[DeTomaso] Maximum Tire Height / Open Road Racing

[MikeLDrew at aol.com]

In a message dated 9/18/08 3 23 36, dfcex at pacbell.net writes:


> What! All I've heard for years is that all front tires for the 10" x 15" 
> wheels were out of production (Yokohama AVS 285 40 15 being the last).
> 
>>>The Yokos have been gone for years.   The Michelins in Gr4/GT5/GT5-S sizes 
have been available for years.   I first mentioned them back in March of 
2006!   They are V-rated BTW.

http://www.realbig.com/pipermail/detomaso/2006-March/070230.html

They are available in two different tread patterns/compounds.   The TB15 is 
the fully treaded dry and damp weather compound, and the TB5 is the softer dry 
compound tire with only partial tread.

Here's a photo of the TB5 on Geoff Peters' '72 Pantera GT5 conversion:

http://members.aol.com/mikeldrew/MichelinTB5R.jpg

The UK distributor's website explains them fairly well:

http://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/michelin-tb.php

The larger sizes of the TB5 are intended for use on the rear, and are called 
TB5R, and the smaller ones are TB5F, and are a slightly softer compound.   GT5 
wheels are so large that they use the TB5R on both ends.


>  I felt extremely lucky to get a buy on eight pairs two years ago, but SS 
> wouldn't accept them due to the date code (5 & 6 yrs old).
> 
>>>True.

> I know the 345 35 15 is still made in Pirelli P Zeros, but at just 24.9" 
> tall they spin 838 rpms, which is WAY too much for my Silver State speeds 
> (trust me, I've done it three times and I'm planning to go much faster this time).
> 
>>>Not *this* time.   *Next* time.   If you want to go fast in a Gr4 car, you 
need taller gears.   Period.

> If I could have found some 13.5" wide wheels in either 19", 20" or 22", 
> then I'd be cruzin in style with 778 to 757 rpms!
> As it stands, in the morning I plan to pick up some AFS Bullett style wheels 
> to run Goodyear Eagle F1 GS 265 35 17's (23.8" short) and Falken 255 40 19's 
> (27.2" tall / 765 rpms!)
> These would be two skinny for street use though, so they would be dedicated 
> Silver State wheels and tires.
> 
>>>Save your money.   Silver State tire tech won't allow you to run those 
tires.   They won't let you run two different style tires by different 
manufacturers.

What are you smoking?


> >I'd of course much rather just get some ZR Y speed rated tires for my 
> front 15"s and a wide wheel / tire combo I can use on the street.
> Who sells these tires, not TireRack I hope (after 5 different reps over 
> these past several weeks)?
> 
> 
>>>Coker Tire sells them in the USA.   Their website is fairly user-hostile.  
 Here is the direct link to the two rear tire options:

http://store.coker.com/search.php?mode=search&by_title=Y&by_shortdescr=Y&
by_fulldescr=Y&substring=29/61-15

and the corresponding front tires:

http://store.coker.com/search.php?mode=search&by_title=Y&by_shortdescr=Y&
by_fulldescr=Y&substring=26/61-15

They're expensive, but they're 'right'.   Plus you don't have the expense of 
buying new wheels.   Save your money, then buy these tires about three months 
before the next race!   I suggest the fully treaded TB15 version, which will 
have way more traction than your existing Yoko tires and will last longer than 
the partially-treaded ones.   The TB5 is a *really* sticky and soft tire.

Mike


**************
Psssst...Have you heard the news? There's a new fashion 
blog, plus the latest fall trends and hair styles at StyleList.com.
      
(http://www.stylelist.com/trends?ncid=aolsty00050000000014)