LT4 Lt4 tire replacement

[lt4 gs]

Hello Everyone,
Guess we should all go back and spend an hour with our owners manuals! Pg 5-23 of the 1996 Corvette owners manual states: Note that if you have chosen the spare tire delete option your vehicle is not equipped with a jack or wheel wrench, but does have a wheel lock key and wheel nut socket. Read the whole section for location of the equipment as it is different for each vehicle/options---DCAATC

This is definitely strange. (FYI) EMT's all around (spare tire delete). Ordered the vehicle new. Guess what? Jack and all the wrenches, in the box w/tag, right behind the pass. seat.
jd

 

[Dean Barker]

That is different. Mine has the EMT's all around, spare tire delete, and just the lug wrenches, according to the manual. I had bought a spare tire assembly from a salvage yard; I've got to see if it fits with that big aluminum box in that area. Does anyone know?

 

[brewshill2003]

Now I will go home and check if i have jack lug wrench etc. along with run flats

 

[LT4man]

The big aluminum box is in place of the spare tire. In case of a collision, the spare tire (big aluminum box) acts as a crush zone. IMO there is no way to mount the spare with the box in place. Sorry.

 

[Dean Barker]

The aluminum box appears to be welded in at the back; I've got to take a better look next time I'm underneath.

 

[lt4 gs]

How many times have you folks flats on the road? I've always been able to get AAA to bail me out of flats. Even when I had a spare, it never came down. How embarrassing it would be to have that funny little tire on the car....you might actually tip over with it. (haha) Worst case was in my 89' and a guy was trying out his deer rifle on freeway traffic. Even w/30cal. going through the wheel and into the tire, it was drivable to the Shell at the exit...(about a 1/4mi.)

AAA hit me with a collision deductible for the wheel. They said I collided with a bullet....which I thought was tackie.

 

[LT4BUD]

The aluminum box appears to be welded in at the back; I've got to take a better look next time I'm underneath.

This should be a bolt in...4 bolts I think

By the way I think the Goodrich KDWS make a great street tire for a daily driver like you have described your needs. If you are interested I have my fronts (255/45-17 left with 80%+ thread left) for sale..... Regardless I was very impressed with the KDWS as a great all around street tire. Priced very competitively. Low noise, high mileage, great in the rain & cold.

 

[TexasRedLT4]

I wonder if there is any chance that the new C6 runflat tires, which are supposedly MUCH improved, will be offered in the appropriate sizes for our cars. I'm still have the original tires on front (37k miles), but I've already replaced the rears once.

 

[NC-LT4]

going bareback

I agonized about this for a while before removing the run flats and NOT reinstalling the tire pressure sensors on the new wheels. I am still considering installing a spare tire kit.

I installed black ZR-1 9.5" all around with 275/40 X 17 BFG's. The car sure rides better. Funny thing is that I didn't get a message about the tires on the Control panel. I guess that the system could have been disabled by the previous owner.

 

[Dean Barker]

I have ordered all new Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3 tires from Bree's Tire in Osage. The tires are supposed to be in next week. I'm going to remove the tires and take the rims and tires in to have the new tires mounted and balanced. With the new tires and rims installed, I will then drive back and Brian will check the alignment as part of the deal. He always does this with Corvettes. We are fortunate to have a tire dealer who is also a Corvette enthusiast.

I thought about just replacing the rear tires with another set of Goodyear GSC runflats, but decided the better ride and the quiet was worth the extra $100.

I plan on keeping the low tire sensors in place and getting a rope tire repair kit and either a 12 Volt or manual tire pump.

 

[ShaneL]

Congrats on the purchase, you will love them ( I do).

Don't ever go back to the GSC Runflats, this is what everyone should do to them...

(Note: no runflats were harmed in the making of this picture)

 

[Dean Barker]

When We got back from vacation the middle of August, my new tires were in at Bree's Tire. They got mounted, balanced, installed, and the alignment tweaked. The guys at Bree's did a super job. The tires are every thing all you on the forum said they would be; quieter and a much softer ride. This car is really fun driving 80 mph on the interstates in South Dakota and Nebraska. All I have left to do on the car is change the brake and the clutch fluid. Thanks everyone for the advice on the tires.