Runflat Tires
Racer
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 422
Likes: 1
From: Aurora Colorado
I was lucky to win $500., tire gift certificate at local Vette dealership 50th Anniversary event this past summer. That will help, with little income now.
Merry Christmas to all and many safe driving miles on what ever you drive, especially your CORVETTE!
(But no drinking & driving!) 
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 3,570
Likes: 3
From: Austin, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Houston, Dallas, Hong Kong, Elgin, etc.. Texas
My Firestone Wide Ovals were made in Japan which probably means they were made in a Bridgestone plant. People need to give it up on the whole Explorer fiasco.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 25,019
Likes: 2,714
From: Far NW 'burbs of Chicago
St. Jude Donor '13
Bridgestone bought Firestone in 1988 and its now just a brand under Bridgestone. The company have been complete revamped.
My Firestone Wide Ovals were made in Japan which probably means they were made in a Bridgestone plant. People need to give it up on the whole Explorer fiasco.
My Firestone Wide Ovals were made in Japan which probably means they were made in a Bridgestone plant. People need to give it up on the whole Explorer fiasco.
There were also the Firestone 500 tire problems back a couple of decades ago. Maybe the ownership has changed, but the denial problems seem to continue.
I know that there were problems with how the owners were inflating and maintaining the tires, and all companies sometimes produce a defective tire; but the Firestone name is attached to the two biggest tire problems in my memory.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 19,574
Likes: 167
From: Frederick, MD
If Bridgestone bought Firestone in 1988, that means the tread separation fiasco happened under the current management.
There were also the Firestone 500 tire problems back a couple of decades ago. Maybe the ownership has changed, but the denial problems seem to continue.
I know that there were problems with how the owners were inflating and maintaining the tires, and all companies sometimes produce a defective tire; but the Firestone name is attached to the two biggest tire problems in my memory.
There were also the Firestone 500 tire problems back a couple of decades ago. Maybe the ownership has changed, but the denial problems seem to continue.
I know that there were problems with how the owners were inflating and maintaining the tires, and all companies sometimes produce a defective tire; but the Firestone name is attached to the two biggest tire problems in my memory.
I believe it was happening when I was in Germany the 2nd time, so maybe 1993 or so. Pirelli makes a runflat for the Vette also in the base sizes and Bridgestone makes one in Z06 sizes. It is hard to beat Michelin though.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 19,574
Likes: 167
From: Frederick, MD
I guess it was happening towards the end of my tour there because the recall was in 2000, definitely under Bridgestone management.
http://www.firestone-tire-recall.com.../overview.html
http://www.firestone-tire-recall.com.../overview.html
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 46,295
Likes: 2,596
From: Northern, VA
St. Jude Donor '15
"In honor of jpee"
I don't think anyone has to give up the Firestone story, regardless of who was managing or owning the company. The fact is, there was an issue and it was with three factors: the car, the tire, the vehicle owner/operator. The tires may or may not have changed much from their original formulation, or from a cheaper or less expensive formulation. That's a fault or flaw. And it manifested itself under a series of circumstances of the three principal factors: tire, driver, car.
I maintain, no tire company wants another Firestone/Explorer negative publicity blitz that lasts forever. Michelin, from my own look at its sidewall, seems to indicate that fact.
I maintain, no tire company wants another Firestone/Explorer negative publicity blitz that lasts forever. Michelin, from my own look at its sidewall, seems to indicate that fact.
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 3,570
Likes: 3
From: Austin, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Houston, Dallas, Hong Kong, Elgin, etc.. Texas
If Bridgestone bought Firestone in 1988, that means the tread separation fiasco happened under the current management.
There were also the Firestone 500 tire problems back a couple of decades ago. Maybe the ownership has changed, but the denial problems seem to continue.
I know that there were problems with how the owners were inflating and maintaining the tires, and all companies sometimes produce a defective tire; but the Firestone name is attached to the two biggest tire problems in my memory.
There were also the Firestone 500 tire problems back a couple of decades ago. Maybe the ownership has changed, but the denial problems seem to continue.
I know that there were problems with how the owners were inflating and maintaining the tires, and all companies sometimes produce a defective tire; but the Firestone name is attached to the two biggest tire problems in my memory.
Last time I checked, Firestone 500 tires were last sold 33 years ago.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 25,019
Likes: 2,714
From: Far NW 'burbs of Chicago
St. Jude Donor '13
Firestone makes replacement tires for the C5 and C6 Corvette. The Firestone Firehawk has been a popular replacement on the C5 and the Wide Oval on the C6. Has anyone posted a bad experience? I checked The Tire Rack and both receive very positive reviews.
Last time I checked, Firestone 500 tires were last sold 33 years ago.
Last time I checked, Firestone 500 tires were last sold 33 years ago.
Having said that, I suspect the current management has decided that another similar episode would be disasterous for the company. They are probably now very conservative about everything connected with safety. That would include the prohibition about repairing their C6 runflats. I doubt we'll ever see a widespread problem with Firestone tires again, and the C5/C6 runflats have been very successful.
Every tire is a compromise, each person has to decide what combination of virtures and vices works best for his/her driving and wallet.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 14,006
Likes: 26
From: JawJa
Had a slow leak for quite a while on my stock, passanger rear. Finally, pulled the wheel and took it to a tire shop. They were good enough to pull out the "staple" for me and we found that it was actually a 2-1/2" nail that had curled over. They wouldn't repair it but told me to go across the street and get a plug kit. I did and they helped me repair it. 
Been driving on it now for about a year. The tread was too good at that point to just ditch it and go into hock for one new one. Needing new tires anyway now and hopefully, I'll be getting new tires and wheels shortly.
Been driving on it now for about a year. The tread was too good at that point to just ditch it and go into hock for one new one. Needing new tires anyway now and hopefully, I'll be getting new tires and wheels shortly.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 46,295
Likes: 2,596
From: Northern, VA
St. Jude Donor '15
"In honor of jpee"
Well, we had the Firestone 500 problems about 30 years ago and the tread separation problems about 10 years ago, that's two more major episodes than I can recall from any other tire company.
Having said that, I suspect the current management has decided that another similar episode would be disastrous for the company. They are probably now very conservative about everything connected with safety. That would include the prohibition about repairing their C6 runflats. I doubt we'll ever see a widespread problem with Firestone tires again, and the C5/C6 runflats have been very successful.
Every tire is a compromise, each person has to decide what combination of virtues and vices works best for his/her driving and wallet.
Having said that, I suspect the current management has decided that another similar episode would be disastrous for the company. They are probably now very conservative about everything connected with safety. That would include the prohibition about repairing their C6 runflats. I doubt we'll ever see a widespread problem with Firestone tires again, and the C5/C6 runflats have been very successful.
Every tire is a compromise, each person has to decide what combination of virtues and vices works best for his/her driving and wallet.
I think Firestone has gone to beyond-ordinary lengths to inform the owner of what can and can't be done with their runflats. It may be for whatever reason that we don't know and will never be told, but it may include the design and construction of the tires themselves.
I don't know for a fact that Goodyear's runflats, or Michelin's ZP's (runflats) are designed or built differently from Firestone's runflats, but I suspect they are. Every manufacturer, as Jim alluded to above in his statement, has a different view on what works best for them: "Every tire is a compromise...combination of virtues and vices works best for his/her driving and wallet."
