Mixing slicks and radials

[bandwidthpolice]

Running slicks, I have made passes no problem with the 235/60-15 street tires. I picked up a deal over the winter and now have a pair of 15x3.5 front runners with 205/75-15 radials mounted on them. I hear rumor that the mismatch of radials and slicks can cause squirrely behavior at high speeds. Obviously I don't want to risk my safety or my car over $250 of proper front drag tires but the question remains: are these ok to use? I haven't felt uncomfortable with regular street tires on the front.

 

[tom h]

As I understand it, the original "don't mix bias belted & radial belted" warning years ago, resulted from idiots who would put a radial and a bias belted tire on the SAME AXLE (!), with disastrous handling results.

As long as same type of tire as on the same axle (eg, on front or on rear), it's hard to see how mixing tire types would affect straight line driving. The "squirreliness" is probably more from the soft-walled rear slicks, than anything else.

But if you were doing high speed cornering, then mixing radial & bias belts could be a problem ... one type of tire tends toward understeer/oversteer or vice versa .. can never remember which.

 

[Topjimmy]

Sounds like your combo is needing some 165-SR15 metric import radials...I'd ditch those old-school Astrovan, Crown Vic turned-in whitewalls for a narrower tire that better handles the top end charge (rated for 112 MPH as opposed to 90 for the 205's). Smaller diameter lowers the front end too. Proven combination with slicks or treaded race tires.

Your local tire dealer can prolly hook you up cheap within a day.

HTH, Jim