Tire ? - Mixing PS2 and Pilot Sports

[97 GTS BL/WH]

This is prbably a dumb ? but I'll ask it anyway. I just purchased my Viper a couple of months ago. The front tires where replace just before the purchase.

It currently has Pilot Sports on it. I noticed alot of people going to PS2's.
Can I have PS2's on the back and Pilot sports on the front, or do I need to purchase all new and sell the Pilot sports from the front.

Thanks

 

[Bonkers]

I can't think of a reason why not. You'll have two different
tread patterns and two different wear rates (which is probably
won't matter much seeing how they're rears anyway.) The only
real issue might be the different traction rating - you'll be
adding some serious grip to the bigger rear tires which might
off balance the front in hard cornering. Under normal street
conditions if you're okay with the looks the performance
shouldn't be affected.

 

[CitySnake]

I hate to differ, but I have never (other than drag racing) known unmatched front and rears to be safe for spirited street car use. PS2's are FAR stickier than original PS's. That combo will completely change the handling dynamics of your car!

I'd replace all 4 corners with PS2's or stay with the original "balanced" PS's.

 

[plumcrazy]

i kinda remember jonB saying he was dealing with a guy who mis matched tires like that and had a problem..

call jonB of partsrack.com

 

[Fast Freddy]

here is a pic of a pantera with cups on the back and a different tire on the front. as long as you are just driving the car on the street or going to the drag strip you are fine. for road racing you want the same kind of tires front and rear otherwise you will develop a push in the corners

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[John Johns]

Sorry for the semi-thread hijacking. Another tire mixing question. How about Pilots on front and Pilot Sports on back?

 

[NoRice]

For street driving you should be fine. Lots of people run a different rear tire depending on their setups. I run a drag radial with a stock pilot front. I know of people running other stickier tires on the rear with the stock pilot up front. If you are going to track the car, then it would be a different story.

 

[Paul Hawker]

Never a good idea to mix different tires on such a high performance car. For normal street driving you are probably OK, but if you get into an emergency where you need balanced traction, you will really have no idea how it would handle.

Even fresh tires of the same tread pattern combined with many years old tires will have different handling issues.

Some people even put very stickey street slicks on their rears for best accelleration traction, but must realize that the handling in corners will suffer.

If it was my car, I would put on all 4 fresh PS2's if available. Maybe sell your used tires for a few bucks, and drive with confidence.

How old are your current tires?

 

[97 GTS BL/WH]

Front tires have only 500 - 1000 miles on them - stamped 05.
How much do think I could gt for these?

 

[JonB]

I hate to differ, but I have never (other than drag racing) known unmatched front and rears to be safe for spirited street car use. PS2's are FAR stickier than original PS's. That combo will completely change the handling dynamics of your car! I'd replace all 4 corners with PS2's or stay with the original "balanced" PS's.

I have to agree w/ Scott and Paul (and Michelin) and say: DON'T MISMATCH!

It is OK on your father's Oldmobile...but NOT on a stiff-chassied race car. Here is the main reason: CORNERING, even in a 'street' emergency when some yo-yo surprises you.

Michelin calls it "transitional response." When the tire is changing direction, it changes shape. When it changes shape, it changes vehicle dynamics. Vipers changes are quick and definite, unlike many chick-car sports cars. This change is signalled to your hands, ear canals, and butt-cheeks. (Some drivers -ChuckB- read these signals better than others.) Different style tires change in different ways, at different rates. If you have NEW tires on the rear, that handle differently (better-worse-etc) than the fronts, your butt may be sending "hooked" signals that your hands and semi-circular canals cannot translate. You could overdrive the inferior-performing tire. This also explains the OLD+NEW MATCHED TREAD caution. It also explaines why even 5 PSI difference between the rear tires can be dangerous at limits ! That show-car Pantera might not ever drive at the limits.

I have seen a few upside-down Viper photos -some posted here- that show mismatched tires.

 

[Jack B]

I am running PS's on the front and PS2's on the rear and it handles better than it did with all PS's. Even if you track the car you dial in for neutral steer thru the corners and the oem viper set-up was never neutral to begin with. If you are going to track the car and the PS2's create more understeer you will have to adjust for that scenario. On the street you aren't taking the car to that extreme. The straight ahead traction is much better.

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

The best argument for mismatching is so you can blame any accidents on the tires rather than crappy driving.

 

[JonB]

I am running PS's on the front and PS2's on the rear and it handles better than it did with all PS's. ........ On the street you aren't taking the car to that extreme. The straight ahead traction is much better.

Jack...... but you are probably running 315s up front?

Apples-Apples comparo: Same size PS2 vs Same-size PS1 ..... quite a difference, even better than the old MXX-3s. Remember when MXX-3 were an "unfair advantage" in Viper Days vs PS ? PS2 is BETTER !

 

[Jack B]

Jon:

2.85 x 18 up front and 3.35 X 17 on the rear. John Purner set it up that way several years ago and I grew accustomed to that combo and have left it that way. The new PS2's actually allow some wot 2nd gear runs.

 

[Yellow32]

I'm running PS2s on the front and PS on the rear on my Diablo, tracked it, no issues. The tires are pretty much the same level of 'stickiness', the difference really is the tread pattern more than anything else (PS2 better in the wet, channels water better).

-J

 

[Randy]

I'm running PS2s on the front and PS on the rear on my Diablo, tracked it, no issues. The tires are pretty much the same level of 'stickiness', the difference really is the tread pattern more than anything else (PS2 better in the wet, channels water better).

Thats the combo I'm running with similar non-issue results. It seems that many are convinced the PS2 is significantly stickier than the Pilot Sport (although, as far as I can tell, most are comparing brand-new PS2's against multi-year old Pilot Sports's - of course the PS2 is going to be stickier) that they feel its going to be a significant imbalance on the car; never mind that the difference in tire sizes already imbalances the car possibly more significantly.