[DeTomaso] Tires

[Garth Rodericks]

Ok, let's stop beating this dead horse...
   
   > I'd like to shaddup but I'm going to whine some more after having taken another two hours 
   > on line to understand this.
   
  Two hours?  Just go to the Toyo website and download the spec sheet for the Proxes ST:
  http://marktg.toyotires.com/file/35.pdf
  
 > I have 7 and 8 inch Campys.  A 295 treadwidth tire has a recommended rim width of 
   > about 10 inches.  To me, that tire is way too wide to put on 8" rims.  
   
  WRONG!!!  Check the spec above. The approved/recommended rim width range for the 
  295/50-15 tires is 8.0 - 9.5 - 10.0.  One size is not recommended over another. A 10" wide 
  wheel is the maximum width rim this tire can safely be mounted on, and an 8" wide wheel is 
  the minimum width rim on which this tire can safely be mounted. One is no safer than the 
  other. They meet the same spec to be approved for these rim sizes.
   
  You may be concerned about AESTHETICS, but that's NOT a safety issue. Granted, the 
  sidewalls are not perfectly vertical, but they hardly show any bulge. BFG Euro TA's of the 
  same size on the other hand look like baloons on an 8" rim (FWIW, the 305/50-15 Euro TA, 
  when it was in production, was also approved to mount on an 8" wide wheel).
   
   > That and it's H rated, not V rated, so I don't think I'm going down that route.  I want a 
   > minimum V rating all the way around.
   
  Then start saving for new wheels!  The Hankook Ventus RH06 was THE ONLY V-RATED 
  TIRE available in 295/50-15, however it no longer appears to be available in the U.S.A. I 
  checked a number of sources last night, including several ebay tire stores that carried it a 
  year ago, and no one has it anymore. And even if you can find the Ventus, know that 
  Ventus does NOT make a corresponding tire for the front. You will need to mix/match 
  brands of manufacture. And don't plqn to register for an ORR with that configuration - you 
  will not pass tech.  Mad Dog probably got tired of all my emails and questions for the Silver 
  State tire tech guy on the subject. The Silver State ORR officials require that you run the 
  same manufacture of tire on all 4 corners of your car.
  
 > Even a 275/50VR15 from Nitto has a minimum approved rim width of 7½ inches, meaning 
   > it's probably not a good idea to mount one there, but perhaps close enough.  Although it 
   > would be a fantastic size for the rear wheels.  I need to match the tires all the way 
   > around.  I can have different sizes, but they need to come from the same family of tire, 
   > not just brand.
   
  Uhhh, "minimum approved rim width" means it's no worse an idea to mount the tire on that 
  size versus any other "approved" rim width in the spec. Those sizes meet the same safety 
  spec. There's too much liability for the manufacturers if a tire/rim combo fails. Therefore, you 
  can rest assured that those rim width specs are on the conservative side to provide a 
  suitable safety margin for the manufacturer. 
   
  And, the Toyo Proxes are not just from the same manufacturer, but they are also part of the 
  same family/model of tires, Proxes.
  
 > yea, difficult unless I want to crowbar money out of my wallet to buy new rims, which I'm 
   > trying to avoid at the moment.  Darn me and all my cars running on 15" wheels.  ;)
   
  My recommendation is, unless you are close to having the money necessary to buy new 
  wheels and tires NOW, go buy the Toyo Proxes and enjoy driving your car until you can 
  afford the new wheels and tires. And in the meantime, it will be safer than whatever old tires 
  are on it now, regardless of their speed ratings (ask Mad Dog about tire date codes and 
  what's allowed for ORR sometime).
   
  I'll get off my soapbox now. It's just that I found myself in the exact same place two years 
  ago, and it took me almost a year of "research" and waffling back and forth between saving 
  money for new wheels or buying the Toyo's before I finally pulled the trigger. And I haven't 
  regretted my decision for 1 second. The tires ride great, they stick to the road WAY 
  BETTER than the old tires ever did, and they're new with lots of tread, which is a lot safer 
  than the worn out Euro TA's some guys are still running.
   
  Cheers!
  Garth