Goodyear or BF Goodrich ???

[winnipeg69]

It's time to replace the tires on my 69 Vette. I 've always run Radial T/A's in the past but am leaning towards a set of Eagle GT 2's. Any opinions on either?? Cost is the same for either so that's not an issue.

Thanks
Mike

69 SB Coupe
79 Chevy K5 Blazer
91 Slammed GMC Ext Cab

 

[matchframe]

Mike,

I have used the Eagle GTs (not GT2) several times, they were good tires, but they did not seem to last very long, but they stuck to the road really well. I have also used Radial T/As many times on different types of vehicles, and they seemed to last a long time, with better milage, but did not stick to the road like the Eagles. Right now I have Radial T/As on my wife's van, and have about 25,000 miles on them, and they show little wear. I have Goodyear Eagle LS on my 300M and they have about 32,000 miles on them and just now starting to show some wear. My Vette has the Eagle GTs, and they are pretty worn out, and have only about 12,000 mile on them. The GT 2's are probably made better though.

I would be tempted to try the GT2s at least once, since the price is about the same.

Bill

 

[C3forME]

Good Year Eagle's in general do not have a long life span. I am on my second set of Eagle RS-A touring tires on my GTP and they do not last long basically because they have a low tread wear rating of 260. They look great and handle good, but they don't last. There are other tires out there in the same price range that are rated higher than the Eagles and have a much higher tread wear rating such as the Dunlop Sport A2's which are a top rated tire in it's class and sports a 420 tread wear rating besides.

 

[Greekman]

Goodyear

I have the Goodyear Eagle GT II on my car and am very happy with them. The tire is ST speed rated so it's not a super high perfomance tire. My car is stock so high speed corning is not something I do very often.

These tires are also the closest original replacement for my car since the original tire that came on the car was Goodyear Polysteel Radial. Appearance is very close.

I put about 2k miles per year on my Corvette so tire mileage is not a consideration. It will take maybe ten years to wear out a set of tires. I worry more about dry rot.

Good luck with your purchase.


.

 

[barticus]

I'm going through this same process, having the sad realization that tire choices in these classic fitments are quite limited and the tires themselves offer limited performance.

Tradition had me focused on BFG, until a tire tester friend recommended the Yokohama Avid S/T. He evaluates them at work, and drives all the main Corvette fitments at sports car school where he teaches. To him, the Yokos stand out dramatically, even though he works for a competing company.

I have made a post regarding sizing you may find interesting: http://corvetteactioncenter.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=29776z

Good luck!

Barticus

 

[MaineShark]

I'm running 255-60R15 Goodyear GTII's on mine. Can't complain. I think few people really push their cars hard enough that the difference between various quality tires matters. I'd say stick with Goodyear instead of BF Goodrich for political reasons, anyway

Joe

 

[barticus]

Heh, heh.

I think you're right... many drivers must not push their Corvettes. Admittedly being new to Corvette ownership, I'm still wrestling with some of these things.

I attended a local Corvette show recently looking for wheel/tire ideas. Most wore what I would consider low-grade tires. Tires whose performance is below what is standard equipment on most mainstream family cars today.

Everyone has their reasons, and choices are limited... But, many owners had cars that were beautifully restored and boasted warmed over engines with significant power gains. The puzzle for has been, why spend so much time, money, and marital counseling time on building an impressive machine just to literally put the cheapest tires on it ... the only part of the car that actually touches the ground.

Having owned my car for a few weeks, with most of it spent snuggled in the garage awaiting TLC, I'm beginning to better understand. With all my $$ in the car and steering being a little wiggy, not sure I'm pushing the threshold either.

 

[DrWatt]

FireHawk Indy 500 tire for me.

I just put a set of tires on my 1979 Corvette. I replaced a set of Goodyear Eagle ST. I have had Goodyear Eagles on 3 different Camaros and never liked them. Poor wear and even worse traction when the road had any moisture at all. The dealer recommended Eagle GTII for my Vette. I wanted something better. Look at www.tirerack.com. I found a Firehawk Indy 500 tire there that was rated #1 by people who purchased the tire. Read the reviews A Chevy dealer in Illinois got them for me and mounted and balanced they were just over $400. The tire looks good and so far the ride and handling is just great. The tread is rated 500. The service manager had the Corvette out for a test ride and when I picked the car up he said he was impressed with the tire. The tire was introduced last May.

 

[FERL 73]

I've found Goodyear doesn't outlast BFG. Perhaps it's softer rubber. Durability is somewhat irrelevant since the rear tires seem to wear out faster! I know it's a matter of taste but I think the BFG lettering is better looking.

 

[born2saw]

I went for looks and just put a set of BFG's on my car. Cheap too, only $320 installed with lifetime balance and rotation at a local dealer (on sale). I don't push my car much (how can you with only 165 hp??) and the ride & handling is far superior to the really, really cheap tires that were on the car when I bought it.

I read an article in the NCRS mag last month (or was it NCCC? can't remember-I'm getting old) and decided to go with 235/70/15. They fill the wheel wells well I have not been able to get them to rub. The author of the article was of the opinion that if you want the most performance for your vintage Vette (and are not too concerned about appearance) police pursuit tires are the way to go.

When I take a new signature pic I'll post it.

 

[Nut]

Mike..... I've run nothing but BFG Radial T/A's on both my '72 and '81. I get 35-40K miles out of them, rarely get flat spots if she sits for a couple weeks, but are a little noisy when you push them hard, especially cornering. There are better tires available depending on your requirements. But between the GY's and BFG's..... I'm a BFG fan.

Good luck................. Nut

 

[VRGSVET]

I also had the same dilemma when I recently bought tires for my 80. I wanted to go GY GTII's to keep the original equipment look, but I don't like the performance of Goodyear tires, especially on wet pavement. BFG's are much better. That being said, I took the same route as an earlier post and bought the Firestone Indy 500's. I compared the GY, BFG, Firestone, and others on www.tirerack.com. THe Firestone's had better reviews and cost less. I've had them about 6 months now and no complaints. THey look good too.