tire advice

cbrown9064 · 04-02-2011, 11:09 PM

Hi!

Just searched the forums looking for tire advice for a stock '96. The last good posting I could find was from the fall of '99.

What's the word on some good tires for my baby? I just cruise with it. No track duty. I do want a good handling tire with good traction, but nothing extreme. Have KDWs on it now and they are shot at 15k. Not sure I would go with BFG tires again.

Any thoughts before I go down to the local tire shop?
Chris

nckissfan · 04-02-2011, 11:25 PM

check out Discount Tire Direct.com for tires. They tend to have some good pricing there. I am running Falken's on my 97. They are very good tires. I gave them a workout the other week during a very "spirited" cruise through the mountains of NC. They ran around $109 per tire. Nitto makes a good tire, too. One thing for sure, the big names aren't always the best tires, especially for the money.

cbrown9064 · 04-03-2011, 11:24 PM

OK, will do. Have heard some about the Sumitomo HTR Z, but don't know if they are any good. Will post back what I find out.
CB

nckissfan · 04-04-2011, 04:07 PM

I have read a lot of mixed reviews on the Sumitomo. They are cheap, but I have heard they do not hold up real well, and, also don't provide the best traction. There are better tires out there for a little bit more money.

silververt · 04-04-2011, 09:28 PM

My car had brand new sumitomos on it when I bought it. I got 11k miles and they were toast plus they didn't hook for anything. I've got nittos now going on 13k with lots left to go. My last set of nittos had 35k on the rears when I traded my gt in! I have the nt 555s.

nckissfan · 04-04-2011, 09:46 PM

that is the kind of info that you need, cbrown9064

cbrown9064 · 04-04-2011, 10:47 PM

Yep, agreed on the info.

SilverVert...what model Nittos? I know they have a few different ones.

Chris

cbrown9064 · 04-05-2011, 12:45 AM

OH, never mind. I see they were Nt 555 s.

Thanks!
Chris

cbrown9064 · 04-05-2011, 11:05 PM

Ordered the Nitto NT 555s today. Will fit either this weekend or early next week. I will post my thoughts after a few miles.
Chris

ausie · 02-15-2012, 08:35 AM

Sumitomo is an okay tire. I only have them when I ordered a wheel package for my 04. They came mounted on 17x10.5 and 17x9 wheels. 315/35-17 rear and 275/40-17 in the front. Hook up is okay, but you can easily overcome the grip and spin them in the lower gears. Grip is less in cold weather, not bad for hot summer days. I am considering the NT555 when I wear out the Sumitomo.

I have talked to many who ride on the Nitto NT555 on all 4 corners (not the drag radial on the rear). They claim they will only buy them for their cars (family had 3 mustangs at the show). I asked due to the similarity to the firestone firehawks tires I had which did not last very long. The Nitto NT555 would be the best tire for performance and wear.

04-02-2011, 11:09 PM	#1
cbrown9064 SCMC Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Mandan, ND Posts: 63	tire advice Hi! Just searched the forums looking for tire advice for a stock '96. The last good posting I could find was from the fall of '99. What's the word on some good tires for my baby? I just cruise with it. No track duty. I do want a good handling tire with good traction, but nothing extreme. Have KDWs on it now and they are shot at 15k. Not sure I would go with BFG tires again. Any thoughts before I go down to the local tire shop? Chris __________________ 96 Black Coupe/Saddle Interior #7188 of 7496 Born on 6/20/96 1 of 725 Black/Saddle

04-02-2011, 11:25 PM	#2
nckissfan Everyone hates a winner! Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Browns Summit, NC Posts: 2,810	check out Discount Tire Direct.com for tires. They tend to have some good pricing there. I am running Falken's on my 97. They are very good tires. I gave them a workout the other week during a very "spirited" cruise through the mountains of NC. They ran around $109 per tire. Nitto makes a good tire, too. One thing for sure, the big names aren't always the best tires, especially for the money. __________________

04-03-2011, 11:24 PM	#3
cbrown9064 SCMC Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Mandan, ND Posts: 63	OK, will do. Have heard some about the Sumitomo HTR Z, but don't know if they are any good. Will post back what I find out. CB __________________ 96 Black Coupe/Saddle Interior #7188 of 7496 Born on 6/20/96 1 of 725 Black/Saddle

04-04-2011, 04:07 PM	#4
nckissfan Everyone hates a winner! Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Browns Summit, NC Posts: 2,810	I have read a lot of mixed reviews on the Sumitomo. They are cheap, but I have heard they do not hold up real well, and, also don't provide the best traction. There are better tires out there for a little bit more money. __________________

04-04-2011, 09:46 PM	#6
nckissfan Everyone hates a winner! Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Browns Summit, NC Posts: 2,810	that is the kind of info that you need, cbrown9064 __________________

04-04-2011, 09:28 PM	#5
silververt SCMC Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 50	My car had brand new sumitomos on it when I bought it. I got 11k miles and they were toast plus they didn't hook for anything. I've got nittos now going on 13k with lots left to go. My last set of nittos had 35k on the rears when I traded my gt in! I have the nt 555s.

04-04-2011, 10:47 PM	#7
cbrown9064 SCMC Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Mandan, ND Posts: 63	Yep, agreed on the info. SilverVert...what model Nittos? I know they have a few different ones. Chris __________________ 96 Black Coupe/Saddle Interior #7188 of 7496 Born on 6/20/96 1 of 725 Black/Saddle

04-05-2011, 12:45 AM	#8
cbrown9064 SCMC Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Mandan, ND Posts: 63	OH, never mind. I see they were Nt 555 s. Thanks! Chris __________________ 96 Black Coupe/Saddle Interior #7188 of 7496 Born on 6/20/96 1 of 725 Black/Saddle

04-05-2011, 11:05 PM	#9
cbrown9064 SCMC Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Mandan, ND Posts: 63	Ordered the Nitto NT 555s today. Will fit either this weekend or early next week. I will post my thoughts after a few miles. Chris __________________ 96 Black Coupe/Saddle Interior #7188 of 7496 Born on 6/20/96 1 of 725 Black/Saddle

02-15-2012, 08:35 AM	#10
ausie Don't let the dog drive Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Kinston, NC Posts: 1,883	Sumitomo is an okay tire. I only have them when I ordered a wheel package for my 04. They came mounted on 17x10.5 and 17x9 wheels. 315/35-17 rear and 275/40-17 in the front. Hook up is okay, but you can easily overcome the grip and spin them in the lower gears. Grip is less in cold weather, not bad for hot summer days. I am considering the NT555 when I wear out the Sumitomo. I have talked to many who ride on the Nitto NT555 on all 4 corners (not the drag radial on the rear). They claim they will only buy them for their cars (family had 3 mustangs at the show). I asked due to the similarity to the firestone firehawks tires I had which did not last very long. The Nitto NT555 would be the best tire for performance and wear. __________________ 2004 SVT Cobra, Silver, February 2004 SVT Build # 2485 out of 3768 SLP Loudmouth Cat-back UPR double lock firewall adjuster UPR GMS extreme double hook quadrant Wheels: Ford SVT 10th anniv. wheels (track duty) SVE 10th anniv. style 17x9F, 10x10.5R BBS RK Plasma 18x8.5F, 18x10R (retired) (retired) 2001 black SVT Cobra, October 2001 missed but not forgotten

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