Hotchkis has a long and successful history of offering suspension upgrades for domestic muscle cars, SUVs, pickup trucks, European performance vehicles and Japanese sport compact vehicles. Now they're bringing their expertise in tuning for domestic muscle cars to the wheel market. Launching in 2013, the Hotchkis wheel line-up consists of the H-Sport, Y- Sport and S-Sport. These wheels are designed to fit the current crop of domestic muscle cars: Mustang, Camaro and Challenger.
H-Sport wheels come in a black or silver finish and feature a distinctive 13-spoke design. The Y-Sport is the Hotchkis interpretation of the classic motorsport-style Y-spoke design. Finish options for this wheel include matte graphite silver and machined face with matte graphite accent. Finally, the S-Sport utilizes a sporty and classic split five-spoke design. It comes in a traditional silver finish and a machined with black accent.
As I enjoy playing around and putting wheels on vehicles, I'm especially fond of the Hotchkis S-Sport in machined with black accent on a black Dodge Challenger. View all the new Hotchkis wheels and find the one that you like best for your muscle car!
Do you own a new Camaro or Challenger with 18" wheels? We've just received our first batch of 245/55R18 BFGoodrich Radial T/A Spec tires with the famous red stripe! This size is standard on LS and most LT Chevrolet Camaros and will also work on the Dodge Challenger equipped with factory 18" wheels. The 1/4" wide stripe recalls the muscle car days of the late sixties when similar tires were a factory option. The tire is being used by Hurst on their limited Redline Edition Camaro.
With a 102T service description, the Radial T/A Spec is designed to provide a comfortable and quiet ride for cruising around town, while the 245/55R18 sidewall height provides plenty of cushion. While not a high performance tire intended for the track, it does provide plenty of wet and dry grip for the occasional enthusiastic drive. Take a look at what our customers are saying about their experience with the BFGoodrich Radial T/A Spec:
"This is the most comfortable tire I have run in an 18". It has a level of comfort and still lets you feel like you're in a sports car without cringing every time you hit a bump. The tire holds the car out of the hole and exceeded my expectations in the corners. You get a lot more than you pay for!" -- Tire Rack Consumer Review, 2012 Chevrolet Camaro LS
"These tires well exceeded my expectations. This is an excellent tire and I will definitely buy it again." -- Tire Rack Consumer Review, 2011 Chevrolet Camaro LT
"This is a phenomenal tire. I can't believe they can make a tire this good for such a great price. Probably the best tire I have owned." -- Tire Rack Consumer Review, 2011 Chevrolet Camaro LS
Our customer's feedback is a great tool to use when shopping as it'll help you with input from other drivers and their long term experience with each tire.
While we won't see the red line option in other sizes soon, availability of the 245/55R18 size is limited. If you have a new Camaro or Challenger with 18" wheels, consider the BFGoodrich Radial T/A Spec.
While the main focus for Tire Rack remains light duty passenger vehicles, we have expanded our trailer tire selection to further cater to the enthusiast with utility trailers, boat trailers and car trailers. For trailers using 14"-16" modern metric fitments, we offer the Goodyear Marathon Radial and Power King Towmax STR in many 6, 8, and 10 ply load ranges.
Trailer Service tires feature heavy-duty constructions and accommodate higher inflation pressures to provide the load capacity necessary to match many trailer applications and payloads. Their stiffer sidewalls help control sway for enhanced towing stability and they offer more bruise resistance than typical passenger tires. These heavy-duty, special purpose trailer tires are not meant for use on cars or trucks. Tires in this performance category are not UTQG rated.
Goodyear's Marathon Radial is designed specifically for use on travel trailers, pop-up campers, boat trailers and fifth wheel trailers used for hauling everything from race horses to racecars. Developed to make towing a trailer more enjoyable, the tire is more economical while making it easier to take your big "toys" with you on the weekends.
Also developed specifically for use on travel trailers, pop-up campers, boat trailers and fifth wheel trailers, the Power King Towmax STR delivers dependable and long-lasting, on-highway service for towed trailers.
Shop by size to see if a Trailer Service tire is available for your trailer.
An easy and inexpensive way to increase the performance and handling of your vehicle is to add lowering springs. By lowering the vehicle's center of gravity, you can reduce body roll in the turns, dive under braking and squat during acceleration. Eibach offers two different kits, the Pro-Kit Spring Set for performance street use and the more aggressive Sportline Spring Set for autocross and track use.
A key to choosing the one best suited for your needs is the amount of drop the kit can provide. The lower the drop from the spring kit, the lower the center of gravity - which provides the best performance. However, the lower the spring kit drops, the stiffer the ride for everyday driving will become. It's important to choose the Eibach Spring Kit with the appropriate amount of drop for your driving needs.
Eibach's Pro-Kit Spring Set is designed to provide improved handling and improve the look of the vehicle. It's the perfect balance between performance and handling, while still maintaining the original ride quality of the vehicle. Eibach Pro-Kit Springs minimize the fender gap that makes a car look lifted. The Eibach Pro-Kit typically lowers the vehicle 1.00"-1.25" depending upon the application.
If you're looking for the ultimate in track performance, the Eibach Sportline Spring Kit will give your car a low, race-replica look. A radical reduction in wheel well gap and improved handling is achieved for serious track and autocross enthusiasts. The Sportline Kit provides a drop typically between 1.50"-2.00" depending upon the application. This kit is for someone willing to give up some ride quality in exchange for the best cornering grip and turn-in response.
Shop by vehicle to see if an Eibach kit is right for your application. Also, be sure to read "Altitude and Attitude Adjustment" for more information on properly lowering your vehicle.
Is it time for some new wheels for your Mustang, Camaro or Challenger? New for 2013, Tire Rack offers a great selection of Hurst and Hotchkis wheels for your American classic. In addition to these brands, we still offer American Racing wheels, which has always been a popular choice.
Hotchkis' Y-Sport is offered in a 20" rim diameter with two finish options, matte graphite silver and machined with matte graphite accent. It's also offered in 9" and 10" widths to give you the option to stagger the tire sizes. As a new wheel style that goes outside the muscle car 5-spoke style, it's aggressive looking to give your car some attitude.
If you prefer the classic 5-spoke style, Hotchkis offers the S-Sport. As a split-spoke design, the wheel looks great and will show off your Brembo brakes. The S-Sport comes in a 20" rim diameter and 8.5" and 9.5" widths. Two finish options provide drivers different styles to show off their car the way they want, machined with black accent and silver machined with clearcoat.
Last, but not least, is my favorite wheel, the Hurst Stunner New Version. Also available in a 20" rim diameter, the wheel's finish is machined with anthracite accent. For Mustangs and Challengers, it's available in 9" and 10" widths, and for the Camaro, it comes in 9" and 11" widths.
Set your American muscle car apart from the rest by searching by vehicle to find the wheels available for your application.
The Dunlop Sport Maxx Race is a racing tire that is street legal. Unlike some other race tires that are DOT-legal but not intended for road use, the Sport Maxx Race is able to be driven to and from the track. This tire performs excellently on dry roads and was introduced as the stock tire for the Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Black Series. Dunlop has recently expanded their offerings for the widths ranging from 235mm to 325mm.
These tires are a class up from Extreme Performance Summer tires that offer a balance of street longevity and track performance. The Dunlops are more track focused and have less longevity on the street. While we haven't had the opportunity to test the Sport Maxx Race yet, we have received some very positive customer feedback. In a recent review, one owner writes:
"Though it is soft and wears quickly, it is actually quite comfortable and not very loud at all. I have two sets of wheels/tires; one for the street and another for track. Other than the price and how quickly they wear, I can't find a single fault with this tire. It is designed for the track, and is only DOT-certified so that you can drive your car to the track, instead of trailering it there. The Sport Maxx is the best tire of its kind, in my experience."
While it's definitely not a tire for everyone based on price and limited treadlife, it could be just the ticket for a dedicated enthusiast. View available sizes to see if the Dunlop Sport Maxx Race is an option for your vehicle.
People often ask when they should put on and remove their winter / snow tires. Typically, the time most drivers have their winter tires on their vehicle is from late November to early April.
It's important to use them only during the winter months in an attempt to maximize their treadlife. As illustrated in the photo below, tread depth is one of the most important features of a winter tire.
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New Tire Tread Depth |
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Approaching Winter
Wear Indicators |
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Approaching Tread
Wear Indicators |
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Combines necessary features (tread design, compound and depth) to provide effective snow traction |
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The tire has worn to about 6/32", where its ability to provide beneficial snow traction diminishes |
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While still legal at 2/32", the tire has worn well past the depth where it provides beneficial snow traction |
All that being said, for much of the country, it's close to the time to switch to your non-winter tires or purchase a new set. We offer many affordable tire options to fit your budget. Also, nothing changes the appearance of your vehicle more than a new set of aftermarket wheels. You can even see what your car will look like with new wheels when you visit our Upgrade Garage.
BEFORE
AFTER
Find a set of wheels to go with your tires to create a Tire & Wheel Package and we'll mount and balance them and include any necessary hardware at no extra cost!
As spring turns the corner, you may find yourself looking to upgrade your vehicle's suspension. The snow is clearing and soon non-winter Tire & Wheel Packages will find their way back on performance vehicles across the country. If you have already upgraded your vehicle with a Tire & Wheel Package, or are simply looking to upgrade the handling characteristics of your car, we have the parts from KONI to help.
KONI's vast experience has earned them a worldwide reputation for being able to optimize their products for any specific application. And by focusing on high quality shock absorbers, the manufacturer's no-compromise philosophy results in superb product performance and enhanced car control.
In fact, KONI's suspension experts recognize that all vehicles have unique dampening needs, and rather than build one type of shock absorber, they utilize three technologies (twin tube hydraulic, mono-tube high pressure gas and twin-tube low pressure gas) from which they choose the best solutions. KONI shock absorbers are designed for a specific car and even its specific driving conditions. They aren't a copy of the original, but a tailor made design to get the best handling and ride characteristics from your vehicle.
Now is the perfect time to upgrade your vehicle's suspension as select KONI products are now 20% off until June 30, 2013. View special offer details here.
As your vehicle piles on the miles, normal wear and tear can cause your car to look a little tired. For many, a brand new set of aftermarket wheels is the way to give your car a fresh appearance. However, what if a new set of wheels isn't in your budget? To spruce things up, consider the G2 Brake Caliper PaintSystem Set as an easy weekend project. A fresh coat of paint can give a new appearance to any vehicle's brake calipers and drums, while even helping protect them from potentially harmful oils, chemicals and rust.
The PaintSystem Sets are available in nine high-gloss, wear-resistant colors that can be selected to complement or contrast a vehicle's primary and/or accent colors. Available colors include: red, yellow, blue, silver, gold, black, purple, green, white, pink and orange.
G2 PaintSystem Sets provide enough materials to paint four brake calipers or two brake calipers and two brake drums. However, vehicles with large brake calipers on the front axle and large brake drums on the rear axle may require two complete PaintSystem Sets to get the job done. The finish is heat resistant to 950º F and best yet, the two-part system does not require caliper removal.
G2 Brake Caliper PaintSystem Sets Include:
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Detailed instructions
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(14 oz.) aerosol can G2 BRAKE Cleaner Spray (1)
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(4 oz.) metal can Brake Caliper Paint (1)
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(1 oz.) glass jar PaintSystem Reactor (1)
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Stir stick
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Application brush (1)
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Color decal (1)
Order a G2 Brake Caliper PaintSystem Set today!
2007 Mercedes-Benz CLS550
Do you own a new Camaro or Challenger with 18" wheels? We've just received our first batch of 
