There's No Fool Like an Old Fool
 

Yep, me. First I'm too embarrassed to mention how old the tires on my IROC were, though there weren't many miles on them. At any rate, I attributed issues I was experiencing to steering. Ahem, those issues, all of them, disappeared with a new set of tires. Good grief! Ok, to the tires themselves. I thought I'd discovered what I wanted on tirerack (a BFG summer or BFG all season tire), but a third party convinced me to try Falken 245/50R16 ZIEX ZE950 AS 97H. So far, they're terrific (and a $70 rebate didn't hurt) but I suspect that any replacement would have been a marked improvement. Lesson learned.

JamesC

Re: There's No Fool Like an Old Fool
 

Amazing what new tires will do!

Re: There's No Fool Like an Old Fool
 

Are you saying that my BFGs with maybe 5k miles on them since 1998 are suspect? LOL

Re: There's No Fool Like an Old Fool
 

I replaced the original Gatorbacks on my '89 when they were 20 years old. They looked mint, but felt like ice skates when driving, plus I was afraid drive over 30 MPH. The first time I hit the brake pedal on my new F1 tires, it felt as if I had swapped 13" Brembos for the stock brakes.

Re: There's No Fool Like an Old Fool
 

Good reminder for us all.

Years back I had a belt break while on the freeway in my Chevelle. The Michelins looked good before hand and were properly inflated but were also 12+ years old. Lesson learned, I now change tires every 10 years at latest regardless of tread condition.

Re: There's No Fool Like an Old Fool
 

LOL, My rear set is from about the same time frame, still look new.. I still run em around..

Re: There's No Fool Like an Old Fool
 

My Iroc had 55K-ish miles on it when I put the new tires on, now it's at 61K. LOL Doesn't get driven much. Fortunately I'm not planning on taking it on any road trips. The tires on my Formula are nearly as old, but the rears have been replaced once or twice while the fronts just keep going. Not sure why the rears keep going bald. :lol:

Re: There's No Fool Like an Old Fool
 

Ok, I'll fess up. The tires were 14 years old. I'm still amazed at what the new tires brought to the car and my enjoyment of it.

JamesC

Re: There's No Fool Like an Old Fool
 

LOL, don't feel bad, I think the good years on my car now are from 03 ish?
Maybe I shouldn't be running the car to "elevated" speeds that I do buuuut....

Re: There's No Fool Like an Old Fool
 

Well, after a few days of driving on all surfaces, rough and smooth, city and highway and after setting the Koni Yellows to full soft (I'm in the process of experimenting), I feel as if I've purchased a new car. The ride is more comfortable and the steering more precise—and perhaps more importantly, I'm enjoying the car again. :D

JamesC

Re: There's No Fool Like an Old Fool
 

A Large Body of Scientific Literature Supports a Six Year Tire Expiration Date




http://www.tiresafetygroup.com/tires...-in-six-years/

Re: There's No Fool Like an Old Fool
 

You put H rated tires on your car? How do they feel in the corners? I put the Cooper Zeon RS3-G1 on my car and had to return them. The car rolled through corners and was very soft. I replaced them with BFG Comp 2 sport. They are much better, except for the improper weight installation that needs to redone!

My last set of tires were Michelin Pilot Sports and I had them on since February 2009. In that time, I put 6k miles on them.

Re: There's No Fool Like an Old Fool
 

Oddly enough, I considered the Coopers but a friend, one who's been in the car business for many years, dissuaded me. I also considered the BFG all-season and summer tires, but I didn't want directionals this time out. Consequently, I purchased the Falkens which are asymmetrical. H rated, yes, as were the old set. I suggest that 130 is faster than this old man will ever go—especially with the speed limiter sitting in the passenger seat yelling, "You slow this darned thing down right now, mister!":rolleyes:

JamesC

Re: There's No Fool Like an Old Fool
 

speed limiter sitting in the passenger seat
:blah::blah::blah: :driving: :burnout: :gocrazy: :thumbsup:

Re: There's No Fool Like an Old Fool
 

Ok, am I wrong in thinking that the speed rating also affects the tires performance? H rated tires are sufficient for my car also because I don't see me driving extended periods at high speed either, but I thought that rating also addressed sidewall and performance.

Re: There's No Fool Like an Old Fool
 

Don't feel bad! In 2010, I bought a one way ticket to buy my 91 B4C sight unseen. I then drove it 1000 miles home on the original Good Year Gatorbacks.

But yes, tires make a huge difference. It also surprises me when people go for cheap tires.

Re: There's No Fool Like an Old Fool
 

My rule of thumb on performance tires is three years, whether the tread is worn out our not.

My tires sit outside in the weather for the six months they are on the car before the seasonal swap.

You may be able to stretch a bit farther if you can keep the tires out of the UV light when they aren't actually rolling.

Old tires become soft where they are supposed to be rigid, and they become rigid where they are supposed to be soft.

The up-side is you can run those performance tires pretty hard, and wear them out before you have to throw them away just because they got old. That's what I call winning.

Re: There's No Fool Like an Old Fool
 

The tires look nice too

Re: There's No Fool Like an Old Fool
 

A quick update:

With new tires, new ball joints, a four-wheel thrust alignment, the Koni Yellows set to full soft, and a return to the OE steering shaft and its rag joint (I chucked the Astro van version), I'm smilin' from ear to ear.

JamesC

Re: There's No Fool Like an Old Fool
 

Re: There's No Fool Like an Old Fool
 

TGO members are hobbyists, which, in many cases, means going overboard in their purchases and their praise. Such is probably the case with the Konis. In my long personal pursuit of our hobby, I've stiffened the car with nearly every after market piece available which, of course, has harshened the ride—and frankly made the car less enjoyable. Aside from the Koni Yellows, I too am running Moog springs. Can that set-up, along with other so-called "improvements," make for a bone-jarring ride on bad roads? You betcha. I ask myself the following from time to time: Are you driver enough to truly benefit from all that you've done to the car? The answer, of course, is a resounding, no. If I were starting over with another Camaro, I'd be more practical this time and aim for drivability. But that's 20/20 hindsight :2cents:

JamesC

Re: There's No Fool Like an Old Fool
 

Re: There's No Fool Like an Old Fool
 

I usually run em so bald they slide real nice in that 55mph 45° turn so i can drift out of it and give those hot tires some gas lol. The 91 has 215/45/17s. Im due some new tires soon