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Old Mar 21, 2018 | 10:01 PM
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Default Good tires

I just recently became a proud corvette owner(1987) for the first time...I just purchased some ZR1 wheels and my question is what are some really good tire brands and sizes my wheel size is 17x9.5...thanks
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Old Mar 21, 2018 | 10:04 PM
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I'm pretty darn happy with nittos. I was very surprised with the level of performance from such a cheap tire.
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Old Mar 21, 2018 | 10:14 PM
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Both Nitto's and Continentals get very favorable reviews here.
You can also check out the reviews for that size tire at the Tire Rack.
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Old Mar 21, 2018 | 10:22 PM
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I just put Coopers on my car after less than stellar results from Nittos and Continentals. The Continentals were new, and howled on the highways around here so bad they would drowned out the radio. They now reside on a heavier car and the guy I sold them to was happy.

The Nittos flat spotted bad in a couple days. I couldn't live with having to warm them up a bunch of miles before getting on the expressway.

I put on Cooper RS3-G1 tires.

http://us.coopertire.com/tires/cooper-zeon-rs3-g1.aspx

In their description, Cooper talks about siping. When I was younger, I actually made sipes for inserting into the molds. I worked at a shop where we made stamping dies to make the sipe blades for different tire companies.

Last edited by drcook; Mar 21, 2018 at 10:24 PM.
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Old Mar 21, 2018 | 10:26 PM
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I've been really happy with the Nitto 555. I don't drive mine daily and haven't had an issue with flat spots unless it sets for months(I'm in NW Florida and the car is in a garage). Have run a couple of HPDE events on them and was pleased with the performance for the price of the tire. They are quiet on the streets around here.
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Old Mar 22, 2018 | 12:12 AM
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Thanks guys..what's an ideal size tire for a 17x9.5 wheel? What about Goodyear Eagle or F1?
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Old Mar 22, 2018 | 07:17 AM
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I am running the Nitto 555 on my 86 and am quite happy with them.
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Old Mar 22, 2018 | 07:51 AM
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Originally Posted by JETSTEEL
Thanks guys..what's an ideal size tire for a 17x9.5 wheel? What about Goodyear Eagle or F1?
I've had very good luck with the Continetal Extreme Contact DW. They changed them a little bit and are now called the Extreme Contact Sports. Very good wear, soft compound that grips very well in dry or wet. I've heard good things about Nitto as well but they do run a little narrower compared to Goodyear/ Conti.

The Goodyear Eagles are excellent tires, but cost substantially more. I believe my Continentals were like $185 a tire for 285/17, where the Eagles were $329 or something like that.

If you have 17x9.5 at all four corners definitely go with the 285's. A squared setup on the C4 does wonders for turn in and lateral grip.

Last edited by TorchTarga94; Mar 22, 2018 at 07:52 AM.
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Old Mar 22, 2018 | 07:56 AM
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Honestly it all depemds on your use. Will you track it, drive it hard, or just cruise in it. Do you need cold traction? There are a lot of variables, and the wrong set may be terrible for you but work great for others
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Old Mar 22, 2018 | 08:58 AM
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Originally Posted by PatternDayTrader
I'm pretty darn happy with nittos. I was very surprised with the level of performance from such a cheap tire.
Originally Posted by FAUEE
Honestly it all depemds on your use. Will you track it, drive it hard, or just cruise in it. Do you need cold traction? There are a lot of variables, and the wrong set may be terrible for you but work great for others


The Nitto 555 G2s are on my wife's ZR-1. They perform very well in summer in the twisties, AND they are pretty decent in the rain too!

Last edited by Paul Workman; Mar 22, 2018 at 09:00 AM.
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Old Mar 22, 2018 | 09:11 AM
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Originally Posted by FAUEE
Honestly it all depemds on your use. Will you track it, drive it hard, or just cruise in it. Do you need cold traction? There are a lot of variables, and the wrong set may be terrible for you but work great for others
I'm just gonna be basically cruising in it really
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Old Mar 22, 2018 | 09:26 AM
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Originally Posted by JETSTEEL
Thanks guys..what's an ideal size tire for a 17x9.5 wheel? What about Goodyear Eagle or F1?
Factory size tire for the 17x9.5 would be 275/40/17. The Goodyear Gatorback was the OEM tire, but no longer manufactured.
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Old Mar 22, 2018 | 09:41 AM
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Originally Posted by FAUEE
Honestly it all depemds on your use. Will you track it, drive it hard, or just cruise in it. Do you need cold traction? There are a lot of variables, and the wrong set may be terrible for you but work great for others
very astute statement.

the Nitto 555 G2's I had would have probably been OK had we lived down south, but here in Ohio, we even had a day last August that was into the low 50's. That was when I picked up that the tires weren't quite suited for me. We left to go to the show over in Carlisle and I could feel the tires. As the x-way is less than a mile away, it is the most convenient way to get anywhere. Driving way out of the way to warm them up was too much a pain.

they would truly shake the car, we had bought them last July and by August knew there was issues. maybe the tires themselves were bad but I had them road force balanced on a Hunter machine and that should have picked up most problems.
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Old Mar 22, 2018 | 09:44 AM
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Originally Posted by JETSTEEL


I'm just gonna be basically cruising in it really
I would just get something high quality, but not too aggressive them. Maybe some bfg comp 2 as? You' be pretty much covered for all uses then. Maybe even something less aggressive than those. You'e probably not going to need much tire if it' just a cruiser.
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Old Mar 22, 2018 | 10:41 PM
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I just switched to some Nitto Invo's, so far so good. Prefer something that can take some Iowan rain, the Nature likes to throw it when your back is turned.
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Old Mar 24, 2018 | 02:42 PM
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Originally Posted by PAINTER MAN
I am running the Nitto 555 on my 86 and am quite happy with them.
will these Nitto 555 fit my 17x9.5 wheel?
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Old Mar 24, 2018 | 04:59 PM
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I run Good Year GS-D3 on my 95. 275x40x17 on all 4 corners in the summer months and have for years. Great high quality all round tire made in the USA. I run Conti DWS in the rainy cold season.

I run Nitto Invo on my C5 very happy with them also.

Last edited by Mr. Peabody; Mar 24, 2018 at 04:59 PM.
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