Performance Wheels & Tires

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.

Goodyear Marathon Radial

Power King Towmax STR

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.

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.

There are many cases where it can be useful to remove your wheels and tires yourself. 

• Installing your new Tire & Wheel Package from Tire Rack
• Performing your annual change over from your winter wheel/tire set-up to your summer wheel/tire set-up or visa versa
• Changing brake pads, brake rotors or brake lines
• Inspecting or maintaining axle hubs
• Rotating your tires

Regardless of the reason, there are three essential tools that'll make removing your wheels from your vehicle a safe and easy process.

Tire Rack Aluminum Service Jack and Jack Stand Set

1. Lug wrench - Gorilla's Extendable Lug Wrench Set is perfect for the job. The handle smoothly extends and locks to give you the extra torque you need to break those lugs free and loosen them.

2. Floor jack - The wheel and tire need to be off of the ground before you have a chance of getting them off of the vehicle! A floor jack makes lifting the one corner of the vehicle as easy as pumping a lever. We offer a lightweight aluminum floor jack that will be a great addition to your garage.

3. Jack stands - Once you have the wheel up in the air, use a jack stand to secure the vehicle in its raised position. Using solid jack stands is an important safety measure to have in place in case your floor jack fails or is inadvertently knocked out of place. Purchase a sturdy set from your local hardware or auto parts store, or you can purchase them as a floor jack and stands combination (picture shown above).

You can save money and learn more about your vehicle by performing simple vehicle maintenance yourself.

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. 

When street cars go to the racetrack, the brakes are often the weakest link. While a street car's brakes usually only need to deliver maximum braking force from high speed on emergency occasions, a car on a racetrack uses maximum braking repeatedly, often with very little time to cool down. Overheated brakes quickly lose stopping power, which can lead to slower lap times and/or frightening moments. 

Tire Rack has been carrying StopTech pads and rotors, and now we are pleased to add their Big Brake Kits. Available in rotor diameters from 322mm-380mm (12.7"-15"), they're available for a wide variety of performance-oriented applications. To check brake products available for your car, shop by vehicle. 

Engineered to the highest standards, StopTech emphasizes rigidity in their calipers for reliable performance under demanding conditions. Their calipers feature a patented bolt-in bridge that enhances stiffness and allows easy access to the brake pads for efficient pad changes. 

The multi-piston calipers use differential piston diameters to precisely manage clamping force across the pad face. This minimizes uneven brake pad wear, particularly taper wear, for consistent performance over the life of the brake pads. The StopTech kits are vehicle-specific designs that maintain optimum brake balance and are 100% compatible with ABS and stability control systems. Calipers can be ordered in red or black finishes.  

Two-piece rotors feature an iron ring under the brake pads for optimum heat dissipation with an aluminum hat to save weight. The iron outer ring is replaceable, while the center hat is retained and bolted to the the new outer ring. Rotors are available in slotted or drilled styles. 

When upgrading your brakes, it's important to make sure that your wheels will fit the new, larger rotor and caliper. You may need bigger wheels than stock to fit the bigger rotors and calipers. StopTech has templates available to check the fit for your wheels. These kits are built to order, so please allow 2-3 weeks lead time when making your purchase. 

If you're thinking about ordering a big brake upgrade, you can look forward to shorter stopping distances, greater fade resistance, better modulation and a firmer brake pedal. In addition, the big brakes with red or black painted calipers will enhance the appearance of your vehicle. They look especially good behind large diameter wheels with open designs. Take a look at our complete line of StopTech products. 

Hankook has started to release their latest entry into the Ultra High Performance All-Season category, the Ventus S1 noble2. Developed for the drivers of sports cars, sporty coupes and performance sedans, the tire is being released in a myriad of sizes and wheel diameters. This includes sizes between 16" and 20" diameters and widths ranging from 205mm up to 275mm. At the time of this post, many of the 16", 17" and 18" sizes are available, while the 19" and 20" options are expected to arrive at a later time.

Ventus S1 noble2 tires feature an asymmetric tread design pattern. The inside of the pattern is optimized for wet traction and wet traction channels were developed with 3D computer simulations for hydroplaning resistance. Asymmetric patterns can cause some questions for some customers due to the shape of their water channels, however this pattern allows for full tire rotation. For additional information, read "Are my Asymmetric Tires Running Backwards?"

The Hankook's outer edge focuses on cornering and noise reduction, while larger tread blocks and a solid rib provide stability under load. 3D vibration analysis technology was used to produce an advanced mold profile that delivers uniform contact pressure across the footprint to promote even wear and secure braking performance.

We plan on testing this tire during the summer months, so be on the look for those results.

The Dodge Challenger SRT8 is the epitome of the new age American muscle car. A massive HEMI V8 and performance-tuned suspension make the Challenger a top choice among auto buyers looking for vintage-inspired good looks. There are two versions when it comes to the tire packages offered on the Challenger SRT8. Typically, if you're in a region that sees winter weather, the Challenger comes with the 245/45ZR20 Goodyear Eagle RS-A tires on all four corners. If you're in a warmer climate or opted for the performance tires, the Challenger SRT8 would have come with 245/45ZR20 front and 255/45ZR20 rear Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar Max Performance Summer tires.

Goodyear Eagle RS-A

Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar

Since the Challenger SRT8 with Max Performance Summer tires are staggered larger in the rear than in the front, you lose the ability to rotate the tires front-to-back. Although the tires are staggered, the wheels are not and the same 20x9 wheel is used at all four corners.

I have had many Challenger SRT8 owners using the factory Dodge 20x9 wheels with Max Performance Summer tires switch to 255/45R20 in the front. Now that the 255/45R20 tire is used at all four corners, you can have the best of both worlds: wide performance tires and the ability to rotate tires from front-to-back to gain overall treadlife and more even tire wear.

Shop by tire size 255/45R20 to view the options available and reap the benefits of being able to rotate your tires.