tests, determine that failure speed, then rate the tire two or three ratings level under for product safety. I was also told that the room where the tires are speed tested is heavily fortified. Tire shreds at high velocity without a fender to slow them down can be very destructive! I do not have any other evidence to back up these claims, so do not count on them for safety margins!!
Having Cobra tires on a Cobra would be sweet. I considered them myself, but was leery of the low speed rating. I went with Goodyear yellow letter special edition tires, which were available in 1998. Good luck finding 15" tires with a high speed rating. The present day factory hot rods use mostly 16" and 17" wheels, so that is where most of the options are.

Fast Farmer

Jim Downard · #3 (**permalink**) 02-11-2003, 05:06 AM

Hey llama man, Go to tirerack.com and do a search for the tires you want. I've purchased from there several times and have been very happy. They now have tire ratings and customer reviews of most tires on there now also. Good luck.

Jim Downard

Mr.Fixit · #4 (**permalink**) 02-11-2003, 11:03 AM

Cooper cobra tires are not performance tires at all and do not deserve to put the name cobra on them. I had a pair (rears) several years back, they don't grip well, they are hard as hockey pucks, and we could not wear them out, even doing excessive huge burnouts. Swapped them onto my friend's car, more huge burnout, put them on car three, more burnouts. they still have tread left. Cheap though

Gerald Karels · #5 (**permalink**) 04-28-2003, 06:58 PM

I have the same size cooper cobra tires that you cited on 7 1/2 rims. Have been running them for 2 years/2500miles and am happy with them. I lowered the air pressure to about 20 and have no complaints. I don't do burnouts or desire to do any of that 100mph stuff, so for my purposes, they do just fine.

Fred · #6 (**permalink**) 05-02-2003, 10:18 AM

I have the cooper Cobras on my car. Running 245/60 up front and 295/50 in the rear. They ride a bit hard. The comments about great burn out tires are correct. I rarely cruise around over 100 mph so I was not that concerned about the speed rating. It is a lot more fun to light up the tires and not worry about loosing all the tread.