THSCC Forums

What STX tire really needs a 15x8? I think there is one manufacturer out there with a 225/45-15, but that seems kind of silly to run when you can get a comparably priced, grippier 16" or 17" tire that is a 245/XX-16 or 17.

cubed... got my circuit 10's there.

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2001 Honda S2000 - SOLD
2012 Boss 302
2003 BMW 330i

thats part of what I'm asking about, I think we want to stick to 15's for light weight, and the two wheels I'm considering are a 15x7 and a 15x8. I think the 15x8's are intended for people fitting big hoosier race tires (245/45-15) on cars with modified fenders (or on miatas or E30's). I'm trying to decide if there is any benefit to the 15x8 over the 15x7 if I'm restricted to a 225/45-15 tire by fender clearance issues (I know Hankook makes the Z212 in this size, not sure about Falkens). I know the steering feel of a stretched tire is better than one that is crammed onto a skinny rim, but is there any tangible performance benefit that will show up on autocross or is it just unneccesary weight for a more lively steering feel?

I know I won't be able to tell the difference of 2 pounds of wheel weight on an autocross course, I know I WILL be able to tell the difference in steering feel from using a wider wheel (at least I could in my mazda when I went to a .5" wider wheel with the same size tire). What I feel/can tell though and what makes me (or my wife) faster around an autocross course aren't necessarily the same thing, thats why I was looking for input from you guys. . .

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2012 MX-5 Sport SUV

Brice, the wheel de jour for the mini is the 16 inch, according to GRM. We use the Rota slipstreams on our mini. I've pretty much followed what GRM has said about this car and I haven't been disappointed yet. The N/A mini suffers from wheel spin. and I personally have difficulty controlling it. If the Works Mini has LSD this may not matter, But I'm sure it doesn't suffer from lack of torque. So footprint and wheel diameter should be the prime considerations, with footprint as the prime consideration. I can't really talk about steering feel differences between "pinched tires" and "streched tires" because all my tire and wheel changes have been different. I don't think I'm that good of a driver that I could feel the difference, Hell I can't feel the difference when Gwen's in the car. Some of my best runs have been with someone else in the car. I try not to over think this thing and look for footprint. That makes it real easy!!!

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2004 C5(415whp,390ft/lbs),
1997C5,1997Trans Am, 1986 C4,
1990 Miata, 1976 MGB,1997 Protege, 1989 MR2

interesting Bernie, why do you say the 16" is the "wheel du jour"? I've got a thread over on NAM (northamericanmotoring) about this as well, here's the link. Alex from Tire Rack posted a couple other wheel options that will work:

http://www.northamericanmotoring.com/fo ... hp?t=83421

And for reference, yes, her car has a LSD, which addresses the wheelspin issues you were talking about I think. As far as footprint goes, I think I'm limited by the fenders, not by the wheel, to a 225, so I think a 15" wheel will be just fine so long as it clears the brakes, no need to go to a 16" wheel to get the wider tire sizes.

I've also noticed that there are a lot more tires available in 225/50-15 instead of 225/45, any thoughts on whether or not one size or the other would be better? I just assume that the gearing advantage of the 45 series is the way to go, but you know more about mini's at autocross than I.

Also, I hear you on "not ovethinking it", but this is not something I'll worry about when I'm actually at autocross, this is just something to worry about when I'm bored at work Overthinking is my specialty. . .

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2012 MX-5 Sport SUV

I think you will give up more time with a 15 inch wheel, and a "skinny" tire than you will with a heavier 16 or 17 inch wheel and a big ole 245 width tire.

Obviously the tire budget comes into play here. If you just want to have fun, it's easy, run a 15x7 and a 205/50-15 Falken.

What is the factory tire size on the CSW package? Is the final drive any different than the regular cooper S? What tire does Courtney Cormier (sp) run on his car?

Court runs 205/50/15's. They have tried 16's and 17's and the best tire he believes are the 205/50/15 Azenis. - AB

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'14 Toyota Sequoia Platinum 4WD
Super Westerfield Bros - '93 Integra - LeChump Du Jour
STX 93 - Scion FR-S

Nah. Think again.

In my underpowered, GS MCS with LSD it's really not an issue to light the inside front at almost any point. In any corner. This includes slaloms.

I spent most of this season trying to get my dimwitted right foot to realize that's not a good thing. Ask Vincent about riding with me at the begining of the year. Classic VK commentary. Hell, I had another bout of it at the end of the season too.

I suspect that the extra ponies of the JCW package will make it even easier. Don't get me wrong, the LSD is helpful, but it doesn't eliminate wheelspin.

You doing anything else to the car? Bigger RSB? Shocks? Springs?

Makes me think it might be time for a "plans for next year" thread.

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Not spectacular just decent.
I'm not sure what I'm driving.
Maybe an ITR in DS.
Or half-assed STX prepped 330.

Interesting, as I said, she never lets me drive it, especially not in a manner thats gonna burn the inside wheel mid corner, I'm lucky to get to drive it to the store and back. I was hoping it was better than that, oh well. However, next year, hopefully that will change. I doubt we'll do to much else to the car for now, which means it will probably get trounced in STX, but we want an easy progression for her to learn, and runflats to R compounds I don't think is the way to go. Perhaps a new rear sway bar once she realizes how much better my Mazda handles with one, but short of that, I doubt we'll do too much else to it, since its still so new and she is so paranoid about warranty (it took some convincing to get her to allow me to change the oil on our own).

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2012 MX-5 Sport SUV

Yep, you drive like a hack. I bet you'd be awesome in an STi!

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Vincent Keene
'06 Ford Mustang GT (track rat)
'15 Dodge Charger R/T (yeah, it's got a HEMI!)
'07 Ford Fusion SE (205,000 miles and counting)
'98 Chevy Z-24 (retired)
'93 Acura Integra (Team SWB 24HOL Car)

Damn. I think that's verbatim. Well, after the, "That sucked." bit.

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Not spectacular just decent.
I'm not sure what I'm driving.
Maybe an ITR in DS.
Or half-assed STX prepped 330.

David's right foot only has 2 positions:

Off the pedal
and
Im gonna shove this damn pedal thru the firewall

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02 Focus SVT
STF 9

What's wrong with that? I drove that way all year and had a ton of fun. Unfortunately it's more fun than easing on and off the throttle and running faster times.

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Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder.

Thats the only 15" size the Falken comes in I think, which might be why he went so narrow. Is the Falken really that much superior of a tire that a 205/50 is a better choice than a 225/45 Hankook RS2 Z212 that can still be put on a 15x7?

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2012 MX-5 Sport SUV

I have the Z212s as a rain tire for AX in a 16".

I've run them in the dry on a couple of occasions (once at ETR-SCCA event and once at Highlands) comparing them to the Azenis I had on the Miata, I'll take "Yes" for $600 Alex.

Plus don't the Azenis run wider than typical?

(I think the 'kooks would cope with large amounts of water better.)

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Not spectacular just decent.
I'm not sure what I'm driving.
Maybe an ITR in DS.
Or half-assed STX prepped 330.