Tires (wolfman this one is for you ;)

[95z28]

Ok so any way im leavin school for lunch today ... and low and behold i get a flat, and to make it even better i didnt have the key for my lug locks on me so it was one hectic afternoon. Any way i ended up getin it to the local firestone store and i was guna buy new rubber in spring but decided to get em now. they had nothing in stock to fit my car so the guy calls up a local wholesaler and hooks me up with some toyo fz4's 245/50/16 but they are not z rated .... they r like v rated. but would it be better to take em back and get a set of z rated firehawks ??

[99WS6TA]

V rated tires

If you got a good deal on them i would stay with them unless its only a couple of dollars difference in price. V rated tires are rated up to 149 mph. So they should be good for everyday driving and a little play time. But is all in how much you want to spend.

[wolfdogs]

Re: Tires (wolfman this one is for you

Originally posted by 95z28
Ok so any way im leavin school for lunch today ... and low and behold i get a flat, and to make it even better i didnt have the key for my lug locks on me so it was one hectic afternoon. Any way i ended up getin it to the local firestone store and i was guna buy new rubber in spring but decided to get em now. they had nothing in stock to fit my car so the guy calls up a local wholesaler and hooks me up with some toyo fz4's 245/50/16 but they are not z rated .... they r like v rated. but would it be better to take em back and get a set of z rated firehawks ??

im surprised he would install a set of tires with a speed rating less than the top speed of your car. he put himself in a liable position by doing that.

up to you....the z's wear quicker......but toyo's wear quick too.....its their nature.....

[95z28]

Yea i figured id check with you because i know when it comes to tires you know just about all there is to know.

[94 formula]

Wolfman....what do you mean he could be held liable? Isn't the speed rating on most tires r and thats around 110 right? Most vehicles will break that speed. When I got my new set I told the guy I was looking for something aggresive but for a good deal and he tried selling my r rated mastercrafts lol.

[PG45]

Cool if you are the tire guy, what is a good pick for my SS. I like to try and stay patriotic if i can, but if the best is not from the good ol' u.s. of a, might as well get it.

[95z28]

Get firestone firehawk sz50 .... thats waht im getin when these crappy toyos go .... i noticed taht these tires have a tendancy to spin much easier than my BALD z rated good years.

as far as the top speed issue .... lets just say ive been well past 110 in my car ..... idk if i wana do it again, the only thing i could think was oh my god im gunna die. but still i guess he is liable and he even told me that they were z rated .

if this helps : http://www.bridgestonetire.com/dpp/g...sproductid=216 << fire hawks

http://www.toyo.com/tires/tire_lines/high_perf/fz4.html << toyos i have now

[ZMAN_DIEHL!!!]

the tire center should not sell a tire that does not meet or exceed the OEM specifications
A firestone rep told me that because i was trying to pinch a $ here and there but after he explained I was glad to buy the Z rated ones
Besides the zrated ones hold the road a lot better and are more comfortable on the ride as because they were matched to the suspension components

[ZMAN_DIEHL!!!]

nice car by the way
i used to have the same color Z

[wolfdogs]

Originally posted by 94 formula
Wolfman....what do you mean he could be held liable? Isn't the speed rating on most tires r and thats around 110 right? Most vehicles will break that speed. When I got my new set I told the guy I was looking for something aggresive but for a good deal and he tried selling my r rated mastercrafts lol.

"r" is not a speed rating. there is no r speed rated tire. r stands for "radial" on the tire size.

the speed rating of "s" is the most common..112mph.

t=118
u=124
h=130
v=149
w=168
y=186

z= rated to the top speed of the car its being placed on.....(open ended)

if a dealer installs a tire with a speed rating less than that of the top speed of the vehicle... he becomes liable.

[wolfdogs]

Originally posted by PG45
Cool if you are the tire guy, what is a good pick for my SS. I like to try and stay patriotic if i can, but if the best is not from the good ol' u.s. of a, might as well get it.

give me your driving preferences?

do you drive in the rain much?
any snow/slush?

you want max dry traction?
you want good wet traction?

good wear?
good traction, wear not a prob?

[PG45]

As for wet traction, i dont drive the car in the rain. Im not really worried about wear that much. I mean id rather replace good tires every year then be stuck with ok tires for 2. I was thinkin BFG's g-force, but if you think something is better let me know. Oh and i really dont drive the car hard so im sure that itll help with the wear. But even though i dont drive the car hard, iwant to have it there when i need it.

[wolfdogs]

Originally posted by PG45
As for wet traction, i dont drive the car in the rain. Im not really worried about wear that much. I mean id rather replace good tires every year then be stuck with ok tires for 2. I was thinkin BFG's g-force, but if you think something is better let me know. Oh and i really dont drive the car hard so im sure that itll help with the wear. But even though i dont drive the car hard, iwant to have it there when i need it.

then G-Force KD is a winner dude, not KDW..and certainly not KDWS.

[BAS]

I installed V-rated Nitto's on my front.

245/50r16

[Kevin V 2002 SS]

I looked at several tires. I do the normal driving and do get caught in the rain at times, so I wanted good wet traction as well. I also auto-X (even in the rain), 1/4 drag and occassionally road racing. After considering everything I went with the Firestone Firehawks SZ-50's.

The KD's are an excellent tire if you are only ever going to drive on dry pavement.