I have an opportunity to purchase 4 used Grand Sport Radial GT P225 70 14. Issue is I Have never heard of Grand Sport Radials, and cannot find anything about them by searching google..

Does anyone know anything about them?

 

It's a store brand similar to Futura from Pep Boys. I think R&S Strauss used to sell them. They are fine enough to roll around on.

 

First thing I'd ask is how old are they? Check the sidewall for the code that gives manufacture date. If you plan to drive on them, 5 to 7 years old become suspect, and 10 years can be downright dangerous. Regardless of how they look or how much tread they have, the rubber fries out and the belts will separate. When I bought my 72 it had real nice BFG Radial TAs that looked brand new. They were 9 years old. On a 50 mile trip at 45 to 55 mph, I started to get a vibration, that quickly got severe and then the tire let loose. Fortunately for me I missed going head on into oncoming traffic, as I shot in front of it.

I'd be suspect unless you can be positive of their age, and not when they were purchased, but when they were manufactured. There was an article on this published a while back that had some of the major tire distributors selling tires 2 to 5 years old. Brand new, but sitting around a while.

 

More than likely a chain store brand (Walmart, Pep Boys, etc.) made by another company. Same tire as the large company with a different name and maybe slightly different tread pattern. I wouldn't worry about them unless dry rotted

 

Keep an eye on old valve stems too. Had one fail on me last weekend. Wiped off a wheel and bent it a little sideways - and hissss.

 

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?sec...ide&id=6313734

This was a common problem awhile back.

 

Ahhhhhh, another quality product from our friends in China. When will we learn.

 

I had a set on a camaro back around 2013.. best tires ever!! I used to power brake the car all the time. Never showed on the tires, but they would get tacky as glue. (I was actually trying to looking them up agian in 2020)

 

You probably didn't realize this thread is over 7 years old. Don't feel bad we have all done it at one time or another.