TunedRX300

If I were to upgrade to 255 tires, I would upgrade the rims to 8" for the reason you explained above.

18x7 rim just barely made the minimum width for safely mounting a 255 tire. The measured average width or designed rim width for the Sumitomo HTR is 8". Although 7" meets the manufacturer's range, it is at the lowest possible point. This is equivalent of squeezing your feet into the smallest possible shoes. Yes they will fit, but how comfortable would you be?

From TireRack

Tire Rack has Sumitomo Spec here
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/Spec.j...1=yes&place=37

mandyfig

Another valid point. Really depends on how you will be using the car. If it were used for a daily ride, then I would say, increase the margin of safety, go with 8, big maybe. But if the car is for leisure, means less than 7500 miles per year and good behavior driving, then the minimum would suffice.

AM1

iTrader: (6)

whatever they work and are within spec.

00 nbfrc

My friend will go with the Nexen tire. They do make a 235 stock size H rated cp 521 and a 255 55 18 Roadian HP V rated. I can get the 255s for about $75 ea since I have a great connection. Havent checked the price on the cp 521, but it is a 260 treadwear rating. The Roadian HP has a 420 treadwear rating.
The only issues he has is the level of noise. Have not been able to find any reviews on these.

Dont want to beat a dead horse, but, for the 255 55 18 size, no spacers are needed, correct?


Any they will work on the stock 7" wheels?

http://www.performanceplustire.com/p...-18#prodAnchor

Thanks, fellas.

TunedRX300

How much does a Nexen tire weight?
I used Sumitomo tire on my other cars, but one thing I don't like is Sumitomo tends to be heavy. For example, 255/55/18 is 37lbs, 8 lbs more than OEM Goodyear or Michelin. For AWD, this is equivalent of mounting 32 lbs of mass on a minimum of 18" moment arm. Spec for Sumitomo here.
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/Spec.j...1=yes&place=53

Next time you go into a gym, try hold two 15 lbs dumb bells and try to rotate and slow down by extending your arms fully. Now image the RX has to do this couple hundred of rounds per minute, ever wonder why the car seems less peppy, requires more braking distance to stop and fewer mpg?
There is no secret: those additional mass requires energy to turn. And they are not dead weight either...Anyone try to add a pound of mass on the tennis racket and try to hit a ball?
Not say weight is the factor to consider because it is not, but it should be ONE of the factors.

VroomVroom

I totally agree. And you will notice the difference with that extra unsprung weight at each corner.

At the risk of offending anyone - certainly not my intent - I am always amazed at the willingness of people to put cheapo tires on their nice cars. To borrow TunedRX300's phrase, price shouldn't be the only factor to consider, but it should be ONE. There's almost always a good reason that cheap tires are...well...cheap.

00 nbfrc

36 pounds. 1 lb less than sumitomos.

Link http://216.102.143.83/tire_detail.asp?pid=101



I could have bought Michelins for the vette at $1350 a set. Instead I went with Falkens at $680 a set and love them. They are made in Japan.

The wholesaler where I get mine has other brands I can buy for more money. When I asked him if he had returns on the nexens for defects or seperation he said no, not even one. There are no recalls on these tires either. Based on all these factors and the $75 price IMO its a no brainer.

VroomVroom

The difference is also in the rubber. That a tire stays round and doesn't separate its tread from the sidewall does not mean it compares favorably to tires from other brands who invest heavily in research & development and manufacturing. Plus, a chunk of that labor savings is invested in shipment here. Switching gears for a second, you can buy a $40 mp3 player that will work for 10 years. Or you can buy a $100 one that also will last for 10 years and sound significantly better.

Will that Nexen give you 40k of trouble-free service? Probably a very safe bet. Will it ride as well as more expensive tires? Probably not. Will the tread compound stay as pliable after 20k miles (or even 10k), offering the same wet traction and dry handling as the Falken...or Toyo...or the Euro brands? I'd almost guarantee the answer is no.

00 nbfrc

Let me say with my expierence with OEM Goodyear runflats on my vette. I bought the car with 7800 miles on it. The original owner, I went out to Fresno to get the car, told me how they would get noisy as the temp changed in them, were unpredictable in the rain, and would skate all over a grooved highway that was dry. I didnt believe him because I thought that Goodyear spent a ton of money on R&D on these tires. Man, I couldnt be more wrong. They were as described. Junk. Plus, they seem to get harder as they wear down. I sold them at 10000 miles and basically got the Falkens for free. They are not runflats, but neither is the ZO6 Goodyear F1 OEM tire. So I bought a plug kit and a pump just like GM provides for the ZO6. I narrowed my choice of tires for that car to Nitto or Falken, and it was a preference of tread design because they were about the same price with similiar feedback.

I like to think that we all want the best bang for the buck and feel that the R&D done by these third world companies on tires is up to par as long as there are no negative feedback or recalls on them.

Remember what happened with the Ford Explorer rollovers and Bridgestone? I still dont like that brand.

AM1

iTrader: (6)

that firestone thing was a mness

mandyfig

Bridgestone owns Firestone. The jury is still up on that whole mess. Ford pointing to Bridgestone. You have to remember Bridgestone is Japanese, they do not want confrontation and finger pointing.

00 nbfrc

Got the nexens today. They are made in Korea.

mandyfig

Where did you get them and for how much? How do they look and feel? Can you post pics?

00 nbfrc

You will have to read the thread to get that info. The RX is not mine, it is a friends that I am trying to help out. He hasnt mounted them yet.

Here are a few pics of my ride.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...ghlight=nassau

mandyfig

Thanks. I will read the thread.