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Too much to ask for a tire to hold full throttle on wet pavement?

V

Viper GTS

Lifer
I just got new tires for my 02 Mustang GT. It has 245/45/R17 front and rear. Previously I had Vredestein Ultrac Sessantas which I loved. They are rated at 280 tread wear & had outstanding grip in all situations. I even drove them in light snow by idling my way along my 3 mile city commute. I did a ton of research prior to buying them & loved them right down to the wear bars (10K miles, I like the throttle). The only problem is that even after paying a local shop to mount & balance them they still wanted to charge me for every rotation. After all the fees, shipping, etc. I would be reasonably close to Michelin PS2 territory for a replacement set.

My new tires are Continental ExtremeContact DW's that I picked up from a local America's Tire. They are rated at 340 tread wear, & I found a reasonable amount of positive reviews including Mustang GT's on wet pavement. All of the reviews seemed to have come from a manufacturer sponsored event though so it's hard to say how unbiased they may be. I didn't want to put on new summer tires headed into winter, & I hoped these would keep me happy. I have 30 days to take them back for an exchange if I don't like them.

The problem I'm having is they don't seem to have any grip in comparison to the Vredesteins. It's been 18 months since the Vredesteins were new so I'm having a hard time doing a fair evaluation. I think I remember them being able to hold nearly full throttle from a rolling start on wet pavement (1st gear). The Continentals just give up completely if I floor it.

So am I remembering incorrectly? Is this an unreasonable expectation? I'm considering taking them back & paying the difference for Michelin PS2's. I doubt I have the option of getting Vredestein again as America's Tire has never heard of them and doesn't have a source to order them from.

Viper GTS
 
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I would hope that your car could light up the tires on wet pavement, but it's been a long time since I've driven a Mustang, and it wasn't on wet pavement...so I can't really help you. I go easy on the throttle in the 2 when the roads are wet, but I'm almost positive I can spin through first very easily (225/50/15).
 
I think you're asking too much of a tire unless you get something really sticky, but good luck getting even 10k miles out of them.
 
My lincoln can light the rears from a stop in the dry. I'd hope to hell your mustang could light just about anything short of a drag radial in the wet at low speeds.
 
jlee said:
I would hope that your car could light up the tires on wet pavement, but it's been a long time since I've driven a Mustang, and it wasn't on wet pavement...so I can't really help you. I go easy on the throttle in the 2 when the roads are wet, but I'm almost positive I can spin through first very easily (225/50/15).
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On dry pavement the Vredesteins wouldn't so much as chirp without a clutch dump, & even on wet as long as you were going in a straight line I believe I could pretty much do whatever I wanted. But again I don't really remember that clearly since it's been a year & a half.

brblx said:
why are you flooring the throttle at low speeds in the rain?
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Because I have new tires that I'm not sure I like. 🙂 I definitely don't drive like that normally but I do want to know within 30 days if I'm going to be happy with these tires. I remember clearly what the old tires would do on dry pavement in the summer, so if these don't compare I'm going to be out the $670 I paid for them.

Viper GTS
 
Gillbot said:
I have yet to find a tire that can cope with rain behind any amount of decent power. Then again, you did say mustang so you should be ok. 😉 JUST KIDDING.
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Ha see that's why I think I should be able to do it. Rolling start, clutch fully engaged, only ~300 ft-lb. Doesn't help that it's cold out right now (~45). They seemed reasonably OK over the weekend when it was ~60 and dry so maybe I should just be happy and leave the TC on when it's wet.

Viper GTS
 
Viper GTS said:
Ha see that's why I think I should be able to do it. Rolling start, clutch fully engaged, only ~300 ft-lb. Doesn't help that it's cold out right now (~45). They seemed reasonably OK over the weekend when it was ~60 and dry so maybe I should just be happy and leave the TC on when it's wet.

Viper GTS
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I haven't found a reasonable DRY (all season, NOT DR or etc.) tire than can cope well in colder weather, let alone wet.
 
See if they make the Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric in your size. I bought those for my 135i because of their wet traction rating and couldn't be happier. They've already out lasted the stock run-flats and are just now beginning to slip some after about 12,500 miles. I went a long time without seeing the traction control light flash at all on wet or dry pavement.

Edit: Just saw you posted your size in your orig post... I don't see that one listed but you may be able to get one that will still fit. For example on my car I went with 225/40-18 and 255/35-18 vs stock 215/40-18 and 245/35-18.
 
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EDIT: Mine came stock with GY Eagle F1's of some sort, they were trash IMHO. Horrible treadwear for the traction.
 
Gillbot said:
EDIT: Mine came stock with GY Eagle F1's of some sort, they were trash IMHO. Horrible treadwear for the traction.
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They have a lot of different Goodyear Eagle F1 tires... there is a huge difference between the Asymmetrics and the others... especially the run-crap versions. (Like the ones they insist on putting on Corvettes.)
 
Mutilator said:
They have a lot of different Goodyear Eagle F1 tires... there is a huge difference between the Asymmetrics and the others... especially the run-crap versions. (Like the ones they insist on putting on Corvettes.)
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mine were not runflats, I don't recall what "model" F1's they were though. I actually think the crappy GY Eagle RSA? were the best so far all around.
 
My DD is a 94 accord EX with a set of Bridgestone Potenzas that are directional. I got them at Sam's Club pretty cheap. Granted I don't have near the torque you do, I can floor it in the rain with these tires as long as I'm going straight. If I turn the open diff can't help but spin the inside tire.

I do think with a mustang GT with a relative good bit of torque (not as much at lower RPMs as the old 302s) will have no problem spinning tires in the rain. There are variables such as rear end ratio, transmission, LSD, etc. that can contribute.

Now my truck, an 04 Z71 with the 5.3L V8 has no problem breaking tires free in the rain. It does have the G80 locking diff so you better watch out if your going around corner b/c it will fishtail like none other. 4WD launches are pretty fun in the rain too, but hell on the drive line.
 
You obviously should've gotten much narrower tires - I'm thinking 3-4 inches wide, at most since it makes no difference anyway.


PM fleabag for info.

Enough with the personall attacks...
3 days off
AT Mod
Gillbot
 
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I have Contisport3's on the WRX which are highly rated in the wet, but I can break all 4 loose in 1st if I really wanna. I might be up TQ compared to your GT, but I would imagine that thing can break loose the rear quite easily in the rain regardless of the tire.
 
You are asking too much. You're not driving a torqueless-wonder-Honda, you're driving a 4.6L RWD V8. That said, if you REALLY want a tire that has the BEST chance of holding in the rain (at 50 deg or higher temp), you need to stop playing around with this 320 treadwear shit.

Bridgestone Potenza RE-11 or similar (Dunlop Direzza I think is very similar, a little cheaper). The sidewalls are stiff as hell and you will notice every reflector strip you drive over, but they are amazing tires. I have the previous gen Bridgestones (RE-01R) and even on a stock suspension, they have transformed my car's handling.

That said, I'm not sure they would hold in heavy rain under full throttle in first gear on my car. It would be close, and I have AWD working in my favor.
 
I wear 315 Drag Radials on my Trans Am and had daily driven them for 3 years (different sets, obviously). Dry or wet, it would still light them up on command. It's pointless to try and get a car with any balls at all to try and hook in the rain.

My GTO has the BFG KDWS all seasons, and they'll put on a smoke show in the dry, and in the wet.. shit. forget about it. The one thing I will definitely say is that the GTO is far more tail happy than the TA ever was.
 
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