Recommendations for stock tire size 85 GT

[85md]

Still have the original 10 hole wheels. What tires are people running these days for the p225-60-15?

[KevinK]

I shopped around a couple of weeks ago for my 89. I ended up going with General tires in the stock size. I had BFG GForce tires before. I like the tread width on them. Many new tires look skinny. The Generals look reasonably wide.

[Haystack]

I run the 215\65r15. Tires and much cheaper and easier to get, performance or otherwise.

[ClayBelt]

Ohtsu 612’s are cheap/decent enough in my opinion. If you don’t mind a slightly shorter sidewall look into the federal 595’s though, very grippy and very cheap

[mcb82gt]

235 60 15 Cooper Cobra's, WHITE LETTERS OUT. LOL

[Patrick Olsen]

This thread covers pretty much all the options, was updated a month or so ago - http://vb.foureyedpride.com/showthre...es-What-to-get.

[mudgepondexpress]

Nanking SP-9 Cross Sport, 225/60/15's. Look good and pretty impressive tire for grip in the dry and wet (never tried snow). Not that expensive and 3 tires took 1/2 ounce of weight or less, 1 tire took 1 ounce. To me, that is pretty impressive.

Available from Walmart even.

Kenny

[erratic50]

I just looked at the tread design on the Nanking SP-9 Cross Sports. Based upon my experience with my 86GT being my daily driver for 18 years, I would not recommend those on a daily driver.

The reason? The tread pattern is not very open to the sides. That causes a hydroplane condition a lot sooner than will happen with a more open tread design. Granted its going to be 100% better with Naking tires brand new than something else all worn out.

The best tires I found for daily driver duty were
1) Firestone Indy 500 ..... Not sure if these are still available even. I always ran 235/60/15 all the way around. They have the tread design I mentioned, plus a compound that gripped well in all conditions, plus a sidewall that is not necessarily the most rigid you'll ever find which helps make the rear-end of the car a lot less prone to snap-steer

2) Cooper Cobra GT 235/60/15 ..... for sure still available. Last time I ordered these I dug around online and found them for around $65 per tire with free shipping. Not bad at all

3) Viper TR. I don't think these are around anymore. They didn't bite as good as either of the 2 above but they were VERY wear resistant. I got a crap-ton more miles out of each set than I ever expected. (hey-- those who know me blame my driving for the receipts for now 53 pairs of tires for the same old 1986GT over the past 3 decades. Stupid old 5.0 is still tearing stuff up - will probably kill the body before it dies. Pretty-well already has)


Other stuff I wish someone would have told me years ago...... if you're driving on the street in all weather conditions either ditch the rear swaybar or add a watts link or panhard. The bind that is present in the stock rear suspension is a death sentence given enough opportunities to get you and really has to be solved. Rear springs out of a 87-93 4-cyl LX are the same rate as the 93 cobra street car version. An excellent upgrade all the way around. Better ride. Better handling. What's not to like?

[webestang]

225 60/15 General Tiger Paws on my 85. $78 Walmart.

[KevinK]

I saw mixed reviews on the Tiger Paws. They were my second choice. I think there were two versions as well.

[Patrick Olsen]

I just looked at the tread design on the Nanking SP-9 Cross Sports. Based upon my experience with my 86GT being my daily driver for 18 years, I would not recommend those on a daily driver.

The reason? The tread pattern is not very open to the sides. That causes a hydroplane condition a lot sooner than will happen with a more open tread design.

Openings to the side aren't required for hydroplaning resistance; that's what the wide circumferential grooves are for. The water just needs to be able to go somewhere, it doesn't have to go to the sides. I've run a variety of max and ultra high performance summer tires that have minimal or even no way for water to get from the wide circumferential grooves out the sides, because it isn't necessary.