DeTomaso Mailing List: May 1997, Message #224
     



From: "Craig Cline" <Craig_Cline@smtp.rc.trw.com>

Subject: Hoosier Tires

Date: 8 May 1997 10:30:20 U



Just to add my 2 cents worth on the Hoosier tires...



Let me first qualify the following comments by saying that my experience =

with Hoosier tires is several years old, and only with their bias ply =

tires.  I've heard they now have radial DOT "race" tires, but I have no =

experience with them.



Hoosier makes at least 2 differnet types of DOT "race" tires.  One type =

for autocrossing and another for road racing.



The autocrossing tires are MUCH softer.  Remember that an autocross race =

is run one lap at a time, not enough time to build up any heat so the =

tires must be mondo sticky even when cold.  Hence these will wear out =

VERY quickly even in normal street driving.



The road racing tires are, as you might guess, designed for road racing =

where they must withstand many consequtive laps.  Hence they are harder =

to allow the heat buildup which road racing entails.  Hossier used to be =

call these "Street TDs".  I haven't bought any in a couple of years so =

the names might have changed.



I have run several sets of the Hoosier Street TDs on my vintage racer.  =

They last quite a long time even at racing speeds, I could get several =

long weekends per set of tires before they wore out.  And my vintage =

racer should be alot harder on tires than a Pantera, it must be slid =

around corners in a 4-wheel drift not just driven around like the =

Pantera.



I used the Hoosier until they wore out, even though they would stick less =

and less effectively the more they were heat cycled.  I guess I was =

slowed done in the better interest of budgetary constraints.



Some additional words of caution.  A friend of mine used to run Hoosier =

Street TDs on his Shelby GT350 on the street (mine has never been street =

driven).  He complained about how the they darted all over the road =

following all of the road imperfections.  I would assume this is related =

to their bias ply and racing design.  Also these tires are rated as "tube =

type", don't worry they don't really need tubes.  This label is only =

required by DOT rles due to the very thin sidewall rubber (the cords are =

strong only the rubber coating is thin) which will allow air to leak out =

over prolonged periods of time (a week or so and some of them will to go =

flat).  The thin sidewall rubber provides a much lighter tire and much =

better heat dissipation.



I'm surprised that Jakes article listed their rating as only being =

H-rated.  I have never seen a speed rating on any of the Hoosier I have =

used.  Also they only cost $80 to $90 dollars when I got them (inflation =

I guess).  I used the Hoosier Street TDs in sizes G60-15 (aka 245) and =

L60-15 (aka 275), both on 8" rims.



Don't take this as all bad, I still very much like the Hoosiers, both =

their longevity and cost compared to other equivalent treaded race tires.



Craig Cline

Oceanside, Ca

'74 Panter #7352 - da Green One

'67 Cougar - Trans-Am Vintage racer (hopefully running at Monterey this =

year)