GT Radial tyres

PauloMN

Looking for a new set of tyres, I've ruled out budget tyres and one of the tyre fitting places is offering me GT Radial tyres as a mid-range tyre. I've never heard of them, anyone got any knowledge of them? They have a B rating for wet weather grip I'm told.

At the premium end I'm being offered Uniroyals but these are about €23 extra per tyre over the GT Radials, so almost €100 extra in total. A rated for wet weather I'm told and the guy says they are a great tyre.

Any opinions? I know you get what you pay for, and I've ruled out budgets based on general feedback on budgets and my own experience of same, but is the difference between a typical mid-range tyre and a premium tyre worth the extra wonga?

djimi

Cant speak for GT Radials (arent they the ones that you often see on pickups etc with the white writing on the side?) but I got a set of Uniroyal RainSports before Christmas and they are awesome tires, in the wet especially.

PauloMN

djimi wrote: »

Cant speak for GT Radials (arent they the ones that you often see on pickups etc with the white writing on the side?) but I got a set of Uniroyal RainSports before Christmas and they are awesome tires, in the wet especially.

They are the very ones.... that's how the guy described them to me - often on Amerian cars with the white writing, on 4x4 etc.. Said they're a decent enough tyre.

Leaning towards the Uniroyals now myself after seeing the ratings, better economy rating as well as wet grip rating.

Renegade Mechanic

Thats something I never understood actually. The Uniroyal Rain Expert tyres have a "middle of the road" wet rating but even by looking at the massive thread channels one can see serious water dispersal ability. That, and having used them, they easily match/ supersede most tyres with the "A" rating. I thought they really were fantastic. That said Ive also fitted GT Radials to Cars. They are ok in every regard. They dont wear out prematurely (assuming tracking etc etc....) They are not the noisiest tyre our there and in the wet they are better than your average "Wanli" or "Triangle" so if youre looking for a mid range tyre, they are a suitable candidate imo.

EDIT: The GT radials Ive fitted never had any white writing and the thread pattern was very much road oriented

jomoloney

we use GT radials on the jeep, they're about €120 each (don't know the size but they are very wide )

usually get about 70K kms from a set with heavy trailer work

brilliant until they get close to the legal limit thread wise then they get "iffy" in the wet (but what tyre doesn't )

PauloMN

Thanks for the feedback folks, have decided to go for the Uniroyals (they are RainSport 3). Getting the fronts done tomorrow (they defo need doing) and will get the backs checked.

PauloMN

Renegade Mechanic wrote: »

EDIT: The GT radials Ive fitted never had any white writing and the thread pattern was very much road oriented

Ah yeah, he was just trying to describe to me where I might have seen them before, because I told him I'd never heard of them.

I actually said to him "they don't have white writing on the sidewalls, do they?" :pac:

R.O.R

Bit late now, but I had GT Radials on the front of my 5 Series for Summer (in the shed to go back on when "summer" arrives).

Had no experience of them before that, but pretty impressed with them. Didn't have any issues losing grip, and the front always went where it was supposed to.

Had something less than great on the back, so while the fronts went in the right direction, the back of the car wouldn't always follow.......

dougie-lampkin

I've had terrible experiences with a set of GT Radials and I wouldn't wish them on anyone. Wheel spin in 2nd on a 4 speed classic car, and lethal understeer on roundabouts at 30 km/h in the wet. I replaced them with a set of Falkens, which I'd consider a mid-range tyre, and there was no comparison. Given the few good reviews here, it's possible they've become a legitimate tyre company rather than a plastic bag recycler in the last couple of years since my experience with them.

Despite the name being somewhat English, they're as Asian as Wanli and Triangle. They're made in Singapore by the same people who brought you Runway, Dextero, Hualin, Greatwall and Roadpro. Not really household names. They're nothing like the American/4x4 tyres with white writing, that'd be BF Goodrich you're thinking of, made by Michelin.

PauloMN

Well all sorted now, 4 x Uniroyal RainSport 3 on the car and wheel alignment done. Will see how they perform over the next few weeks, but they certainly feel better than the Nankangs I replaced. Price was good I thought at €133 a tyre fitted - the tyres alone are €120 on Eiretyres.