View Poll Results: Which tire size tire would you put on the rear?
275/40-17, easy fit and tire rotation
8
22.22%
315/35-17, max traction with clearance issues
28
77.78%
Voters: 36. You may not vote on this poll
275/40 vs 315/35 tires
08-30-2006, 12:54 PM
#1
275/40 vs 315/35 tires I am looking at getting a set of wider wheels and tires to handle the extra output on the street. I am going to build a 382cid with some boost from a D1SC. The suspension has been beefed up with BMR swaybar, adj. control arms, SFC, and rollbar, but the car is not lowered. I intend to drive this car only in the summer and I want good handling as well as traction. The front will have the 275/40-17, but I can decide on the rear. The 275s would simplify the issue and allow front-to-rear tire rotation, but will it be enough. The 315s would give me the added traction, but there might be more risk of hydroplaning and tire clearance in the wheel well. The biggest reason is that I might be shipping this car to me in Germany and I want to show up some European car. Comments are welcome.
08-30-2006, 01:23 PM
#3
Years ago I had the opportunity thru BFG to have my car on a video for the BFG DRs...We ran the 315s on a 17x11 wheel and then the 275s on a 17x9 wheel...There was zero difference in 60's only added weight...Save weight and aggravation and use the 275s, or for even better traction use 255 50 R16s on 16x8s...They hook better than both...
--Alan
--Alan
08-31-2006, 07:35 AM
#6
Maybe I should had put more info. I have two other sets of tires for racing. What I am looking for is a daily driver set of tires to get me the best handling and traction for mostly highway driving. I don't want to go beyond a 17-inch wheel so that I keep a good ride quality. I was wanting to see if it was worth the extra money and wheel well modding to got with the 315s.
09-01-2006, 06:04 PM
#7
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Personally, I didn't feel much of a difference as far as traction goes between 275s and 315s. My car came with 235/55/16's stock from the factory (which means the car has a steel driveshaft and a 117 mph limiter which is gone now), and after those ugly things were burned off, I put on some Falken Ziex ZE502 in 255/50/16. Talk about bad traction! Those things wore like a **** in the center 1/3 even with just 25 psi in the tires. I tried all types of tire pressure but to no avail. The tires were just a little too big for the stock wheel and were "bunched" up on the wheel causing the car to basically ride mostly on the center 1/3 of the tire resulting in quick wear and no traction. I sold the stock wheels and got some 10 spoke SS wheels from SLP with Eagle F1 GS tires. These were fine, traction was ok, but I sold them in less than a year coz they just didn't make the car look tough enough. So I went out and bought a set of ZR1 wheels from AFS with 11's in the back on Dunlop SP8000s. Now those tires aren't the best in the world, and that might be the reason why I didn't really feel much of a difference in performance. Those tires were ulgy anyways, and only lasted me 10k miles at which point I bought Yokohama AVS Sports. They were good, till they started getting a bit old, and till I started modding the engine. First thing I put on was a LS6 intake followed by headers and a ported TB with a tune. After that I lost traction right around 3000 rpm in first when you roll into the throttle and put her down to the floor. I added an adjustable torque arm from Spohn, and with that baby in there, I had traction! First thing I did was drive down the road and kept the revs at 3000 rpm, then gunned it....the bitch squatted and went! Biggest improvement in traction yet! After that the cam went in....well...between the tires being even older now and the car having even more power, I can just toy with my tires and spin them at will.
Bottom line....you will gain some traction with the 315's but it won't be a WHOA! night and day difference besides the fact of having installed fresh tires. If you want to show people up with the car as far as looks goes...nothing is more intimidating than having 315's on the back :
The lower control arms and the torque arm are what really helps you hooking up, both eliminate wheel hop and just help the car tremendously. Subframe Connectors help a little too.
About the torque arm...there are two types, the tranny mounted one and the frame mounted one. The tranny mounted one is just a direct replacement from the stocker and attaches to the tailshaft of the tranny. That's a pretty bad design by GM because it puts some serious stress on the tail end of the transmission. So therefore a lot of people go with the frame mounted one. The problem with that design is that it kinda clunks if you don't drive the car smoothly, also ground clearance can be an issue, depending if you have headers or not. I have a Spohn adjustable torque arm for headers, and the cross member hangs pretty low, and my car isn't lowered! But these type of torque arms are more effective than the ones that mount in the stock location.
And trust me, in Germany, you won't see many cars with tires that wide...that really increases the wow factor, trust me I know, I was born there!
Yes, you will have some pounding to do with the 315's, you will have to remove the bumpstop and trim down the bumpstop metal mounting tab so it won't be a hassle removing wheels on a body lift (otherwise you always have to lift the car by the rear axle to keep the suspension compressed so the wheel won't hang up on the bumpstop). Of course you have to drive more carefully because the bumpstops are what keeps your suspension from bottoming out and causing damage from the tires hitting things they shouldn't be hitting. Also, you will need an adjustable panhard bar to center your rear end perfectly. I got the rod ended double adjustable one from UMI Performance. It makes adjustment easy since you don't have to remove the bar when you want to adjust it. It did wonders for my car as far as the tire getting hit by the rear fender lip.
So there you go...now you have some info to weigh out the pros and cons.
As far as I am concerned the "aggravation" of 315's are well worth it and really not that bad if you know what you need to do when you get them. Also if you get with a tire that is small for it's numerical size, like the Nittos, then you will have even less of a problem. Case in point, the Dunlops that came with the wheels initially required some banging and hammering of the inner fenders. Once I got the Yokohamas, I needed to hammer even more because they are a wider tire despite being of the same numerical size.
The biggest drawbacks I see are the added weight, which can be slightly reduced if you spent big bucks on light weight wheels, and of course the fact that you can't rotate the tires.
Any questions....let me know!
Manny
Bottom line....you will gain some traction with the 315's but it won't be a WHOA! night and day difference besides the fact of having installed fresh tires. If you want to show people up with the car as far as looks goes...nothing is more intimidating than having 315's on the back :
The lower control arms and the torque arm are what really helps you hooking up, both eliminate wheel hop and just help the car tremendously. Subframe Connectors help a little too.
About the torque arm...there are two types, the tranny mounted one and the frame mounted one. The tranny mounted one is just a direct replacement from the stocker and attaches to the tailshaft of the tranny. That's a pretty bad design by GM because it puts some serious stress on the tail end of the transmission. So therefore a lot of people go with the frame mounted one. The problem with that design is that it kinda clunks if you don't drive the car smoothly, also ground clearance can be an issue, depending if you have headers or not. I have a Spohn adjustable torque arm for headers, and the cross member hangs pretty low, and my car isn't lowered! But these type of torque arms are more effective than the ones that mount in the stock location.
And trust me, in Germany, you won't see many cars with tires that wide...that really increases the wow factor, trust me I know, I was born there!
Yes, you will have some pounding to do with the 315's, you will have to remove the bumpstop and trim down the bumpstop metal mounting tab so it won't be a hassle removing wheels on a body lift (otherwise you always have to lift the car by the rear axle to keep the suspension compressed so the wheel won't hang up on the bumpstop). Of course you have to drive more carefully because the bumpstops are what keeps your suspension from bottoming out and causing damage from the tires hitting things they shouldn't be hitting. Also, you will need an adjustable panhard bar to center your rear end perfectly. I got the rod ended double adjustable one from UMI Performance. It makes adjustment easy since you don't have to remove the bar when you want to adjust it. It did wonders for my car as far as the tire getting hit by the rear fender lip.
So there you go...now you have some info to weigh out the pros and cons.
As far as I am concerned the "aggravation" of 315's are well worth it and really not that bad if you know what you need to do when you get them. Also if you get with a tire that is small for it's numerical size, like the Nittos, then you will have even less of a problem. Case in point, the Dunlops that came with the wheels initially required some banging and hammering of the inner fenders. Once I got the Yokohamas, I needed to hammer even more because they are a wider tire despite being of the same numerical size.
The biggest drawbacks I see are the added weight, which can be slightly reduced if you spent big bucks on light weight wheels, and of course the fact that you can't rotate the tires.
Any questions....let me know!
Manny
Last edited by MannyZ28; 09-01-2006 at 06:27 PM.
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09-01-2006, 07:11 PM
#8
BOSS APPROVED!
I use 315s GS D3s on the back. And let me tell you there is no traction at all. Car goes sideways on any type of surface. Tires are brand new. You will see what I mean once you bolt on the D1SC. A proven DR could change things.
This is on the street, not the strip. Also my car puts out more than what is listed on my sig. Need to dyno one of these days.
This is on the street, not the strip. Also my car puts out more than what is listed on my sig. Need to dyno one of these days.
09-02-2006, 12:38 AM
#9
I have thought about getting the Nitto DR 315s for the rear since they have a 15K mile tread life, but I am afraid the tread depth will not be enough for wet weather. I read an article in Car and Driver about a test on 12 tire companies for wet and dry handling. Now, they used a BMW 325i rolling on 225s. In their test, the Goodyear GS F1 tires was their pick to be the best for wet and dry traction. Now, 225 is a narrower tire than my stock tires. I co-worker of mine has a '96 Mustang with 275s on front and 285s on the rear running Nitto tires. He tells me that when it rains enough, he can feel some hydroplaning. I have already totalled one nice car here because of rain, I don't want it to happen again. Have other of you wide tire guy had this happen?
09-02-2006, 01:38 AM
#10
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Worn out 315's and water are a bad idea. Mine are run down pretty far, and it's a dicey thing driving around....getting them to spin is way too easy, you gotta drive it like you have an egg under your shoe. I'd go with the GSD3 if you can swing them.
I love the look of the 315 in the back. 
09-06-2006, 01:43 AM
#15
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Originally Posted by MannyZ28
Worn out 315's and water are a bad idea. Mine are run down pretty far, and it's a dicey thing driving around....getting them to spin is way too easy, you gotta drive it like you have an egg under your shoe. I'd go with the GSD3 if you can swing them.
I have a BALD pair of 315 bfg dr's on the rear of my car. I almost wrecked my car the other day in the rain( did a 360 going 70 on the highway and hit the grass on the side.). Im now using my spare set of black zr1's till i get some new 315's for the tt2's.
09-07-2006, 04:21 AM
#16
Originally Posted by Donohue96M6Z28
I have a BALD pair of 315 bfg dr's on the rear of my car. I almost wrecked my car the other day in the rain( did a 360 going 70 on the highway and hit the grass on the side.). Im now using my spare set of black zr1's till i get some new 315's for the tt2's.
09-07-2006, 10:18 AM
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Originally Posted by Gold Phoenix
I am sorry, but that is not very smart to drive 70mph on bald tires in the rain.
09-07-2006, 04:11 PM
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Originally Posted by BlackTA98 LS1
Wide tires have nothing to do with traction...
That's a bit of an overstatement. Yes the suspension and the compound are what makes a car really hook, but, all things being equal, a wider contact patch will make for more grip. A lot of it is looks.....but not ALL of it.
Manny
