Which tires?

[Strawman]

OK, let's say your SGT has 20" Razors, if you had your choice, which tires do you like and why?

[RogerS]

Strawman,

 

This is what I selected as my choice. Personal experience of this tire on my 95 Cobra R and 04 SVT Cobra is that I just love this tire. From wear to grip in dry and wet I have just achieved great results.

 

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?ti...e1=yes&place=16

 

If you click on the comparison link it also provides some very helpful information in selecting just the right tire for your driving style, habits.

Hope this info helps.

 

Roger

[Kelsey]

Never tried those, but I like BFGoodrich g-force T/A KDW 2. I used 3 sets of tires in 30K miles on my 04 SRT4, had about 300whp, they handled great, reasonably priced, excellent wet traction, and lasted about 12-15K miles when rotated properly...thats why I had 3 sets, forgot to rotate the first one :blink: Could've been the fact that I drove the crap outta that car though

 

Ross I looked into those, but never tried em, figured I'd stick to the OEM tire. How was the tread life on those?

[dave c]

OK, let's say your SGT has 20" Razors, if you had your choice, which tires do you like and why?

 

 

We also have the BF Goodrich on the 20" Razors, 2.55 in front and 2.75 in rear. I've used BF Goodrich for 20 years on performance vehicles. I've tried Goodyear and Michelin. When it comes to the performance vehicles I've had the best luck with BF Goodrich. They wear better and stick like glue to the road and they are relatively quiet. All around great tire at a decent price.

 

Dave

[Reino]

Please excuse my ignorance when it comes to mechanics.

 

I am still trying to figure out which tires I want to go with for the 20" razors and am still undecided on the chrome or gunmetal for my white SGT.

I was looking at the above link to the tire and noticed is has the word "roataion" stamped into the tire with an arrow. Does this mean to truly rotate the tires you would need to remount the tires each time to make sure they are rotating the correct way? Or would your rotation only be from front to back and the back to the front, always keeping the same tires on the same side. That doesnt sound like a good idea but what do I know.

[stump_breaker]

Please excuse my ignorance when it comes to mechanics.

 

I am still trying to figure out which tires I want to go with for the 20" razors and am still undecided on the chrome or gunmetal for my white SGT.

I was looking at the above link to the tire and noticed is has the word "roataion" stamped into the tire with an arrow. Does this mean to truly rotate the tires you would need to remount the tires each time to make sure they are rotating the correct way? Or would your rotation only be from front to back and the back to the front, always keeping the same tires on the same side. That doesnt sound like a good idea but what do I know.

 

 

In other words the tires have to be mounted so as they turn in the direction the arrow is facing. You can rotate and balance however you want - front to rear, x pattern, etc.

[ShelbyPilot]

Please excuse my ignorance when it comes to mechanics.

 

I am still trying to figure out which tires I want to go with for the 20" razors and am still undecided on the chrome or gunmetal for my white SGT.

I was looking at the above link to the tire and noticed is has the word "roataion" stamped into the tire with an arrow. Does this mean to truly rotate the tires you would need to remount the tires each time to make sure they are rotating the correct way? Or would your rotation only be from front to back and the back to the front, always keeping the same tires on the same side. That doesnt sound like a good idea but what do I know.

 

 

You can do a same side rotation as long as the wheels and tires are the same size. Rotating that ways is still a good rotation. Front and rear tires wear differently also. Under braking the weight of your car goes forward and the tire deflects in a way that it rides on the outer part of your tread. Conversly the rear rides on the inner part of your tread. Likewise the front and rear wear differently under cornering also.

 

Assuming your tires and wheels are the same size I would do the same side rotation. I wouldn't bother with unmounting and remounting your tires to cross rotate. However, if you are like me with different size omni-directional tires you might consider the remounting.

[LuLu]

I prefer the Pirelli line. P-Zero Assemetrico and Directionale, they work as a team. They grip like glue, but this also means they wear fast. 10, maybe 12K per set, and they are a tad more expensive. But, if driving is what you enjoy, this is part of the game. You won't find a sticker tire out there.

 

Some tips to keep in mind?

 

If you are into high speed driving, pay the extra few bucks for a "road force balance". This process will check for "out of round" wheels and tires, and balance the assembly as if it was on the road, carrying the weight of the vehicle at speed. If you are very serious about this, balance the wheel alone, without the tire mounted, and places the weights on the inside of the wheel. Then add the tire and balance again. The tire can be rotated on the wheel to find the spot where the fewest of weights are necessary externally, however, if you do a lot of drag racing and burnouts, don't bother. The tire is spinning on the wheel anyway.

 

Find your ideal PSI, i.e. the "fine line" bewteen sticking to the road, and resistance to drag. Under-inflated "soft" tires will have too much drag which costs you MPG, and provides less control in hard cornering. It will be soft, mushy, and posssibly damaging to the sidewall. Over-inflated "hard" tires won't stick well at all. Better MPG, yes, but lots of harsh road feedback without any adhesion quality in hard cornering. They will slip and slide like there's no tomorrow. May take an hour of your time to figure out your personal middle ground, but it's time well spent.

 

Aluminum wheels seep air, check your PSI once a month, and before any road trip.

 

Correct alignment is very important to longevity, if you can find it (not all alignment shops can do it) get a four wheel alignment.

 

DO NOT DRIVE DRAG RADIALS ON THE STREET AS A STREET TIRE. Use you head here, a drag radial and some Nitto race applications come from the factory half bald. That's why the grip so good on a track. But, get caught in the rain on the ride home, and you'll lose all control because they are half bald tires and there's no place for the water to go. It's called "hydroplaning" where standing water lifts the tire off of the pavement, and you won't like that ride at all.

 

Last but not least, watch your tire wear, i.e. tread depth. In most states, it's measured by ?/32. New tires are in the neighborhood of 11-12/32, thus, 5-6/32 is half worn out. 3/32 and under is legally "bald" and if this comes to be a factor in a serious collision, you could wind up charged with a crime.

 

Just a few notes so we can all enjoy driving our SGTs safely.

 

Happy holidays, gents.

[switch]

You gotta love the tread pattern on the g-force kdw-2"s. That will be my choice when I receive my 20" black razors.

[LuLu]

You gotta love the tread pattern on the g-force kdw-2"s. That will be my choice when I receive my 20" black razors.

 

I won't disagree with you, the KDW2 pattern appears quite aggressive. However, you have to have matching patterns on all 4 corners, or, you will have control problems, especially in the rain.

 

There is a difference between appearing "sexy" and performance. It's called "tire compound", which means all the difference in the world to a true performance tire. Before you make a purchase, do all the research and homework you can. Start here?

 

http://www.tirerack.com/about/techcenter.jsp

 

Those of you who pick a wheel for appearance sake, and then shop for a tire that will fit that wheel, are doing it backwards. Find the tire you want to drive on (with your family in the car) first, then find the appropriate (and most attractive) wheel for your needs. It's the tire that will keep you safe on the road at speed, not the wheel.