Tire opinions on 15 inch rims

[ToxicWolf]

B&B...you sure in the heck wouldnt catch me driving in that slop with my ride ......wiht ANY tire.

    

[Mopar Mitch]

I've been satisfied with my BFG T/As for a "street/hwy" tire.. and I've used them a little for hi-speed raod course lapping sessions... mounted on 15x8 vintage mini-lite rims (TransAm-racing vintage types)...  245-60-15 front, 275-60-15 rear (intend to get new tires and increase the front size to 255-60-15, keep the rear at 275-60).  I don't expect high-mileage since I don't drive the car on the street/hyw any more than about 1000-2000 max per year.   My suspension is very stiff as its setup for national-level autocross competition (SCCA Solo class E/Street Prepared).... so, I appreciate the taller 60-series sidewalls to help absorb the ride.   For my usage of these, I've been very satisfied.. I don't expect them to perform like hi-end sports-race tires... THAT's why I have another set of rims (16x10) with Hoosier A6 275-45-16 DOT race radials.. super sticky for serious competition!.   With the 15s, don't expect any high-end performance, regardless of brand... so, for higher performance, consider having another set of rims... 17s or 18s... but then you'll get a bit stiffer ride from the shorter sidewalls, as well as increased chance of rim damage if you hit any severe pot-holes in the road.  Also, for increased road holding (autox or road course), increase the tire PSI about 5, or 10 (I run ~40 front, ~38 rear on road course lapping days) to help stiffen the sidewals under hard cornering.  Finally, look at the tread wear ratings ... typically, the lower the number, the better the grip, especially in the dry (my Hoosiers are 40... i believe the T/As are ~400... and the Coopers are ~450?).   I think Goodyears still makes some decent 60-series with RWL/R-Outlined WL... check out Tire Rack's website for specs, etc.

[72bluNblu]

B&B...you sure in the heck wouldnt catch me driving in that slop with my ride ......wiht ANY tire.

   

To each their own. I'm a firm believer that cars were meant to be driven. I'm also a firm believer that new cars suck. So, my Challenger is my daily driver, and it gets driven in everything. Rain, snow, 100+ degree weather, all of it. I don't think there's any point in having some awesome car if it sits in the garage 99% of the time.  And why have an awesome car if you're afraid to drive it because something might happen to it?

I learned how to drive on the road in that snow picture, in pretty much all conditions including up to 4 feet of snow. I'd had my driver's permit for all of an hour when my old man taught me how to 4 wheel drift and correct slides in a foot of snow on that very corner. Obviously the Challenger can't deal with that much snow, but it handles a few inches just fine. Its a gravel road, and there's no salt here in California, so I don't see the problem. A little mud never hurt anything as long as it gets washed off. And that's why I run modern tires, 11.75" rotors and 11" drums, 1.12" torsion bars, etc. My car doesn't handle like a 1972 Challenger, and I don't drive it like one. If you've never power-slid your Challenger through the snow you don't know what you're missing. 

Plus you never know when you might have to run out and get a Christmas tree...



Anyway, back to tires. HP2 has some great suggestions, I'd just get one of those tire markers and color in the letters for the RWL effect. I've seen it done, it's hard to tell apart from real RWL. I'm sure you'd probably have to touch it up occasionally, but if the car doesn't see many miles or weather it'd probably last a pretty long time. It'd be a worthwhile hassle to get some decent tire performance.

[brads70]

72bluNblu  that made me giggle!     I think some were " concerned" due to most northerners see snow they automatically assume it's got road salt in it.
Snow is just water!
I remember back in the 80's my 73 challenger was my daily driver too and in the winter it had big lug snow tires and would throw up quite an impressive rooster tail of snow/slush!


Back to the topic...  I have always avoided BFG's as well! Hockey pucks as they are commonly called around here!
Now with Firestone phasing out Indy 500's I think I would try  HP2 suggested the  M/T SR series.
You would think some tire manufacturer would step up and build some good modern HP rubber in 15" muscle car sizing? There are lots of us on the road still!

[dvldwg89]

Going with Cooper Cobras. 

[EB3-GranCoupe]

Mitch,
Have you ever used Goodyear Blue Streak racing tires?
http://www.racegoodyear.com/tires/pdf/sports_web_100511.pdf

[Mopar Mitch]

EB3 -- Gdyr Racing tires?... nope... I''ve used Hoosier TDs (biasply, 245-60-15, Goodyear shaved gatorbacks 245-50-15, Good year wingfoots shaved 245-60-14, Hoosier 255-50-16 bias ply, BFG Comp TA shaved 255-50-16 autox tires, Hoosier A6 race radials 275-47-16.

Current street hwy tires (occasional road course lapping) is BFG T/A 245-60-15, 275-60-15... ready to get new 255-60-15 for the fronts as they are old and worn on the insides (rears look a-ok, but also old... only have about 4000 max miles on these, but 24 yrs old.. recently driving past 4 years on street/hwy.     Then. for my 16x10 rims, i'm considering BFG GForce Comp II 255-50-16 f/r... these would get me by for maybe the next ~5 years until i can get another set of Hoosier A6 275-45-16 and start competition autox again with the SCCA, etc clubs.   I may get a set of 18x10 rims and run some 200 tread wear tires for hi-speed competition events (size 275-35-18 f/r).

All it takes is time and $$$!

The wknd of Sept 14-15 I'll be at Gingerman Raceway in SW Mich... PACE CAR duties for W2W races on Sat, then I' entering their hi-speed road course autocross o Sunday... tires is an immeduate issue...!@#$%^&*.... again.. low $$$ is the factor.  Being the club's PACE CAR is a privaledge to me for their W2W events (I typically get to be the PACE CAR ~2x each season from their 6-8 wknd events.

[GranCuda1970]

Using BFG 205 / 60 / R15 90s on the front  245 / 60 / R15 100s on the rear. They don't make the 80 versions I had on before any more, ( smaller front tire).

[Strawdawg]

BFG T/A's are practically hockey puck rubber, and are a special breed of horrible sliding death trap in the rain.

That said, most of the offerings in a 15" diameter and reasonable width aren't much better, especially if you limit yourself to raised white lettering. I suppose I'd get the MT's if I had to choose.

This is exactly the reason why I run 17's on my Challenger, there are basically no performance street tires left in a 15" diameter. For cruising to car shows or driving around on the weekend it doesn't matter as much, but if you drive year round in all weather conditions and still want to run a decent sized tire and put power to the ground you basically have to go to 17 or 18" wheels.

I run 275/40/17 Toyo Proxes 4's on my Challenger, they work pretty darn well in most conditions. Believe it or not, they even have a Mud&Snow rating. They do ok, but they're better in just the wet. 

You sure as heck wouldn't catch me doing this with a set of BFG's! 

My opinion of BFG T/A's is even worse,  I have replaced three sets (different cars) with something better and always thought-What an amazing difference!

For some reason, I think they are made by Coker or someone else these days because BFG farmed them out, but I may be wrong.

I was going to 17" but after the comments, I will look at the SR's as well

[Strawdawg]

they are proud of the S/R's!

[erat340]

Hi Bryon 

[HP2]

   

Aww, its just cold water.

Mine a few years back when it was doing daily driver duty. I had to plug the scoop to keep cold air out of the engine. Beleive it or not, you can fit three kid's car seats across the back seat.

[73EStroker]

I don't know if they are still available but I run G-Force TA 225-60-15 on front and Dunlop GT Qualifiers 275-60-15 on rear. The TAs are V rated and the Dunlops are rated for 139mph. They are smooth and the Dunlops need more effort to break loose than one would think given the hp I am running. Also the Dunlops have a modern tread pattern to clear water. Tey are soft and I was warned they would be gone within 8000-10000 miles. The fronts were OEM option on C4 Corvettes at one time. I think the TAs are available still but the Dunlops are gone now. I am not interested in RWL. My opinion they look too pimpy and they are hard to read at 100 mph

[HP2]

BFG G Force tires are still available as drag radials. While they don't make a 225/60 any more, they do have a 235/60. However, its 0 tread wear rating means that while it may grip well, its reduced tread depth does not make it very water friendly. Pirelli does offer a P600 at 180 treadwear in that size on Tire Rack. At $266 each, they aren't a cheap tire by any means.

275/60 choices are similarly thin on selection. Even Summit only shows 13 choices and most of them are drag radials.

[72bluNblu]

Aww, its just cold water.

Mine a few years back when it was doing daily driver duty. I had to plug the scoop to keep cold air out of the engine. Beleive it or not, you can fit three kid's car seats across the back seat.

Love it! Awesome shot. Who says you need a minivan?