jsup wrote:
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Calm wrote:
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dan0617 wrote:
I sure wish I could get 3 pages of replies full of answers when I post a question.

Well, jsup's more needy. :binky:

I'm that pathetic huh?....

Josh wrote:
JSUP, as far as traction is concerned, I think you need to get a little direction and make some choices before anyone can legitimately recommend a tire for you.

First, there is no super tire that will do it all. There is no tire that will yield stellar straight line traction, great all weather performance, handle the curves, and last a long time. The tire isn't out there. You need to decide how you are going to use the car, and choose a tire based on that. If you need severe multiple functions from the tire, you need 2 sets of tires.

Also, decide on the braking system you plan to use. You keep bouncing around on wheel size, and that will affect your tire options. Once you have the brake choice made, and hence the wheel size determined, then move on to tire selection. Right now, all of us are wasting our time giving you recommendations because no one, not even you, knows what size wheel you are going to use.

I don't think you need a brake that won't fit under a 17 inch wheel. You said you mostly street drive the car, and it being an automatic I doubt you'll be storming a road course any time soon, so I really don't see the need for a brake that won't clear a 17 inch wheel, especially in the back. What size wheels are on the car now? I saw you mention something about 16's?

You mentioned that needing to upgrade the brakes was a necessity now. I assume you mean that because the car now has more power, you want better brakes. While good in theory, once you have the ability to lock the tires (or engage the ABS) at any given speed, better and more powerful brakes won't help in a panic stop situation. Repeated stops will be better because the brakes will be better able to deal with the heat build up, but stopping distances won't decrease dramatically, if at all.

Changing wheel size, (going to a 17/18 etc...) will not affect your speedometer as you implied, as long as you use the correct size tire the total diameter of the wheel/tire package should stay close enough to stock to leave the speedometer largely unaffected.

You will street drive the car, on nice days, less than 3,000 miles a year. It should not see rain, but it is possible. You will drag race the car a handful of times through out the year. You will not auto cross or road race the car. You are using a stock width (9.5 inch), 17 inch, rear wheel. You intend to stay with the automatic and semi-aggressive stall converter.

If all that is true, I would recommend a 275/40-17 Mickey Thompson ET street radial. Of the drag radials, it will have the most straight line traction. Wet performance is sub-par compared to a conventional street tire, however the tires will get you home with no drama if it does start to rain and you keep your head on straight.

Like all drag radials, they recover poorly once traction is lost. If they start to spin, they will not bite down without lifting the throttle. This is main difference between a drag radial like this and the bias ply tire options out there, in my opinion. An ET street, as opposed to the ET street radial, will recover traction MUCH better than the radial. However, the ET street will put you on the side of the road if it rains, and the cornering ability is next to nothing.

I made a ton of assumptions to get to that recommendation, so it could be right on the money or off in left field, I don't really know. No one knows until we figure out what you want the tire to do, what size options are available, etc...

Notorious wrote:
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jsup wrote:
Is there any big difference between the 17 and 18 inch rims? As far as those tires are concerned?

I don't know if brakes will fit under my stock rims....

If I need new rims to clear the brakes, no point in buying tires to fit these rims. I'll just wait it out.

Overall, for straight ahead traction you'll be better off with 17" wheels, reason being that assuming you're maintaining close to stock tire circumference, you'll end up with a little more sidewall using 17s. Also there's a better selection of tires in 17" and they're significantly cheaper than 18s.
Although some factory 17" wheels have a clearance problem with C5 front brakes, as far as I know, you shouldn't have any problem with aftermarket wheels. In fact, although my '95 sawblades don't clear my ZO6 front brakes, once at an event I borrowed some race tires mounted on earlier Corvette 17" wheels that cleared the brakes fine.

pr0zac wrote:
you would be amazed what a 275 tire will do even a 295 if you really think you need it.

jsup wrote:
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Josh wrote:
JSUP, as far as traction is concerned, I think you need to get a little direction and make some choices before anyone can legitimately recommend a tire for you.

I know, this is part of my research, I'm trying to find out what I don't know.
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First, there is no super tire that will do it all. There is no tire that will yield stellar straight line traction, great all weather performance, handle the curves, and last a long time. The tire isn't out there. You need to decide how you are going to use the car, and choose a tire based on that. If you need severe multiple functions from the tire, you need 2 sets of tires.

Yep, I get that. The only reason I am driving the car in cold weather is I just got it back and wanted to run the trans. Second, we need to finish tuning it. Otherwise, it's never out under 55 Degrees. So typical use is on a warm spring/summer day in no rain.
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Also, decide on the braking system you plan to use. You keep bouncing around on wheel size, and that will affect your tire options. Once you have the brake choice made, and hence the wheel size determined, then move on to tire selection. Right now, all of us are wasting our time giving you recommendations because no one, not even you, knows what size wheel you are going to use.

I'm working on that. I will go to C5 brakes/rotors. I need to know if they will fit under my rim. There is no specific consensus on the matter. I asked Jeff if I can use a bracket to mock fit it and see. Once I know if the brakes will fit under my rim or not, THEN I will have direction. I hope they do fit, I'd like to keep the stock 17X9.5 rims. When the car is parked, it should look stock.

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I don't think you need a brake that won't fit under a 17 inch wheel. You said you mostly street drive the car, and it being an automatic I doubt you'll be storming a road course any time soon, so I really don't see the need for a brake that won't clear a 17 inch wheel, especially in the back. What size wheels are on the car now? I saw you mention something about 16's?

The C5 brakes should be adequate as I said above. I have all 17 inch rims. Standard 1990 fare.

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You mentioned that needing to upgrade the brakes was a necessity now. I assume you mean that because the car now has more power, you want better brakes. While good in theory, once you have the ability to lock the tires (or engage the ABS) at any given speed, better and more powerful brakes won't help in a panic stop situation. Repeated stops will be better because the brakes will be better able to deal with the heat build up, but stopping distances won't decrease dramatically, if at all.

Got it. That's why I'm doing all this other stuff first, like the rear. The brakes are secondary to this other stuff. Point is, I don't put a lot of miles on the car and whatever tires I get, will still be there when I do the brakes.

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Changing wheel size, (going to a 17/18 etc...) will not affect your speedometer as you implied, as long as you use the correct size tire the total diameter of the wheel/tire package should stay close enough to stock to leave the speedometer largely unaffected.

I never said anything about the speedometer.

This is how I ASSume you plan to use the car, so here is my recommendation on tires:Quote:

You will street drive the car, on nice days, less than 3,000 miles a year. It should not see rain, but it is possible. You will drag race the car a handful of times through out the year. You will not auto cross or road race the car. You are using a stock width (9.5 inch), 17 inch, rear wheel. You intend to stay with the automatic and semi-aggressive stall converter.

So far, so good.

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If all that is true, I would recommend a 275/40-17 Mickey Thompson ET street radial. Of the drag radials, it will have the most straight line traction. Wet performance is sub-par compared to a conventional street tire, however the tires will get you home with no drama if it does start to rain and you keep your head on straight.

I have come to the same conclusion. The only issue is weather or not I can fit the brakes under my rim. Now, what I don't know is if there are 17 inch rims that WILL fit the brakes, in which case, the point may be moot.

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Like all drag radials, they recover poorly once traction is lost. If they start to spin, they will not bite down without lifting the throttle. This is main difference between a drag radial like this and the bias ply tire options out there, in my opinion. An ET street, as opposed to the ET street radial, will recover traction MUCH better than the radial. However, the ET street will put you on the side of the road if it rains, and the cornering ability is next to nothing.

Thanks, that's what I wanted to know.

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I made a ton of assumptions to get to that recommendation, so it could be right on the money or off in left field, I don't really know. No one knows until we figure out what you want the tire to do, what size options are available, etc...

Well, you're pretty close.

BrianCunningham wrote:


Trying to take down your own thread now?

It would be hilarious if you get banned because of your own thread! LOL

tpi421vett wrote:
I drive mine on the streets, and run ET streets full time. I sticky tire makes your car much safer on a high hp street car as mentioned.

BeachBum wrote:
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tpi421vett wrote:
I drive mine on the streets, and run ET streets full time. I sticky tire makes your car much safer on a high hp street car as mentioned.

Very true, and I never would have guessed that until I ran on them full time to prove to myself. Point-and-go driving is a good thing.

In my opinion, good advise everywhere in this thread.... proof positive it can be done.

jsup wrote:

What I am trying to figure out now is what tire is sticky and won't kill me if I get caught in rain.

dan0617 wrote:
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jsup wrote:

What I am trying to figure out now is what tire is sticky and won't kill me if I get caught in rain.

CentralCoaster wrote:
jsup, I have the dimensions for the bracket if you want to try making a mockup out of some heavy duty cardboard or wood.

Lichen wrote:
I'll go out on a limb and guess that the C5 brakes will not fit your stock rims. That is one reason so many people went with GS replicas. The J55 upgrade barely fit my stock '93 sawblades. If they don't fit, you should be ok with the J55 upgrade, some Hawk pads and a new bias spring.

jsup wrote:
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BeachBum wrote:
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tpi421vett wrote:
I drive mine on the streets, and run ET streets full time. I sticky tire makes your car much safer on a high hp street car as mentioned.

Very true, and I never would have guessed that until I ran on them full time to prove to myself. Point-and-go driving is a good thing.

In my opinion, good advise everywhere in this thread.... proof positive it can be done.

Yes, thank you everyone for your input.

I guess my plan now is to get the rear in, in April.

The next step is to pick up these?
http://store.summitracing.com/egnsear ... 5+4294904730&autoview=sku

I'm going to keep the stock rims I guess. See what I can do with the brakes. New bias springs perhaps. Wish I knew for sure if the C5 brakes would fit.

Anyone disagree with that plan?

jsup wrote:
How about Nitto?

Randyj75 wrote:



John.
You need to go for a ride in my car; J55 brakes w/ slotted rotors, S/S brake lines, Hawk HPS pads, and synthetic brake fluid. Then you would have no issues w/ the wheels fitting on the car.

Randy

jsup wrote:
OK, so I'm trying to get my hands on a bracket, or enough info, thanks CC, to mock it up and go from there.

Another stupid questions, for you guys who run ET Radials, you don't run them in all four corners, do you? I was going to keep my BFGs up front. Oh, Tire Rack calls my BFGs "drag radials"....makes sense, I couldn't spin them with the stock L98 or the SuperRam build.

Anyway..I'm also looking at Hoosier tires. These will fit a 9" rim:
http://store.summitracing.com/partdet ... 3+317726+115&autoview=sku


Any better/worse than MTs? Seems they are considerably more expensive. How about Nitto?

CentralCoaster wrote:
If he wants a tire for street use, the Nitto is a good choice.

I would never leave the M/T on the car unless its on the way to the strip, too soft.

BillH wrote:
I agree with the HPS and I run them. I also run Hawk's on the racecars.
But, the slotted rotors don't do much for braking performance.

DropTopCE wrote:
Slotted rotors are designed to let the gases escape. They do nothing for heat removal.

CentralCoaster wrote:
You've warped a rotor?

Lichen wrote:
I'll go out on a limb and guess that the C5 brakes will not fit your stock rims. That is one reason so many people went with GS replicas. The J55 upgrade barely fit my stock '93 sawblades. If they don't fit, you should be ok with the J55 upgrade, some Hawk pads and a new bias spring.