GT Performance Mods 2005+ Mustang GT Performance and Technical Information

Tread Depth

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Old Apr 9, 2010 | 11:20 AM
  #1  
The Reverend's Avatar
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Tread Depth

I have a tire depth gauge that I use to measure tread depth. I need to replace the tires, but I would like to make a 750 mile highway trip to Florida and replace the tires there. Should I swap any tires around before the trip? Should I replace all four at once or keep the two good ones for 3-6 months until they are at 2/32? Keep in mind I am running -1.9 degrees of negative camber in the front and -1.0 degrees of negative camber in the rear. Yes, I am aware that 2/32 is legally bald tire depth. I might be headed to Michigan in August, or I might stay in Florida, so that will affect which tires I will select. Performance all season vs. Max performance summer. I will know shortly after I arrive in Florida after the trip down.

The numbers, all readings in x/32 are from outside to inside in the four grooves:
Driver's side front tire
3/2/2/1.5 - yes camber rearing its ugly head.
Passenger's side front tire
3/3/3/2 - a little bit of camber wear on this side.
Driver's side rear tire
5/5/5/3 - camber wear from the front rotated to rear.
Passenger's side rear tire
6/6/6/4 - lots of usable life left on this tire.

So do I replace the front two before traveling to Florida or do I drive down and replace them there?
Do I remount the rear tires inside out, so that the excess where is on the outside and move those to the front and replace the fronts with new tires and place them on the rear?
Also what about different overall diameter tires front and rear, for instance 235/55/17 in front and 255/40-17 in the rear.

I am looking at 255/40-17 g-force T/A KDW 2 http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires....e&autoModClar=

or the stock OEM Pirelli PZero Nero in stock sizes.

or the Nitto NT 555 255/50-17 from http://www.americanmuscle.com/nitto-...255-50-17.html

Thanks for your input.
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Old Apr 9, 2010 | 12:21 PM
  #2  
Stinger's Avatar
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They should make it 750 miles without touching them but if you want to get the most out of them, you'd flip the fronts around so the most worn part is on the outside and your camber wears out the better side of the tire. I'd leave the rears alone and put new ones on the front when you arrive.

I'd also suspect a toe issue as camber shouldn't cause the fronts to wear twice as fast as the rears, especially in a 300+hp rear wheel drive car.
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Old Apr 9, 2010 | 06:23 PM
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ManEHawke's Avatar
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From: Riverside, CA
Get the Nitto's the 255/40-17 will look goofy.
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Old Apr 11, 2010 | 11:50 PM
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bob
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From: Bristol, TN
Originally Posted by ManEHawke
Get the Nitto's the 255/40-17 will look goofy.
Agreed, in a 40 series tire it would take a 315/40R17 to even get close to the right DIA. (provied they made such a beast and the rim was wide enough)
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Old Apr 12, 2010 | 10:39 AM
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If you keep those tires on for the trip, then suggest driving very slowly thru any heavy rain you may encounter as the front tires will definitely hyroplane in those conditions.
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Old Apr 12, 2010 | 03:01 PM
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I have decided to go with replacing the fronts with the rears, unmounted and remounted with the greatest wear on the outside. Then installing the 555s in the rear. Thanks for the input.
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