Alternative Tires for GT350

[Lorne34]

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[03reptile]

This is all good info; however, I'm looking for an all season tire for the 2019 GT350. I'm in Maryland and drive the car during the winter months when the roads are clear and salt free. All the tires discussed are summer only tires and using them in cooler temperatures (less than 60 degrees) turns them to hockey pucks. There seems to be nothing in an all season tire that matches the original tire size. The Michelin Cup 2's that came on the car are wonderful in this heat wave we're having but they tram line like crazy. They are surprisingly competent in the rain. Fall is around the corner, so I need to start thinking about an all season tire. I'd like to get something that does not effect the accuracy of the speedometer too much. Any size suggestions or manufacturers?

 

[Lorne34]

 

[Speedster]

The problem with the high performance all season tires suggested in the video is that they are considerably narrower than the factory Cup2s. The car must look funny with those tires, and I don’t see them as a year-round solution to the street driveability issues for the car.

Unlike the tire sizes on my GT500 with the SVT package, No one makes a high performance all season tire in the oddball sizes the factory fits to the GT350. Following the advice suggested in the video gives you tires with roughly the same diameter, but with considerably less width. I don’t see that as a viable solution.

There’s an old saying - race cars make lousy street cars, and vice versa. I feel Ford pushed the track aspect of the ‘19 GT350 so far that the car is compromised as a street car. I was hell bent on buying a ‘19 GT350. I test drove one in a light rain on I-95. At 70, the car was darting left and right and simply didn’t want to track straight. Constant steering input was needed. Adding to the problem was the light rain was causing the front tires to hydroplane. It seemed to me the alignment of the car was off (some toe-out dialed in perhaps?). Those aspects made the car, in my opinion, dangerous to drive on the wet highway. I actually declined to purchase the car for those reasons. I don’t track my cars, so maximizing the performance on a track at the expense of street-ability kills it for me.

I wish Ford recognized that those of us in the Northern states need a tire (and alignment?) that we can safely use on the street in cooler weather (not winter - I’m not talking about snow conditions), and in the rain. I put factory size Michelin ultra high performance A/S 3+ tires on my ‘11 GT500 and it transformed the car into a fantastic street machine, easily controllable with excellent driving dynamics. Those tires offer 95% of the grip of the factory Goodyear Supercar tires, with none of the wet and cooler weather issues. Unfortunately, unlike the previous generation GT500, no company makes high performance all season tires in the factory sizes of the GT350.

Installing the narrower hp all seasons suggested in the video maintains the same diameter as the factory tires, but in a much narrower size.

GM figured this out. My buddy just ordered a 2020 C8 Corvette. Guess what’s on the option list: high performance all season tires, right from the Factory.

Ford should do the same. Keep the ultimate track-ready version of the GT350 for you guys who race the cars, but offer a streetable version with tires that can handle cooler temps and rain for those of us who don’t, along with a proper street alignment.

 

[TDC]

^^^ all of that darty feeling is a result of the horrible Cup 2’s; great on the track for 4 days then they drop off in grip or start to cord. The worst tramlining tire I’ve driven.

Different set of tires and the car completely calms down.

 

[nastang87xx]

I put factory size Michelin ultra high performance A/S 3+ tires on my ‘11 GT500 and it transformed the car into a fantastic street machine, easily controllable with excellent driving dynamics. Those tires offer 95% of the grip of the factory Goodyear Supercar tires, with none of the wet and cooler weather issues.

95%? Don't get too generous lol. No. But the AS3+ is a very good all season tire and wear very well.

GM figured this out. My buddy just ordered a 2020 C8 Corvette. Guess what’s on the option list: high performance all season tires, right from the Factory.

Those aren't optional. Those are standard. The Z51 Pack bumps you up to Sport 4S tires and you can't divert back.

The 350 doesn't have as many configurations as the Corvette does and Ford also build considerably less of them. The additional cost involved with additional configurations like that doesn't make cost sense unfortunately. Btw if your buddy got the Z51 Pack he's going to be just fine in the rain. The Sport 4S is very composed.

 

[Speedster]

^^^ all of that darty feeling is a result of the horrible Cup 2’s; great on the track for 4 days then they drop off in grip or start to cord. The worst tramlining tire I’ve driven.

Different set of tires and the car completely calms down.

But what tire? My understanding is the Michelin Pilots on the ‘15 to ‘18 GT350 aren’t much better.

 

[Lorne34]

I am trying to figure this out myself as I shop for a used 350. I agree that the 2019 standard 350 should have stayed a street first/track second car, but they pushed the envelope trying to create distance from the regular GT PP2 that came out last year. I wish they would have left the spoiler alone, kept the pss tires and used those bits for the "R" 2020 enhancements. There is a guy on you tube "auto fanatic" who put the 4s tires on his 350 and really likes them. Here is his review... they don't look as great as the MPSS but they seem to work...

 

[nastang87xx]

But what tire? My understanding is the Michelin Pilots on the ‘15 to ‘18 GT350 aren’t much better.

Compared to the Sport Cup 2's, yes they are. But it's relative. There's bad. And then there's god awful. The SC2's are god awful. Pay to play. Otherwise get Continental ExtremeContact Sports.

This kinda reminds me of the dilemma that Porsche had to squash about squeaky brakes last year. No fawking duh your ultra high performance, basically race car brakes, squeal like a dying rabbit.

 

[JAJ]

If you're really concerned about narrow-looking tires, you can run Michelin AS/3+ run-flats in 325/30x19 on the back if you have rims with the right width and offset, matched with AS/3+ 285/35x19 run-flats on the front. Personally I run 275/40 front/ 285/40 rear AS/3's through the year unless I'm tracking the car. A little more ride height, no tramlining, rainworthy, looks good, etc.

 

[WildHorse]

I don't own a GT350, but I can't praise the FIREHAWK INDY 500's enough. Incredible dry/wet traction! Mine are 325/30 rears & 255/40 fronts. Night and day difference compared to the Pirellis.

 

[Speedster]

If you're really concerned about narrow-looking tires, you can run Michelin AS/3+ run-flats in 325/30x19 on the back if you have rims with the right width and offset, matched with AS/3+ 285/35x19 run-flats on the front. Personally I run 275/40 front/ 285/40 rear AS/3's through the year unless I'm tracking the car. A little more ride height, no tramlining, rainworthy, looks good, etc.

Thank you for the information. And thanks to everyone who has responded with information. Very helpful!

I can run the alternate tire sizes you recommend, but that will alter the factory tire dimensions. See below.

Tire Dimensions: Diameter - width - sidewall height (all in inches)

295/35-19: 27.1 - 11.6 - 4.1 (factory size)
305/35-19: 27.4 - 12.0 - 4.2 (factory size)

285/35-19: 26.9 - 11.2 - 3.9
325/30-19: 26.7 - 12.8 - 3.8

275/40-19: 27.7 - 10.8 - 4.3
285/40-19: 28.0 - 11.2 - 4.5

If I switch to the 40 series sizes you mention, I’ll be adding over 1/2” of diameter to both the front and rear tires. While I assume the car will run with those sizes, the computer will be receiving inaccurate speed and distance data because the tires will cover a greater distance per revolution than the factory tires. What effect will that have on the computer? Will it alter how the computer controls the engine and the car, and what about the speedometer/odometer readings? Also with those sizes, both front and rear tires will be almost an inch narrower than stock. That raises the question of how the car looks, and the concern that the factory wheels, which already look wide for the factory tires, may be too wide to safely run the narrower tires.

Looking at the 285/35 and 325/30 combination, these sizes are shorter in diameter and sidewalk height (thereby raising similar questions re: the computer) and the rears will be almost an inch wider than factory. Is that ok? Will rubbing occur?

My ideal situation would be to run either Michelin A/S 3+ high performance all seasons, or Continental DWS high performance all seasons on the GT350. BUT, neither manufacturer (nor any manufacturer that I can find) makes those tires in the factory size. So, my next option is to run non-factory sizes front and rear, but that raises the questions I raise above. So, any help here would be very appreciated.

Thanks all.

Joe

 

[Speedster]

Compared to the Sport Cup 2's, yes they are. But it's relative. There's bad. And then there's god awful. The SC2's are god awful. Pay to play. Otherwise get Continental ExtremeContact Sports.

This kinda reminds me of the dilemma that Porsche had to squash about squeaky brakes last year. No fawking duh your ultra high performance, basically race car brakes, squeal like a dying rabbit.

Which begs the question, why put any race-capable device, be it brakes, tires, etc., on a street car? The way I see it, Ford created two GT350s. The “R” is the car designed to be tracked, and therefore the standard GT350 should have been a completely streetable version. Why also build the standard GT350 to be a track worthy car? It seems redundant to me, and limits the number of buyers. As I mentioned before, race cars make lousy street cars, and vice versa.

 

[svassh]

Which begs the question, why put any race-capable device, be it brakes, tires, etc., on a street car? The way I see it, Ford created two GT350s. The “R” is the car designed to be tracked, and therefore the standard GT350 should have been a completely streetable version. Why also build the standard GT350 to be a track worthy car? It seems redundant to me, and limits the number of buyers. As I mentioned before, race cars make lousy street cars, and vice versa.

Not sure why you bought the GT350, it doesn't sound like the right car for you.

 

[Speedster]

Not sure why you bought the GT350, it doesn't sound like the right car for you.

I didn’t buy. After the test drive I wasn’t interested because of its road manners. I’d love to buy one, and if I could buy factory size all season tires, I would.

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