Tire size question for good handling

[BJM]

For those of you who prefer good corner handling, do you tend to make all the tires equal width or at least not quite as radically different front to back compared to what drag racers like? I currently have 215 and 255's on my car and I think it would handle corners more predictably with more equal sizing.

Does this make sense to anyone?

 

[Racer X]

Does it make sense? Well yes and no. If you look at most professional race cars they tend to have wider tires in the back to help counteract power induced oversteer. Now, looking at our situation with the Buick, an ill handling car that pushes like a dump truck you will want as much grip in the front as you can get.

The first and foremost is to get the car handling right through suspension tuning. Once that is done and you get the car as neutral as possible then we start to look at the tires. Cornering is all about grip. If I could I would have 315s all the way around

In short, I run the same size on all four corners so that I can rotate them when I beat them up. It saves on the tire bill. I am burning up the fronts differently than the rears, so after a day at the track I rotate them.

Cheers!

 

[Spoolinup]

If you are only interested in handling and cornering, then stick with wide tires that have small side walls, like 285/40/17. The smaller side wall will not deflect like a 255/60/15 would. Look at any great handling car, like vettes, ferrari's, so on, they have tiny sidewalls and some wide tires all around.

But when going straight out of the hole, you get tons of smoke. So there is a trade off. I went with 295/50/15's. With suspension upgrades the car handles way better, but lowering the car more and having wide tires with tiny sidewalls will do wonders in cornering, along with big sway bars.

 

[BJM]

I have upgraded my front springs to Moog 5660 and the rears to cc501 so teh spring stiffness is up by about 50%. I have replaced all stock bushings with new rubber, not poly. I have a F-Body 36mm front bar I can put on if the car needs it. That's where I am starting from. I have been told the rear sway bar will need to grow and that I should not use the bigger front bar at all. I am going to 16" rims so the sidewalls will shrink a little.

 

[kenny]

You sound like you want to do the same thing as me. My plan is to make an all around Buick. I want it to turn, brake, and run 11's all day long (I know, I have my work cut out for me ).

Use the search feature, or just keep looking around. You'll find cool suspension info.

Racer X pretty much covered it.

http://www.turbobuick.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=36669

That thread might be of help, includes some info on springs.