voudoo

I have a stock 2000 ws6/w firestone firehawk 275 40 17's, how tall can I go? my aim is to smooth out the ride a bit.

agenthol302

iTrader: (1)

i would say dont go any higher then 50's

69z-28

iTrader: (6)

275-40-17 is the correct size to run with these cars, they dont even make a 275-45-17 or 275-50-17 because no car runs it. the next option would be a 275-55-17 which is a tire for a light performance truck such as a Dakota R/T or a Ford Lightning. Those tires won't even come close to fitting and will look like ***. I would say run a softer more comfortable tire or look into new shocks/struts as these will be your only options. Remember a mushy soft tire will make your Firehawk handle like a schoolbus tho...

voudoo

what tire would you recommend? thks

cookba

iTrader: (10)

if everything else is stock then you should not have a hard ride. look into new shocks.

or get some 16" snowflakes and they had a 245/45 or 50/16 tire. but like said above the softer you go the crappier it will steer.

voudoo

it's not that it's a stiff ride just harsh over expansion cracks and rail crossings. still need some solid advise, I don't want to spend money for nothing, however if you can assure me that better shocks will help I will spend what it takes. what shocks do you recommend?

HWI

iTrader: (2)

Smooth ride = shitty performance. So if you want a smooth ride stick with OEM shocks. All the good shocks are going to be stiffer than OEM because they are geared towards performance.

carlos64030

iTrader: (5)

Trade your car in for a Toyota Camry.

99Bluz28

iTrader: (35)

What do you currently have your tire pressure at?

voudoo

25 psi I figure that's about as low as I can go on these little side walls.

CHRIZ28

iTrader: (15)

When I had QA1's on my Z28, if the shocks were set at 0 or 1, the thing rode like a boat lol. That may be an option.

Chris

99Bluz28

iTrader: (35)

Imo, sounds like you need a reality check, If you have a friend/s with lowered F-body take a ride in their car some time and see if you still have the same opinion afterwards.
BTW, 25psi is actually to low, 30 front an 28 rear at least.
Do you drive on really bad roads a lot, if so the best solution is better shocks and stock 16 x 8" wheels with 255/50/16 tires

Good luck!

voudoo

reality check! what's that supposed to mean? what's wrong with wanting it all, a sports car with a good ride, that's how I want to roll.

HWI

iTrader: (2)

Because by good ride you mean smooth as an old school Caddy, which doesn't jive with sports car. Performance suspension is stiff, it doesn't feel like your riding on a cloud like you want to roll. You can't have your cake and eat it too.

hookngo

1 or the other its going 2 b hard

99Bluz28

iTrader: (35)

Nothings wrong with it, just you, me and everybody else that drives a F-body doesn't drive a high-end sports car and there's only so much you can do.
I'd start with new shocks, bilsteins are a good option. If that doesn't solve your problem then go with a different model (higher model) or brand of tire.

slo2pro

well you could go with a tire that isnt as wide, a 245/50/17 should fit and there would be less contact on the street so should be a better ride. but like a few other people said if you are going for a better ride the stock 16 inch wheels should be a little better ride then the 17's. also have your local tire shop check spin your wheels. could have a bent wheel or a possible bad tire.

leadfoot4

iTrader: (1)

You've got 2 or 3 options. #1 is the cheapest and easiest...come to an understanding that you've got a "performance" car, they don't ride like Cadillacs, and live with it. Option #2 isn't cheap, but a set of GOOD shocks will help out a lot. I say "isn't cheap" because a set of Konis, which are the best, will run you around $950, plus installation, if you can't do it yourself. Option #3 is also a little costly...16" wheels, with either of the OE sized tires, 235/55/16 or 245/50/16. They have a little more sidewall to cushion the ride, but still maintain the stock OD, so your car's computer will be happy.


The choice is yours.....

voudoo

thanks I can't help but think it's more the tires than shocks, IDK maybe I"ll try new shocks, so you think the konis would help to take out the road feel? if so what model or part # konis?

99Bluz28

iTrader: (35)

The tires, how old are they, they are the Z rated wide ovals,correct?


The least expensive route is to swap wheels/tires with a friend that has a F-body (for a maybe a few hours at most) preferably with 17s and make sure the tire pressure's the same. If you plan on staying at stock height a set of Bilsteins would still be a great upgrade over the factory shocks. The thing is without actually trying a set of different brand/model of tires on your car you never know for sure if it will ride better, or worse!
If you want/need to stick with your 17's you could fit a taller 285/40/17 tire( no larger than this size) on your 17" x 9" wheels, but your tire selection is a lot smaller, and more exspensive than a 275/40/17 tire.

Good luck!