Looking for new tires...
Thread Starter
TECH Senior Member
iTrader: (21)
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 6,697
Likes: 2
From: Jacksonville, FL
Looking for new tires... I need some 315/35/17's and some 275/40/17's. Right now I have the khumo 712's up front and the sumitumo's out the back. I really don't like the sumitumo's, but I'm not looking forward to spending 275 a tire for the gs-d3's. I need something that is wider. Something that's a true 315. My tire right now is smaller than the 275 as far as the part that touches the ground. I'm on a budget. I'm thinking the only brands are bfg drag radials, nitto drag radials, gsd3's, bfg kd's, and the sumitumo's. I want the best tire for my application. Price, wear, size. I don't care about noise that much, and I really don't care much about hooking since I spin anyhow. I won't be going to the track, I'll have seperate tires for when I do that.
There's not a lot of good choices. The GSD3 is a good tire for the rear. It feels and handles better than the Nitto, but is pretty wide. When I switched from the Nitto to the GSD3 I had to replace my PHR with a rod ended unit. My old one with poly bushings had too much slack in it and I got rubbing on hard cornering. Overall, I like them on the rear. Not so much on the front though.
The Sumitomo's suck. The BFG's aren't good in the rain (I hear). I'm curious about the the GSD3's in 285/40/17. If they are a bit wide for their size they may work well. The little extra height will look cool and they run $200. If they are not wide for their size it may not look good, though.
The Sumitomo's suck. The BFG's aren't good in the rain (I hear). I'm curious about the the GSD3's in 285/40/17. If they are a bit wide for their size they may work well. The little extra height will look cool and they run $200. If they are not wide for their size it may not look good, though.
Thread Starter
TECH Senior Member
iTrader: (21)
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 6,697
Likes: 2
From: Jacksonville, FL
I had the bfg drag radials before and they are terrible in the rain when worn. I had about 30% tread life left and I could give half throttle in 5th gear at 35mph and spin them to redline in the rain. I was driving at 45mph in 6th gear and just sliding everywhere with any type of gas. That's when I decided I needed to get some better tires 
I also want a rim gaurd like the khumo's...what tire has that?
I also want a rim gaurd like the khumo's...what tire has that?
I was in the same boat as u 777, had nitto's w/ no life left and went w/ sumitomos. Car is broke till spring, damn 10 bolt, and the snow I guess. Anyway, what don't u like about the sumitomos? I was sold on them when i only paid $94 dollars a tire. Kinda curious since I won't be able to melt these off till spring. I have heard they are a little soft and wear fast, but that is what I would expect for a cheap tire.
Thread Starter
TECH Senior Member
iTrader: (21)
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 6,697
Likes: 2
From: Jacksonville, FL
Well they wear fairly quick, I have about 7k miles on them and they have about 40% tread left. These things do not stick, the first 2,000 miles they hooked fairly well, but now I can spin them in second just by punching it at 20mph. They have a tread width of about 9.5"-10", which is about as wide as my khumo 712's up front (275). That's pretty sad if you ask me. There is about 1-1.5" on each side that doesn't even touch the ground. You can see that here.
They also don't have a rim gaurd, and the tread pattern is pretty ugly, I don't like the wide groves between the tread. The biggest thing is the width and how they are round instead of more square like the 712's up front. Obviosuly not my car BTW if you were wondering.
They also don't have a rim gaurd, and the tread pattern is pretty ugly, I don't like the wide groves between the tread. The biggest thing is the width and how they are round instead of more square like the 712's up front. Obviosuly not my car BTW if you were wondering.
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 647
Likes: 0
From: Jupiter/Gainesville, Fl. The other "U"
Well, since you are going to get seperate tires for the track, why would u get nitto's or bfg drag radials? If you dont want to spend a whole lot and dont mind drag radials, id go with the GS-D3's up front and Nitto's out back. But, the GS-D3's will give you the most traction and life if you dont use em as a drag radial 
. So why not go with em all around. You do get what you pay for.
. So why not go with em all around. You do get what you pay for. Last edited by GreekGator; Nov 9, 2005 at 09:52 AM.
I have some track life left in these tires, but that is it, in the rain it is plain scary.
Also, when measured, the sumitomos where off the rims, they were 1/2 inch total wider then the Nitto, (nitto still on wheels) but when I mounted the Sumitomos, they narrowed up a 1/4 inch, still wider then a Nitto, but not enough to even tell.
This pic seems to through off the widths of the tires, but o well.
Also, when measured, the sumitomos where off the rims, they were 1/2 inch total wider then the Nitto, (nitto still on wheels) but when I mounted the Sumitomos, they narrowed up a 1/4 inch, still wider then a Nitto, but not enough to even tell.
This pic seems to through off the widths of the tires, but o well.
Trending Topics
As u can tell from the pics, the nittos are no wider, but as in ur pic 777, more will be on the ground w/ the nitto, how much pressure u run in ur sumitomos? I only ran 27 max in the nitto, then 1st track day, I droped to 19 and never aired them back up, even went for a 3 hour trip one way and it drove great and tires for the 1st time actually wore EVEN.
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them
Pouria Savadkouei
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Pouria Savadkouei
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP
Verdad Gallardo
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes
Verdad Gallardo
Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power
Verdad Gallardo
10 Camaros You Should Never Buy
10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die
Verdad Gallardo I was checking out ur sig 777, and was wondering, I still have a stock 3.42 gear and never had a chance to run my car yet w/ 4.10, which will be going in this winter. Was wondering if u ever ran ur car w/ a stock gear w/ that cam, (same as mine) and then went to the 4.10, just looking to see how big of a difference there was.
Reason for asking is when i ran my current setup at the track w/ the stock 10 bolt, all I could pull was a bogging 1.9 60' and a 12.2 at 115. It was a hot day (96 deg.) and it was my 1st pass ever down a 1/4 mile track. I know there is a 11 sec pass in the car as it sits, but I was only launching from 2500 or so, and then launched from 3,500 and it felt better and hooked, then tried 3500 again and BOOM, snapped driver side shaft.
I know that a 4.10 gear will make this a mid 11 sec car on slicks, which I have waiting to go on and the 9in. from Driveline Solutions should take all the beating in the world.
Reason for asking is when i ran my current setup at the track w/ the stock 10 bolt, all I could pull was a bogging 1.9 60' and a 12.2 at 115. It was a hot day (96 deg.) and it was my 1st pass ever down a 1/4 mile track. I know there is a 11 sec pass in the car as it sits, but I was only launching from 2500 or so, and then launched from 3,500 and it felt better and hooked, then tried 3500 again and BOOM, snapped driver side shaft.
I know that a 4.10 gear will make this a mid 11 sec car on slicks, which I have waiting to go on and the 9in. from Driveline Solutions should take all the beating in the world.
This is when i had 27 pounds or so in the nittos. U can see how much of the groove on inside is not on the ground....
Now this is a more recent pic after running 19 psi on the street for a while...
U have to look pretty close on the inside edge to tell, but they def. have a wider foot print between those two air pressures. Sorry for the terrible pics.
Now this is a more recent pic after running 19 psi on the street for a while...
U have to look pretty close on the inside edge to tell, but they def. have a wider foot print between those two air pressures. Sorry for the terrible pics.
Thread Starter
TECH Senior Member
iTrader: (21)
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 6,697
Likes: 2
From: Jacksonville, FL
Well the sumitumo's tread is tapered down on the sides, so running a lower air pressure will just wear that bald before the middle, so there is really no solution.
As far as gears, I had 3.73 gears. Never drove with the stock 3.42's. I didn't really notice a huge difference in the way it drove. The only thing is I have to shift a lot more/faster. I broke my 3.73 gears on these street tires shifting from 1-2. The 10-bolt had a slight whine to it from the get go. So that could of been the problem.
I have a feeling I'll be saving up for gs-d3's. Front and back.
As far as gears, I had 3.73 gears. Never drove with the stock 3.42's. I didn't really notice a huge difference in the way it drove. The only thing is I have to shift a lot more/faster. I broke my 3.73 gears on these street tires shifting from 1-2. The 10-bolt had a slight whine to it from the get go. So that could of been the problem.
I have a feeling I'll be saving up for gs-d3's. Front and back.