So I'm looking at buying a new set of tires for my Tacoma. The Dunlops on it now have almost 70,000 miles and are getting bald on the edges especially. The standard tire size is 215/70-R15 and I'm probably going to buy a set of Michelin Defender tires. However I saw on tirerack that Radial T/As come in that size as well and that they are a "performance all-season". Are these any good? I always thought they were just to look cool on old cars. They do have a cool looking tread pattern and sidewall lettering. Anyone have experience with these on a daily driver?
Are BFGoodrich Radial T/A performance tires?
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They were considered performance tires like 30 years ago. Now they are just made in oddball sizes and used by people that think they are a higher end tire. I see them a lot on older muscle cars.
I was heavily looking at Michelin defenders and went with the Cooper cs5 grand touring in the exact size you're looking at. While on my sedan they are awesome in all conditions, I highly recommend them.
They're not even remotely a performance tire at this point. They're actually pretty terrible tires by modern standards (and an ancient design that hasn't been updated in a few decades).
Unless you need the look for an old muscle car to blend in at a car show, skip them.
Unless you need the look for an old muscle car to blend in at a car show, skip them.
I had the Advantage T/A recently for 60,000 miles and I think they could have gone to 70,000 when I traded in the car they were on. Excellent all-around choice for durability, traction, low noise, handling, etc. Highly recommended.
The Radial T/A is OK, but overpriced and not as good as the Advantage T/A.
BTW: Goodrich is owned by Michelin now.
The Radial T/A is OK, but overpriced and not as good as the Advantage T/A.
BTW: Goodrich is owned by Michelin now.
It's a 400 A B tire, which is not good these days, more nostalgia than anything.
The Cooper CS5 GT is 780AA in your size.
The Cooper CS5 GT is 780AA in your size.
I used the BFG Radial T/A on several late 1960's Plymouth and Dodge muscle cars back in the 1994-2004 time frame. Can't really say they performed all that well. The alternative were red line bias tires which were factory stock. I wouldn't buy them today unless for another 35 year old muscle car.
I wouldn't put too much stock in the tread wear ratings on tires in the 500-900 range. I think anything over 500 is more for bragging rights than actual performance. From what I read around here almost no one gets 80K-90K on those 800-900 rated tires....some are lucky to get half that. In my mind you can get 50-55K miles on anything rated 400 and higher, I have. If you get more miles than that consider yourself fortunate.
I wouldn't put too much stock in the tread wear ratings on tires in the 500-900 range. I think anything over 500 is more for bragging rights than actual performance. From what I read around here almost no one gets 80K-90K on those 800-900 rated tires....some are lucky to get half that. In my mind you can get 50-55K miles on anything rated 400 and higher, I have. If you get more miles than that consider yourself fortunate.
Their main function in life at this point is a nostalgic look for muscle cars. I wouldn't run them on a modern vehicle.
I always find it funny that people around here seem to prioritize a tire's quality by how long it lasts. Personally, if I could get 60k miles out of a tire, I think that tire is a piece of [censored] and I'd never put it on a vehicle I own.
Tires that have decent traction and don't chunk themselves to pieces if you drive them hard sometimes are not tires that last 60k miles. Hockey pucks with poor dry pavement grip and awful grip on anything else can last 60k.
Tires that have decent traction and don't chunk themselves to pieces if you drive them hard sometimes are not tires that last 60k miles. Hockey pucks with poor dry pavement grip and awful grip on anything else can last 60k.
^^^^rslifkin, You are not taking into account modern tread compounds.
I found those Goodrich Advantage T/A's to be grippy and long-wearing BOTH. They were also good in the snow, and on ice they did OK.
I found those Goodrich Advantage T/A's to be grippy and long-wearing BOTH. They were also good in the snow, and on ice they did OK.
Nothing wrong with those tires. As was said it is a musclcar legacy owned now by Michelin. I had a fat set of 50's on the back of a 73 LS4 454 and put 500hp to the ground. They hooked up well and lasted a long time. more currently I like the Michelin Pilots on wifeys G8. a bit pricey but sticky and look good.
Lower treadwear rating normally means a softer compound and more grip, so I can see why BFG calls them a performance tire. I personally don't like driving on tires with 600+ treadwear ratings. They might as well call them "Flintstones" the compounds are so hard. I find that such tires have poor grip in the wet. As far as performance tires are concerned, there are probably three levels of grip and responsiveness above the Radial T/A, but with corresponding decreases in ride comfort and tread life.
They're a very good general-purpose tire for heavier vehicles. They're not super-D-duper speed-rated low profile directional tread bullfeathers that's all the rage, but neither are they exactly the same as they were in 1999. They're a maybe 1-generation behind the times tire with a good tread pattern available in more sizes and profiles than just about any other tire. I use them on both my vintage rides, but I wouldn't put them on my Challenger. If I had a midsize truck that didn't need LT rated tires, I'd probably consider them. They won't suck, they have decent all-season grip (not really snow, but then few "all season" tires really do well in snow). And they balance up well and don't ride like they're made of concrete, unlike some cost-comparable tires in some of the newer brands.
Originally Posted By: lubricatosaurus
^^^^rslifkin, You are not taking into account modern tread compounds.
I found those Goodrich Advantage T/A's to be grippy and long-wearing BOTH. They were also good in the snow, and on ice they did OK.
Keep in mind, when I talk about tires that are "not grippy", I'm including basically every all season ever made into that category. They're all awful in the snow, most aren't great in terms of grip in the rain (even if they're good at not hydroplaning) and most have disappointing dry traction (some are ok, but none are great).
The difference in wet performance between all seasons and even fairly mild summers with about the same amount of contact patch on my Jeep is the difference between flooring it at any speed up to 50 - 55 on wet pavement and being immediately thrown sideways in a fit of wheelspin and flooring it at 20 on the same wet pavement and having plenty of grip and an uneventful takeoff.
^^^^rslifkin, You are not taking into account modern tread compounds.
I found those Goodrich Advantage T/A's to be grippy and long-wearing BOTH. They were also good in the snow, and on ice they did OK.
Keep in mind, when I talk about tires that are "not grippy", I'm including basically every all season ever made into that category. They're all awful in the snow, most aren't great in terms of grip in the rain (even if they're good at not hydroplaning) and most have disappointing dry traction (some are ok, but none are great).
The difference in wet performance between all seasons and even fairly mild summers with about the same amount of contact patch on my Jeep is the difference between flooring it at any speed up to 50 - 55 on wet pavement and being immediately thrown sideways in a fit of wheelspin and flooring it at 20 on the same wet pavement and having plenty of grip and an uneventful takeoff.
ATTENTION TIRE MANUFACTUERS!!! Please come out with some newer versions of classic tire sizes. I would pay anything for a great new tire in a classic size of either a 255/60-15 or even better yet a 275/60-15. The ONLY thing out there that has any grip are Drag race only, barely legal tires!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Originally Posted By: Traction
ATTENTION TIRE MANUFACTUERS!!! Please come out with some newer versions of classic tire sizes. I would pay anything for a great new tire in a classic size of either a 255/60-15 or even better yet a 275/60-15. The ONLY thing out there that has any grip are Drag race only, barely legal tires!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Vulcan Tire has some street-legal tires in the two sizes you mentioned
ATTENTION TIRE MANUFACTUERS!!! Please come out with some newer versions of classic tire sizes. I would pay anything for a great new tire in a classic size of either a 255/60-15 or even better yet a 275/60-15. The ONLY thing out there that has any grip are Drag race only, barely legal tires!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Vulcan Tire has some street-legal tires in the two sizes you mentioned
I'm having a delima now about the trans am. The tires are dry rotted. The BFGs look so cool with the white letters. But they get 150 bucks for that outdated tire. I lothe to put black walls on, but their half the price for the same quality tire. Maybe I could stencil some white letters on, like the Hoosiers.
Originally Posted By: slacktide_bitog
Originally Posted By: Traction
ATTENTION TIRE MANUFACTUERS!!! Please come out with some newer versions of classic tire sizes. I would pay anything for a great new tire in a classic size of either a 255/60-15 or even better yet a 275/60-15. The ONLY thing out there that has any grip are Drag race only, barely legal tires!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Vulcan Tire has some street-legal tires in the two sizes you mentioned
Yes, they have a couple tires in that size, but nothing any better than the old out dated BFG's. A new design Comp T/A speed rated tire, or similar has totally disappeared from the market. Sad choices for classic cars is all that's left.
Originally Posted By: Traction
ATTENTION TIRE MANUFACTUERS!!! Please come out with some newer versions of classic tire sizes. I would pay anything for a great new tire in a classic size of either a 255/60-15 or even better yet a 275/60-15. The ONLY thing out there that has any grip are Drag race only, barely legal tires!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Vulcan Tire has some street-legal tires in the two sizes you mentioned
Yes, they have a couple tires in that size, but nothing any better than the old out dated BFG's. A new design Comp T/A speed rated tire, or similar has totally disappeared from the market. Sad choices for classic cars is all that's left.
Yeah, it's pretty much come down to needing 1 set of wheels to actually drive the thing on, and then the original set with the [censored] BFGs for taking it to car shows so it looks correct.
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