WHEEL GROUP BUY Interest Poll - 949 Racing 6UL 4x108 Bolt Pattern

[OffTheWall503]

This is the first time I've heard of anyone saying 15 inch wheels aren't good for the stock brakes. This is Ford that is saying this?

Not trying to argue but it seems strange I've never heard of this until now.

 

[jeffreylyon]

This is the first time I've heard of anyone saying 15 inch wheels aren't good for the stock brakes. This is Ford that is saying this?
Not trying to argue but it seems strange I've never heard of this until now.

FR advises 16" or larger wheel size on the FiST (although I think that spare is a 15"). Now, that certainly doesn't mean that using a set of 15" will melt your brakes, but, of course, they are assuming worst case - no ducting, stock pads/fluids, hot day, etc. Rick and many others have proved that 15" will work if the entire system is considered.

 

[WhiteST]

If you push your car hard enough, the stock brakes will get cooked regardless of whatever size wheel you're running. And as for the wheels looking small? Well, it's a small car with small wheels, no surprise there. Personally I think 17s look too big. I don't want to drive around a cartoon car with pizza pan wheels. I'd run a 16 if the tire choices weren't so slim.

The only way to appreciate the wheels are to see them in person. It looks wide and low, pretty much what I was looking for (not to mention the functionality of it all) The roofline is already too high, so anything to get away from the minivan kidney-bean look is ok by me. But then again, this is all personal taste and not everyone agrees.

 

[RAAMaudio]

The 15" Helix looks more like a 16" due to the spokes extending out to the edges of the rim lips and 16" look is the best on this car

 

[M-Sport fan]

Too bad they do not make the SSII in 205/40/17 as it would be a really good fit on 7.5 wheels, if they made them to the same general size profiles like the other SSII that is.

The 215/40/17 is pretty wide with an 8" tread, 8.6 section width, I would prefer it on an 8 minimally and an 8.5 or 9 better.

The 205/45/17 is a better fit on a 7.5, 2lbs lower weight, 7.6 tread width, better feedback and control but getting fairly tall though for autocrosses it could be the tire that keeps you in second gear so less shifting which is always better in such events.

When you say "SSII" do you mean Pilot Super Sport, or Direzza Star Specs, something else??

IF I were to get 17x8 Pro 1.2s, and put those Star Specs in 215/40-17 on them, WOULD they clear everything, and not rub, both at stock height, and once I get a coil over setup on the car and lower it ~ an inch?? (Yes, I KNOW you are CRINGING at the weight of that combo!! LOL)

 

[RAAMaudio]

Star Spec

Clearance will depend on many things, offset being one of them, many have had to trim the 3rd bolt and mount material off the fender to bumper cover mounts so that is a likely mod that will need done but pretty simple to do and no real ill effects as long as you coat the bare metal and a good idea to seal the area in the fender liner with some ABS as I did. It is a really odd design they did in that area.

Yes, it is hard for me to accept heavier setups when I know they ride far worse, make more noise, wear things out faster, stop and start slower.......but, do what makes you happy

 

[M-Sport fan]

Well, considering that, what OTHER 225/45-15s are out there besides the few 3000 mile lasting, or less, autocross/track day gumballs??

ANYTHING I do not know about in the 220 to 300 tread wear street UHP category, or do I just have to bite the bullet, and buy new Rival Ses (or NT-01s) every few months?

 

[RAAMaudio]

I probably have 2500 miles on the Rival S in mixed driving, some pretty serious, some really mild, 75% tread left at least.

If you need longer tread life I would take a good look at the Sport Comp-2 in 195/155/15, 7.9 section and 7.7 tread width, last longer, a good all around summer tire, would work really well on an 8" wide wheel and they are $78 on Tirerack.

The Ventus RS-3 in 225/45/15 has a 7.9 section and 8.0 tread width which is a bit wide but will work on an 8" wheel(which are 9" lip to lip) same weight, a bit smaller in diameter than stock but by much and $108 each which is not to bad either.

If you need an AS tire, 3 season really, the 205/50/15 NeoGen is the best there is at this time.

I had the 205/45/17 Mich PS A/S3 on 17x7 16.8 lb wheels, very very good 3 season tires but rode like a brick and very noisy so I gave them to my daughter for her 05 Mazda 3 S 5 door and they are much better on that car.

 

[M-Sport fan]

^^^Thanks!

Would you expect the RS-3s to last more, or less miles than the Rival Ses (or NT-01s), given all the same conditions, and for street use?

The RE-71Rs and Rival Ses seem to have a rep for being MUCH softer/gummier than their (faux?) 200 tread wear rating would lead one to believe.

There is also the Kumho V720s in that 200 TW class, but I have no idea how they compare, compound and wear wise, to all of the others.

It's a shame that ALL of these 225/45-15 set ups are ~.5" shorter than the OEM diameter, when these cars are geared too low (numerically high) to begin with, both in the gearbox AND the final drive.

 

[RAAMaudio]

I would tend to think it could last quite a bit longer, at least over the Rival S which has an autocross oriented compound but one thing I really like about the tire is there is very little warmup needed, driving down a winding road just cruising along, get on it, lots of power applied, lots of grip into the first turn. Incredible all around grip, acceleration, cornering and braking as long as not cold weather.

I was going to order the RS-3 but there were none to be had for some time to come when I was ready for summer only tires so had only one choice in a 225 and that was the Rival S and I really like them for my application, high powered, fully sorted out suspension

 

[M-Sport fan]

Have you heard anything about the Kumho V720s vs. the above tires, as far as street use goes (wear, rain performance, turn-in response, etc.)??

NO ONE ever seems to even mention them.

 

[MKVIIST]

It's been two weeks, can we wrap up this feeler thread?

 

[OffTheWall503]

Can we wait just a tad longer? We don't have enough people signed up to get anything started.

 

[frankiefiesta]

Damn. I was really hoping to get a set of these

 

[OffTheWall503]

I don't have a specific time to get this done by, which is why I'm playing the waiting game. I'm hopeful we can get more people on board but judging from the response now and the price of these wheels, it's doubtful.

 

[M-Sport fan]

I might have considered them in gloss black, but I just HATE the way they look in silver in the 15" size.

 

[Corrosion]

This thread has also been throughly polluted so I don't know how much it's going to help at this point.

Maybe starting a group buy thread with the exact wheel and color (15x8 +36 in beryllium?). Than reach out to the other forums for cars with 4x108. Once this info gets out 25 sets (if not more) should not be an issue!

 

[frankiefiesta]

This thread has also been throughly polluted so I don't know how much it's going to help at this point.

Maybe starting a group buy thread with the exact wheel and color (15x8 +36 in beryllium?). Than reach out to the other forums for cars with 4x108. Once this info gets out 25 sets (if not more) should not be an issue!

Yeah, also posting in places like Reddit or Facebook groups might help

 

[Corrosion]

Yeah, also posting in places like Reddit or Facebook groups might help

Yes!!

So everyone on the interested list we need to hash out our wheel and color spec and get this rolling. The vote is 15x8 et 36 in tungsten. But I think I agree with 949 on color suggestion. If we are stuck with one color beryllium actually look like the best option for a neutral color that will look great on any color way.

If I posted that right it is a great picture from 949's website of what beryllium looks like. I'm a huge fan.

 

[Corrosion]

It worked! so here is another pic