Tires are a ****!

[StevenJ]

First off, has anyone noticed that now BF Goodrich has stopped carrying the rear tire size for the KDW2 tires for our car? I can't find 255/55/18s listed anywhere on their website or tirerack. On top of that, their prices have skyrockted! The fronts, from tirerack, are now $208! MY GOD! A year ago they were around $140! What the heck is going on here? Anyway, I did find an alterantive. Has anyone here tried Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3 tires? They make them in both 235/50/18 and 255/55/18 sizes and are supposed to be as good if not better thant he KDW2s. They are even a bit less expensive. The fronts from tirerack are $185 but they are running a special right now so it may go up a bit. I don't know exactly how much however. I mean, to me this is getting a bit rediculous. I knew tires for our cars are expensive but what's with the $50 premimum over last year's prices?

[Stranger in the Black Sedan]

I paid $60 each new for the front KDWs on ebay only a few months ago. Look on ebay for the fronts. The rears, we are screwed on.

[fastcar]

I think if you scour around, you will find them. I got my fronts real cheap from a German company (wish I could remember name, sorry) just a few weeks ago.

I think eventually we will NOT have tires from BFG any longer. They are famous for discontinuing popular sizes, as rim sizes progress. Plus, are cars are like the ONLY ones that use these sizes.

fastcar:burnout:

[RCSignals]

only KDW2s are the problem.

I read they are behind in production and there are non in their system now, not that they will never be produced again

[StevenJ]

I paid $60 each new for the front KDWs on ebay only a few months ago. Look on ebay for the fronts. The rears, we are screwed on.

Just to clarify, I'm not talking about the KDWs, thoose tires are cheap, only $99 but they wear fast and I'd never put them on MM ever again. I'm only talking about the KDW2s, the summer performance tires. Tirerack has the front KDWs for $99 but I won't buy them because I know that KDWs tires are only good for one or two months then they wear! This car needs hard compound summer only tires. The soft compound KDWs wear like there is no tomorrow! Thanks for the replys though. I did not know BFG is behind schedule. Seriously though, has anyone here tried Goodyear tires mentioned in my first post? I'm thinking of putting a front set on my car. I heard good stuff about them at tirerack.

[Stranger in the Black Sedan]

Oh you did say 2's. Oopsie! If you are wearing out KDWS that quickly something is jacked w/ your alignment angles. I hate KDWs more than anything, but they wear a lot longer than that.

[StevenJ]

It is okay. My front KDWs lasted a year and a few months. I'd still never go back to them. The problem is that after the first 1/4 of tread is gone, they don't grip very well after that. Thanks though.

[darkvader]

what the alternate tire size, this is a serious issue with our cars!!! what will be the best performing tire in the next size up.

[Raudermaster]

I have 255 KDW2's in my basement for a few months since I had some tread left on my front tires and didn't want to buy KDW2's yet for the fronts, I walk out yesterday morning to find a rear flat since they are so bald and wore terribly! So, I scrambled to order two fronts, I get a call an hour later and said, "All across the country, I can only get ONE KDW2 in that size." I'm pissed, but I said order it anyway. I'm sure I can find another one.

[RCSignals]

Oh you did say 2's. Oopsie! If you are wearing out KDWS that quickly something is jacked w/ your alignment angles. I hate KDWs more than anything, but they wear a lot longer than that.

Ther are suggested alignment specs from carfixer which adjust for the KDWS wear.
a search should bring them up.

[burt ragio]

So has anyone tried the goodyear eagle f1 gs-d3 ?

[Stranger in the Black Sedan]

Carfixer's specs semi-adjust for edge wear in general, specific to the car not the tires, which doesn't seem to be the complaint of these guys, just that KDW originals are crap. They aren't the worst tire I've ever had, but they aren't the greatest either. Wear life seems average w/ the less aggressive alignment, on KDWs. Then again I am not pushing hard on them.

[RCSignals]

OK, maybe carfixer will chime in. His alignment specs were developed because of this wear of the KDWS tires, not to just compensate for edge wear in general.
If you aren't experiencing this problem then you don't have to worry about making the adjustment.

[LILALLEYKATT]

First off, has anyone noticed that now BF Goodrich has stopped carrying the rear tire size for the KDW2 tires for our car? I can't find 255/55/18s listed anywhere on their website or tirerack. On top of that, their prices have skyrockted! The fronts, from tirerack, are now $208! MY GOD! A year ago they were around $140! What the heck is going on here? Anyway, I did find an alterantive. Has anyone here tried Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3 tires? They make them in both 235/50/18 and 255/55/18 sizes and are supposed to be as good if not better thant he KDW2s. They are even a bit less expensive. The fronts from tirerack are $185 but they are running a special right now so it may go up a bit. I don't know exactly how much however. I mean, to me this is getting a bit rediculous. I knew tires for our cars are expensive but what's with the $50 premimum over last year's prices?
I run the Eagle F 1 and swear by them...They are unbeatable in every catagory. Soft compond that is long wearing...You will be amazed and will be converted into a true believer...Trust me.. I can now enter tight turns 10-20mph quicker and they do NOT loose thier grip. Also in the rain they remind me of Aquatreads...Plus they are Z rated. I have nipped 160mph a couple of times and they track perfectly at that speed...AL

[Stranger in the Black Sedan]

Carfixer's alignment specs are just near zero camber, zero toe. That is nothing specific to a tire ,just a lower performance alignment to keep the over-agressive front end on this car from chewing the inside edge of a tire. If you ran the stock 1+ deg. camber setting with any tire on this car, for long term, I'm sure you'd chew those too.

[OneBADLsE]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ONE-NICE-GOODYEAR-EAGLE-LS-2-255-55-18-TIRES-4248_W0QQitemZ330148629513QQcm dZViewItem

Loved the way these handled on the GM

:edit: Wear on these werent excessive with HIGHLY SPIRITED driving.

[fastblackmerc]

I'm running these in the rear:

http://www.eastcoasttires.com/store/pc/viewPrd.asp?idProduct=10597

[Stranger in the Black Sedan]

Damn, too bad that auction is only for one.

[LILALLEYKATT]

I have tried most every tire and with almost 600 H.P. I have tested them to the limits of their abilities...The Goodyear F-1 Z rated is hands down the best tire for our cars...:cool:

[Mesencephalon]

I have tried most every tire and with almost 600 H.P. I have tested them to the limits of their abilities...The Goodyear F-1 Z rated is hands down the best tire for our cars...:cool:

For both front and rear? in the 235/55/18 and 245/55/18 ?

[LILALLEYKATT]

For both front and rear? in the 235/55/18 and 245/55/18 ?
No right now I only have them on the front...I cant stand wasting them at the strip warming up in the water box so I am running Michlin lattitude 255/55/18...They are cheap on e-bay and wear wonderfully. I paid $200 shipped for a new set. I have ran 1.8 60ft times....Back to the F-1's I am a enthusiast and I give you my word there is no better griping/wearing tire for our cars go read the reviews at Discount Tire or TR......

[Mesencephalon]

No right now I only have them on the front...I cant stand wasting them at the strip warming up in the water box so I am running Michlin lattitude 255/55/18...They are cheap on e-bay and wear wonderfully. I paid $200 shipped for a new set. I have ran 1.8 60ft times....Back to the F-1's I am a enthusiast and I give you my word there is no better griping/wearing tire for our cars go read the reviews at Discount Tire or TR......

very cool, thanks. yeah i just spent a few hours on DT, TR, and a few others comparing models, reading reviews, etc. they DO sound like a great alternative for front and rear. Thanks!

[bigmerc'03]

the toyo proxes S/T are great in wet/dry traction and there at a good price here at this page http://www.tiredeals4less.com and they have our size front and back

[Stranger in the Black Sedan]

I have run 3 or 4 pairs of Toyo Proxes, both the nondirectional and unidirectional type, including the ST's. They handle decent but they wear fast. Then again what performance tire doesn't.

[Bigdough]

How bad would it be to change the size of the tires? Since its hard to find a tire in the stock size, why not go with a slightly diff size?

[Go Mifuni]

I just got off the phone with TR. They said BFG won't be starting another run of the 245/55/18's until late September. Nice :D

[ledzilla]

September, eh? Then I'm glad I got mine in April. $153.00 each. But I am looking to pick up new fronts, soon hopefully. The right front is almost to the indicator, but the left still has quite a bit of tread left to it.

[Aren Jay]

where is the indicator on the rears? I was told i was down to 3 mm, how do I check?

[Stranger in the Black Sedan]

Um there are wear ribs? And if you want to check depth, a ruler is a good start.

[Aren Jay]

where wear?

[Stranger in the Black Sedan]

Are you serious? In between the treads? All tires have to have them per DOT specs.

[Aren Jay]

What do they look like though? I used to change tires when they went flat, I'm new to this tread depth thingy.

Realize that I put 157,000 km, about 98,000 miles on my 86 Mustang in 17 years. That was the car that I put the most miles on and I would change to winter tires for 7-8 months a year and get new winter tires every year.

Tread depth never really made any difference.

[ledzilla]

If you are using stock BFG tires in either the front or rear, there are "wear ribs" in the tread. If you check along the tread in the tire (assuming it isn't worn bald) you should see little ridges in a few spots in between the treads that run the width of the tire. If the surface of your tread is even with these ridges, it means it's time to replace the tire. If you are using something other than BFG g-Force tires, I can't tell you. Different manufacturers use different methods for wear indicators. Sometimes even different methods across their different models offered.

[Aren Jay]

ahh ok

Thank you

[04MRADR]

I wouldn't want KDW2s again. They are simply too darn noisy. Check out latest Consumer Reports that rates all types of performance tires. They agree with me (black circle for noise) that the KDW2s are very noisy and it sounds like I have a vibration at times at low speed. I went from loving them to hating them. I will say they have worn tremndously and grip much better than the original BFGs.

[ckadiddle]

I wouldn't want KDW2s again. They are simply too darn noisy. Check out latest Consumer Reports that rates all types of performance tires. They agree with me (black circle for noise) that the KDW2s are very noisy and it sounds like I have a vibration at times at low speed. I went from loving them to hating them. I will say they have worn tremndously and grip much better than the original BFGs.
I don't notice the noise. May be because the mufflers are a little louder than stock and I have the radio on if I am alone. The grip is very nice and have worn about the same as the OEM style for me. My driving is mostly all city, so I am going to go through them faster than you guys that do some highway driving. I am a bit peeved about them dropping the rear size 255/55-18.