Replacing Tires - Need Help

[chasracer]

03 Coupe with Sports Package. Currently riding on Yokos which I liked but camber issue killed them off. I am installing Kinetix front and rear arms to correct the camber issue. Car is not lowered and I don't intend to do so either.

I like the Nittos and would like to stay with the stock rims (staggered F&R) but go to a slightly wider tire. Any recommendations on tire size? BTW, son just purchased 370Z - amazing car, not sure what it has for tires but they are STICKY! I am okay with a softer tire as this vehicle has now entered the pampered stage being driven 1-2 times a week at most.

Thanks for the help!

[JeromeS13]

If your car isn't lowered, you should be having camber issues. Its probably just excessive toe wear. Just have it aligned by a reputable shop when you have the new tires installed.

As far as tire size, running a wider than stock size isn't really going to benefit you much. So, I'd just stick with the 225/45/18 F and 245/45/18. Those sizes seem to have a pretty decent matching tire selection.

-Jerome

[chasracer]

Thanks but I have been a mechanic for 43 years and I think I can recognize a camber issue when I see one and this is one. The toe on the car is set according to factory specifications, but with zero adjustment for camber, I have lost the inner 1/3 on each of the Yokos.

And any increase in tire width will ALWAYS be a benefit to traction.

[JeromeS13]

Thanks but I have been a mechanic for 43 years and I think I can recognize a camber issue when I see one and this is one. The toe on the car is set according to factory specifications, but with zero adjustment for camber, I have lost the inner 1/3 on each of the Yokos.

And any increase in tire width will ALWAYS be a benefit to traction.

As far as tire size, running a wider than stock size isn't really going to benefit you much.

I didn't say that it wouldn't benefit you. I said it wouldn't be much. Are you having traction problems now? Probably not. Going to a better tire will make a larger improvement than going 10 or 20 mm wider...

If your camber is out of wack without being lowered, there's another issue with the car. Since you have tons of mechanical experience, you should know that something is bent or worn out. However, I'd like to see the before and after of an alignment the way the car sits. But, it's your car.

[chasracer]

You said it.

Now, is there anyone out there that can make a tire recommendation or not? I would like to buy tires in the next week or two and so far what I am seeing at the local tire stores in my area is not impressive.

Thanks.

[G_whizz]

I just did a VERY quick search for you.

Here are some threads. Some guys bump up to 275's with no problems...

http://forums.g35club.org/zerothread/409549

http://forums.g35club.org/zerothread/116979

http://forums.g35club.org/zerothread/405789

http://forums.g35club.org/zerothread?id=165399

Theres more links if you search with peoples opinions...

[awdjdmtalon]

I am running the Nitto 555's on mine. Stock size. I have noting but good things to say about them. I have yet to reach their limit driving very hard up the mountiand here around Lynchburg.

If you drive hard, I would suggest going wider. Every now and then I do have ABS events entering corners. More tire in the front would stop that.

Some of the guys on here are running 245's on the front and 275's on the rear. Next set for me will be that. If I havent gone with a different wheel.

[JeromeS13]

He has a 2003 6MT. Which means he has the 18x8 all around. I wouldn't recommend a 275 on an 8" wheel.

Tire recommendations: Do you want a smoother ride? More performance? Both? Longer life? What are you looking for?

Best all around (price, ride, performance): Yokohama S. Drive

Best performance: Dunlop Direzza Sport Z1 Star Specs (some NASA TT track records have been set on these tires)

Smooth ride: Yokohama Advan Sport (not going to last a long time, though) (and they grip pretty well too)

-Jerome

[SVTCOBRA]

Have S-Drives on my coupe and love them! Have put about 9K miles on them and they read around 8/32nds all around.

[joe603]

I think I"m going to try the Yoko S-drives...My Toyo T1R's are pretty worn on the rears. They did last much longer than the OEM tires though.

OEM tires lasted 13kToyo tires lasted 20k (rear)

[chasracer]

Thanks Everyone, I decided to go back with the Yoko S-Drives again except on a set of Enkei EM5s, stock sizes. I want to keep the mods on this car at a low level just to reduce any maintenance time or issues.

I enjoyed the last set of Yokos as they worked very well for the bulk of the driving that I did. All I know is that two days in a row last summer I took the entrance ramp near work onto the interstate at a speed that was damned impressive but something told me NOT to do it the third day and sure enough one of the HP guys was sitting there near the end of the ramp!! LOL!!

[twin001]

I believe the 370z is running Potenza Re050's also, just a much wider width front and rear. Look into Vredstein Sessenta's and Nitto Invo's while you are researching.

[pfarmer]

Thanks but I have been a mechanic for 43 years and I think I can recognize a camber issue when I see one and this is one. The toe on the car is set according to factory specifications, but with zero adjustment for camber, I have lost the inner 1/3 on each of the Yokos.

And any increase in tire width will ALWAYS be a benefit to traction.

I am not so sure this would be the case, especially in the area of wet traction when it comes to situations that will induce hydroplaning. A wider tire may well trap enough water in front of it to allow the vehicle which now has a reduced pounds per square inch contact with the road where a narrow tire would not at the same velocity.

Some thoughts on this which I agree with from my experience:

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/...id=16

My experience with much wider tires indicate that they tend to be for lack of a better term - twitchy. This of course has a lot of other factors such as rim width (staying with stock rim width can cause serious issues here), rim offset and your now possibly wider track width. I see this when encountering heavy truck tracks on softer roads.

So I sort of agree with the poster that questioned 'Do you have traction problems now?'.

What I would concentrate on is tire tread design (water evacuation at higher speeds) and tire compound for better traction at low speeds in wet conditions.

These would be my major parameters since I drive often in wet conditions. Now if I only drove in dry conditions then the tire design would be a lot different. So I think a good question to you would be - What type of driving do you do?

Perry