Traction has improved.... Somehow

[VX_SS_II]

Some of you may know that i have been having a traction problem just recently. Putting the boot in anywhere in 1st, or the kick back from 2nd to 1st the car was getting very twitchy and loose....

It is running the factory SS rims all round, and the rears appear to be running the original tyres (Bridgestone B530 235/45/17). Well, as im still deciding on a replacement tyre, and the inside edge of one of these was getting smooth, i decided to chuck a pair of black VT Exec chasers with hubcaps (thanks to another member for the supply for the supply!) on the rear.

This is where it gets interesting. These are 205/65/15... now i was thinking jeeez, i'm gonna have to be careful... but.... these things shit all over the SS rims and B530s! Straight line traction has improved ALOT, its very noticeable.

The tyres are Bridgestone Turanza ER30... So now its got me thinking, rather than chucking some new tyres on my rims... Maybe i should look as some wider tyres for the chasers, BFG Radial T/A or something!!!?

But how would Holden look upon my car rocking up for a warranty service with wide tyres on chasers, even though it seems 'safer' due to more traction..? What width/profile can you go to on these rims (legally/possibly) while keeping the same overall diameter, does anyone know?

Comments, suggestions etc.......

[brentonsav]

Some of you may know that i have been having a traction problem just recently. Putting the boot in anywhere in 1st, or the kick back from 2nd to 1st the car was getting very twitchy and loose....

It is running the factory SS rims all round, and the rears appear to be running the original tyres (Bridgestone B530 235/45/17). Well, as im still deciding on a replacement tyre, and the inside edge of one of these was getting smooth, i decided to chuck a pair of black VT Exec chasers with hubcaps (thanks to another member for the supply for the supply!) on the rear.

This is where it gets interesting. These are 205/65/15... now i was thinking jeeez, i'm gonna have to be careful... but.... these things shit all over the SS rims and B530s! Straight line traction has improved ALOT, its very noticeable.

The tyres are Bridgestone Turanza ER30... So now its got me thinking, rather than chucking some new tyres on my rims... Maybe i should look as some wider tyres for the chasers, BFG Radial T/A or something!!!?

But how would Holden look upon my car rocking up for a warranty service with wide tyres on chasers, even though it seems 'safer' due to more traction..? What width/profile can you go to on these rims (legally/possibly) while keeping the same overall diameter, does anyone know?

Comments, suggestions etc.......

i used to have 225/60/15's on my ceptors on my vr v6
i used to be able to light em (or one anyway) up at will with the 205's but couldnt with the 225's

they were the turanza er30's also and i went thru two sets of em. i liked them a lot. i paid about $125 a piece for these from bridgestone tyre centre, didnt shop around...


afaik, a 235 17" with 45 profile is the same as a 15" with a 225/60 profile which is the same as a 15" with 205/65 profile. dont quote me tho, thats what ive always been led to believe

[JimmyXR6T04]

could it also be a heat related thing? although my car is a turbo and loves the cooler weather, i have noticed that traction is not as much an issue now as it was a few months ago. The warmer roads, and temps seem to have helped out heaps.. I did also notice that on the hotter days, the car ran a little less boost... but from take off it goes hard, but just doesn't seem to wanna break sideways as much as in the cold... which i'm happy about! i can actually use most of 1st and all of 2nd gear now

[chops]

It's the B530s - I found them fantastic, UNTIL about the last 5000km before they were bald, then they were almost like driving on ice.

[VX_SS_II]

It's the B530s - I found them fantastic, UNTIL about the last 5000km before they were bald, then they were almost like driving on ice.

I think thats what i'm leaning towards.... Just like driving on ice, spot on!

I'm looking at a pair of Goodyear Eagle F1s to go on to replace the B530s. Goodyear as a brand is something ive never looked at before but these tyres seem to be pretty damn good. Ive heard good reports, and the tread pattern looks quite good too... At the end of the day though it all depends how they drive, not how they look.

And of course theres the cost... I'm yet to get a quote.

[DaveHAT]

It's the B530s - I found them fantastic, UNTIL about the last 5000km before they were bald, then they were almost like driving on ice.

Agreed Chops, not a bad tyre at all until worn then they seem to turn to shite.

Never buying a set of B530s again. Overpriced for what they offer IMHO

[OPPYLOCK]

I went from the original Bridgestones on my old VT to Federal 589's and they were fantastic (especially the wet). I do like to run a set of chasers every now and then to remind me of the old days!

[Dug]

I've run Goodyear Aquaplains, Bridgestone Iceskaters, and various other middle of the run tyres over the last 8 years (not venturing into the high end of these particular brands) however have found that i could not beat the Pirelli P5000/6000 for both handling in the wet and dry, brilliant wear rate, and good honest pricing when I was running on 15's.

Nowday's, that i'm running on 17's, i run Kumho for a very similar reason. I'm yet to see what they're like as they approach being bald, but they've been on the car for nearly 50,000km now, and if they become bald tomorrow, i reccon i've had a pretty fair life out of them.

my 2c.

[csv rulz]

Good year eagle F1 dont last long, When my old man had his VX SS and the B530's (bloody good tyre)wore out he put Potenza GIII on it and they were a bloody good tyre as well

[stompa]

ive had 15,s 17,s and now ive got 19,s surprizingly the 19,s give the best traction might be just the tyres though and the 17,s where the worst

[seedyrom]

Well I swear by my Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3's. Made in Australia.

Have great traction in the dry, mind-blowing traction in the Wet .... and the wear rate ?

Well I put them on when I got the turbo fitted .... last year.

So how are they for wear after nearly 12 months of daily driven duties?

There have been moments of enthusiasm:
From the sydney cruise (http://www.ls1.com.au/forum/showpost.php?p=723557&postcount=175)


Last night was fun indeed! I liked the two sleeper calais with turbos, especially the maroon one when he painted two black strips on the road at 70 km/h!!!!! GOLD!!!!!!

And there is basically traction issues whenever you are driving, so I thought i'd take some pics last night to show the condition of them

Front Left
http://www.oz8.org/gallery/albums/Seedyrom/frontleft.jpg

Front Right
http://www.oz8.org/gallery/albums/Seedyrom/frontright.jpg

Rear Left
http://www.oz8.org/gallery/albums/Seedyrom/rearleft.jpg

Rear Right
http://www.oz8.org/gallery/albums/Seedyrom/rearright.jpg


Pretty bloody good considering.
Heaps of meat left, even though it is 320+ RWKWs and spins freely ever drive

[vh-holden]

could it also be a heat related thing? although my car is a turbo and loves the cooler weather, i have noticed that traction is not as much an issue now as it was a few months ago. The warmer roads, and temps seem to have helped out heaps.. I did also notice that on the hotter days, the car ran a little less boost... but from take off it goes hard, but just doesn't seem to wanna break sideways as much as in the cold... which i'm happy about! i can actually use most of 1st and all of 2nd gear now

i think it is more to do with the sidewall flex.

[Hammer]

or amount of control on the drivers part.....

[motorin on]

I went from the original Bridgestones on my old VT to Federal 589's and they were fantastic (especially the wet). I do like to run a set of chasers every now and then to remind me of the old days!
----I was talked into buying 18" 235x45's (I think) Federals for my SS at my local tyre store,but it got to the stage in the wet that I didn't trust them Once they they were about 50% worn one corner they were fine the next the rear end was heading for the kerb.I went to Michelin Sports P3's which are ok at the moment
I don't know if the pattern matters or tyre size,-You don't say what size you are running.My Ford AU3 XR6 used to aquaplane really bad in the wet with the 17 or 18??x8's if the road was covered in water-I put part of it down to a low fuel tank so less weight in the rear and the tyre width

[Martin_D]

Thats a cool thread mine! :)