Favorite tires, and why?

[Dangerous Doug]

Okay, I'm getting ready to get ERA#2108 down on all fours and I need to pick out some skins. Finding high performance tires for 15" wheels seems to be a bit of a trick. I was thinking about getting Goodyear Eagle GT II's, but I've heard some complaints. So, now I'm not sure which tires I want to use.

So, which tires do you LOVE and which do you HATE?

[Jamo]

Billboards...they feel right (bias ply as in the 60s), at least as good in the rain as the radials (proven in THE rain and some snow), they don't cost an arm and a leg (just an arm), perfect balance for street and track, and they look right (being Goodyears).

Modern Bluestreaks suck in the rain. 15" radials suck everywhere. Avons cost too damn much and, well...they're not Goodyears.

[BlackSnake]

BFG is makin a 15 drag radialnow arent they? Saw some on a GT 40 (SPF) this weekend??? Ryan

[BDHE]

Doug;

Prefer the billboards for the look and for performance situations, but radials for just driving around at "legal speeds" where performance isn't an issue.

Check my gallery to see the difference they can make in your car's appearance.


Bryon

[Dangerous Doug]

Billboards have a nice look. I'll need something DOT as I go through the registration and inspection process.

Billboards will have to be the second set of tires.

How come they are not DOT approved?

[speed220mph]

Yokohamas work great on my Cobra . . . good handling. The T/A's I had on the GT40 were terrible in terms of handling, so I replaced them with Avons. Result . . . fantastic handling and they are DOT legal. I have 295s on the back, but I'm not sure what you can get for the front, possibly 235s or 245s. You'll have to check. I went for the lower profile 215s for the GT40, being that the front is much lighter than the Cobra with its ci 427. Handling was neutral when pulling g.

[Stentor]

Goodyear Billboards or Avons (or get a set of each).

Can't beat the look of the Billboards.

Can't beat the performance of the Avons.

[CSX 4027]

If you are gonna run the BillBoards, a non street legal tire and you want to have more fun than a barrel of monkeys, get Roger Kraus to make you up a set of his grooved asphalt slicks and call someone else when you wet your pants.
Dat be as good as it gets..

[undy]

I'm running some Mickey Thompson ET Street Drag radials on the rear, 315/35/17s. I love 'em, especially when they hang the 2 front tires a foot in the air..

[ERA-FIA]

If you choose either large letter Goodyears or Avons you will have some minor fitment issues on your FIA, depending on how low you set-up the car. Mine sits with approx. 3.25” under the Pipes. The Goodyears have a large bulge in the side wall, which will rub on the antiroll be at the 90* bend at close to full lock and a minor rub also at close to full lock at the inside of the front wheel wells. The rears will rub slightly at full compression. After running the Goodyears I bought Avons in the 245 front and 295 rear sizes they also rub in the rear of front wheel well at lock and at full compression, next time I will try the 235’s and 275’s the fit is close enough that I think they will work. One other issue is wheel shake with the Goodyears I believe that some cars can tolerate them better than others. My first car was an ERA 427 now owned by a friend it never had shake issues, my FIA has had issues since new requiring remounting and balancing several times with different sets of tires. I could never get the Goodyears to run with out some shake, however the same tires now run great on the 427. I would prefer the Goodyears for both looks and reduced weight both run great with all the grip you could ask for on the street, in comparison my first tires Dunlaps were like having snow tires

[davids]

I've had 3 sets of Sumitomo's on my cars and have loved them from the start... 2- P275/40Zr-17 HTRZ and 2 - P315/35ZR-17 HTRZ about $110 each from THE TIRE RACK....good buy too..great on wet pavement and dry...... Dave

[Dangerous Doug]

Looked at The Tire Rack - Your performance experts for tires and wheels and cannot find tires in 295/50-15's and 245/60-15's in anything but Goodyear Eagle GT II's or BF Goodrich Radial T/A's. I suppose I could email them and special order, but any suggestions on where I can get Avon's in these sizes (or something a little smaller, like 275/50-15's and 235/60/-15's)?

By the way, which model Avon is recommended?

DD

[Got the Bug]

DD - Here's a recent thread regarding the Avons. The model is cr6zz...I think.

Avon Tires Cr6zz

I've got the Yoko's on my car with only 2K miles on em. Great all around tire, but I'll look at the Avons down the road.

Update...details from the other thread.

245/60x15 (F) & 295/50x15 (R) will fit without modifications and a ride height of 26 ½” (a good starting point) can be achieved without scuffing. Available from Roger Kraus Racing.

[Dangerous Doug]

Wow! Avon's are expensive. Here's pricing from RK Racing 1/31-2008:
245/60VR15 312.00
275/55VR15 354.00
295/50VR15 365.00

Hhmm, these may not be my first set of tires...

What's a next step below the Avon's? Yokohama?

I've heard a big "no" on Goodyear Eagle GT II's, as well as the BG Goodrich Radial T/A's.

What about Firestone Indy 500's?

Again, I'm just getting my ERA 289 FIA down onto all fours. I can't imagine doing anything completely nutz (i.e. full throttle at the track) for a little while, so super sticky may not be what I need right of the bat.

Suggestions?

DD

[Madmiles442]

The BFGoodrich TA's suck for anything other than cruising, but it sounds like that might be all you're doing, or all your budget will allow. For this, they might be serviceable. Yokahamas only marginally better.
I, personally, found them to be woefully indadequate, but I am aggressive on the throttle and quickly became enamored by the seductress which is tracking the car.
I went with 17's lathered in Michelin Pilot Sports, which is a whole other conversation.
If you're wed to 15's, your performance options are limited, as described in Replies above. That's just all that's left in 15" options.

[Got the Bug]

Doug,

They aren't making the Yoko's anymore, although you may be able to find some out there. Several people are running the Mickey Thompson tires on their cars and like them. I think there's two different MT tires. MT ET Drag Radials and MT Sportsman radials.

Here's a link with a picture of the MT Sportsman radials on Tom Howland's car.

mickey thompson sportsman s/r tires

[Dangerous Doug]

As this is my first set of tires and I'll be driving on them briefly to get the suspension aligned and such, I'd had to put on Avon's just to watch them deteriorate due to poor setup. I'll likely put on something more in the $150 range per tire until I get the suspension sorted out.

Anyone running the Firestone INDY 500's?

DD