What tire are you running on 15x8 wheel?

[DaveG99]

I was looking at 225/45/15's and it seems there isn't much in the a non race track spec tire in this size. Looks like more in the 205/50/15 size. What are you running on your 15x8's? Pictures would be nice to see as well.

 

[cbizz]

195/55/15 BFG Sport Comp 2's are good option as well, just as wide as most 205/50

 

[ridinVINTAGE]

Continental ExtremeContact Sport 205/50zr15

Stock ride height for now.

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[RAAMaudio]

If you want the best feedback and control which almost always results in faster lap times on track, more precision which carving up a canyon, etc the almost always best to stick with a 205 on an 8" wheel in the ultimate grip summer only tires. As mentioned above the 195 BFG is super wide for a the sidewall markings and works really well on an 8" wheel. If you need an AS(really 3 season tire) the NeoGen in 205/5015 is a dang good tire on an 8.

If you simply must run a 225 (always look up the real specs of any tire you are interested in as sidewall markings and size listings are most often quite inaccurate) get the narrowest 225 you can in the type of tire you want to run as it is best to have a little stretch, not much needed, it adds greatly to the feedback and control which you give up a bit when going down to smaller width wheels.

Let us know a bit more and we can better assist you in choosing the best tires for your needs.

1) stock power, moderate upgrade, hybrid turbo, big turbo, etc
2) use, autocross, road race tracks, mountain and canyon runs, just street, combination of uses...
3) stock or upgraded suspension and what type if so
4) general budget range
5) wheels, offset, etc
6) summer only max grip, summer only really good grip but last longer, 3 season(max grip summer tires are generally not to be used in freezing temps and can lose a lot of grip below 50 degrees)

Welcome to the 15" wheel club, a very wise mod on this car, 16's very good as well but not much available.

Rick

 

[DaveG99]

If you want the best feedback and control which almost always results in faster lap times on track, more precision which carving up a canyon, etc the almost always best to stick with a 205 on an 8" wheel in the ultimate grip summer only tires. As mentioned above the 195 BFG is super wide for a the sidewall markings and works really well on an 8" wheel. If you need an AS(really 3 season tire) the NeoGen in 205/5015 is a dang good tire on an 8.

If you simply must run a 225 (always look up the real specs of any tire you are interested in as sidewall markings and size listings are most often quite inaccurate) get the narrowest 225 you can in the type of tire you want to run as it is best to have a little stretch, not much needed, it adds greatly to the feedback and control which you give up a bit when going down to smaller width wheels.

Let us know a bit more and we can better assist you in choosing the best tires for your needs.

1) stock power, moderate upgrade, hybrid turbo, big turbo, etc
2) use, autocross, road race tracks, mountain and canyon runs, just street, combination of uses...
3) stock or upgraded suspension and what type if so
4) general budget range
5) wheels, offset, etc
6) summer only max grip, summer only really good grip but last longer, 3 season(max grip summer tires are generally not to be used in freezing temps and can lose a lot of grip below 50 degrees)

Welcome to the 15" wheel club, a very wise mod on this car, 16's very good as well but not much available.

Rick

Thanks for the reply rick. Ive been reading through a lot of your posts and learning a lot.

1. Im currently running full bolt ons minus the downpipe. Plans are to get hybrid turbo within the next year.
2.I do not daily this car. I do mostly street driving buta few times a year i go up to arkansas and drive the ozark mountains. I might start doing some autocross. I really enjoy the handling characteristics of this car.
3. Stock suspension currently. When I get the 15's i would like to lower the car slightly to make it look better and also hopefully help with cornering. Probably just going to get springs.
4. Not looking to spend a fortune. Im going to get team dynamics and from what ive seen the tires in 15's are pretty cheap
5. Im thinking 35 offset. Isnt that what most people do?
6. Id like a summer tire. Im in Texas and its hot here 9 months out of the year. I really like the stock potenzas I have. I do notice that they slip a lot in colder weather but it isnt an issue.

 

[ridinVINTAGE]

I'm actually running a +30 a +35 would be more ideal.

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[RAAMaudio]

Sorry for the wait, got super busy, selling a truck, buying an RV, preparing to move two units and from one into the other......and getting the truck ready for delivery which has quite a bit of work on it to do so...whew!!!!

Since not daily driving then to maximize the grip you might want as set of the super grip summer tires, the do not last a long time but I have had mine for 2.5 years and probably 4k miles now and still plenty of tread left, likely get 12k miles or more unless I start tracking again. Autocrossing wears tires pretty fast as well.

+35mm offset is better for the suspension geometry than +30, +40 might be a closer fit but even better though not sure if you can get them, +35 would be fine.

If you want the best turn in response, feedback, etc then the right 205/50/15 would be best, something like the Rival S 1.5, Hankook RS4(not showing a 205 yet, new version), cheaper but good though not known if as good as the last two then the Federal RS-R. The Dunlop SS II in that size is $118 and just 19 lbs which is a very good weight, lower is better!

I need a bit of rest, been running like mad since early AM, if anybody responds I will see it and if I think of anything else will post it up tomorrow morning, etc...

 

[LILIKE16ST]

The 195/55/15 bfg sport comp 2 is a great tire I run them on my 15x8 1.2s. It gets plenty of life for the grip it provides and fits this wheel good. I think I might try the star spec 2 next like rick said just 19 lbs per tire and nice grip and good price. That will drop me 2 more lbs per corner over the bfg and provide more grip.

 

[LILIKE16ST]

co

Continental ExtremeContact Sport 205/50zr15

Stock ride height for now.

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how do you like those extreme contact sport tires? I am seriously considering those for replacements to my bfg sc2 when the time comes to change. I've heard good things about them and they're 2 lbs lighter per tire than my bfg which are 21 lbs (the conti ec sport in 205/50 is only 19 lbs per...) and the price isn't bad either. I'm highly considering those for my next tire along with the star specs which are also 19 lbs but will wear much faster and I have to decide if the trade off is worth it to me because I daily the car and don't autocross or race on track these bfg provide plenty of grip for my needs as I'm sure the conti tires would as well and have much longer life but part of me wants to try those star specs because I have never tried extreme performanace tires before and I can't imagine how they would do with this already awesome handling car combined with a nice set of lowering springs. Car would really be an animal on the back road twisties then. I may try the star spec just to see I can always just replace them with the conti if they wear too fast and I don't like it. I won't be buying tires till next year probably my bfg have plenty of life left after 13-14k.

anyways I would just like to know what you think about them all around and how they do on handling and in rain and how well they do on wear? its cool you're running the same tire on the same wheel. So you're feedback is a little more important to me vs someone with them on a different setup. Thanks I appreciate it...good looking car btw!

 

[ridinVINTAGE]

So I believe I posted that the day I installed them, currently the fronts are at 8mm and the rears at 10mm. The handling is phenomenal. I don't do autocross, but I do attack the back roads in the area they have not let me down yet. As for hydroplaning I have not experienced any more than with the OEM tires. I was at a dyno day and when they were cold they were having trouble getting traction on the dyno.


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[doctorweird]

I'm running 205/50 Yokohama AD08 R on my 15x8 1.2's. Is there a slight stretch? Yes. Do I love it? Yes. The yoko 205's are a lot wider than the stock Bridgestone 205's I had, and I think it's absolutely perfect. No rubbing issues as all, pretty sure I could lower it a few cm and still not have any issues.

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[Mr.PowPow]

I'm also looking for a set of 15x8s for my TD 1.2s I was thinking about the 205/50/15 NeoGens but I'd like some further help and input.

1. Im currently running full bolt ons minus the downpipe. I am waiting on my GT450 turbo kit from deadhook and hope to get it soon.
2.I semi-daily this car. I hope to make it a track/weekend only car in the future. I might start doing some autocross.
3. Stock suspension currently and don't plan on changing until maybe the middle of next year
4. Would prefer a sub $100 tire but no more that $120
5. I don't remember what I ordered.
6. I live in the desert in SoCal so something that an deal with the heat is needed. I don't care too much about road noise but if possible I'd rather less than more. I also want something that I can still daily but is sticky enough that when (because it happens frequently) someone wants to line up I'll have enough traction.

Thanks for the help

 

[RAAMaudio]

NeoGen is not the tire for the desert and big power, you want something with more grip so you spin the tires less and accelerate more. I have them on a smaller turbo setup and they are incredible for the use, all season(really a three season tire) I run 225 Rival S on 15x9 for summer tires, on an 8" wide wheel you might be able to get them to clear, stiffer sidewalls than the version I have now with the 1.5 so they should work pretty well for cornering, etc....

Mostlty though I would look into 205's but as I have stated at least a hundred times on here, look at the real specs, the sidewall numbers can be grossly misleading, the 195 BFG SCII is a prime example, it needs to be on an 8" wheel for optimal sidewall support it is so wide.

I would look only at the ultimate sticky summer tires, not the next level down and not any AS tire to maximize your fun if acceleration is your desire, and cornering, braking, etc

 

[AlrightyThen]

I'm running 205/50 Hoosier R7s. I'll snap a pic later this week.

 

[M-Sport fan]

I'm running 205/50 Hoosier R7s. I'll snap a pic later this week.

^^^The 'gold standard' as far as DOT slicks go, but FAR FAR from a street tire by ANYONE's definition, even in hot dry weather only, and on billiard table top smooth roads.

Regardless of whether or not you can live with their < 2K mile life on the street (combined with their over 2x the cost of everything else in the same size), their super glue-like compound is GUARANTEED to pick up every little bit of road shrapnel like an electromagnet, and puncture their VERY thin, lightweight carcass.

I was actually considering them as the ONLY tire on the planet available in a 225/40-17, but thought better about their use on the streets, especially around here.
Also, their being DOT marked, does NOT make them street legal to the LEOs that decide to stop you when they see fully slick tires on the street.

 

[Mr.PowPow]

Thanks RAAM
What about the NeoGens isn't good for the desert?

What do you think about:
NT 450
Direzza DZ102
Pontenza RE71R

 

[Mr.PowPow]

Also I'm looking for tires that will last for 20-30k miles on the low end

 

[AlrightyThen]

^^^The 'gold standard' as far as DOT slicks go, but FAR FAR from a street tire by ANYONE's definition, even in hot dry weather only, and on billiard table top smooth roads.

Regardless of whether or not you can live with their < 2K mile life on the street (combined with their over 2x the cost of everything else in the same size), their super glue-like compound is GUARANTEED to pick up every little bit of road shrapnel like an electromagnet, and puncture their VERY thin, lightweight carcass.

I was actually considering them as the ONLY tire on the planet available in a 225/40-17, but thought better about their use on the streets, especially around here.
Also, their being DOT marked, does NOT make them street legal to the LEOs that decide to stop you when they see fully slick tires on the street.

I drove around on them on the street, therefore street tire right?... JUST KIDDING. I totally agree with what you're saying these are just for track. Had to drive on them a bit to make sure there is wasn't any rubbage--these 205s are alot wider than my BFG comp2 205s.

Back to the OPs question if I was doing a 15x8 street set up I would seriously look at RE 71s in 205/50 15. I used this tire in 205/45 16 and it was great.

 

[RAAMaudio]

R7 is super sticky, needs a warm up lap or two on track but are not in anyway a streetable tire, M-Sport nailed it in his post Great race tires, likely cycle out fast so need to use them up without to many sessions as heating up and cooling down will start to stiffen them up and lose a lot of the grip. If like the prior generation as VERY WIDE, 205 in the last gen, R6 and the A7 have been used on 9" wide race wheels and the 225's on 10's! I tried to put 225 on 15x9 under my stock rolled and pulled fenders, got fronts to clear, rear would of required cutting the fenders out of the way. RA1 or R888 fit in that size.

I have driven RA1 and R888 on the street, had gravel landing on the car, had to pick it out of the tires, etc....A7 or R7 would be worse.

----------------

NeoGen is a great tire but I would only run them if I used the car below 50 degrees where the super sticky summer only tires stiffen up to much. I have driven the NeoGen in 20 degree weather and still have good grip, they are not good in snow or ice, not designed for it so I parked the car during such weather.

If you need tires for cold weather they are one of the very best you can get, I really like mine and grip far better all around than I expected but still nothing like the Rival S or other super sticky summer only tires. To stay in lower cost tires you could look into the Federal RSR, I have not used them but some here have and really like them.

Whatever way you go the GT450 turbo will likely cost you a lot in wear on the tires, less grip ones will spin more and wear them fast, higher grip ones might last longer but none will last very long if you spin the tires often

 

[RAAMaudio]

The RE-71 is a damn good tire but look at the actual specs as they tend to run rather narrow tread width from what I recall.