Home | Mailing List | Specifications | Care and Feeding | Modifications | Vendors | Literature
new 7/11/04
Hi again list members: I have two issues I am dealing with on my 96ES with 43,000 miles.
I am going to buy tires tomorrow and lose the original RSA's finally. I am looking seriously at the Dunlop Sport 5000 performance symmetrical and the Goodyear Ultra HP assymmetricals. Stock sizing 225-55-zr16 and wr16 in the Dunlop.
Anyone care to comment on either tire from their own SHO experience. I live in Washington State so driving is about 60% wet, 39% dry, and <1% wet snow. The car will be parked if it snows so that isn't really in the equation. Thanks in advance for any input.
My second issue is the AX4N trans that had to be rebuilt about 4 months ago. I bought an extended (aftermarket internet) warranty luckily which covered all but $100 of the $2300 repair. Aamco did the repair and ever since then the lockup torque converter seems to want to kick in and out every ten seconds regardless of how steady and flat the load, road, and throttle position is. Every ten seconds out of lockup, rpms rise, car slows slightly then ten seconds later "wham" you feel it go back into lockup. Ten seconds later or so repeat. It drives me nuts. It also appears to want to lockup earlier than it should at light cruise speeds around 40mph which seems to lug the engine and make the car shudder. I took it back to Aamco and they say it is working properly and they changed the fluid which now exaggerates the effect more..... I appreciate any input from you regulars.
John Flaherty
96 ES welded cams
I love my Bridgestone S-03 wet or dry, if you want to spend that much, my Yokohama AVS were good wet and dry but had a firmer "track worthy" ride.
Did AAMCO replace the converter? They should have. A bad old converter will take out a new ATX in no time.
For reliable tire reviews I trust tirerack as one good source.
Buford
Sounds like they did put a converter in, just not a Ford unit. Most of the time, the reman converters that tranny shops use are a bit higher in stall. This can cause a flare when the computer slips the converter with the A/C. You can check this by running the car with the A/C off and see if it still cycles. This is a feature that can be turned off with the right programming. I am an SCT dealer and have the software to program a chip to take care of that and many other issues that these cars have. I've got a good cooler kit for these cars too. (see my earlier post)
As far as tires, you couldn't give me a set of a Goodyear's. I don't think there is a better tire on the road than a Michelin, but others would proll'y disagree. Your pocket book will help you decide. I run BFG's KDW's on all of my SHOs. My wife has Michelin Pilot's XGT Z4's on two outta three of hers (other one still has the original GT +4's - '95 MTX w/20K on the clock).
Doug Lewis
Ford Performance Specialists Inc.
Atlanta Georgia
(770) 949-7191
www.fordspecialists.com
I did a lot of study recently for tires for my own car. I selected Yokohama and Bridgestone as offering what looked to me to be the best products. I selected Yokohama AVS dB S2's, mostly for their wet traction. I have been very happy with their performance but they have become noisy. This doesn't bother me, I just turn the radio up a little. I will probably try Bridgestone for my next set.
There is a lot of stuff to read and research on tirerack.com.
I had Pilot XGT V4's on my 90 SHO and liked them a lot. They lasted longer than they had a right to. They had very good wet traction. They rode rougher than any other tire I remember owning. They cost about 20% more than other tires I was considering, however this may be somewhat offset by their longer life.
My '99 had the Pilot XGT V4's, when I bought it they were almost brand new......16-18k later they were absolute crap, slid all over the place on water, even with very little throttle had trouble on a wet incline start.
I am now running Fuxion ZRi's...so far so good, even on water they stick quite nicely. I abused them a bit at Lapeer, but that's no test compared to an auto cross....does 70-80mph exit ramps count?
Rick Glass