Meaty Tires Thread

[Grendlehop18]

Going small tire and tall sidewall is wrongthink. The problem is the harsh oem suspension. I run B8’s with Mountune springs on Rota 17x8 with ZIII’s and the car rides beautifully now. Just sayin

I totally believe what you're saying, as the roads up your way must be pretty harsh compared to mine. I grew up driving around craters back in Vermont. My major concern is the random unexpected road hazards I encounter when traveling unfamiliar routes and what might happen to my rims with the stretched oem rubber. Doh! Also, I rarely venture outside the urban sprawl, so setting up for turns isn't happening much. Suspension will happen, but not until something like October. Koni oranges with Swifts.

 

[Ledfoot]

Going small tire and tall sidewall is wrongthink. The problem is the harsh oem suspension. I run B8’s with Mountune springs on Rota 17x8 with ZIII’s and the car rides beautifully now. Just sayin

The tire is no smaller than the stock width.. I don't see how 205/55/15 is "small". I may at some point go wider, but I wouldn't go back to 17's, as losing unsprung weight was the whole point for me. Your Rotas are slinging about 5+ extra pounds a piece vs these OZ's, which is still 5 pounds better than OEM... but I wanted to max out what I could do... This was just my personal preference. I like your setup, I was just aiming in a different direction, given how I use my FiST.

I don't know what cars you have had in the past, but I never found my FiST a tooth-rattling experience compared to some of my prior performance cars... or even my daily drivers. Sure the wheelbase is short, but no rubber prescription actually solves that. :shrugs:

I have mentioned this before but in 16k miles, the dash out at one point and put back in, and regular hard driving, I have yet to get a squeak or a rattle... My good friend's new WRX couldn't say the same... and he paid something like $10k more than I did... I think the OEM dampers are a compromise, for sure, but they did a pretty decent job with them.

 

[Ledfoot]

Now that's what I call a succinct and detailed account! Spent the better part of my day off trying to figure out my path forward. It's much easier to tackle my ride quality woes going with a mounted, balanced and shipped for free wheel/tire package from Tire Rack, than it would be baking under my carport swapping suspension in blazing AZ summer heat. Thanks Ledfoot!

Happy to help! Granted, I can only speak from personal experience, and to each their own, but I definitely enjoy my car more now than I did with the stock meats on it.

I do think that tires have a larger impact on the smaller and LIGHTER wheels. (12 lbs! Stocks are over 22!) .. I am running Dunlop Direzza DZ102's which I like a great deal. They are decent in the wet too, so long as you aren't doing anything batsh!t…lol...

 

[MRX330]

The tire is no smaller than the stock width.. I don't see how 205/55/15 is "small". I may at some point go wider, but I wouldn't go back to 17's, as losing unsprung weight was the whole point for me. Your Rotas are slinging about 5+ extra pounds a piece vs these OZ's, which is still 5 pounds better than OEM... but I wanted to max out what I could do... This was just my personal preference. I like your setup, I was just aiming in a different direction, given how I use my FiST.

I don't know what cars you have had in the past, but I never found my FiST a tooth-rattling experience compared to some of my prior performance cars... or even my daily drivers. Sure the wheelbase is short, but no rubber prescription actually solves that. :shrugs:

I have mentioned this before but in 16k miles, the dash out at one point and put back in, and regular hard driving, I have yet to get a squeak or a rattle... My good friend's new WRX couldn't say the same... and he paid something like $10k more than I did... I think the OEM dampers are a compromise, for sure, but they did a pretty decent job with them.

I meant in general. You had a specific plan for your car.

 

[Grendlehop18]

Happy to help! Granted, I can only speak from personal experience, and to each their own, but I definitely enjoy my car more now than I did with the stock meats on it.

I do think that tires have a larger impact on the smaller and LIGHTER wheels. (12 lbs! Stocks are over 22!) .. I am running Dunlop Direzza DZ102's which I like a great deal. They are decent in the wet too, so long as you aren't doing anything batsh!t…lol...

I'm still banging my head against the wall trying to pull the trigger on this wheel/tire package. Always go through a period of buyers remorse after the struggle with making that final click that lasts until the product arrives Anyways, I hope it's ok I bother you with one last question. How do the Kumho Ecsta PS31s stack up against the DZ102s you're currently running? There's only a $60 total package difference with the Kumhos being slightly less.

 

[Blinkie]

I finally get to join the meaty tires club.
Firehawk Indy 500s, 205/50r16
RTX Envy in 16x6.5 +32

I had stock tires stretched on RTX Envy 17x7.5 and I hated it, turn in was sharp but mid corner it ALWAYS felt like it was scrubbing and really eroded your confidence. The ride was harsh and sharp, tar lines caused a snap and it just didn't feel good.

After a 45 minute test drive I really like this, it feels a little less direct on turn in but it is far more confidence inspiring through the corner and better communication what's going on. The ride is a little more compliant without being sloppy but there are a LOT of factors going on here to cause these changes besides just a -1" wheel size.

Cosmetically, I love it, the thicker sidewalls combined with the smaller wheel look less cartoony/hot wheels and make the car look more like what I wanted.
IMHO 17"s were the wrong size for these go-karts but I understand they pretty much had to do it because just using 16" wheels wouldn't have differentiated it from the SE/Titanium enough.

 

[Ledfoot]

I'm still banging my head against the wall trying to pull the trigger on this wheel/tire package. Always go through a period of buyers remorse after the struggle with making that final click that lasts until the product arrives Anyways, I hope it's ok I bother you with one last question. How do the Kumho Ecsta PS31s stack up against the DZ102s you're currently running? There's only a $60 total package difference with the Kumhos being slightly less.

I totally get it and was right there with you. At one point I had the same wheels in 16" and 15" both set up in my cart on tirerack for days wondering.. ultimately I decided on the 15s and I am happy with them now that they are on the car. 16's may have slightly better turn in? But I didn't notice a discernable drop in ability going from 17s to 15s...

I can't really speak to the Kumhos because I haven't used a summer tire of this size, save for what I am running right now. Snapped a couple more images of how these sit relative to the fender, front and rear, when I got to work... my suspension is completely stock still.

 

[Grendlehop18]

I totally get it and was right there with you. At one point I had the same wheels in 16" and 15" both set up in my cart on tirerack for days wondering.. ultimately I decided on the 15s and I am happy with them now that they are on the car. 16's may have slightly better turn in? But I didn't notice a discernable drop in ability going from 17s to 15s...

I can't really speak to the Kumhos because I haven't used a summer tire of this size, save for what I am running right now. Snapped a couple more images of how these sit relative to the fender, front and rear, when I got to work... my suspension is completely stock still.
View attachment 21953 View attachment 21954

Looks awesome & you've been a big help! Now I'm wondering what I might be able to get for my set of like new Grids, oem summer tires (5k miles) and tpms sensors

 

[Sanity]

I've been stalking this thread since I got my FiST because I knew right away I wanted a smaller wheel with more sidewall to go with the baby rally car look I'm going for. I think I've finally settled on the 205/50R16s. 215/50R16 was the dream, but the tire options aren't there and the 205s haven't exactly been letting me down in the power department. I wanted OZ Leggendas or Rallys, but they don't come in 16 So I think 16" black Sparco Terras are the winning wheel

 

[Ledfoot]

I've been stalking this thread since I got my FiST because I knew right away I wanted a smaller wheel with more sidewall to go with the baby rally car look I'm going for. I think I've finally settled on the 205/50R16s. 215/50R16 was the dream, but the tire options aren't there and the 205s haven't exactly been letting me down in the power department. I wanted OZ Leggendas or Rallys, but they don't come in 16 So I think 16" black Sparco Terras are the winning wheel

It was this thread that sent me straight to tirerack... lol..

 

[Ledfoot]

I lusted for the Rallys.... but when I saw the weight was more than the stockers and the rubber limitations I balked...then I was settling on a 7.5 width Superturismo LM... but this thread made me reconsider that... and I am very happy that it did.

You are going to love the Terras... close in look to a Rally and much lighter!

 

[Maihyo]

225/50/16 re71r's on 16x8 konig dekagrams. Just finished getting them to fit today

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

 

[M-Sport fan]

You are going to love the Terras... close in look to a Rally and much lighter!

Plus, it turns out that they are way way stronger than I even thought they could be, as there were MANY of the actual rally crews (competitors) on these wheels (some even on the Assetto Garas, which I thought were even weaker than the Terras!) at NEFR this past weekend, and some of those stage roads were wheel killers.

 

[Booster]

I finally get to join the meaty tires club.
Firehawk Indy 500s, 205/50r16
RTX Envy in 16x6.5 +32

I had stock tires stretched on RTX Envy 17x7.5 and I hated it, turn in was sharp but mid corner it ALWAYS felt like it was scrubbing and really eroded your confidence. The ride was harsh and sharp, tar lines caused a snap and it just didn't feel good.

After a 45 minute test drive I really like this, it feels a little less direct on turn in but it is far more confidence inspiring through the corner and better communication what's going on. The ride is a little more compliant without being sloppy but there are a LOT of factors going on here to cause these changes besides just a -1" wheel size.

Cosmetically, I love it, the thicker sidewalls combined with the smaller wheel look less cartoony/hot wheels and make the car look more like what I wanted.
IMHO 17"s were the wrong size for these go-karts but I understand they pretty much had to do it because just using 16" wheels wouldn't have differentiated it from the SE/Titanium enough.

This looks perfect. Really top notch. Are you lowered, if so how much? I like 16’s of this style with the spoke extending to the edge. Some of the Motorsports style like decas look too small IMHO.

 

[Blinkie]

This looks perfect. Really top notch. Are you lowered, if so how much? I like 16’s of this style with the spoke extending to the edge. Some of the Motorsports style like decas look too small IMHO.

No, I'm still at stock height but wishing I'd gone 205/45, these rub ever so slightly on big bumps. Not enough to worry me but enough to be annoying.

I love the look though, these were everything I wanted and for the price, reasonably light weight at 17 pounds.

 

[zkerikso]

225/50/16 re71r's on 16x8 konig dekagrams. Just finished getting them to fit today

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

On stock suspension? Do you rub at all?

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

 

[Izzy]

Does anyone knows the widest tread width 205/50/15 tire out there? Beginning to think 225/45/15 on TD 1.2's with Mountune springs would be a stretch.

 

[M-Sport fan]

Does anyone knows the widest tread width 205/50/15 tire out there? Beginning to think 225/45/15 on TD 1.2's with Mountune springs would be a stretch.

It looks like the Toyo RA1 is about the very widest, at 8.0", but that is a 100 tread wear pretty much pure track tire (although at least decent in the rain at FULL tread depth).

Their R1R is a 200 tread wear donut, so at least it is 'streetable', and is maybe the very next widest at 7.6".

Others will have to chime in on the widest tread width more pedestrian, higher tread wear summer, and UHP all seasons, as I've never looked at those.

 

[Izzy]

I really like my Firestone Indy 500's I have now, but so disappointed they don't even make anything in 15 inch.

 

[Izzy]

Ok...so after some research I think I narrowed it down to the new Federal RS-Pro which is 200AA and in 205/50/15 has a tread width of 7.8