Tire question for '88 coupe

[BruceEdwards]

Any suggestions on replacement tires, brand etc? Should I be looking for Goodyear replacements? I'be got 52,000 miles on the orginial set and they won't pass inspection so time to shell out some bucks. What price range are we looking at? One other thing, this is a spring/summer car only.
Thanks in advance
Bruce in Vt.

 

[tyrel]

I put on Sumitomos from tirerack.com last year and couldn't be happier. For a budget tire, the quality is pretty good.

 

[MBDiagMan]

If your budget works for another set of Gatorbacks I expect that they will serve you well.

I put on Kumho Ecsta's and I am EXTREMELY pleased with them. I do my own balancing and Kumho's are the only brand tire I've seen that takes a miniscule amount of balance weight like a Michelin.

I have put them on my Vette and some SR rated Kumho's on my sedan. I can run either one as fast as it will go and they are silk smooth. Many tires these days won't do that.

Michelin pioneered sectioned mold construction after world war II and that is one of the main reasons that Michelins will run smooth. Most other tires up until recently were made in an old fashioned clam shell mold. These molds worked okay before belted tires, but it is very difficult to get a belt in proper position in these antique machines. Kumho is one of the companies that uses a sectioned mold and it really shows up in their product. They are cheap too.

BTW MAKE SURE that your new tires are DYNAMICALLY balanced. This means weights on both the inboard AND outboard plane. Many tire kids want to just put weights inboard to keep from having people complain about scratching rims. If you let them do that you are almost guaranteed vibration. If you can find a really cooperative and savvy tire man, you can get him to balance the outboard plane using tape weights just behind the spokes. This will keep from scratching your wheels.

Good luck,

 

[garycr14]

Tires

I think it depends upon your budget. The new Goodyears are great, as posted in a previous thread. Kumhos, and Sumitomo's are also good, with the Kumhos probably a bit more popular. It also depends on what you use the car for, daily driver, autox, drags, show. Not really an easy question to give a good opinion on without all the facts.

 

[spyysee]

had the gators 2x,(bad in rain,),firestone sz50,(very good rain tire), not as "fat", quick wear very good handling, and the kuhmo supra, so far an excellent tire, reasonably priced and a confident wet tire. I've only had the kuhmo for a week so the jury is out.

 

[WNH]

I recently bought Firestone Firehawk SZ50 EP's,
From 'Tire Rack' less than $200 each.
I'm satisfied with them.

 

[RedRagTop]

Mine came with Yokohama 275/40 and 285/40 and I've been trying to burn the damn things off for nearly 2 years. And I mean lots of spinnin' when you are actually [/I]trying to get rid of them in order to replace them with a nice American brand. Looks like I'm going to just replace the rears with the same rubber for another year or two then swap out all four.

 

[Daryllawman]

I use BF Goodrich Comps........no problem with them

 

[Jeffvette]

If your budget works for another set of Gatorbacks I expect that they will serve you well.

They haven't made those tires in a loooooooong time. If you're talking Gatorbacks, it's been at least a decade. It's been almost 5 for the GSC's

 

[MBDiagMan]

I guess that goes to show how long that it's been since I found tires better than Goodyears.

Thanks for the correction,

 

[Bonnell]

I had SZ50 Firehawks and loved them. I wore them out and had a flat (and found that I had a flat spare and no jack). The only thing in town that I could get was Goodyear HPs. They are not even in the same league as the Firehawks. I have a VERY tight 'S' cure close to my house and I could take it with ease in the Firehawks. At the same speed with the HPs the tire scream and sometimes break loose.

The next set will be Firehawks or maybe I will try the Kuhmo or the Falkens since I hear more and more vette owners compliment them.

 

[BruceEdwards]

BFGoodrich G-Force?

Thanks for all the previous posts. Hope I made the right choice here. I purchased a set Of Goodrich G-Force T/A KDWS for the '88. If your curious, the price was $142 each (excluding tax, balancing).

Bruce

 

[Edmond]

Thanks for all the previous posts. Hope I made the right choice here. I purchased a set Of Goodrich G-Force T/A KDWS for the '88. If your curious, the price was $142 each (excluding tax, balancing).

Bruce

I think you came out pretty good on that. I've heard that the KDWS's are fine tires. A local tire installer even went as far to say that a local Corvette club swears by them.

I personally have the SZ50's and couldn't be more pleased. But I did shell out $186 a piece for them.

 

[spyysee]

update

I've had the kumho ecsta 712 for over a month.
They have proven to be an excellent choice, especially in the rain(no shortage of that lately) only time will tell on the wear issue. I like them better than the sr70s I had, and the look great too!
see my previous post.
In the 17 years I've owned this car, they so far seem to be the best!