Different tires sizes front vs. rear...why?

Ganton · Apr 18, 2005

I'd like to know how many of you fellow SVT Cobra owners run two different tire sizes front and rear? Why did you set it up this way, and what are the two sizes?

chrisbudl1 · Apr 18, 2005

I have 265/35/18's on the front, and 295/35/18's rear. Basically because a 295 won't clear on the front, and with our cars more rubber is definately helpfull in the traction dept. If you are using a drag radial, you can get away with skinnier tires in the rear, but for those of us who use the cars as daily drivers, that really isn't pratical, atleast in missouri. will that work? check out the link for images of the difference, stock vs wide 18's

TheDukeOfEarl · Apr 18, 2005

305-30-18 rear and 285-30-18 fronts. At my ride height that is the biggest tire I can fit. I run Hoosier RS304's They are R compound road race tires.

sawman70 · Apr 19, 2005

275-40-17 Front and 315-35-17 Rear. Why run different sizes? Look at most any race car and you will see the rears larger than the fronts to give added traction. Then, as an added bonus, your car looks kick a$$ to boot. I think the only way a muscle/pony car looks right is to have some "meats" out back.

Ganton · Apr 19, 2005

I've just gone to rear tires larger than front

I've just done this in the past week, traded my 245/45 17's (stock rims) for 255/40s in the front and 275/40s in the rear. While that's smaller than what you guys are running, It was suggested on this forum to go no larger than that on stock (17x8) rims. Well, although the stance (have Eibach ProKit for Cobra) looks better in terms of the rear looking a bit lower than the front (the opposite is true now), there is more wheel well gap showing up front than previously, and I'm not happy with that. Otherwise, looks good and performs better with this set up.

99CobraJMS · Apr 19, 2005

255 front
315 rear
traction BRO!

Ganton · Apr 19, 2005

Traction

99CobraJMS said:
255 front
315 rear
traction BRO!

You're right! I noticed "more bite" and slightly (seemingly) quicker off-the-line accel. just going from the standard 245/45 to the "not THAT wide" 275/40s in the rear!

BensBACobra · Apr 19, 2005

alot of it is looks as well as traction. if you look at the mustang from different angles, because of the fenders, different tire sizes actually look balanced and correct. the stock 17X8's look too skinny in the back, and barely adequate(spelling?) in the front.

hersheyman · Apr 19, 2005

245/45/17 in the front and 285/40/17 in the rear. Main reason I left the 245's up front was so I could save $ and use my existing tires on new 17x8 rims. Went with 17x10.5's in the rear and the 285 Eagle F1's filled 'em up perfect. I could not be happier and they look tough! Once the front tires are gone bad, I will buy a pair of 255/45 Eagle F1's for the front.

sawman70 · Apr 19, 2005

I did not experience wheel hop until the tire change. I guess I just spun with the stock rubber and the BFG's bit to hard.

OregonMustang · Apr 19, 2005

What about getting a better axle

I have heard people can snap thier axles with even stock tires.
If you put the "Meat" on the back...that's hella inertia...better beef the axle up.

Just a question more then a statement.

cobra_fanatic · Apr 20, 2005

315's out back are just a beautiful thing!!

sawman70 · Apr 20, 2005

OregonMustang said:
I have heard people can snap thier axles with even stock tires.
If you put the "Meat" on the back...that's hella inertia...better beef the axle up.

Just a question more then a statement.

Don't think I didn't consider that. Uncle Meat through his damn logic in and pointed that the short shafts would be the next weakest link after the change. Breaking one of those is worse than breaking the axle so I pondered...

1 "do I go to the track" NO
2 "do I ever really launch that hard" NO
3 "didn't I promise my wife I wouldn't screw this car up with the after market like I did my GT" YES
4 "don't I want to add a covered porch to my barn this year" YES

So there you have it. In a perfect world where every mechanic did the job right the first time and every aftermarket part worked perfectly the first time and I was a multi millionaire...... IT WOULD BE ON.

Uncle Meat · Apr 20, 2005

sawman70 said:
Don't think I didn't consider that. Uncle Meat through his damn logic in and pointed that the short shafts would be the next weakest link after the change. Breaking one of those is worse than breaking the axle so I pondered...

1 "do I go to the track" NO
2 "do I ever really launch that hard" NO
3 "didn't I promise my wife I wouldn't screw this car up with the after market like I did my GT" YES
4 "don't I want to add a covered porch to my barn this year" YES

So there you have it. In a perfect world where every mechanic did the job right the first time and every aftermarket part worked perfectly the first time and I was a multi millionaire...... IT WOULD BE ON.

Just a technicality, but it's the Stub Shafts that become the weak link once the half shafts are replaced and you are very correct when you state that breaking a Stub Shaft is much more dangerous than breaking a Half Shaft! If you purchase a set of the "Level 5" half shaft assemblies they come with beefier stub shafts too (the level 2’s do not)! So for $1500 you can bullet proof your rear axles/stub shafts if you really want...

U.M.

sawman70 · Apr 20, 2005

Uncle Meat said:
Just a technicality, but it's the Stub Shafts that become the weak link once the half shafts are replaced and you are very correct when you state that breaking a Stub Shaft is much more dangerous than breaking a Half Shaft! If you purchase a set of the "Level 5" half shaft assemblies they come with beefier stub shafts too (the level 2’s do not)! So for $1500 you can bullet proof your rear axles/stub shafts if you really want...

U.M.

Short shaft must have been a Freudian slip. $1500 is realistic. Does it retain driveability????????

sawman70 · Apr 20, 2005

Oh, and does it put the stress on something else that will fail. See, here it goes again...battle boxes, control arms.

Re statement... can you just do the axles and shafts??

chrisbudl1 · Apr 21, 2005

My rear sway bar lasted a week maybe!!!

Uncle Meat · Apr 22, 2005

sawman70 said:
Short shaft must have been a Freudian slip. $1500 is realistic. Does it retain driveability????????

No, no difference in driveability.

sawman70 said:
Oh, and does it put the stress on something else that will fail. See, here it goes again...battle boxes, control arms. Re statement... can you just do the axles and shafts??

I'm not absolutely sure, but I would think the next weakest link after the half/stub shaft would be the differential itself or at least the cover. If I was going to go as far as Level 5's I'd also invest in MJ's rear girdle too.

U.M.

WhiteHeat306 · Apr 22, 2005

traction and intimidation

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