Tire recommendations

G

GDSmith

Veteran Member
Aug 4, 2012
194
Glen Ellyn, IL
What a Pain in the A** selecting tires, did a lot of review and opinion reading regarding dry and wet handling prior to purchasing BFG G-force Comp-2 A/S. Tires do perform well as far as handling in dry and wet with conditions and decent traction during launch (street) but are less than stellar in the comfort category. Turns my stomach thinking these were a bad investment.
This is our Route 66 / Road Car and now am debating selling these and purchasing another set that offers all the above with comfort and hopefully road noise.
Yeah, I want it all.
Not interested in opinions of the choice made previously being such a bad choice, looking for replies from those that have a tire that has it all and they are happy with.
Again this is a road car that leaves a traffic light or 2 a tad faster than considered legal.
Please send recommendations for the tires you would buy again.
Considered Firestone Firehawk Indy 500’s, thoughts on these?
 
badazz81z28

badazz81z28

Veteran Member
May 4, 2001
21,973
Alabama
I use BFG Rivals and haven’t really noticed anything to complain about. They are an extreme summer tire, so not meant for the torrential down poor but does have wet traction.
 
G

GDSmith

Veteran Member
Aug 4, 2012
194
Glen Ellyn, IL
tire size is 245/45r18
comfort issue is every little bump in the road is felt, perhaps I'm wrong but appears this tires sidewall is very rigid? Anyone else with this tire of the same thought? Yeah i get it, the sidewall of a 45 isn't that of a 60 and it also isn't that of a 40 either. Goal was to get an 18" wheel for current and future tire selection and keep the overall height at 26.7 or really close to it.

I expected a different ride from these tires compared to the original 245/60r15 but either there is a better ridding performance tire out there or I just need to accept this is going to be the ride.

Would seem to make sense that rigidity of a tire sidewall can be determined (assumed) by the rated weight capacity of the tire, with that said the Firestone Indy 500 has a higher weight rating so not understanding the reviews stating the high comfort rating. Any thoughts on this subject? Not like a pair of jeans where you get to try them on, drive on them and you own them.
 
rburrow87

rburrow87

Veteran Member
Apr 6, 2016
155
San Diego, CA
Have you played around with tire pressure at all? Your description of feeling every little bump in the road sounds like what I've noticed with over-pressurized tires.

I have 245/45r17 Firestone Firehawk Indy 500's mounted on 17x8's on my 3rd gen Firebird. I bought the wheels and tires from Tire Rack and they had inflated them to something like 38 or 40 PSI and the ride was jarring at times. Some harsh looking bumps that didn't look that bad felt like someone whacking the front subframe with a rubber mallet.

But after some head scratching and Googling about tire pressures, I dropped them down to 30 rear and 32 front (maybe 32-34? its been a while) and they ride much better. The GM spec for the original 245/50r16 on 16x8s for that car called for just 30 PSI on all 4.

I went from 255/60r15 rear and 235/60r15 front Cooper Cobras to the Firehawks and I feel that the Firehawks actually have the better ride now that the tire pressures are in the ballpark. They are firmer than the 15's were, but I wouldn't call them harsh at all.

Unfortunately I don't have experience with the BFGs to compare with the Firehawks. The higher load rating for the Firehawks would suggest that they'd be harsher than the BFGs, if I had to guess?
 
CorkyE

CorkyE

Veteran Member
Lifetime Gold Member
Nov 4, 2004
11,734
Ringgold, GA
My Nitto 555's have max inflate of 44lb, I had them at 40lb and they were a rough riding biotch. I dropped down to 35 and it got a lot better, so try the easy and cheap things first.
 
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