What are the best replica wheels/tires?

[SVT_ DRiX]

Hey everyone, I'm looking to get a pair of 17x10.5 rear replica wheels for my Cobra soon, and I wanted to know who makes the best quality wheels. I know places like American Muscle sells them, but are they all the same? Do the SVT stock caps fit?

I'm also in the dark on tires. I more or less daily drive my Cobra and I need a tire that is suitable for that. I was checking out the BF Goodrich G-Force T/A Drag Radial 2's. What else do you guys recommend?

 

[AMB]

10.5 X 17" Wheels

I have two chrome 03 Cobra 10.5" wheels, if you want/need them??? P/M or E-mail me!!! "SOLD":banana:

 

[SVT_ DRiX]

PM sent!

 

[Blown10thCobra]

Check AFS out, they made my 18" reps and they're fantastic, I know they did 17's as well too. What type of tire are you looking for? I've got the Nitto NT555RII on the rear of my 03 and am very happy. Good grip, good handling, and good longevity. Will probably go with a Toyo R888 next time as the car isn't my daily and is becoming more and more of a track car and less of a street car.

 

[SVT_ DRiX]

Check AFS out, they made my 18" reps and they're fantastic, I know they did 17's as well too. What type of tire are you looking for? I've got the Nitto NT555RII on the rear of my 03 and am very happy. Good grip, good handling, and good longevity. Will probably go with a Toyo R888 next time as the car isn't my daily and is becoming more and more of a track car and less of a street car.

I would really like to have 18's, like I did on my 97, but its cheaper for me to just get the two rear replicas. I always hear about AFS, I will check them out too.
I need a tire that will be best for daily driving, dry, and wet. It seems 315's dont come in too many different choices!

 

[Blown10thCobra]

I know the KDW from BFG comes in a 315 but I've had bad experience with it, VERY noisy. The Nittos I have on the rear now are great, check out just a standard 555, can't remember if they do those in bigger sizes or not. For what it's worth, my rears are a 10.5 and I've got a 305/35R18 on there and the size is great. If you have to do a 305 instead of a 315 don't sweat it, it'll still look good. My friend has 17x9 and 17x10.5 Cobra wheels on his, and since he's lowered it, it looks killer. I prefer my 18s, but his still looks great.

 

[SVT_Troy]

Ill trade my black 18" FR500's for a set of 17' rims!

 

[fiveoh2go]

If I had it to do all over again I wouldn't change a thing....AFS 17x10.5 reps with Goodyear GS-D3's. Also, I'd pass on putting a DR tire on a daily that's gonna see rain. I don't want to read another thread on here titled "Oh noes...RIP my Terminator....lost control in the rain on drag radials." Just my 2¢.


Recent pic of my setup:

 

[SVT_ DRiX]

If I had it to do all over again I wouldn't change a thing....AFS 17x10.5 reps with Goodyear GS-D3's. Also, I'd pass on putting a DR tire on a daily that's gonna see rain. I don't want to read another thread on here titled "Oh noes...RIP my Terminator....lost control in the rain on drag radials." Just my 2¢.


Recent pic of my setup:

That looks so perfect. What springs do you have?

Are those Goodyears the only full street tires in that size? I see they are $400 a tire! ouch..

 

[SVT_ DRiX]

I know the KDW from BFG comes in a 315 but I've had bad experience with it, VERY noisy. The Nittos I have on the rear now are great, check out just a standard 555, can't remember if they do those in bigger sizes or not. For what it's worth, my rears are a 10.5 and I've got a 305/35R18 on there and the size is great. If you have to do a 305 instead of a 315 don't sweat it, it'll still look good. My friend has 17x9 and 17x10.5 Cobra wheels on his, and since he's lowered it, it looks killer. I prefer my 18s, but his still looks great.

I had KDW's on my 97 with 18's, and they looked awesome, but they were definitely a little noisy. I just looked at Standard 555's, and seem pretty good. And $200 cheaper than the Goodyears.

 

[redrocket16]

I had 555's on a few of my recent cars, not Termi's but they worked great for me. I got about 35K out of them.

 

[SVT_ DRiX]

I had 555's on a few of my recent cars, not Termi's but they worked great for me. I got about 35K out of them.

Cool. I just want something safe for rain too. I've driven 2k miles in 6 months, they sound perfect. lol

 

[fiveoh2go]

That looks so perfect. What springs do you have?

Thanks! I'm running H&R Race springs with all the factory iso's in place. Also, I've got a 3/8" hub-centric spacer on the rear...and the fenders are rolled. Don't want those Goodyears getting all cut up! :-D

Are those Goodyears the only full street tires in that size? I see they are $400 a tire! ouch..

Dunno, the GS-D3's were the only tire I wanted so when it was time to pull the trigger that's what I went with. Also, I got a heck of a deal on the tires. I found a guy here on SVTP who was selling a brand new set of the GY 315's with the stickers still on them for $200. He had just sold his Terminator and had a ton of parts that he never had gotten around to putting on it before he sold it.


Whatever you decide on tires, I wouldn't put a DR tire on a car that will see rain at highway speeds.

 

[SVT_ DRiX]

Thanks! I'm running H&R Race springs with all the factory iso's in place. Also, I've got a 3/8" hub-centric spacer on the rear...and the fenders are rolled. Don't want those Goodyears getting all cut up! :-D


Dunno, the GS-D3's were the only tire I wanted so when it was time to pull the trigger that's what I went with. Also, I got a heck of a deal on the tires. I found a guy here on SVTP who was selling a brand new set of the GY 315's with the stickers still on them for $200. He had just sold his Terminator and had a ton of parts that he never had gotten around to putting on it before he sold it.


Whatever you decide on tires, I wouldn't put a DR tire on a car that will see rain at highway speeds.

How do you like those springs? Hows it ride? Sounds like I'll have to do some work to double check fitment then! It would be nice if I could go without spacers..
Ah! Lucky you finding those tire so cheap! I'd love to have them, and I would usually find a way to save some money and look for a deal, but I have too many projects going on. The ones I may be purchasing have the regular Nitto 555's.

 

[fiveoh2go]

How do you like those springs? Hows it ride?

Love the H&R Race springs. It sits just low enough to get rid of the factory 4x4 stance these cars come with...but they don't lower the vehicle to the point where you couldn't DD a car that has them installed. As for ride quality, honestly they might ride a tad better than stock, more of a firm ride and handling is improved a little bit as well. You can't go wrong with Race springs.

My car with 100% stock suspension:

My car lowered on H&R Race springs:

Sounds like I'll have to do some work to double check fitment then! It would be nice if I could go without spacers..

You might be able to get away without spacers, but each car is different. I installed the spacers purely as an aesthetic mod to push the wheel/tire combo out further to be flush with the fender lip. As I searched through countless threads here on SVTP.....the Terminators that I wanted my car to look like all ran 3/8" spacers with the 17x10.5 reps and 315's. So that's why my car has them too.

Ah! Lucky you finding those tire so cheap! I'd love to have them, and I would usually find a way to save some money and look for a deal, but I have too many projects going on. The ones I may be purchasing have the regular Nitto 555's.

The triple 5 Nitto's should be fine! :thumbsup:

 

[SVT_ DRiX]

That looks so good! I too want a stock look with a little extra bad-assery. haha.

Did you have to do anything with the wheel studs or lug nuts with the 3/8 spacer?

 

[Brutal Metal]

Afs

 

[whitedevil95]

Do the afs fit the stock center caps flush like stock?

 

[fiveoh2go]

Did you have to do anything with the wheel studs or lug nuts with the 3/8 spacer?

You don't have to do anything except run extended thread lug nuts for a 3/8" spacer kit but...I don't like the idea of just a few extra threads holding on the wheel. I went the alternative route and installed some ARP racing studs on the rear of the car and just run open ended lug nuts.

Do the afs fit the stock center caps flush like stock?

Almost but not quite, they sit about an 1/8" recessed in the center cap hole....but they are tight, no need to put electrical tape around the caps to keep them from falling out like other wheel replicas. They fit snug in the hole, just like the factory wheels.