My 87 GT is in desperate need of new tires, and the previous owner had a square setup of 205/60/r15 (stock wheels). If I want to get the best handling out of the car, so I’m unsure if I should switch to staggered, or run squared to keep the balance. I see a lot of people running 225/60/15 rear + 215/60/15 front, and I’m wondering if that is the best combination for the best handling/ride feel?
If I try to go this setup, I can only find two tire options (atleast in Canada)- Uniroyal Tiger Paws or BF Goodrich Radial TAs. Are there any other tires in the above spec that someone could recommend? Additionally, is there a better fitting tire spec that’ll be best for performance/handling?
On stock GT wheels its best to run the manufacturer recommended sizes of 205/60/15 front and 215/60/15 rear.
(for a variety of reasons... Oversize = overall diameter effecting speedometer, exceeding recommended rim width, rubbing, looking silly, etc)
As far as tire brands/models go, that is going to vary depending a personal taste, purpose/use, price, etc. I personally don't like BF Radial T/A's on a Fiero because they are T-Rated and overpriced due to classic car world demand. On stock GT wheels I would recommend at least an H-Rated tire. Its also wise to use a softer compound (more grip) especially if its a weekend hobby car, because the years/age you get out of the tire is more important than the miles, so harder/higher mileage tires are a poor choice for a weekend hobby car that only sees an average of 500 to 2000 miles per year/season. In summary, best to use the stock staggard sizes with an H-Rated tire that has a softer compound (lower tread wear rating).
I ran 215 front and 225 rear on stock 15 inch wheels for decades.
Speedo error was minimal.
If you want better handling, purchase the Fiero Store front and rear sway bar set as well, they are matched as a set to work well in reducing push and making the car more neutral.
On stock GT wheels its best to run the manufacturer recommended sizes of 205/60/15 front and 215/60/15 rear.
(for a variety of reasons... Oversize = overall diameter effecting speedometer, exceeding recommended rim width, rubbing, looking silly, etc)
As far as tire brands/models go, that is going to vary depending a personal taste, purpose/use, price, etc. I personally don't like BF Radial T/A's on a Fiero because they are T-Rated and overpriced due to classic car world demand. On stock GT wheels I would recommend at least an H-Rated tire. Its also wise to use a softer compound (more grip) especially if its a weekend hobby car, because the years/age you get out of the tire is more important than the miles, so harder/higher mileage tires are a poor choice for a weekend hobby car that only sees an average of 500 to 2000 miles per year/season. In summary, best to use the stock staggard sizes with an H-Rated tire that has a softer compound (lower tread wear rating).
I hope I'm doing this right, I'm unfamiliar with using the forum so I'm not entirely sure how to reply lol
I believe because I'd be keeping the same Aspect ratio & wheel size, the speedometer will be minimally effected (if at all). I'm my experience with other vehicles, going wider (as long as your wheels can support it) gives you better handling & grip on the road due to a greater contact surface with the road. Have you ever run this spec on your fiero? Is the difference in handling negligible?
I have many more options if I search for the spec you described, but I think I'm pretty set on going slightly larger, as the only negative I see is the lack of options + impact on my wallet.
Dont use square, my previous owner did that aswell and it sometimes caused me to slip a little in the rear when it rained, scary. I run stock tire sizes with ohtsu fp0612s and couldnt be happier.
I’ve run 205/60-15 front and 215/60-15 rear on stock ‘87 GT wheels as well as 215/60-15 on all four corners. Though the 205/60-15 on front work ok in the parking lot, the 215/60-15 in front work much better on the twisting mountain roads. For the rear the 215/60-15 are fine and grip well.
Currently I have the 205’s on the front and soon will need tires. My plan for replacement will be 215’s on all 4 corners again. The 215/60-15 are available from a number of manufactures, just takes a little searching and possibly some compromise as to the manufacturer you might choose.
I currently have BFG T/A’s and they are ok, pricey, but ok. There are better newer style tire choices available. I’ll withhold from recommending another choice for now as I haven’t looked at the market place for the last 6-9 months, but Discount Tire and Tire Rack both had a selection at that time.
I’ve run 205/60-15 front and 215/60-15 rear on stock ‘87 GT wheels as well as 215/60-15 on all four corners. Though the 205/60-15 on front work ok in the parking lot, the 215/60-15 in front work much better on the twisting mountain roads. For the rear the 215/60-15 are fine and grip well.
Currently I have the 205’s on the front and soon will need tires. My plan for replacement will be 215’s on all 4 corners again. The 215/60-15 are available from a number of manufactures, just takes a little searching and possibly some compromise as to the manufacturer you might choose.
I currently have BFG T/A’s and they are ok, pricey, but ok. There are better newer style tire choices available. I’ll withhold from recommending another choice for now as I haven’t looked at the market place for the last 6-9 months, but Discount Tire and Tire Rack both had a selection at that time. Buy “H” rated tires if you can find them, slightly stronger sidewall than the “T” rated.
I’ve run 205/60-15 front and 215/60-15 rear on stock ‘87 GT wheels as well as 215/60-15 on all four corners. Though the 205/60-15 on front work ok in the parking lot, the 215/60-15 in front work much better on the twisting mountain roads. For the rear the 215/60-15 are fine and grip well.
Currently I have the 205’s on the front and soon will need tires. My plan for replacement will be 215’s on all 4 corners again. The 215/60-15 are available from a number of manufactures, just takes a little searching and possibly some compromise as to the manufacturer you might choose.
I currently have BFG T/A’s and they are ok, pricey, but ok. There are better newer style tire choices available. I’ll withhold from recommending another choice for now as I haven’t looked at the market place for the last 6-9 months, but Discount Tire and Tire Rack both had a selection at that time. Buy “H” rated tires if you can find them, slightly stronger sidewall than the “S or T” rated standard find out there.
the only negative I see is the lack of options + impact on my wallet.
While the negative effects are minimal, you can't simply discard them.
If going from 215/60 to 225/60 in the rear it will certainly change the following...
- 1/2" taller overall diameter - Speedo read slightly higher - Heavier in weight - More rotating mass - Final drive ratio will change from 3.65 to 3.58 (more highway gear)
When you combine added weight of all 4 plus-sized tires with increased highway gear, the stock 2.8 V6 will accelerate noticeably slower.
Will it handle slightly better? Maybe, depends on the tire, but at a cost of all the above. Doesn't seem worth it to me, but some people like bigger tires.
Re-read my first post, you will have better results going with stock size H-Rated tires that have softer compound (better grip) without sacrificing performance.
PS: After thinking about it some more, I think Radial T/A and Tiger Paw in those sizes are both T-Rated, so a slighter larger/taller 225/60 T-Rated tire in the rear might handle worse than a stock 215/60 H-Rated tire (despite the slightly wider contact patch) because the T-Rated sidewall will be taller and softer, resulting in more mush-rollout, so it might be a downgrade across the board (reduced handling and reduced performance) but you would have to talk to the Watkins Glen road course experts about the handling part.
[This message has been edited by Skybax (edited 05-07-2022).]
I ran stock sized tires for years on 15" lace wheels. One of the best things I ever did for my 85 GT and 86 SE was to switch over to 215/225 combo. This is after running lace wheels on both cars for quite some time.
While the negative effects are minimal, you can't simply discard them.
If going from 215/60 to 225/60 in the rear it will certainly change the following...
- 1/2" taller overall diameter - Speedo read slightly higher - Heavier in weight - More rotating mass - Final drive ratio will change from 3.65 to 3.58 (more highway gear)
When you combine added weight of all 4 plus-sized tires with increased highway gear, the stock 2.8 V6 will accelerate noticeably slower.
Will it handle slightly better? Maybe, depends on the tire, but at a cost of all the above. Doesn't seem worth it to me, but some people like bigger tires.
Re-read my first post, you will have better results going with stock size H-Rated tires that have softer compound (better grip) without sacrificing performance.
PS: After thinking about it some more, I think Radial T/A and Tiger Paw in those sizes are both T-Rated, so a slighter larger/taller 225/60 T-Rated tire in the rear might handle worse than a stock 215/60 H-Rated tire (despite the slightly wider contact patch) because the T-Rated sidewall will be taller and softer, resulting in more mush-rollout, so it might be a downgrade across the board (reduced handling and reduced performance) but you would have to talk to the Watkins Glen road course experts about the handling part.
I actually never really considered weight or gear ratios.
I'm honestly really torn. I live in an area with lots of mountains and twisty roads, so I think handling is my main priority, especially when I consider safety.
Could I circumvent the additional weight & get the best of both worlds (more contact and softer sidewall) by going 225 + 215 by running a 50 aspect ratio vs 60? Do people do this, or is a wider sidewall better for the aesthetics of the car?
I ran stock sized tires for years on 15" lace wheels. One of the best things I ever did for my 85 GT and 86 SE was to switch over to 215/225 combo. This is after running lace wheels on both cars for quite some time.
Did you notice a big increase in performance/handling or a decrease in speed or Acceleration as mentioned above?
What is your reasoning for the H-rated? Same as Sky's above?
What tires are you running currently?
Experience - I've daily driven a Fiero for decades, year around. Driven them hard, have spend a lot of time in the Tennessee/North Carolina area running mountain roads. 'T' rated tires don't handle ery well as compared to 'H' rated tires. I've used different several brands over the years, the stiffer sidewalls allows crisper turn-in and more control at the limit of adhesion.
The 15" tires right now are two different brands - fronts are OHTSU FP6000 215/60/15. Its the same tire as the Falkan 512 (OHTSU makes Falkan) which were very good handling tires but weren't available. The rears are 225/60/15 FUZION Touring, as I needed tires and they were the only thing available in 'H' rating without waiting. They aren't bad tires, I was surprised. Both front and rear are 'H' rated.
The car (88 Formula 4.9 V8/4T60E) has run the Dragon several times with these tires. You won't catch me.
The biggest thing to making a Fiero handle well is seat time. I've logged over 250,000 miles in the Fieros I've owned (85 GT stock 4-speed - 86 SE V6/4 speed stock for a while, then a bunch of suspension/brake/sway bar work, now the Formula) so I know what the car is capable of. If you're just a weekend driver, you will never find out what the car can do.
Experience - I've daily driven a Fiero for decades, year around. Driven them hard, have spend a lot of time in the Tennessee/North Carolina area running mountain roads. 'T' rated tires don't handle ery well as compared to 'H' rated tires. I've used different several brands over the years, the stiffer sidewalls allows crisper turn-in and more control at the limit of adhesion.
The 15" tires right now are two different brands - fronts are OHTSU FP6000 215/60/15. Its the same tire as the Falkan 512 (OHTSU makes Falkan) which were very good handling tires but weren't available. The rears are 225/60/15 FUZION Touring, as I needed tires and they were the only thing available in 'H' rating without waiting. They aren't bad tires, I was surprised. Both front and rear are 'H' rated.
The car (88 Formula 4.9 V8/4T60E) has run the Dragon several times with these tires. You won't catch me.
The biggest thing to making a Fiero handle well is seat time. I've logged over 250,000 miles in the Fieros I've owned (85 GT stock 4-speed - 86 SE V6/4 speed stock for a while, then a bunch of suspension/brake/sway bar work, now the Formula) so I know what the car is capable of. If you're just a weekend driver, you will never find out what the car can do.
Is the reason you're running different fronts and backs because the Ohtsu's aren't available in 225? I honestly can't find any tire options in the 225/60 + 215/60 aside from Tiger Paws and Radial TAs (which I believe are S rated, but I'm Actually unsure. Do you know?).
My options have been very limited. Tire Rack, Canadian Tire, 1010 Tires, etc all have the same options, or none at all. It really seems like I'm stuck going with the Radials.
Just checked on Tirerack; They have the Riken Raptor HR in the original 205/60 and 215/60 sizes for a total of $380. You can have them delivered to a local shop- usually Big O. Do not go with BFG Radial TA- back in the 70s and 80s they were a great tire- but now they are for the car show guys who don't do much driving and don't care about performance.
The other good option is the General Altimax RT43....They are lighter (Which will improve performance)- but they are also more expensive by $80
Just checked on Tirerack; They have the Riken Raptor HR in the original 205/60 and 215/60 sizes for a total of $380. You can have them delivered to a local shop- usually Big O. Do not go with BFG Radial TA- back in the 70s and 80s they were a great tire- but now they are for the car show guys who don't do much driving and don't care about performance.
The other good option is the General Altimax RT43....They are lighter (Which will improve performance)- but they are also more expensive by $80
I wanna do the larger size, so the Raptor won't work. I was considering the AltiMax, however I'm pretty sure that they're all-seasons that are more catered to winter. I'm not sure if they'll be a good option- what are your thoughts?
I run all seasons on my cars, they work well in the wet and in colder temperatures.
In my posting I explained that I got the FUZION rears because I needed the tires that day, and could not wait for something to be ordered.
I saw, just wasn't sure if they made them in both sizes, because I've had no luck so far.
I have the ability to grab the Ohtsu fp7000s (not sure how similar they are to yours). Based on what you know & your experience with running all seasons, would you recommend them, or look at the General Altimax instead?
I have used General tires on my Fiero quite a lot over the years (37)......I actually have General G-Max on my Fiero now...But I do have the AltiMax on my van...Believe it or not, I have drifted the van through a few cloverleafs. I outran a dumb kid in a riced-out civic on a windy road, also.
No, they are not the stickiest tire- but they are much better than ANY tire you could buy in the 80s.
Originally, I was running 215/60-14s on my 85 SE V6......I switched to 205/60-15s up front and the steering feel and easy of steering at low speeds was improved...Later, I switched again to 16 x 7s with 205/55 and 225/55 size tires. I can scare the absolute crap out of anyone riding with me with how quick my car can get around a turn.
I saw, just wasn't sure if they made them in both sizes, because I've had no luck so far.
I have the ability to grab the Ohtsu fp7000s (not sure how similar they are to yours). Based on what you know & your experience with running all seasons, would you recommend them, or look at the General Altimax instead?
There are better tires out there than what I currently have on my car. I have heard good things about General, Continental and others. From experience, Cooper makes great tires, and I will likely go with those when I buy new tires for the Formula, but they will be 17's to fit the summer wheels.
I checked out Coopers before my last Fiero tire purchase; They are heavy like the BFGs....General does make a G-Max (The G-Max RS) that is a summer tire. General is owned by Continental, and both companies make tires that are lighter than most and perform as good or better than other manufacturers.
Just checked on TireRack; In my rear size (225/55-16) the General G-Max AS-05 weighs 23 lbs while the Cooper Zeon weighs 27 lbs...That is 4 lbs and mainly out at the edge so it would have a huge effect on performance.
