Has any Viper owners added different front and rear brand tires?
- Thread starter AAKVIPER
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GTS Dean
Enthusiast
The two biggest immediate differences between brands of tires in a given size are rubber compound and carcass construction. You most often see on-purpose mismatch on drag cars, and that's because the rears are so heavily loaded with power and weight transfer that the fronts aren't asked to do much except point within a few degrees of dead ahead. The rear slicks/cheaters have almost no sidewall support and aren't expected to react to high speed cornering forces.
On street or road racing tires, the cord and sidewall construction have everything in the world to do with the slip angle of the tire. Tread compound (and even age of the same tire brand/model) influences the adhesion of the tire to the pavement (G-force). Unless you're a VERY experienced track driver trying to use up the last 1/32" of useable rubber on old tires before scrapping them, I would strongly caution against mixing brands on the car. The ONLY instance I would drive on a mismatched pair side-to-side is if I'm limping my way to a tire shop to get a new matching single, or pair of tires for that axle.
On street or road racing tires, the cord and sidewall construction have everything in the world to do with the slip angle of the tire. Tread compound (and even age of the same tire brand/model) influences the adhesion of the tire to the pavement (G-force). Unless you're a VERY experienced track driver trying to use up the last 1/32" of useable rubber on old tires before scrapping them, I would strongly caution against mixing brands on the car. The ONLY instance I would drive on a mismatched pair side-to-side is if I'm limping my way to a tire shop to get a new matching single, or pair of tires for that axle.
Chuck 98 RT/10
Enthusiast
All 13-year-old rhetoric aside, I buy the best tire available for my car. For a street tire IMO it's Michelin. And it is usually two or four at a time. However, if for some odd reason I had to go with one different tire it would not bother me any more than it bothers me when I mismatch my garanimals.
dave6666
Enthusiast
I'm organizing my Cabbage Patch kids right now Chuck.
GTS Warp
Enthusiast
I've got new PS2's out back and Sumitomo HTRZ2's up front. The Sumis were new when I bought the car so I had them re-balanced and inspected. Bought the PS2's because the rears were dated as original. Handles perfectly and I spank her every chance I get. Dave, I only drink at 11AM if it's 5PM somewhere else...
1994viper
Enthusiast
I drove with PS2 on the front and Kumho on the back for 2 seasons, no problems.
ViperGTS
Enthusiast
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>>>I drove with PS2 on the front and Kumho on the back for 2 seasons, no problems<<<
How fast? +150mph? Track? Any emergency manoeuver & hard braking?
Or, the usual 55-65 mph on the freeway...boring.
How fast? +150mph? Track? Any emergency manoeuver & hard braking?
Or, the usual 55-65 mph on the freeway...boring.
dave6666
Enthusiast
>>>I drove with PS2 on the front and Kumho on the back for 2 seasons, no problems<<<
How fast? +150mph? Track? Any emergency manoeuver & hard braking?
Or, the usual 55-65 mph on the freeway...boring.
There you go. That arrogant **** track mentallity.
Some people don't want to go to the track and do 150 mph. Some people just like to drive nice cars at safe reasonable speeds. Maybe the OP is one of them.
In reality, I think most forum track rats are just keyboard commandos trying to look tough. End result is arrogant **** usually.
AZTVR
Enthusiast
>>>I drove with PS2 on the front and Kumho on the back for 2 seasons, no problems<<<
How fast? +150mph? Track? Any emergency manoeuver & hard braking?
Or, the usual 55-65 mph on the freeway...boring.
Gee, I didn't conclude that this post was from an arrogant **** track rat. I just assumed that he was speaking as a guy that gets to drive the Autobahn at high speeds with moving obstacles involved. ( doesn't mean he is not an arrogant **** though
. I never met the guy.)What's wrong with some R compound tires on the rear for the street? Wouldn't that just cause some understeer? I drove on drag radials in the rear and summer tires up front on my previous 4XX rwhp cars. It was great for getting some traction in a straight line.
LS6 Molester
Viper Owner
in case you havent been following this thread, the problem is you cant mis match tires under any circumstances. and for this reason i will be dropping the nitto 555s i have in the rear for michelins to match my fronts. god must have graced me with luck the past 3000 or so odd miles i have been driving with that set up. im glad i read this thread before i got in to a serious accident.
AZTVR
Enthusiast
I just read all 41 posts. There are only two that actually caution against mixing brands, one of which was talking about driving at the limit of adhesion. Maybe I am reading the other 39 posts wrong.
Good luck with Street tires on the rear on a TT GTS wtih 900 rwhp on pump gas, yeap make sure they are Michelins like the fronts, that will help...
I had Kumhos road racing tires on the rear of my TT GTS, with street tires on the front and I loved it! great traction and handling in curves and straight lines.
I then put the Hoosiers in the rear A6s, and even better traction, still stockers in the fronts.
It was not until I put he MTs drag radials in the rear that I noticed the tire mis-match symptons and lost handling.
The high Power Ford GT guys run the Hoosier R6s in the rear and stock ones in the front all the time....
I had Kumhos road racing tires on the rear of my TT GTS, with street tires on the front and I loved it! great traction and handling in curves and straight lines.
I then put the Hoosiers in the rear A6s, and even better traction, still stockers in the fronts.
It was not until I put he MTs drag radials in the rear that I noticed the tire mis-match symptons and lost handling.
The high Power Ford GT guys run the Hoosier R6s in the rear and stock ones in the front all the time....
T JUNKIE
Enthusiast
Good input. I logged on to try to find out what others had done on the front with drag radials on the rear. I boutht the nitto DR's to get started trying to get my SC o6 Coupe to hook. I had long ago changed the original run flats to PS2's. The original tires had plenty of tread on them so I thought I would mount them on my second set of wheels with the Nitto's on back. I get a lot more traction, but at around 120 the car gets a slight wabble. I have tried different pressures in front and rear. I associated it to the sidewall rigidity of the run flats. What are the best tires and pressures that you have found to run with drag radials? What is the top speed you have ran yours?
Roger, the Nittos since they are 27.3" tall on a 19" wheel they handle beter thatn the MTs drag radials which are 27.5" tall on a 18" wheel and have more side wall.
I have been to 150-180 in short blasts, however I don't cruise at any higher speeds thatn 90-95 mph .
since mine is a TT the acceleration to the higher speeds happens fast, and I don't notice wable, however crusing at 90-100 mph and jerking the steering I can tell the difference in the rear.
For cruising 30 lbs. of air is good, for racing 18-20 psi , but get ready to feel the rear all over the place.
Get an alignment and fill up the rears to 30 lbs or so, and that is the best you will get. The wable you feel is the rear tires reacting late to the front tires steering input do to the softer side wall on the rears. A good compromise the Hoosier A6s, they car will handle like a dream, corner, and still hook good. They will hook 800 rwhp from 2nd gear all day long in 19s, more power if you go A6s in 18s.
I have been to 150-180 in short blasts, however I don't cruise at any higher speeds thatn 90-95 mph .
since mine is a TT the acceleration to the higher speeds happens fast, and I don't notice wable, however crusing at 90-100 mph and jerking the steering I can tell the difference in the rear.
For cruising 30 lbs. of air is good, for racing 18-20 psi , but get ready to feel the rear all over the place.
Get an alignment and fill up the rears to 30 lbs or so, and that is the best you will get. The wable you feel is the rear tires reacting late to the front tires steering input do to the softer side wall on the rears. A good compromise the Hoosier A6s, they car will handle like a dream, corner, and still hook good. They will hook 800 rwhp from 2nd gear all day long in 19s, more power if you go A6s in 18s.
BigBadViper
Enthusiast
I have MT Drag radials on the back with BFGs on the front of my higher HP TT Viper.
I have Nitto Invo's all around on the other TT Viper.
I would never mixx tires side to side, but front to back might benefit you depending on the circumstances. For normal driving on a normal Viper I would match all 4.
I have Nitto Invo's all around on the other TT Viper.
I would never mixx tires side to side, but front to back might benefit you depending on the circumstances. For normal driving on a normal Viper I would match all 4.
whitebluevipe
Enthusiast
that's how mine came from Jenkins Motors in Florida (they **** by the way ) but i can honestly say i didn't notice a big difference.
VENOMAHOLIC
Enthusiast
I run kumho v 700s in the rear just for traction and pilots in front. No problem so far
That's a LOT for a drag radial. I always ran around on 25psi cold.
TexasTonka
Enthusiast
WOW, you
post about putting on new tires not more than 10 days after lying to me about buying my tires, I turned down 2 other buyers because I took you at your word that you were buying my PS2 tires. I helped you out with advise, gave you the contact of your local VCA President to join the club, discussed how important it was for me to sell my tires prior to ordering the new for obvious financial reasons.... took you at your WORD instead of requiring a deposit, you even sent me your FedEx account number to ship them then I get this email: gregg messina "hi i just got back i was signing the books i a few local unions i am out of work so i have to put a hold on the tires i am so sorry but i cant do anything right now i may even sell the car if you know some one thanks" 
You screwed over a VCA member who helped you out very much and talked on the phone with you about your car for hours and took you at your word that you would purchase the tires I had for sale. You lied about buying my tires which screwed me over and obviously are not even honorable enough to tell the truth when you back out of a deal knowing I only made my purchase on your promise to purchase my tires. Don't know about New York, but here in Texas that is not tolerated, and it sure as hell is not a good way to make a first impression on a car club. You have really put me in a bind by what you did. I hope all other VCA members can learn from my mistakes. It is a shame we have such dishonest people on this site, guess I need to demand money upfront on everything these days, I had assumed fellow car guys and moreover fellow Viper Owners would not screw each other over.
Enjoy your NEW Nittos...
WOW, you
Don't know about New York, but here in Texas that is not tolerated, and it sure as hell is not a good way to make a first impression on a car club. You have really put me in a bind by what you did. I hope all other VCA members can learn from my mistakes. It is a shame we have such dishonest people on this site, guess I need to demand money upfront on everything these days, I had assumed fellow car guys and moreover fellow Viper Owners would not screw each other over.
Enjoy your NEW Nittos...
Wow, I don't blame you. I would be livid. One thing I liked about this club is that members help each other out. Obviously this guy doesn't.
Lespauldude
Viper Owner
WOW, you
Don't know about New York, but here in Texas that is not tolerated, and it sure as hell is not a good way to make a first impression on a car club. You have really put me in a bind by what you did. I hope all other VCA members can learn from my mistakes. It is a shame we have such dishonest people on this site, guess I need to demand money upfront on everything these days, I had assumed fellow car guys and moreover fellow Viper Owners would not screw each other over.
Enjoy your NEW Nittos...
I feel for you brother. That's not a good way to do business. From what I have observed/experienced, the people in this club are honest people with integrity. There is always an exception to the rule.
Looks like you found one. I always say - treat those as you would like to be treated. BTW - here in NY, we most certainly don't tolerate that crap.
AZTVR
Enthusiast
WOW, you
I feel your annoyance; but, people have different value systems. I was on almost the exact opposite side of a similar deal with a Texas VCA member selling his PS2's a few weeks ago. It was all by *** and email and I had said I would buy and the guy told me how to make payment. I sent the Paypal payment but he responded he had sold them. Good for me that he refunded the payment. I don't think that it was a Texas thing. It's just one person's idea of an agreement is different from another's. You just move on.
TexasTonka
Enthusiast
Well I tell ya what I got a hell of a deal on PS2's if you still need a set. Ship em out today for ya. Could use the money to help get out of the bind I was forced into.
AZTVR
Enthusiast
Saw your ad. Wrong sizes for my application. IHope you have better luck with the sale this time !
RevHeat
Viper Owner
I just hear crickets...GREG.....
Well the guy isn't a VCA member, not that it should matter. It sounds like he doesn't have integrity, however I must say this................ If you can't afford to buy tires without selling another pair, you should wait until you have the cash. Making financial decisions based on some transaction with someone you don't know is foolish. JMO
Back to the original topic.....................mixing tires
Back to the original topic.....................mixing tires
