track wheel and tires

[Denali]

since i destroyed my street tires at tmp this summer i think i should get a spare set just for the track, looking for something like 17x 9"+ width with 5x100 bolt (dual bolt pattern would be nice for future) i found volk RE30 has a 17x9 but it think its like $900 each...what rims do you guys use? i was planning on putting a 275 area width for rubber

[JoeT]

Some of us use the Rota Slipstreams, cheap and strong, not that heavy either 17X8.5 and run 245 or 255 width tires on them.

If your brakes will allow, you should actually try 16" rims to reduce the rotating mass and get better performance. Slipstreams are available in 16X8 as well.

http://www.wheeldude.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=90_217_96_134

$600.00 USD for a set of 4

http://www.wheeldude.com/catalog/images/steelgray_ss.jpg


Hope this helps.

[Denali]

i had to order custom 16" compomotives for winters ..and they dont fit yet, after moding the calipers they 'should' fit.. 17"s will leave room for safety

[dubya_rx]

I know a bunch of people use the Enkei RPF1. Seemed to be a good combination of weight/price.

[Inn-Tune]

The 8's couldn't hold enough meat for me to get around the track on low boost so I'm looking as well. Of course I'll be making several other changes, but I see Rota makes the Torque in 17X9. At under 1000 for a full set that's far more appealing to me.

[Denali]

this one is dual bolt but is 43 ofset to high for a 9" rim? does rota make different offsets?

http://www.wheeldude.com/catalog/images/rotaDPTmattebrz2.jpg
$850 for these

[STeveD]

Before shelling out for 5x100 rims, make the decision if it's worth taking the hit now for the conversion to 5x114.3 hubs from the '05 and later STi's. You'll want them for the beefy bearings because you'll start going through your 5x100 bearings quickly with the sideloads that 17x9 rubber can generate. '05+ STi hubs will require modification to or replacement of your suspension, and probably replacement of your existing wheels, but decide now. As a small benefity, they give you a little wider track up front that eliminated my need for spacers with 255/40/17 Toyos or 245/40/17 Hoosiers on +48 rims.

If you have too much invested in suspension and wheels already, you're not lost. The Six Gun Racing 5x100 hub with 5x114.3 bearing is about $830. Fourstar Motorsports also does this modification.

http://www.6gunracing.com/products.asp

You don't have to do it before buying the wheels, but when your first set goes, don't bother replacing them with more 5x100 bearings if you'll be going to the track regularly. You'll be fighting a losing battle and it's best to make the leap early. And there's a lot more wide rims available in 5x114.3 width, so prices are better and there's actually a USED market.

Yes, ideally you'd probably want something closer to +35 to +38 offset up front to help clear your coilovers on the inside. But there's ways around that like spacers and ARP wheel studs, or even just drilling out the holes a bit on your wheels to use Toyota style lugs that give you an extra four threads or so of engagement.

When I was researching 5x100 wide wheel options, Pete at Marcor mentioned that Team Dynamics could make the wheels for me. However, lead times were vague. Order early.

http://www.teamdynamicsracing.com/pro-race/Pro-race12.htm
http://www.rimstock.co.uk/rimstockusa/homepage.php

[Denali]

i was looking at the six gun steup, do you have that? ya 114 has alot more options, that team dynamic site shows the weight of the17x9" rims..20lbs, my 17x7.5 are 13lbs.... how much do the track setups you guys use weigh? im i making a mistake by ADDing like 10lbs+ per corner?

[STeveD]

I have two sets of 17" x 8.5" which accomodate up to 255/40/17 comfortably. They're SSR Competitions weighing ~15.5lbs each. I bought them at Tire Rack for 25% to 50% off when they were on sale.

Both sets have one slightly bent rim, but it doesn't affect high speed balance.

To maximize my contact patch, I SHOULD be mounting 255/40/17 on 17" x 10" wheels. But those are pretty much custom rims in 5x100.

You have the swap and Hotbits with camber plates, right?

You can hack around on 235/40/17's without rolling your fenders and still have fun, so an 8" rim will do you. If you can find used 17 x 8's, you might get them cheap enough that you can buy two sets of tires for the price difference of going to 17 x 9. Steve from our Ottawa forum was getting rid of wheels... not sure if any are 17".

If you prefer to go new then 17" x 8" RPF-1's are light and relatively inexpensive. Dan Sprongl can get them, and Ivano has a source as well.

17 x 7.5" would be overwhelmed at the track. I think that you're right to change them. As always, it's a question of how much you want to spend. Heavier rims hurt your acceleration and tax your brakes a bit more, but you can corner a lot faster on wider rims and that's the fun part. I prefer to sacrifice a bit of straightline speed for higher cornering speed.

(Don't forget the change from my two cents.)

[JoeT]

43 offset is correct for a 9" rim, so you're good to go with those, even at that, your tires maybe really close to the strut. Any greater offset and the rim lip will be cutting into the strut.

[Navigator]

I will give you my setup as a comparison.

05 STI track front and rear.
Rear Fenders rolled very flat
Front Fenders stock
Hotbits setup -2.8 F & -1.8 R camber.

5Zigen FNC01 -17x8 - 35 offset
235-40-17 RA-1's no rubbing.

Works CR KAI - 18x8.5 - 43 offset
245-40-18 R615's only rubbing on inner front fender well plastic when turning tight (due to oversize diameter of tire)
Front clearance (strut side) 12mm ~ (fender) 12-15mm
Rear (strut side) 24mm ~ (fender) 7mm

I found alot of 18" wheels come in 8.5, 9.5 inch widths and 17" wheels come in 8,9,10 inch widths. At least for the wheels I am looking at.

BTW all the above measurements were from tire to fender/strut and not from the rim itself.

[Denali]

JoeT wrote:
43 offset is correct for a 9" rim, so you're good to go with those, even at that, your tires maybe really close to the strut. Any greater offset and the rim lip will be cutting into the strut.

i get confused with 'higher' and 'lower' ofests what i ment was wouldnt a 30 ofset be better for a 9" then 43 ofset?

thanks for the numbers Navigator, my car should be able to go on the ground tomorrow *crosses fingers* then i will have alot of measuring to do

[JoeT]

The offset is basically the backspacing from the centerline measured in mm. 50 Offset brings the rim closer to the strut, lower offset aka 30 brings it closer or just outside the fender.

I don't know if that helped any, but please feel free to ask, and I'll try to clarify.

[alf]

My 16x9 have a ~38mm offset(it's using a 6" back space), I also have to run 5mm spacer to fit them under the car with about -2.0 degree of camber. Actually the camber is from the camber plate and the rear camber bolt is to take camber away, otherwise I would rub on the strut. I'm not sure 43mm would fit, unless I would run a 10mm spacer...

In the front, my 265 tire rub again the frame rail on one side since I don't have enough caster. My cross member isn't strait(I think), I have over 1 degree difference in caster.

[Inn-Tune]

I just talked to Wheeldude about getting 17X9.5's made and they're going to make an order once they have 2 other sets sold....so who wants some? Cmon Joe. :)

They'll fit 5X100 and 5X114.3. They said the DPTs (CE28 knock offs) are only about 18.8 lbs in this size which is awesome.

http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?p=24452764&posted=1#post24452764

[JoeT]

Hey Mike,

I'll gladly buy a set of 16X9.5 at 40 offset if they can make it. For me, I'm not interested in an extra 17" wheel, which I use for the street. I already have a set of 17X9.5 mounted with Toyo street tires.

[Inn-Tune]

Then you're already ready for me. :)

I posted this on a local board and someone wants 17X10 so I may be changing the order. Then we'd only need one other set!

[JoeT]

My 17X9.5 are for my street tires.. LOL My 16X8 are for the track, if I could get 16X9 or 16X9.5 that would be the ideal for me. Can they make a set, if so, how much?

Thanks

[Inn-Tune]

I already got the three sets sold in 17X10's so this is a go. If anyone else wants some this is a guaranteed deal now. :)

Joe if you want 16X9-9.5 you just need to get 3+ sets sold with a deposit of about 200 bucks on each set and they'll put the order through.


Anyone try the Toyo R888's?

[alf]

If the price is good, hummmmmmmmmm I could get a second set of 16x9, specially if they are 9.5.

What would be the weight? My current 16x9 are about 10-11lbs, 265 v710 with the wheel are ~32 lbs on the scale.

[Inn-Tune]

[alf]

We'll see how the new R888 soft compound does but the current on is not a v710 or A6 for solo2. For the track, it's not a R6 neither. It's a great all around tire, that's for sure, jack of all trade master of none. Well see next season the soft compound, it should do better on autoX.

In my case, I'll run 265/45r16, with the huge sidewall, I can drop the pressure to 23-25psi and get huge grip. That's something you can't do with tiny side wall.

[Inn-Tune]

The NT-01's are what I really wanted to try for next year. 3 of our customers ran them last season. One STI, one Evo, and one Supra. The owners were all very happy with them.

[Navigator]

Alain, you will have alot of grip and the handling of a 747. :roll: 35 series is where its at. lol :-P

[Navigator]

Overall diameter plays a role with respect to rubbing and acceleration. I just added some more numbers to help determine fit.

205/55/16 - 24.9 in dia. Stock WRX
225/45/17 - 25.0 in dia. Stock STI (04-07)
235/40/17 - 24.4 in dia.
235/45/17 - 25.3 in dia.
275/40ZR18 - 26.7 in dia.
275/35ZR18 - 25.6 in dia.
285/30ZR18 - 24.7 in dia.
295/30ZR18 - 25.0 in dia.
275/40-17 - 25.7 in dia.
295/40-17 - 26.3 in dia.

I would say anything in the 26+ range is way to tall. Also the Hankook Z214 is also available in the 275/40/17 and 275/35/18.

[alf]

265/45R16 25.2 in

What tire pressure can you go down too on you 35 series?

[Navigator]

Probably 10 PSI the side walls are so stiff they should put a sticker that air is optional. :-) Alain, I think your setup is quite nice actually, I just cant fit the brakes I want under 17's never mind 16's.

[alf]

It's nice to see feedback like this, nobody run this stuff here, every still using bicycle tire :muaha:

[Denali]

so i just got 275/40/17 R888 on a 17x9 with 42 ofset. its like 2mm from the front strut, how much of a gap is safe? and what camber and pressures do you guys use for the r888?

[JoeT]

2mm should be fairly ok, but keep an eye on it to see if there's any rubbing. If there is, just use a thin 2mm or 3 mm spacer. As far as camber and pressures, if you let us know what spring rates you're using it'll be easier to predict what your starting camber should be.

But as a rule, we normally start with -3 degrees up front and -2 in the rear, with 0 toe all around. We adjust it from there to get optimal.

The stiffer the spring rates the less camber required.

For tire pressures, aim for 32 hot.

[Denali]

10kg front and 8kg rears, i think im currently at -2 front and rear.. will have to see how the clearances are when the car is on the ground, probably going to see if i can have the tophats machined for more strut angle

[JoeT]

At -2 front and rear you'll have pretty good bite but it'll still understeer, we use the differential in camber to help make the car neutral. With your spring rates, I'd go with -2.5 if possible in the front and stay with -2 in the rear, it'll work just fine.