New tires recommendations

[Daniel S.]

In need of new tires for my '68. Currently Have 225/70 r15 Michelin Pilot tires that have served me well for many years.
I was hoping to replace them with the same size Michelin Pilot Sport tires but they apparently do not offer them anymore.

I see BF Goodrich Radial T/A tires come in that size. Do not care for raised white letters but I suppose I could have them mounted backwards with the white letters on the inside.

Any recommendations for an alternate 225/70 r15 tire? Not too concerned about price but rather quality and performance.

Thanks
Dan

[George J.]

Re: New tires recommendations

Dan,
if you can go to a 215/70-15 the Vredestein Sprint Classic is a great tire.

George

[Duke W.]

Re: New tires recommendations

I've always been amazed that it seems to me that about 90 percent of vintage Corvette owners are more concerned with tire cosmetics than performance and even the myriad reports of tires literally blowing out while the car is sitting in a garage don't seem to spark much thinking other than that you should replace tires every six years... or is it six months. I forgot.

Assuming you are not running bias ply tires for judging, the most common radial tire replacement sizes for C1 and C2 is 205/75R-15 and 215/70R-15. These are the two radial sizes that are closest to OE tire OD and revs/mile that will fit without fender interference on OE dimension wheels.

The problem is that the vast majority of these tires have a speed rating of no more than "T", so they lack the safety of a spiral wound nylon cap belt that will usually keep a tire from blowing out/disintegrating in the event of an internal structural failure, commonly called "tread separation".

DOT regulations only require that a tire be tested to about 85 MPH, and most of these low speed rated tires are manufactured as cheaply as possible in third world countries, and I expect than many won't meet the barely minimum DOT minimum standards, but AFAIK, neither DOT nor any other organization tests tires.

Tires speed rated H (130 MPH) and above nearly without exception have that spiral wound nylon cap, and I will not install anything less on ANY car I own. It's not that I plan on driving that fast. It's the security and safety that the tire is unlikely to disintegrate while driving or sitting in the garage.

The Vredestein Sprint Classic that George mentioned is W-rated and is specifically aimed at vintage sports car owners. There is also a "Dunlop" brand aimed at vintage sports car owners in a vintage Corvette appropriate size. I'm not sure who actually makes it, but I think Coker sells them.

The pick of the liter is the Avon CR6ZZ, but unfortunately they are going out of production because the plant in England where they are produced is shutting down, and the parent company (Cooper, which IIRC is now owned by Goodyear) does not plan to move manufacturing of this tire to another plant. So get 'em while you can!

Yes, these tires are expensive... like what you would pay for a new set of tires for a modern Corvette, which is about the same as you would pay to an outfit like Diamondback to apply a red or "gold" (more like yellow) stripe to a cheap, low speed rated tire manufactured in a third world country with poor quality control.

If you're not willing to pay the price for a quality speed-rated radial tire with a spiral wrapped nylon cap belt you are probably better off buying a bias ply tire because they are less likely to suddenly blow out driving down the road or sitting in your garage, than cheap, low speed rated radials.

Duke

[Mark E.]

Re: New tires recommendations

Option B: Get a set of 17" Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires, same as used on the C8, and a set of 17" wheels to your liking. Save your originals for judging.

Depending on the wheels, the entire package cost less than the fancy 15" tires.

[Tom M.]

Re: New tires recommendations

Uniroyal has an H-rated Tiger Paw touring tire in 215-70-15
Black Sidewall is still available from under the name Uniroyal Tiger Paw AS DT

[Terry D.]

Re: New tires recommendations

Stay away from anything Cocker sells unless it is strickly a show car and never driven!

[Stewart L.]

Re: New tires recommendations

The Tiger Paw black wall tires are discontinued and they are only available in whitewall. There are extensive threads on the Corvette Forum about the yellowing of the Tiger Paw white walls.

[Lawrence M.]

Re: New tires recommendations

Vredestein is currently offering $100 back on a set of 215/70R15 Sprint Classic tires. Tire Rack has this size in stock.

[Michael B.]

https://www.kelseytire.com/performance-group-5/f70-15-custom-wide-tread-rs-.350/

[Bob D.]

Re: New tires recommendations

I had a set of BF Goodrich radials on my '71. Luckily when one of them popped apart, it was in my garage and not on the road. Thanks for the good info on the tires.

[Steven B.]

Re: New tires recommendations

In need of new tires for my '68. Currently Have 225/70 r15 Michelin Pilot tires that have served me well for many years.
I was hoping to replace them with the same size Michelin Pilot Sport tires but they apparently do not offer them anymore.

I see BF Goodrich Radial T/A tires come in that size. Do not care for raised white letters but I suppose I could have them mounted backwards with the white letters on the inside.

Any recommendations for an alternate 225/70 r15 tire? Not too concerned about price but rather quality and performance.

Thanks
Dan

Dan, I assume you know BFG tire business is owned by Michelin. Good Luck!

[Tim S.]

Re: New tires recommendations

I used to find comfort in the fact the tire is a Michelin product. Little by little, I continue to hear negative things about the BFG tires. Between browning of white letters (which is not of concern here), ply separation, and out of round, I'd say the quality has slipped. IMO, they used to be a gold standard of a good replacement tire, I don't know that is necessarily the case anymore. After mounting and balancing a couple of sets as or recent for customers, I am not impressed.