HELP: C3 tire choice - Yokohama VS. Dunlop

[pgtr]

;help ;help ;help

I want to get a new set of tires for my 79 L-82.
I have the factory wheels and have narrowed my selection to 2 brands.

Yokohama Avid S/T: 235/60's up front - 255/60's in back or
Dunlop GT Qualifier T: 225/50's up front - 255/60's in back.

$$$ is not an issue.

Which would you pick and why?

Neither. Because neither is IMHO an all around street performance tire which I feel the C3 is deserving of.

While both brands do offer excellent performance tire models (I've run countless SP8000s and am currently running a set of hi perf Yokos) - neither the Avid ST nor the Qualifier T models are performance models. Beyond their marketing and sidewall treatments, both are essentially entry level hard rubber highway radials.

My recommendation is to look for, at a minimum, H-speed rating (and if money is no object, V-speed rating or better) AND A-temperature rating. See Wamp's post above.

tirerack.com is a good starting point for research specifically though I have uncovered a number of errors and they don't carry all options available.

 

[ft laud mike]

Just want to throw another set of variables in here to annoy all- overall diameter, I believe the original tire/wheel combo is around 27" or 27 1/2 " if you want to keep the speedo working with correct readings try and stay close to that diameter. I bring this up because I finally got enough $$ to put my vette in the body/paint shop. when it comes out fresh I have decided to go with the wheel vintique billet (polished) ralley wheels. And since there is such an abysmal choice for 15" wheels, im going with either 17" or 18" (around 320$/per). Sorry for the side story, but if $ is not an option...you can also get then powdercoated to look original
mike

 

[Scott Winebarger]

I had GT Qualifiers on my 71 when I bought it and they slipped and slid all over the place. That was great for making lots of squealling noise but I got kinda tired of them breaking loose so often so I upgraded to Firehawks.

I bought 255/60/15 Firehawks as well and no problems at all so far. Low road noise , great handling and the block letters look great on a '70 s Vette. They fill my fenders well with no scrubbing at all.

 

[soxx35]

i would go with the yokahama they handle better the the bfg's and have a alittle higher speed rating.

 

[TWINRAY]

I have the Dunlop GT Quailifier on my '69. I think this is an acceptable replacement but not anything approaching Hi-Performance. I don't run the car really hard (except when I'm at Watkins Glen doing Antique Auto show laps on the track or running their original street course - lol) or put a lot of miles on the car. I cannot really justify putting a ton of money in tires for a car that will do less than 1K miles a year. After 4-5 years use, I'll dump them even though they will have tread on them and get either them or a similar replacement. I never liked or had any luck with BFG.

 

[Tepot]

Does anybody got pictures of C3's specially around 1974 with 225\60\15 front and 265\60\15 Rear tires on? or Some size simillar or close to this?

I would like to see how it looks before bying anything.

 

[firefighter-C3]

I have owned both tire (brands). An '87 M/C SS I restored had Dunlops on it when I bought it, they had plenty of tread left. I never cared for the tire at all, wet or dry roads. when I was looking for a performance tire for my '98 Dodge 1500 w/360, i got Yoko's(TireRack.com). I love them,wet or dry. I swear the truck handles better than the '87 SS.
Hope it helps, Jeff

 

[lnirenberg]

I would go to 16" wheels and get Avis V rated tires. The softer compounds make all the difference.

 

[Evolution1980]

Ahhh...another thread resurrected from the grave. Just in time for Halloween!

If anyone is keeping score, LEEJANDZ last posted to this thread in April 2003!! 10:1 he probably made up his mind by now...or is on his second set already. :L :L

I woulda asked him, "White letter radials ('WLR') or not". Until BFG starts releasing the Comp TA's in WLR, I stick with the basic BFG T/A's. They are basic, but they are cheap. And given that, I don't care when I make a little smoke in parking lots or at the drag strip.
:L

 

[67HEAVEN]

You can never get too much advice.

 

[bobherr46]

My 79 L82,bought 3 years ago,has P245/60R15 tires on it. I was going to replace with the original P225/70R15 size but this thread has convinced me to go with P255/60R15 size. Does anyone have advice on what speedometer gear to change to so the speedo reads right? I followed my wife down the highway a few weeks ago and it looks like my speedo reads 10 MPH too fast. I thought it was interesting that one fellow commented that his car handled better with the front tire PSI 4 # lower than the rear. The tire sticker on my driver door recommends to run the front 5 PSI lower than the rear. - Bob

 

[Scott Winebarger]

My 79 L82,bought 3 years ago,has P245/60R15 tires on it. I was going to replace with the original P225/70R15 size but this thread has convinced me to go with P255/60R15 size. Does anyone have advice on what speedometer gear to change to so the speedo reads right? I followed my wife down the highway a few weeks ago and it looks like my speedo reads 10 MPH too fast. I thought it was interesting that one fellow commented that his car handled better with the front tire PSI 4 # lower than the rear. The tire sticker on my driver door recommends to run the front 5 PSI lower than the rear. - Bob

Bob if I remember right and I might not , I am getting old .. The difference between the 225/70/15 and the 255/60/15/ is almost nonexistent . If you have the correct gear for the car , it should be accurate . I am running 255/60/15 and am well satisfied.

 

[Evolution1980]

My 79 L82,bought 3 years ago,has P245/60R15 tires on it. I was going to replace with the original P225/70R15 size but this thread has convinced me to go with P255/60R15 size. Does anyone have advice on what speedometer gear to change to so the speedo reads right? I followed my wife down the highway a few weeks ago and it looks like my speedo reads 10 MPH too fast. I thought it was interesting that one fellow commented that his car handled better with the front tire PSI 4 # lower than the rear. The tire sticker on my driver door recommends to run the front 5 PSI lower than the rear. - Bob

The 70 series tires is a bit too tall if you are going for a more aggressive look. Plus, they will have slightly less handling ability due to increased roll on the sidewalls (taller sidewall = less stiff = more flex/roll)

As far as the 1lb difference up front (4 -vs- 5), your best bet is to check the tire pressure when they are cold, and then go out and do some spirited cornering and turns. See what feels better. Higher pressures will lead to more bump steer, however, too little will lead to sloppy handling. (except in the rear if you are at the drag strip)

 

[bobherr46]

cj5nutz - You are dead right. The diameter difference between P225/70 - 15 and P255/60 - 15 is very small. Is N C Illinois Norris City? I live in Mt. Vernon. - Bob

 

[Scott Winebarger]

cj5nutz - You are dead right. The diameter difference between P225/70 - 15 and P255/60 - 15 is very small. Is N C Illinois Norris City? I live in Mt. Vernon. - Bob

Close.. I am in Belleville, near St.Louis.

:L N C as in North Carolina Resident shacked up in Illinois :L

 

[curtis]

Use American made tires please. Oversees sources have enough of our money already.

 

[Evolution1980]

Use American made tires please. Oversees sources have enough of our money already.

I work for a 100% American owned company. I work at the WHQ is here in northern Ohio. We formulate and sell the compounds that Pirelli uses for their tires. (As well as Michelin and others.) Pirelli is one of our largest rubber compounding customers. If they lose business, we lose a very big customer, and then we lose jobs here. Ain't the global economy nice?? (anywho...the "Would you buy an import?" is another thread around here somewhere... )

 

[curtis]

:W Oh.

 

[pgtr]

Use American made tires please. Oversees sources have enough of our money already.

"tires" as in plural/lots of choices? I think we are down to only 2 American tire companies left last I heard.

 

[C3forME]

I have Firestone Firehawk Indy 500's 255/60-15's on mine. They are the best tires I have owned yet. They ride quiet, handle extremely well, they have excellent traction, especially in wet conditions and they look really sharp as well. I also had Cooper Cobra Radial Gt's, they had a nice quiet ride, wore like iron, handled well on dry pavement, but they were iffy in the rain.