Mickey Thompson Tires

[Shootnride]

I'm starting to look for new tires for my newly purchased car and was just wondering if anyone here has any experience with the Mickey Thompson Sportsman SR tires on their Cobra. If so, I'd sure like to hear some feedback. I have done a lot of reading on this forum about tires and it certainly appears that the Avon's are the premier tire, but they're way beyond my budget, so am looking for an affordable alternative. Any suggestions are welcome.

Thanks in advance

Ted

[Snakebit]

I put on a set last year, 26 x 10 front and 26 x 12 on the rear. I run 26 lbs. rear and 24 lbs. front. Very happy with them. 15" tires are getting hard to come by. Make shure you find out the mfg date as the tires will be replaced by age and not miles.

[Bill Bess]

Great tires, SR Radials, flame tread design, wear like iron and grip very well, no cracking of sidewalls so far , mine are 6 years old.. look like new.
Most likely will replace them in a couple of years do to age.

Bill

[hinoonaz]

I have had mine for close to 5 years. No sign of cracks and grip well. 26 and 24 work well on air pressure. These are not the best for sticky (avon) but definitely affordable and last longer. Heat cycles do not seem to be a factor either. So far the times that I have pushed further than I should have they handled the push by turning.

[Pete Munroe]

I have a pair of 15" Mickey Thompson SR's on the rear of my ERA 289FIA.

They are light years beyond the Dunlop GT Qualifiers they replaced, to the extent the car was sticking well enough to really aggravate an oil pressure problem under hard cornering.

Think that the M/T's, AND the AVONS' distributed in the US, are made by Cooper Tires...have read Cooper does "contract" manufacturing to the spec's of other tire designers/manufacturers...would be interested if anyone has more insight to how the tire business works.

IMHO the M/T S/R with the "flame styled tread" radial is quite a step above your standard street radial (like a Dunlop GT, Cooper Cobra, BFG T/A) Don't confuse the S/R with the S/T...the S/T looks to be not much different than other standard 15" street radials.

If the AVON's are out of the budget ($$$$) I think the M/T S/R, are a good alternative and a big improvement over ordinary street tires.

Pete

[Silversmith]

I use them, good tire for all around street use.

7/15/2014 Update on tire story; Since I posted this way back when, I have gone to Hooser billboards & then MT S/T's. The Hoosiers were bias ply & stuck like glue & looked wicked cool! But they beat me to death until they heated up, even then they never really balanced out; for me at least. Early this spring I went with MT S/T's street radials. I am very happy with the S/T's. As I do mostly street cruzin, some quick romps up into the 140/50 mph range & some hard cornering on good roads made for such romps. I am finally happy with my tires While I only have 1800 miles on these new S/T's I much prefer the S/T's Over The MT S/R's. In fact I have a set of S/R's I'll sell cheep they have about 4K on them, are 4 yrs old & look brand new. Drop me a note if anyone is interested. The S/R's are 15's

Best to all!

[Dwight]

just bought a pair of 26x12x15" for the rear of my Cobra. I have just over 300 miles on them and they are great.
I have run 16" BFG G-force for years but wanted 15" rims and the only (best for me) 15" tires that I liked are the MT's.
My buddy has used MT for years and loves them.
Great tire and I don't think you can do better.

Good in the rain also! Big plus in my book.

Dwight

[Shootnride]

Gentlemen,

Thank you all very much for your replies. Very happy to hear positive feedback about these tires. Looks like I'll be ordering a set very soon. I was planning to buy the 26x10's for the front and 28x12's for the rear since the original tires (rears are Goodyear Eagle I 275/60R15) are approximately 28" tall. I've noticed that you guys are running the 26" tall tires in the rear. I don't want rubbing issues and I want to maintain the proper look for the car, so I'm wondering if that's why you guys chose the 26" tires.

Thanks for your help

Ted

[Shootnride]

Originally Posted by Pete Munroe

Think that the M/T's, AND the AVONS' distributed in the US, are made by Cooper Tires...have read Cooper does "contract" manufacturing to the spec's of other tire designers/Pete

Pete,

While researching tires I ran across some information from Mickey Thompson that stated that the company was sold to Cooper Tires in 2003.

Ted

[roadrod2000]

I also have the SR's on my car and have no complaints at all, but I seem to recall someone stating that the ST's had a softer rubber and therefore were a better tire than the SR's anyone out there have a chance to use both?

[Pete Munroe]

Road rod,

Just my opinion but pretty sure the S/R is the softer of the two...

Before getting the M/T S/R's spent a LOT of time trying to check wear ratings and speed ratings on the basic 15" tires to try estimate tire traction.

My conclusion is the M/T "S/T" is a "normal 15" street radial" similar with the Dunlop GT Qualifier, Cooper Cobra, BFG Radial T/S. Yokohama AVID...

Do not know of any direct "durometer" measures of the rubber. But if you check out the wear ratings for that grouping they are relatively high numbers. Think you can infer therefore a rubber that is harder than you see in performance orientated tires, whether they are 15, 17 whatever.

Also the tires above are not rated for a speed higher the S or T, ~112 or 118 in that ball park. That grouping is also all roughly the same price, at least 2 years ago.

OK, the M/T "S/R" with the "flame pattern" tread is speed rated at H - 130...I don't remember exactly but I think the UTG wear rating is MUCH lower than the "run of the mill" 15" 60 series tires.

My experience with the S/R's is they are MUCH stickier than the Dunlop GT's they replaced.

First tires on my car were "non-radial bias type" HOOSIER Street T/D's. When switching from Hoosier to the Dunlop GT' it was an eye opener as there was NO where near the traction with the Dunlop's.

Of all the lower end tires, some may be harder/softer than others, or handle better/worse due to design, but they appear to be very similar based on specs.

IMHO the "S/R" is a real step up in traction from the entry level 60 series 15" tires.

Until NITTO comes up a with a 60 series 15" version of their hi-po 17" tires...or, hows this...the AVONS go on a "buy two get TWO FREE..!!!" the M/T S/R is about the only moderately priced alternative I am aware of.i

Pete

[Sledge]

I've had mine for a couple of years now. The only real negative was that they needed to be trued (they weren't round). That process plus balancing cost me another $250.

Also, one of the tires loses about 1 psi per week. Otherwise I like them a lot; worked pretty well on my one (and so far only) track day.

[CSX3183]

Can't give you any inside info, other than MT tires are made by Cooper Tires in Findlay Ohio, and were just bought out by a tire manufacturer from India., somewhere around 2.2 Billion.

[PDUB]

Originally Posted by roadrod2000

I seem to recall someone stating that the ST's had a softer rubber and therefore were a better tire than the SR's anyone out there have a chance to use both?

Here is the link to the thread you mention. This is an interesting conversation... SR vs. ST The tread pattern of the two would suggest a higher performance for the SR... but, looks might be deceiving. It would be good to have an expert on this brand weigh-in on it. Anyone know for sure? Anyone do side-by-side testing?

Great Cobra Tires

With Cooper going east... I wonder what becomes of the M/T and Avon brands?

[CSX3183]

The story goes that the Indian company wanted to expand into the US, but couldn't do it on their own, so the bought. The thoughts being stated are that the companies will be one, but really 2, with Cooper keeping their US lines, and being able to expand into Europe and the far East, and the Indian keeping their lines and getting into the US.

Also Cooper will be now doing original equipment tires, not just aftermarket.

[Pete Munroe]

When Cooper is picked up by the Indian company I would guess based on their brands manufactured in India things would not change much...for example, they bought Austrian brand Vredstein (sp?) and it is still with them...do not know if the design is the same, but the kept the European brand name.

On the S/R vs S/T discussion I can only suggest read what I posted a little way back on this thread.

About the only way to compare I am aware of, short of an expensive controlled test, is to look at easy to find, published info.

SPEED RATINGS...vs. price points...not many hi-po tires, H rated or better cost LESS than the run of the mill, S and T rated street radials.

DOT UTOG tire wear numbers. The highest numbers are for long tread life vs low numbers and short life.

Low numbers, 200 or less, seem to go to hi-po tires, high numbers, 300 and up go to long lived radials for general use.

Price...all the entry level 15" 60 series tires are pretty close...then for about 100% more you are into the S/R's, and 200% more AVONS.

If the data is too sketchy, include 17" versions and relative price, speed ratings, DOT ratings...

You COULD buy another set of wheels and tires and run skid pad tests...I can't affort that so I just look at the best available data.

Pete

[Dwight]

We leave in 45 minutes for the London Cobra Show but no rain in the forcast so I have to wait till latter to test in the rain but there great on dry pavement.

See ya

Dwight

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by Pete Munroe

IMHO the M/T S/R with the "flame styled tread" radial is quite a step above your standard street radial (like a Dunlop GT, Cooper Cobra, BFG T/A) Don't confuse the S/R with the S/T...the S/T looks to be not much different than other standard 15" street radials.

According to this thread Mickey Thompson Sportsman S/T's Any Good? (Post #5 from cdnus) the tech people from MT say the ST is better on a Cobra. It has a softer compound and better traction than the SR, which was designed basically for looks rather than performance.

[Richpal1]

Im looking to get the Cooper tires. They make a Cobra line, which will probably look cool with the Cobra lettering on the sidewall. Mine are rear: P275/60R15-107H
Front:P235/60R15-98H.
The rears presently seem to make the car sit a bit high...but I guess the fender clearance is good.

RP

[Dwight]

Ok update
I have about 2000 miles on the new tires, Did 11 or 12 runs on Main St in London.
I can roll off the line and put the pedal to the floor, could not do that with the old tires. The MT's spin but pull straight and I can tell they have a lot more traction.

Yep, I like them.

Now I need to resurface my flywheel. Tires hooked up a little to good.

Dwight
No rain this year so I can comment on how they do in the rain.