New Shoes - 205/45r16 - help!!

[XanderMax]

I honestly keep on coming back to the Hankook RS4’s for a tire thats a step up from the Indy 500 and is very close to the RE71 and has quite the reputation for lasting wear wise and performance wise. In fact its considered a great tire for endurance racing because of that.
I demand a lot out of tires and I personally do not feel the Indy 500’s would make me happy. I have narrowed my choices down today price conscious wise to the RS4 or the the Feddy RSR not the RSRR or RS Pro. both latter supposedly being noisy compared to the former.

I do like that feddy makes 215/45 for us 😁

Considered the ST-1 in that size, but am a little nervous about the brand tbh, has anyone ran the ST-1?

 

[Dpro]

I do like that feddy makes 215/45 for us 😁

Considered the ST-1 in that size, but am a little nervous about the brand tbh, has anyone ran the ST-1?

I ran 595 Evo’s in the past on one of my M3’s had no complaints. I think the ST 1 is an upgrade of that.
I think you just are gun shy now to 200TW tires because of your experience with Bridgestone’s which while handling great are known for wearing superfasr. Hell I am going through my stock tires in under 10k.
Well time will tell if I get the Hankook’s you can check them out since you are local.

 

[XanderMax]

I ran 595 Evo’s in the past on one of my M3’s had no complaints. I think the ST 1 is an upgrade of that.
I think you just are gun shy now to 200TW tires because of your experience with Bridgestone’s which while handling great are known for wearing superfasr. Hell I am going through my stock tires in under 10k.
Well time will tell if I get the Hankook’s you can check them out since you are local.

I'm northern LA, hbu?

 

[Dpro]

I'm northern LA, hbu?

Los Feliz right on the edge of Griffith Park below the Observatory.

 

[XanderMax]

Los Feliz right on the edge of Griffith Park below the Observatory.

Angela's Crest for you, Mulholland for me 😁

 

[kivnul]

I am finding this out every day I am still on the factory suspension!

In fact, since there are NO affordable (i.e.; NOT an $8K+ to start Reiger remote reservoir 3 way overkill), coil over. OR spring setups available for this car which allow for at least the factory ride height, with a higher rate spring, save for the Silver/NeoMax Panda Motorworks gravel rally spec setup, (which I am still considering), I might just stay on the factory stuff, or just use the factory springs on Bilstein B6es when the OEM dampers finally give up the ghost, and leak/blow out.

MiesterR Zeta-CRD's allow for stock height with stiffer springs. It is what I switched to due to oversized tires that rubbed with stock suspension. ~$1k USD so affordable in my book. The fronts can go a bit taller than stock, the backs are pretty much maxed out at stock.

 

[Erick_V]

Heh, ya he is here in LA the RS4’s would probably heat up fine here. We have a guy that runs 888R’s on the crest and if you want to talk about a tire that needs heat to work there ya go. lol
I will be making a decision shortly though as I have a set of Dekagrams in boxes sitting here screaming at me. 😆

Did you order black or bronze? I just ordered and I’m wondering if the bronze will take a while to get to me

 

[HBEcoBeaST]

Running a 205/50r16 lowered more than an inch you're going to rub. A local OC car has the eibach springs and 205/50 sc2s and he rubs during sprited driving. I have the bilstein b14 kit for the regular fiesta that should only lower me .25-.5" so I can stay on 205/50s. Need to install still but probably going to pay a shop to assemble, install and align[emoji3525]

I run Indy's 205/50r16 on dekas. I love them because they are fun for canyon and ocassional auto-x style events while still holding up over a year with my 300mile/week daily driving. Also good for potholes.

With the slight stretch, my TB traction bar, rear torsion brace and mount inserts my turn in/feedback is sharper than OEM. Without the bracing it's pretty close to OEM.

Only problem I've had is below 40F in rain where the Indys got hard.

Also considering the federal ST-1s but only $60 less than the Indys and I'd be surprised if they were better.

As for 200tw tires. Great for track. Annoying for daily commuting. Even the single R RSRs sound like monster truck tires or a swarm of bees. The re71s are a bit quieter. And both the RSRs and RSRRs have sidewalls on the softer side IMO and feedback isn't the greatest.

If you don't want to change springs is go with the 205/45 sc2 since it's 8" wide.

Otherwise get a 205/50 indy and get a fender roll

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

 

[Dpro]

Running a 205/50r16 lowered more than an inch you're going to rub. A local OC car has the eibach springs and 205/50 sc2s and he rubs during sprited driving. I have the bilstein b14 kit for the regular fiesta that should only lower me .25-.5" so I can stay on 205/50s. Need to install still but probably going to pay a shop to assemble, install and align[emoji3525]

I run Indy's 205/50r16 on dekas. I love them because they are fun for canyon and ocassional auto-x style events while still holding up over a year with my 300mile/week daily driving. Also good for potholes.

With the slight stretch, my TB traction bar, rear torsion brace and mount inserts my turn in/feedback is sharper than OEM. Without the bracing it's pretty close to OEM.

Only problem I've had is below 40F in rain where the Indys got hard.

Also considering the federal ST-1s but only $60 less than the Indys and I'd be surprised if they were better.

As for 200tw tires. Great for track. Annoying for daily commuting. Even the single R RSRs sound like monster truck tires or a swarm of bees. The re71s are a bit quieter. And both the RSRs and RSRRs have sidewalls on the softer side IMO and feedback isn't the greatest.

If you don't want to change springs is go with the 205/45 sc2 since it's 8" wide.

Otherwise get a 205/50 indy and get a fender roll

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

Now this is pushing me towards the RS4’s as they are known to be quite. I have run Hankooks in the past and currently on the BMW’s they definitely run a tad narrower than the Feddy’s. My 225 Feddys on 18x9’s rubbed while the Hankooks did not and they were quite.
In that case it looks like I am shopping prices on RS4’s.

 

[Erick_V]

My Falken's wore out in 9 months because I had about 8-ish autocross events on them plus a lot of spirited backroad drives on them. I'm also on e30 so the torque destroys my tires. My Fed's had some inner camber wear on them which is why i stopped running them. I believe I ran 1/16 to 1/8 toe out and like 2.x degrees of camber. If you drive normal and have a conservative allignment they (615k+ or RSR) should be just fine for what you want.

 

[XanderMax]

Running a 205/50r16 lowered more than an inch you're going to rub. A local OC car has the eibach springs and 205/50 sc2s and he rubs during sprited driving. I have the bilstein b14 kit for the regular fiesta that should only lower me .25-.5" so I can stay on 205/50s. Need to install still but probably going to pay a shop to assemble, install and align[emoji3525]

I run Indy's 205/50r16 on dekas. I love them because they are fun for canyon and ocassional auto-x style events while still holding up over a year with my 300mile/week daily driving. Also good for potholes.

With the slight stretch, my TB traction bar, rear torsion brace and mount inserts my turn in/feedback is sharper than OEM. Without the bracing it's pretty close to OEM.

Only problem I've had is below 40F in rain where the Indys got hard.

Also considering the federal ST-1s but only $60 less than the Indys and I'd be surprised if they were better.

As for 200tw tires. Great for track. Annoying for daily commuting. Even the single R RSRs sound like monster truck tires or a swarm of bees. The re71s are a bit quieter. And both the RSRs and RSRRs have sidewalls on the softer side IMO and feedback isn't the greatest.

If you don't want to change springs is go with the 205/45 sc2 since it's 8" wide.

Otherwise get a 205/50 indy and get a fender roll

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

So you would go with the wider 8" tread SC2 over the Indy with a slight stretch (improving sidewall stiffness) in the 205/45 flavor?

 

[HBEcoBeaST]

So you would go with the wider 8" tread SC2 over the Indy with a slight stretch (improving sidewall stiffness) in the 205/45 flavor?

yes because the 205/45r16 really isn't that much more rubber than OEM and the wider rims are just inviting pothole rash. plus the shorter sidewall and narrower width of the Indy's in 205/45 is too much stretch IMO both functionally and aesthetically. the sc2s in 205/45r16 seem to be both abnormally wide and stiff compared to all the other sizes so that'd be the best bet for daily and performance. if you want slight stretch stick with the 205/50s

 

[Dpro]

yes because the 205/45r16 really isn't that much more rubber than OEM and the wider rims are just inviting pothole rash. plus the shorter sidewall and narrower width of the Indy's in 205/45 is too much stretch IMO both functionally and aesthetically. the sc2s in 205/45r16 seem to be both abnormally wide and stiff compared to all the other sizes so that'd be the best bet for daily and performance. if you want slight stretch stick with the 205/50s

Are the Indys that narrow?

 

[HBEcoBeaST]

Are the Indys that narrow?

Most 205/45r16 are pretty narrow for an 8" wide rim. Just about all 205/45s aren't even rated for a 7.5" wheel. The extra sidewall of the 205/50s helps them fit better. I personally don't understand going down a size in tires when most people went to 16s to get more rubber on the ground. The 205/45 are already shorter than OEM, plus a stretch makes them even shorter, so you're basically at OEM rubber thickness or not even .5" more rubber. I'd recommend the biggest 205/45 available if going that route, especially as a daily/commuter.

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[Brianmc27]

All this talk of stretch and rolling fenders just reminds me why I went with the 215/45 ST-1s

They’re handling the current rainstorm with flying colors, by the way.

 

[XanderMax]

All this talk of stretch and rolling fenders just reminds me why I went with the 215/45 ST-1s

They’re handling the current rainstorm with flying colors, by the way.

How many miles on them now?

 

[Brianmc27]

How many miles on them now?

I’d say around 5-6k

 

[M-Sport fan]

MiesterR Zeta-CRD's allow for stock height with stiffer springs. It is what I switched to due to oversized tires that rubbed with stock suspension. ~$1k USD so affordable in my book. The fronts can go a bit taller than stock, the backs are pretty much maxed out at stock.

Yeah, some have also claimed that the Yellow coil overs will go to factory ride height as well, but I want/need a setup that can go to .75" to an inch HIGHER THAN the stock ride height if needed, front AND back.

IF I go with a coil over setup over a Bistein B6 on new factory springs, it will probably be the soon to be released, Panda Motorworks exclusive, Silver NeoMax gravel rally spec suspension, with some higher rate, but shorter height, Swift springs on them, set to a factory ride height.

BTW, there is only ONE tuner shop around here who will even put a 205/50-16 on a 16x8 (for a substantial 'extra charge' of course ), and NONE of the online places that I've asked will do this at all.

So between that, the stretch which is NOT wanted for the bombed-out roads around here, and a bit more wheel edge protection, I will go with a set of STRONG 16x7s with the requisite for my cold ambient temp capable locale, UHP all season 205/50-16s on them, since this setup will NEVER see a road course, or an autocross course.

 

[Dpro]

I’d say around 5-6k

How do the sidewalls feel, soft?

 

[Brianmc27]

How do the sidewalls feel, soft?

Not terribly, the turn-in is definitely less sharp than the 205 all-seasons I had on the stock rims - but the added grip and traction is well-worth the sacrifice.

When i changed from the 205/40 to the 215/45 the ride improvement was noticeable. Now, 6 months later, it still feels like the sporty little dumpster of a car it is.