"jumpy" 1999 C5
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
What OEM suspension do you have? STOCK, Z51, F-45 .. or is it modified??
What is "LOW MILES" how many miles??
What tire pressure are you running in the front and rear at a cold tire state?
BC
What is "LOW MILES" how many miles??
What tire pressure are you running in the front and rear at a cold tire state?
BC
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 9,891
Likes: 1,829
From: Hot Springs AR
Hard to tell what you mean by "jumpy", but if those are the original tires, they must be hard as rocks (8 years old), and honestly need to be replaced, just from an age standpoint.
Tires act as springs that don't have any damping associated with them. The tire pressure run in ordinary tires adjust that "spring" rate. Run-flat tires are known to not have much in the compliance area, so they have pretty high rates, regardless of how high or low the tire pressures are set.
HTH, and have a good one,
Mike
Tires act as springs that don't have any damping associated with them. The tire pressure run in ordinary tires adjust that "spring" rate. Run-flat tires are known to not have much in the compliance area, so they have pretty high rates, regardless of how high or low the tire pressures are set.
HTH, and have a good one,
Mike
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 9,891
Likes: 1,829
From: Hot Springs AR
I don't mean to sound rude, but did you read my post? If these are the original tires, then they are going to be significant contributors to your handling problem, regardless of how much tread is left on them.
Try this: turn the traction control off and see how easy it is to spin the tires in 1st gear. If you're running an A4, do you know what rear end ratio (2.59 or 3.15, IIRC) you're running?
If you can spin the tires easily, or if they just spin and don't give much traction, there's your answer.
HTH, and have a good one,
Mike
Try this: turn the traction control off and see how easy it is to spin the tires in 1st gear. If you're running an A4, do you know what rear end ratio (2.59 or 3.15, IIRC) you're running?
If you can spin the tires easily, or if they just spin and don't give much traction, there's your answer.
HTH, and have a good one,
Mike
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
Tires are always compromises! There ISN'T one tire thats the "BEST" tire!
It all depends on what you want the tire to do for you. If you want to drag race, a winter all season tire will SUCK! If you want to drive your C5 in the snow,,,a drag radial will SUCK! If you want 50,000 miles out of a tire and get a sticky racing tire, your going to be very unhappy when it wears out at 5,000 miles.
So,,,figure out what you need your tires to do for you and your car and go to tire rack .com. They have very good comparisons of tires.
We have ( my wife has
) an 06 Coupe. It comes with Goodyear run-flats and they are SHOT! They were cupped, very noisy and the insides of the fronts were bald. The alignment was checked and found to be with in specs. The abnormal tire wear was attributed to aggressive driving habits!
Yep, she drives aggressively!
We just put on a set of TOYO Proxies (non run-flats) and the wife LOVES THEM! There MUCH quieter, handle extremely well and grip better!
Some people have to get different sets of tires for the same car to suit different purposes. Everyday driving and racing on the weekends!
BC
It all depends on what you want the tire to do for you. If you want to drag race, a winter all season tire will SUCK! If you want to drive your C5 in the snow,,,a drag radial will SUCK! If you want 50,000 miles out of a tire and get a sticky racing tire, your going to be very unhappy when it wears out at 5,000 miles.So,,,figure out what you need your tires to do for you and your car and go to tire rack .com. They have very good comparisons of tires.
We have ( my wife has
) an 06 Coupe. It comes with Goodyear run-flats and they are SHOT! They were cupped, very noisy and the insides of the fronts were bald. The alignment was checked and found to be with in specs. The abnormal tire wear was attributed to aggressive driving habits! Yep, she drives aggressively! We just put on a set of TOYO Proxies (non run-flats) and the wife LOVES THEM! There MUCH quieter, handle extremely well and grip better!
Some people have to get different sets of tires for the same car to suit different purposes. Everyday driving and racing on the weekends!
BC
Racer
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 482
Likes: 1
From: Waveland MS
I have no doubt it's the old, hardened runcraps. BTW, I wouldn't be too concerned with tire life on a vette, unless it is your only transportation. Unless you drive the heck out of it everyday, a 20,000 mile tire will give you plenty of life. Even then, the cost of tires is nothing compared to the cost of everything else on the car. In fact, I maybe have 5,000 miles on my GS-D3's and they still look new to me. The unfortunate thing is once I get around to changing out my wheels, they will be replaced as well.
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
NewGene, you described the problem perfectly! I'll be looking into better tires ASAP.
Thanks for all the help (everyone). I am a first time vette owner and I'm sure I'll be asking more questions in the future.
Thanks for all the help (everyone). I am a first time vette owner and I'm sure I'll be asking more questions in the future.
Racer
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 367
Likes: 7
From: MD
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 2,332
Likes: 31
From: Silver Spring MD
Gy Emt
When I purchased my C5 used the dealer had JUST installed NEW OEM GY runflats. I drove them for over 30 K miles but they were bumpy, noisy and had ZERO traction in a little snow. I read a lot of posts here
with a lot of people going for EL CHEAPO tires on their 30 or 50 k car. I'm NOT RICH but didn't even consider saving a few hundred bucks and having a Corvette that looks like a Corvette and handles like a Corvair. I went with Michelin Pilot Sport A/S ZPs and have not regretted it EVER. The car handles extremely well, has excellent traction wet and dry and I even drove it in the snow (rated All Season has 3 different rubber compounds in the tread). So if your EMTs have a lot of tread you can either, wear em out and then switch or replace them now and sell the tires on fleebay or maybe on here. Don't go with CRAP. Go with something that will give you handling and performance.
BIGHANK
with a lot of people going for EL CHEAPO tires on their 30 or 50 k car. I'm NOT RICH but didn't even consider saving a few hundred bucks and having a Corvette that looks like a Corvette and handles like a Corvair. I went with Michelin Pilot Sport A/S ZPs and have not regretted it EVER. The car handles extremely well, has excellent traction wet and dry and I even drove it in the snow (rated All Season has 3 different rubber compounds in the tread). So if your EMTs have a lot of tread you can either, wear em out and then switch or replace them now and sell the tires on fleebay or maybe on here. Don't go with CRAP. Go with something that will give you handling and performance.
BIGHANK
Racer
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 482
Likes: 1
From: Waveland MS
Yep, sounds exactly like runflats in perfect working order.
