Wide tires on stock KA

[FolkertSX]

I'm getting kind of sick of my P45R's and stretched tires so I'm trying to sell them. I want to get some Diamond Racing wheels instead. probably about 10" wide and run some real tires like 275's or 295's for auto x. my question though is it stupid to put those size tires on a stock KA. Also i already have 20mm overfenders and would make molded on fender flares out of fiberglass. excactly like the sexy blue hatch pics floating around. same diamond wheel size i want, more tire though, and molded flares



EDIT: found the picture[/QUOTE]my car for reference.Modified by FolkertSX at 2:42 PM 1/11/2010
Modified by FolkertSX at 2:57 PM 1/12/2010

[Tulsa_S-13]

No, its not stupid.

[mrgreeneyes]

i love wide tires.

but your car has aero. that will look terrible with diamond racing wheels.

you need big wheels with aero, especially aero with molded flares.

just get some meaty tires for the rotas. dont overcomplicate things.

i ran 245 width RT615's on a stock ka..... they gripped niiiiiice

[FolkertSX]

i love wide tires.

but your car has aero. that will look terrible with diamond racing wheels.

you need big wheels with aero, especially aero with molded flares.

just get some meaty tires for the rotas. dont overcomplicate things.

i ran 245 width RT615's on a stock ka..... they gripped niiiiiice

well i would get 16's most likey. but even 15's i dont think would look bad. about getting the tires for rotas they wouldnt fit without rubbing. i would have to make small flares. instead of doing that id much rather make real flares and have wider tires/rims. btw all of this is not going to cost me much more than what im running now. maybe $200 at the most

[Veriest1]

Short Answer: Do it.

Longer Answer: Pick up the current issue of Grassroots Motorsports and read the article on choosing a car for competitive autocross.

[simmode1]

This subject definently needs to be researched more.

Apparently, tires wider than 255 will actually slow you down around the track if you don't have enough power to push them. He also added that as long as you're under 300hp, there really isn't a need for tires wider than 255.

I don't really have any track time, so I can't speak from experience or confirm this. But I've seen other things around the web that seem to support this. Instead of getting wider tires, I'd prefer to simply run a stickier compound.

[AZ89two4Tsx]

Ewwwwww please don't.

But if you do (which is dumb) give me your Rotas!

But really, why would you downgrade so much? It'll look like poo just like that coupe ^ you posted. And as stated, you have aero, so that makes it even worse. Not to mention you have a N/A KA. Believe me, your not going to have issues breaking traction even with like 8" wide wheels. 10" wide is absolutely overkill. Not to mention the extra rotating mass you'll be adding.

Have you taken a look at the class requirements btw? That might be something to think about as well.

[ILoveMyRHS13]

16s on aero: hideous.

[FolkertSX]

simmode1: ive heard alot of that stuff. but never really heard whats true and whatnot. just want to hear what alot of you guys think. ive noticed with my 225's breaking traction is very easy. just having a little fun taking turns the rear will often slide out.

[FolkertSX]

also, diamond racing makes custom wheels. i could have them make 17s" with any offset and any width i want. but its going to be more expensive. not sure how much though.

[Thaddeus]

Having much wider tires in the rear in relation to the front will cause the rear to have much more grip. This will cause the rear wheels to want to steer the car through corners, a phenomenon known as understeer (not something desired in autoX). Also defined as the front wheels failing to to turn your car while going through a corner. Either way I would not advise more that 20mm in the back over the front.

If your plan is to run 275 or 295 in the rear you would have a tough time getting wide enough tires in the front that woudnt cause a lot of understeer. And on a stock ka what would be the point.

Just my 2 cents

[FolkertSX]

^you would want a smaller tire on the front right? so maybe 275 out back and 255 up front

[simmode1]

Either way I would not advise more that 20mm in the back over the front.

That's the same conclusion I've come to. Staggered 235/40/17 and 255/35/18 is what I'm planning for my next setup.

^you would want a smaller tire on the front right? so maybe 275 out back and 255 up front

It can be done, but running 255's up front is a real challenge if you want to keep your stock fenders and fender lining. Widest I'd want to go up front would be some 245's. Mr.Greeneyes' 245 all around set is really dope, too...

[Thaddeus]

I had a friend who ran a 10mm wider tire in the front on his porsche 944 durring club autoX meets so when he told the car to turn it would and would be happy to do it. Its all application driven. Obviously drag guys practically use bicycle tires in the front and big ol 300 series tires in the back but they don't turn for s***.

But for riding around town and autoX I think its best to match them up. I use the 300zx tt wheels which are staggered 245mm in the back and 225mm in the front. When my ka was stock I could spin them for 20 feet. I don't notice a lot of understeer but that's street driving mostly.

[simmode1]

I had a friend who ran a 10mm wider tire in the front on his porsche 944 durring club autoX meets so when he told the car to turn it would and would be happy to do it. Its all application driven.

I've been seeing stuff like this lately... S13's with lower offset wheels and wider tires UP FRONT. I'm always curious as to what the thinking behind that must be and what that must feel like to drive...

[HitNrun]

Do you think that it would make it understeer it seems like it might

[heartofaskyline]

im just curious where your going to find a 295 tire thats a 16??? that isnt 400 bucks a piece

[Veriest1]

Wider in front should promote oversteer. It's the opposite of wider in back which I've had and hated.

I didn't notice when I read the OP earlier but you don't need 275+ width tires. If you're wanting to autox then just show up, talk to people, run, talk to people, and work from there.

[simmode1]

Do you think that it would make it understeer it seems like it might

Nope.

Wider in front should promote oversteer. It's the opposite of wider in back which I've had and hated.

Exactly. Understeering tendancies are good for drift style. Oversteer tendancies are good for grip style. But neutral handling is best (same size all around).

[Chris28]

Have you gotten coilovers yet?

I say keep the p45r's. Paint them some rad nasty color. It's hard to pull of smaller wheels with aero, especially if those wheels are Diamonds.

Not to mention they aren't the strongest wheel. Hit a bad pot hole and you might bend the rim.

[simmode1]

I say keep the p45r's. Paint them some rad nasty color.

This. Have you guys seen that rattlecan black hatch with the pink P45R's on Speedhunters yet?! I don't even like rough around the edge/drifter-looking cars, but that one has mass appeal...

OP, exactly what size are your P45R's?

[safin]

17x9.5 with 235 and 17x10 with 255 not max rubber but fits well

to replicate this setup on diamond racing wheels, the backspacing would be 6" and IMHO only haggard looking coupes would pull the look. all others with wide steelies look better with stretched tires on them

[e1_griego]

^what offsets? +18 f+r?

[Metal Angel]

9 inches wide running 245 is the biggest you can go and still run in 2wd street class. Any bigger and you are in unlimited class running against imported gt-Rs and stuff.

[TwoJayZee240]

I dont think you guys have seen this kids car. I think he has done a great job so far with it being the fact that hes 16 and is mature enough to know not to rice it out lol. I would post some pics but he removed them from the threads or photobucket removed them..

[FolkertSX]

im just curious where your going to find a 295 tire thats a 16??? that isnt 400 bucks a piece

i realized diamond wheels dont even come in 16's anyway unless their customly made. if im going to do that i would go with 17's which theres lots of tire options for

Have you gotten coilovers yet?

I say keep the p45r's. Paint them some rad nasty color. It's hard to pull of smaller wheels with aero, especially if those wheels are Diamonds.

Not to mention they aren't the strongest wheel. Hit a bad pot hole and you might bend the rim.

no i havent. those im saving for now. and i dont think my car can pull of colored rims. i like them but they have to be on the right car. the car needs alot of other visual mods otherwise it looks like your trying to hard.

OP, exactly what size are your P45R's?

17x9+12

[img]to replicate this setup on diamond racing wheels, the backspacing would be 6" and IMHO only haggard looking coupes would pull the look. all others with wide steelies look better with stretched tires on them

idk if you read or not but i'd be running overfenders and flaresi agree with the second statement though. but i'd also like to see what it would look like on a hatch

[FolkertSX]

I dont think you guys have seen this kids car. I think he has done a great job so far with it being the fact that hes 16 and is mature enough to know not to rice it out lol. I would post some pics but he removed them from the threads or photobucket removed them..

thanks man. i love hearing encouraging stuff like that. im glad to hear you like it but honestly im bored with it. i cant drive it till spring so all i do is look at it. which makes me want to change things and work on it.but i cant do any messy work because its in my grandpas garage. ill ppost a picture of it for reference. about photobucket, a couple nights ago i was making albums on photobucket for all my pictures of my car and the codes all changed! soo all of my pictures are messed up now. so fustrating...

[Dazzla]

I just put on 18's with 245 tires on my stock KA s14...i should be able to take it out for a spin this week and see how it feels moving up from 15's with measily 195 tires :p

[simmode1]

17x9+12 all around? I'd worry about getting coilovers first. Then I'd wrap the Rota's in some 245/40 Nitto NT05's on all four corners. They're sticky and that brand generally runs smaller than most other tires, so you shouldn't be oversquare. Hopefully your class is ok with that compound.

[ZX88]

ruber bands are more fun.

with a ka