Tire selection

[John79Vette]

I have a 79 Vette with Goodyear 255/60/R15"s
Are the BF Goodrich Radial T/A's any better or are they about the same?

 

[Koop]

Michelin Pilots are better than either one.

 

[JohnZ]

I have a 79 Vette with Goodyear 255/60/R15"s
Are the BF Goodrich Radial T/A's any better or are they about the same?

Depends on what you're after and how you drive your car - the BFG Radial T/A's are "cosmetic" performance tires, with an "S" speed rating (the lowest - 112mph). If you need better than that, you're looking for a "T", "H" or "V" speed rating - those ratings have a nylon cap belt that minimizes the possibility of a tread separation.

 

[Koop]

Speed is such a small part, the Pilots handle so much better than the BFG or the Goodyears it's just night and day. They do cost more, but most of these old Vettes are toys so what ever we buy we are stuck with for a decade. The '79 is a better handling car than my '69, so good tires are a must for me. Corners are scary in the old pigs, you really need to hook up.

 

[Hib Halverson]

The discussion of the Michelin Pilot is irrlevant.
1) Because Michelin does not have a "Pilot" branded tire in 255-60/15.
2) The statement "the Pilots handle so much better than the BFG or the Goodyears it's just night and day." is a distortion of fact and can't be supported by fact.

Unfortunately, there are no ultra-performance tires available in 255/60-15. Virtually all tires available today in that size, onther than radials or racing tires, are all-seaso, replacement tires with some cosmetic features which allow tire companies to call them "performance" tires. They share some engineering features with true ultraperformance radials, but lack many of them because of their low cost.

If you're interested in making a significant improvement in your car's handling with tires, you're going to need to upgrade to 16 or 17-in. wheels.

Once you get to those sizes of tires, you might have a situation where a Michilen Pilot Sport might be incrementally better than a Goodyear or Goodrich ultraperformance tires of the same size, but the difference will not, as "Koop" says, "...just night and day."

 

[Koop]

The discussion of the Michelin Pilot is irrlevant.
1) Because Michelin does not have a "Pilot" branded tire in 255-60/15.
2) The statement "the Pilots handle so much better than the BFG or the Goodyears it's just night and day." is a distortion of fact and can't be supported by fact.

Unfortunately, there are no ultra-performance tires available in 255/60-15. Virtually all tires available today in that size, onther than radials or racing tires, are all-seaso, replacement tires with some cosmetic features which allow tire companies to call them "performance" tires. They share some engineering features with true ultraperformance radials, but lack many of them because of their low cost.

If you're interested in making a significant improvement in your car's handling with tires, you're going to need to upgrade to 16 or 17-in. wheels.

Once you get to those sizes of tires, you might have a situation where a Michilen Pilot Sport might be incrementally better than a Goodyear or Goodrich ultraperformance tires of the same size, but the difference will not, as "Koop" says, "...just night and day."

The Michelins are "Miles Better" or how about "Leaps and Bounds".

I drove the Goodyear's back to back with the Pilots on my '69, they aren't even close. The difference was not incremental, it was "just night and day" in hook up, noise transmission and handling. The Pilots were 235 vs. the 245 Goodyear GTII. I've owned lots of BFG's in my life, I won't bother with those for street use again and I've been in plenty of early Vettes with BFG's :W. Nope, I can't support my statment with fact, but I know what I know.

But since Hal says the Michelins are not availble then the discussion is moot.

 

[Z28ImpalaSS]

On Thanksgiving weekend I replaced a set of Goodyear Radial GT's OWL with a set of BF Goodrich Radial T/A's. World of difference. Much smoother ride, lower road and tire noise, and they handle very well. Overall a very noticeable improvement.