Newb, here. 05 GT dropped on Ford Racing Springs, rollin' on blk Bullit 20x8.5 275/30 fronts and 20x10 315/30 rears. Nitto Extremes all around.
I've already searched the forum but haven't found much discussion on these tire/rim sizes and as to cornering capability.
Would tires of that width be better for cornering ability or simply better for off the line punches?
What are the benefits to wider tires, aside from more rubber on road? Traction in a turn?
My guess is both, in cornering and off the line. It would seem that the wider the tires the harder you can hit a turn. But does it make the steering wheel feel more sluggish and non-responsive?
Are these tires safe in the rain????? I have heard questionable answers as to this question.
I am purchasing the above car as a DD with said tires & rims. For street applications, I am not intending on doing intentionally long burnouts (I will however unashamedly chirp gears) and want to hit corners hard.
How long will these tires typically last. Another post put it at 30K miles with mild-spirited driving, and 5K with aggressive street racing.
Will sway bars also be that much of a difference over stock suspension and Ford Racing Springs?
Will the 20" rims and wide tires significantly reduce gas mileage?
Well, I'm no expert so here's my amateur opinion. Fat tires will give you decent cornering to a limit. However cornering isn't all about tires, it's mostly about suspension. Like, do you have strut tower bars, or is your car lowered? If you get tires that are too wide you will probably lose some gas mileage due to the weight. 275 fronts and 315 rears are pretty damned fat. BUT, depending on the tread pattern and weather conditions you will see some good traction. The only thing you can do is drive around on a full tank of gas and monitor your gas mileage or the wider tires, then compare that to whatever you had before.
Wider tires help in how hard you can hit a corner. They are not everything though. It is all about good suspension. That is the key to having good handling AFTER you have good tires to grab the road. So the answer to your question yes they do their part to help in hitting those corners hard. If you dont have swy bars get them. They help stop the rollin the suspension. The answer about the gas milaege, yes you probably will lose some gas mileage due to a heavier wheel tire combo.
APPRECIATE IT. Have heard rumors that fat tires are not safe in the rain?
Sway bars are needed to reduce body roll, I've heard lower control arms are a must as well for cornering.
What I wonder is what parts and how much money realistically is needed to get an '05 stang to compete, not beat, in the twisties with a late model porsche. That would be a goal.
I just don't want to get burned by a honda in some hair pins. I couldn't look at myself in the mirror afterwards. LOL.
You are correct in hearing that fat tires suck in the rain.. Please see images below of what was and then what happend after driving in the rain with a 285/40 on a 10.5 inch rim :-(
I had the car parked al winter.. Decided it was nice enough to put it back on the road.. 3 days later Driving to drop my son off at his grand parents, it was pooring rain. Doing about 45ish hydroplained (no warning.. just suddendly ass end lifted up and spun) Next thing i know im facing the oposite direction and slammed into a guard rail :-/ It sheered my exhaust off and bent it backwards cutting into the gas tank.. So yeah.. 2,000 of work over the winter (cobra r bumper, saleen wing, rims etc... all down the drain) So if you have wide tires and its pooring DOOONT drive your car :-) haha I now have a 95 converitble with 275/40/18's and anytime it rains that thing stays parked...
Well if you have someof the vredesteins they displace tons of water. I drift in competitions and i put the vredesteins on my car and expected to get them break loose and that didnt happen at all. Mine were on 9.5 wheels. ON a slick track. They are very awsome in the rain.
No matter the tire, rear wheel drive sucks in the rain. Fatter tires is more of a chance to hydro-plain: wider, flatter surface distributes weight more evenly over the pool.. Also, not so much the width of the tire, but bigger rims = less handling amd you have some big rims. So definitely get anti-sway bars. Just put gt take-off on my v6 rear - wow!
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Joined: 6/8/2006 From: SF Bay Area Status: online
quote:
ORIGINAL: crazystylin
APPRECIATE IT. Have heard rumors that fat tires are not safe in the rain?
Sway bars are needed to reduce body roll, I've heard lower control arms are a must as well for cornering.
What I wonder is what parts and how much money realistically is needed to get an '05 stang to compete, not beat, in the twisties with a late model porsche. That would be a goal.
I just don't want to get burned by a honda in some hair pins. I couldn't look at myself in the mirror afterwards. LOL.
You will have MUCH trouble completing with a Porche on the twisties. You are chasing many, many, many years of German engineering specifically designed for corners and will be outmatched (at least as far as the car itself is concerned) You may have trouble with a "hair-pin" Honda as well. Don't be fooled by what a car looks like, or just because it only has 4 cylinders and stock rims. I have had Volvos give me a run for my money, but most of the time they are just being competitive because they see me in the rear view. I generally just let them go as I don't want to push anyone into making a mistake. I compete with myself on the corners and no one else. Too easy to make a mistake and push someone and crash. That someone just may turn out to be YOU!
You have an 05+ Stang, so you are ahead of the game as far as starting point for suspension upgrading. I recommend you check out Griggs Racing to find out what your car needs to compete on the corners. I have an '02 Stang, but running a complete GR-40 sytem from Griggs. I run down Z06's and BMW's all day on the corners. Most of these cars will eat me alive on the straights, but I catch them again when the road begins to turn.
As far as width of tires is concerned, you will have more hold on the road with more surface contact and lower treadwear numbers (generally speaking, of course) It is true that wider tires are more likely to hydroplane in the rain, but how you drive on them will control 100% of the outcome in the rain or dry pavement (unless some dirtbag runs into you ). I am sorry, seancolon, but more was going on than just driving 45 MPH. I don't want to get into an arguement, and am sorry you crashed your car, but you had something else going on there OTHER than wide tires. I run 295/30/18" PS2's and will go with 315's when they are worn out. I drive my car in the rain, but am far, far less agressive in all aspects and keep an eye on the trees for wind gusts as well.
I say, go for wide, just know what comes with doing so
Printable Version
Do wider tires give you better cornering ability? - 
You are correct in hearing that fat tires suck in the rain.. Please see images below of what was and then what happend after driving in the rain with a 285/40 on a 10.5 inch rim :-( 
). I am sorry, seancolon, but more was going on than just driving 45 MPH. I don't want to get into an arguement, and am sorry you crashed your car, but you had something else going on there OTHER than wide tires. I run 295/30/18" PS2's and will go with 315's when they are worn out. I drive my car in the rain, but am far, far less agressive in all aspects and keep an eye on the trees for wind gusts as well. 
