Tires

[Dave-T]

What is the latest on tires for our cars. I will need 4 tires soon. TireRack has the OE KDWS tires available. They have the fronts on special for $75 and the rears for $135. Should I get them or get something else? Not sure what.

[fastblackmerc]

What is the latest on tires for our cars. I will need 4 tires soon. TireRack has the OE KDWS tires available. They have the fronts on special for $75 and the rears for $135. Should I get them or get something else? Not sure what.
Lots of members here like/use the KDW2's. I don't think they an all-season tire tho.... Breadfan has done a comprehensive listing of available tires for the MM.

http://www.mercurymarauder.net/forums/showthread.php?t=26999&highlight=tires

[SergntMac]

FBM is correct, If snow is part of your life part-time, and the Marauder is full-time, the KDW2s are not ideal. They are sport tires with premium performance on dry surfaces, and better than most in the rain. But, two no-nos are snow, and "cross treading" them with other tread designs.

If you're shopping by budget, the OEM BFG tires are on the low side of investment. I like the Pirelli line, and I've heard good things about the Toyo and very good things about Goodyear Eagle F1s. Good luck in your hunt.

[Breadfan]

If you have the funds and your MM is doing snow duty, KDW2s for summer and dedicated snow tires on CVPI steel rims is the best way to go.

I had summer tires on my last car and after seeing how bad they were in snow i got a set of snow tires on steel rims. Cost me about $390 for the snow tire setup, but my car was like a Jeep with them. And that setup was new Winterforce tires from Bridgestone with 4 brand new steel rims. A set of used CVPI rims is probably easy to find and cheaper.

The last table of the tire matrix shows the same-tread and same tire combos available. As Mac stated, I too do not recommend putting different tread or tire types front to back.

Different tires have different compounds, tread patterns, and therefore have different handling and adhesion characteristics. Different tread and tire designs can adversely effect the cars handling characteristics if you aren't careful.

The main exclusion to this is those who run the Nitto drag radials in back and normal streets up front. But they usually don't daily drive that combo, and when they do drive it they understand what they have in back vs. up front.

Let us know if you have any other questions!

[Dave-T]

Thanks Breadfan. Regardless of what I do for tires I am going to do a winter setup. Where did you get the CVPI setup? I would prefer to get new rims and have the tires mounted and shipped out to me. What size are the tires and rims? Thanks again.

[Breadfan]

I did a snowtire setup for my old car, a Pontiac Grand Am. I know others have used CVPI rims for the Marauder, hopefully they can chime in with where they got them and what tire size.

Also, the TireRack (sponsor banner up top on this site) offers winter tire packages. You choose the car and they recommend tire sizes and rim choices, usually a few sizes lower, so they should give you the 16" option.

Also might want to double check 16" works with the front brakes.

[GreekGod]

The CVPI brakes/rotors are the same size as on the Marauder. 16" CVPI 2003< wheels are/were priced fairly at my local Ford dealer. 2002> wheels have wrong offset, as Ford changed the front suspention/steering beginning with the 2003 Panther platform when they went to rack and pinion steering and the die-cast front cross-member.