Treating 'er Right - Question on New Shoes

[sneitzel]

My Z28 had 245/50-16 when I got it and I have no issues.

I really like the BFGoodrich g-force sport tires. I actually have 2 on the Camaro right now along with 2 g-force KDW.

I like the g-Force sport so much, I just recently put a set on my GP.

[98 'Bird]

My Z28 had 245/50-16 when I got it and I have no issues.

Sorry, do you mean with curbing or with the tire size? I thought the 245/50s were standard on the V8 Camaro at the time. Maybe not.

I really like the BFGoodrich g-force sport tires. I actually have 2 on the Camaro right now along with 2 g-force KDW.

I like the g-Force sport so much, I just recently put a set on my GP.

Do you have any experience with the g-force A/S? It's less expensive than Michelin Pilots, but rated lower all around, so I'm considering the Michelins. I suppose you don't even need to think about winter... lucky :P

[98 'Bird]

Hey anyone heard of Falken tires??? They offer 255/50-16s (no speedo calibration needed), all season. C4 Corvette owners are buying them as 16-in tire sizes are dwindling. Any thoughts?

Here are some pic's I found of a 3rd-gen. Camaro with 255/50-16 Falkens.

[98 'Bird]

Beefy tires on the way

Finally! You guys have no idea how many hours I spent looking for tires at work. But I finally managed to get a full set of 255/50VR16 Yokohama Avids - a good all-season tire with with a V speed rating and good reviews on a comfortable and still pretty firm ride.

They must have stopped making them in this size recently, but I have 2 coming next week and another pair after that. I didn't skimp here in $ looking for rubber either! But it'll be worth it once I get the rims refinished and these mounted. It'll make for good before & after pics too, if it's of anyone's interest. Anyway, thanks for your help, all!

[FTA1995]

I didn't have a problem putting my 275 35 18s on the rear and keeping stock width on the front (245 40 18s). Don't recall the offsets, they are c6 clones. My car is 1 inch lowered with a much faster spring rate, that may be why it works for me.

[Z Ya Later]

Finally! You guys have no idea how many hours I spent looking for tires at work. But I finally managed to get a full set of 255/50VR16 Yokohama Avids - a good all-season tire with with a V speed rating and good reviews on a comfortable and still pretty firm ride.

They must have stopped making them in this size recently, but I have 2 coming next week and another pair after that. I didn't skimp here in $ looking for rubber either! But it'll be worth it once I get the rims refinished and these mounted. It'll make for good before & after pics too, if it's of anyone's interest. Anyway, thanks for your help, all!

Cool. Which Avid's did you get?

Also,

[98 'Bird]

I didn't have a problem putting my 275 35 18s on the rear and keeping stock width on the front (245 40 18s). Don't recall the offsets, they are c6 clones. My car is 1 inch lowered with a much faster spring rate, that may be why it works for me.

I almost ended up settling for two different tire sets with 245s on the front and the 255s on the back, as the 255s were almost xistent until I found the Yoko's.

Cool. Which Avid's did you get?

Also,

They're Avid V4s's.
http://www.yokohamatire.com/tires/avid_h4.aspx
If you go to the site, you may notice the size I just ordered isn't listed. Must've decided they weren't worth making anymore. Also, they're not on the Goodrich g-force or Wide Oval UHP level, which is fine with me - it has a little bit of snow tolerance and tire rack consistently gave this model series high ratings in ride comfort -always good for a V6 F-body not aimed completely for performance- and high in performance as well.

Any experience with this tire?

And yes, this calls for pictures. I'm hoping I can get on the refurbishing and mounting/balancing after this weekend for one axle - one guy has 2 coming soon from a warehouse - had to order the other pair from online - may take weeks - oh well, at least I found them.

I scrapped the Falkens idea once I found Ken's posting from a while ago that they're total crap - not surprising. Their availability in the size made them tempting at first.

[Z Ya Later]

They're Avid V4s's.
http://www.yokohamatire.com/tires/avid_h4.aspx
If you go to the site, you may notice the size I just ordered isn't listed. Must've decided they weren't worth making anymore. Also, they're not on the Goodrich g-force or Wide Oval UHP level, which is fine with me - it has a little bit of snow tolerance and tire rack consistently gave this model series high ratings in ride comfort -always good for a V6 F-body not aimed completely for performance- and high in performance as well.

Any experience with this tire?

And yes, this calls for pictures. I'm hoping I can get on the refurbishing and mounting/balancing after this weekend for one axle - one guy has 2 coming soon from a warehouse - had to order the other pair from online - may take weeks - oh well, at least I found them.

I scrapped the Falkens idea once I found Ken's posting from a while ago that they're total crap - not surprising. Their availability in the size made them tempting at first.

Sorry, can't say I've had any experience with them. Glad you were able to find a set though. 255/50/16 seems to be a vanishing size, which is actually why I'm considering 17s for the GN instead of 16s. Let's see some pics!!! lol

[98 'Bird]

Sorry, can't say I've had any experience with them. Glad you were able to find a set though. 255/50/16 seems to be a vanishing size, which is actually why I'm considering 17s for the GN instead of 16s. Let's see some pics!!! lol

What size/brand do you have on there now? I was told 255/50-16 came standard only on C4 Vettes and only for a couple years. I would have gone with the BFG's if they just weren't summer tires. That is the only easy option for street radials of the size.

[Injuneer]

There seems to be bit of confusion regarding "stock" tire sizes on the 4th Gens.

The V6's has a base 215/60-16 (26.1" or 26.2" nominal - varies by manufacturer). Most manufacturers recommend a 6.0 - 7.5" wheel width for that tire. The Firebird Red Book indicates that the stock wheels were 16 x 7.5". With the Y87 Performance Package for the V6, they were upgraded to 235/55-16 (26.1" or 26.2" nominal), with a recommended wheel width of 6.5 - 8.5". The wheels were upgraded to 16 x 8.0" (55mm offset).

The base V8 cars - Z28, Formula and early T/A's - came with the 235/55-16 tires. If the Z-rated tire option was checked, they got the 245/50-16 (25.7" nominal), for which most manufacturers recommend a 7.0 - 8.5" wheel. The 245's were standard on the T/A GT for the one year that is was produced, and on the convertible WS6 and SS models when they were introduced. Eventually the 245's may have become standard on the T/A.

The WS6 and SS coupes came with the 275/40-17 (25.7" nominal) tires on a 17" x 9.0" wheel (50mm offset). Most manufacturers recommend a 9.0 - 11.0" wheel width for this size. Some recommend 9.0 - 10.5".

[Z Ya Later]

Wow, didn't know some Firebirds were sold with 16x7.5 wheels. Is that true for the Camaros too?

[Joe 1320]

Wow, didn't know some Firebirds were sold with 16x7.5 wheels. Is that true for the Camaros too?

I thought those were the steel wheels, but didn't think firebirds got those.

[98 'Bird]

According to the VIN Decoder, my car is one of only 2,056 birds made with the 215-size tires, compared to 14,093 Firebirds with 235s in 1998. The same year only 3,558 birds are shown with a Y87 package for that year, so there must have been some other way to get the 235s without the performance package, at least for the late 4th gens. Also, despite that it appears that I have the "base" rim, it looks like an 8-in wide one, not 7.5. And all this only covers the base V6, so all I can say for sure is I'm still confused.