tire comparison

hey I was wondering what people think of the sumitomo htrz tire as opposed to the dunlop sp sport 8000... the dunlop has higher ratings on the tire rack .com but then again the goodyear gs-c has exceptionally high dry traction and cornering ratings as well as the sp sport 5000 which in my opinion, since I have both on the car now, suck big fat ass and there is no way HELL either have an excellent or superior rating in any type of dry or wet traction, I mean I can blow off 2nd gear from a 20 punch with the gs-c's and im just a bolt on lt1... So anyways, Ide rather have the htrz's since they are much less expensive and seem to be close in ratings to the sp 8k'sbut then again I have no idea how accurate the ratings really are... only other option would be victoracers but this is a more or less daily car. BTW its for a 315/35/17 set on all 4 corners :) Thanks in advance!

I was considering using those for my street tires on 17x11 wheels too. Now that I use Hoosiers to race on I don't worry too much about ultimate cornering street tires. Even with my Pirellis I can blow most people away in a corner (I wouldn't think of going fast in corners on the street...) and they're definitely not a sticky tire.

For the money, the Sumitomo tires would be fine for a 315 size. They would be my choice. The other thing I worry about is when you start to go that wide on a street tire, especially with my alignment, tire wear becomes important. I don't want to spend a fortune on expensive tires if I end up having to replace them very often.

Anyone else have any opinions on those tires for the street, I do want great handling on the street so I dont want a **** tire just to poke around in...

You're most likely not going to find anyone that has much experience with these tires or any 315 size tire on the street except for some Corvette owners. There just aren't enough out there to make a good honest comparison.

How much money are you willing to spend on tires?? How often are you willing to spend that money?? Those are the questions. You want a sticky street tire? Buy a Kumho V700, it won't last long but it'll stick like crazy. Want a good rain tire? You can spend the bucks and get a Goodyear or something else but you're giving up dry handling.

Look at the treadware rating and it will give you an idea about how well it will stick. Compare that to price. It's all a tradeoff.

There is no magical answer here. And on the street, almost all of these tires will perform great.

I'v had them in the 315s and can say that the Sumitomo HTRZ is a d@mn good tire. The stuck WAY better than my Comp TA ZRs did on the straights, and are really good in the corners. The also were much better in the tain. BUT, the Sumitomos don't last a very long time, so you'll probably be replaceing them more often then the Dunlops (I have no experience with the Dunlop tires). I went through my Sumitomos in under a year. The also look like a 305, rather than a 315 when mounted (you'll see what I mean). My BFG KDs kick their butts, though. ;)

yeah I want kd's but $$$$ and are you saying they are not as wide as most 315 tires or do they just look thinner for some reason, also they seem to have a good wear rating, one of the guys got 22000 miles on them but that was an elantra :rolleyes: .... Thanks for the reply.

KD Section 12.6 Treadwidth 10.4 $281 Treadware 200
Sumitomo 12.6 Treadwidth 11.5 $147 Treadware 160
Dunlop 12.4 Treadwidth 11.5 $236 Treadware 200

Looks to me the KD's have a narrower tread but same section width. PLUS you can buy twice as many Sumitomo's as the others.

Originally posted by lt4 fd
yeah I want kd's but $$$$ and are you saying they are not as wide as most 315 tires or do they just look thinner for some reason, also they seem to have a good wear rating, one of the guys got 22000 miles on them but that was an elantra :rolleyes: .... Thanks for the reply.

When you look at the tire, you'll notice that the tread actually extends onto the sidewall. That's the only way the tread width could be as high as the KDs. Since you are going to be running Sumitomos all the way around, it wont be a big deal. I had BFGs in front, and SUmitomos in the rear, and it looked weird as the BFGs sat over the lip of the wheel as the SUmitomos looked pulled back from it. So, you'll also want to be a little more careful with curb rash on your wheels with the Sumis.
Like I said before, the Sumis are d@mn good tire, and are some of the best when on the budget.:cool:

I had either SP8000 or SP9000 on my 944. I didnt like them.. they felt like they were rocks. i replaced the 16" dunlops with a set of take of boxster rims with new 17" michelin pilot sports (almost $1000 for 4 tires). the michelins were day and night better than the dunlops. quieter, smoother (even with less sidewall), more responsive, etc.

I had comp ta Z rated on the camaro and wasnt happy with them either. the dunlop snows on the car handle more predicably than the comp ta's handled.

my brother has sumitomos on his 944, and a few guys i know had them on their porsches (the distributor is about 25 miles from my house). they are all happy with them. one friend put them on his carrera 4 and posted very respectible autocross times his first time out against similar cars with R compound tires.

I would go with sumitomos over dunlop.

also, FWIW, i dont know where i read it but the treadwear rating is what one manufacturer says their tire will do against another one of their tires, not against a competitors tire.

I think the sumitomo is what im gonna do, have to watch for those curbs I guess... although im sure as long as i dont smack one I should be alright.

I think the sumitomo is what im gonna do, have to watch for those curbs I guess... although im sure as long as i dont smack one I should be alright. Also I know wide tires develope strange tread wear patterns more readily than skinnier ones so is there a certain alignment and tire pressure I should have to help prevent this or anything I can do to make them last as long as they can in that respect? Also where did you find the section and tread widths?

The specs are located on Tire Racks site.

I don't know if there is any particular alignment that will help minimize tire wear for a wide tire. I would suggest rotating frequently though. I would try to run close to zero toe and at least a slight amount of negative camber, you probably can't get much anyway.

I run Nitto DR on the street (315s). I'm considering the BFG KDs for my next tire in the rear. I know they are a lot more money, but if they are anything like the 275s KDW that I had, they will last a lot longer and handle a lot better than most others (Michellin excluded).

I'm not knocking the Nittos, just don't like the lifespan of them. They go from a great tire to full slick very quick (especially if you take them to the strip once or twice). Mine are actually getting too slick to drive on the street. When it's cold or wet they are slick. But they handle good when warm :)

I will never ever own another set of Dunlops. I had the SP8000 (I think) on my Z28, and I used to roast them anytime I pushed the gas. They also weren't a good rain tire.

Originally posted by EastLa
I run Nitto DR on the street (315s). I'm considering the BFG KDs for my next tire in the rear. I know they are a lot more money, but if they are anything like the 275s KDW that I had, they will last a lot longer and handle a lot better than most others (Michellin excluded).

I'm not knocking the Nittos, just don't like the lifespan of them. They go from a great tire to full slick very quick (especially if you take them to the strip once or twice). Mine are actually getting too slick to drive on the street. When it's cold or wet they are slick. But they handle good when warm :)

I will never ever own another set of Dunlops. I had the SP8000 (I think) on my Z28, and I used to roast them anytime I pushed the gas. They also weren't a good rain tire.

The KDs wont last nearly as lond as the KDWs. CHeck out the tread wear ratings.