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Ok, wasn't really sure where to post this but it is a tire question. Yes there's the tire section, but it doesn't appear to have much traffic....plus most of you guys are making pretty good power, so i think it fit best here. Now with that out of the way, the question. In an attempt to solve my traction issue, I'm going to be changing tires here soon. I've been looking at two different tires, one is a 295 45 17....the other is a 315 35..both ET street. What I'm wondering is, would the added sidewall of the 295 45 better serve me.....or the wider contact patch of the 315? I'm somewhat partial to the 315 right now for no other reason than aesthetics. But if the 295 would make the car hook....it's a no Brainer. Thoughts/opinions?

stevieturbo

On paper, what is the actual tread width of each tyre ?

Very oddly, some wider section tyres often seem to have negligible difference in actual tread width.

What width rims ? TBH I'd probably go for whatever was visually the best looking given the little difference between them

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There's a 1 inch width difference between the two. Not really sure if that makes much difference or not. I do love the way the 315s look, but I'm sick to death of not being able to put power down at ALL speeds. So with this go around on tires.....traction has top priority. Oh, wheels are 11 inches

stevieturbo

1 inch in actual tread width ?

I dont even see a 295/45x17 listed for MT on their site ?

Game ova

Well....looks like the choice just got easier. It's looking the the 295 45 17 has been discontinued.

roastin240

iTrader: (13)

I use to run 305/35/19 drag radials and still the traction sucked. I always wanted to go to a smaller diameter and width rim, with a narrower contact patch and larger sidewall that was taller and bulged some on the sides...I think thats a better trade-off in many cases with respect to traction only.

Photochop

iTrader: (74)

The 295/45r17 will hook better, you will benefit from the added sidewall. If they're setup right, they don't look goofy, actually look good. I've known several cars running the 315 and they changed to the 295 and were able to hook better. Another couple options are the 305/45r17 ET Street R's, or the M&H 325/45r17s. Both will hook as well or better than those Mickeys do. If you're worried about aesthetics, buy a spare set of rear wheels to run any of the taller tires on and swap em out when needed.

Game ova

May check the 325s out. I will try to see if I can find some pics of f bodies with those on an 11 inch wheel. Again, traction is king right now....but don't want to get ridiculously ugly with the looks. Hopefully the 325s don't bulge to far past the lip.

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How much were you putting down with those tires? I ask because whereas you say that the traction still sucked with the 305s....if you were trying to run 1k+rwhp through them....that's asking a lot lol.

3 window

iTrader: (1)

Taller and thinner over shorter and fatter! Applies to a lot of things!

ddnspider

iTrader: (26)

You wont hook for crap on those 35 sidewalls. The 295/45 will be a much better choice.

Photochop

iTrader: (74)

My buddy's old car with 325 M&Hs on it. This car made 570/550 on the motor and would hook 1st gear on these tires.

https://ls1tech.com/forums/multimedi...r-plumbed.html

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I couldn't ask for a better example. We have the same car, down to the wheels. And those tires are SEXY out back!

Game ova

I see what you did there....

By the looks of what photochop posted....I may have found what I need. Bigger tire....that hooks....and still looks good. His buddies ride is gorgeous.

forcd ind

iTrader: (7)

A taller tire will actually have a little more patch, not as wide as a wider tire, but a longer patch, some cars work better with that-of course susp. plays a huge part in hooking. I do like a wider tire from a looks point of view, and if it hooks better yet, lol

ddnspider

iTrader: (26)

Yeah that is nice. It may require some BFH work to get them to fit lol. I fit 295/50/16's in my fenders with just a slight BFH and kept the bumpstops, but that was on a narrowed 9" with wheel adapters.

Photochop

iTrader: (74)

Awesome. I saw the rear pic of your car and figured it was a deeper dish stepped lip wheel.

Yeah, you'll likely need to hammer in the 3 oclock and 9 oclock bumps on these cars in the rear inners to make those fit. And depending on offset may need to roll your quarter panel lips.

He swore up and down that the M&H's hooked better than the previous MT radials he'd tried on the street and track. He did mention they wore out faster though is the only downside.

baronsmith98

iTrader: (2)

Have you thought about switching to a 15" wheel?

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I have. I understand that this is trivial, but I like all of my wheels to be matched at all times...even at the track. While I'm not 100% sure yet....it's looking like those 325s might be the ticket. Are you suggesting a 15" wheel and a tall tire? I think if I wasn't so hung up on uniformity I would probably go with that.

SteenH

Get a sexy set of 15s for the strip, (maybe even a biasply setup depending on what suspension you have under the car)
WHILE getting the 325s for your street wheels too!
Edit: I constantly roll around on my biasply 15s, though down the road I would like to get a nice street set something like 17s