Mickey Thompson SR's 15"

[Large Arbor]

Ok, I know I would like to get Avons, but can't quite afford them yet. I am settling on the SRs 26x12x15 and 26x10x15 to closely match the Goodyear Eagle GT'2s coming off. One of the front has cupping on it and vibrates much at 70 mph. Is anyone running these? Do you like them?

I am not all knocked out about the tread pattern but the profile looks ok.

I will also get wheel alignment and likely adjust the shock to a stiffer setting as well.

Phil

[hinoonaz]

Quite a few of us have the SR's. I am on the second set after almost 9 years. Replaced because of age. I have never run Avon's but Iunderstand a great tire with a better tread pattern to match the era. My understanding the Avon's have a shorter life span than SR's because of the compound, heat cycles etc. Get a good alinement is a must for these tires and balance. The 15 inch look is right. I would have billboards but to many issues. The tread pattern grows on you.

[YerDugliness]

MT SRs are bias ply tires, STs are radials. I am looking into the STs for new rear tires for my replica.

Pricing for the size I need seems to run in the $140-$150 rangs, plus shipping, installation and balancing.

I have heard that Cooper makes the MT line of tires and that the Cooper Cobra tires are essentially identical to the MTs at a lower purchase price.

Hope this helps somewhat!

Cheers!

Dugly

[DWRAT]

Originally Posted by YerDugliness

MT SRs are bias ply tires, STs are radials

Wrong, they are both radials.
The SR tire hooks up much better then the ST.

[DanEC]

Yes, both are radial. SRs are more like drag radial/track tires. STs are a more traditional high performance street radial. Sportsman Pro tires are bias ply.

I have the STs and very happy with them but I haven't really pushed them hard.

[YerDugliness]

Thanks for correcting me on the bias ply issue...

I have never tracked my replica, it is more of a road car...having said that, though, I would certainly be interested in cutting down on tire spin. I would also be more interested in a tire that lets you know it's about to turn loose rather than one that loses traction suddenly...I have already replaced a rear bumper due to a loss of traction on a curve that was regularly (and safely) drifted.

Would one of the MTs be the better choice given the characteristics I find desirable?

Tread wear is not a worry, so far I have only put 10,000 miles on the car and I've driven it regularly for ten years.

Cheers!!!

Dugly

[Shootnride]

I have had both the SR's and ST's on my car. Initially I put on the 26x10x15 and 28x12x15 SR's and I liked the tires but was never able to get the ride height I wanted without rubbing issues in the rear. I now have the 255/60R15 and 295/50R15 ST's on the car and have been very happy with them. I autocrossed the car once with these tires and was able to push it pretty hard before they would break loose and certainly much harder than anyone with a brain would push on a public road.

Ted

[Karl Bebout]

I'm well pleased with my MT/SRs. Bought them through Summit so no tax, no shipping, and no "over size" charge, like Jegs.

[moore_rb]

Originally Posted by Large Arbor

One of the front has cupping on it and vibrates much at 70 mph.

Cupping is alignment, or front end component wear related - good idea to get everything checked out under there before you start grinding the edges off a new set of tires

regarding the vibration - Look for a shop in your area that has a Hunter Road-Force balancing machine. It costs a little more to do a road force balance, but in my experience, it's worth it, especially on lightweight cars running big tires...

[fordracing65]

The so called flamed tread design is absolutely hideous on the MT. Blows me away nobody makes a tire for the cobra at a decent price that performs like a modern tire. Unless you go to 17-18 inch your stuck with either crap on looks and performance or the high price of the Avon.

[Silversmith]

I had them (SR's) but didn't like performance. I tried serval others but finally ended up with M/T S/T's. They look good & are very predictable/comfortable on the road with spirited driving. In my mind the best all round street tire out there for the original 15" look. For the price I should say. If you have the cash to spend Go Avons, otherwise I would go with the S/T's. IMO

[fastd]

i have the SRs - they replaced avons.

i really like the SRs. good street tire - better street tire than the avons imo.

i like the profile of the SRs - they fit the wheel wells better and i dont mind the flame pattern either (looks worse in picturs than in "real life").

i've had the SRs on VIR (on my 68 mustang) - thought they were fine there also. avon is a better track tire but im not a good enough track driver to really notice the difference. side walls are much stiffer in the avons but a properly inflater SR performs nicely.

honestly all in all, for all around driving, i choose SR over avons.

[1795]

Regarding the "let me know before they break loose" issue, from prior discussions with other race car drivers (I could be wrong and am certain that if I am others on this forum will correct me, for that matter even if I am right I probably will be corrected as well) is that bias ply tires do not have as good of grip as radials, but they do let you know when you are starting to break loose. Whereas radials do not give a warning when they are loosing grip, they just keep on trying and then suddenly let loose.

[fastd]

Btw, one thing I have noticed that the SRs that I don't like : when I come off the throttle completely after hard acceleration doing 60+, the tires kind of hunt for the road a bit.

[Karl Bebout]

fordracing65, the Cooper Cobra tires I've seen have a more conventional tread pattern and supposedly are the same compound and construction as the MTs.

[Mark IV]

Originally Posted by Karl Bebout

fordracing65, the Cooper Cobra tires I've seen have a more conventional tread pattern and supposedly are the same compound and construction as the MTs.

The "Cooper Cobras" are the same carcass as the MT "ST" tires, not the "SR" tires.

[Large Arbor]

I dropped $957 today for a set of four. Hopefully they will work. Special balancing on a Hunter Road Force balancing machine and a front end alignment will follow.

I will give a full report on how they compare to the Goodyear Eagle GT's. I plan to keep the rear tires as they still looked good. The front would vibrate significantly at 70 mph from the cupping. Either way, between the alignment, new tires, and balancing, these things should solve my problem as everything else underneath seemed tight on inspection.

Phil

[Large Arbor]

Ok, I may be returning the tires. I took my old ones off and the passenger side tie rod seems somewhat loose. I can move the ball easily with my fingers. I think I will see if I can get a replacement and change that first. The rubber boot is also gone from the tie rod. I am hoping this is the source of the vibration and not the tires.

Phil

[leroy17]

Check the date code on the side of your current tyres (should be a square box with 4 numbers in it - the number denote the week and year - for example 3512 would be 35th week in 2012).

Regardless of the treadwear on your current tyres, the date may be an indicator to move the oldies and have some new rubber.

Just a thought.

[Large Arbor]

Will do Leroy. I think the tires are circa 2006.

Phil