Tire size/setup/should I try it question...

wastintime · 10-17-2005, 08:54 AM

Hey everyone,

I recently redid the setup on my RSA and found out that my street tires no longer fit. I'd rather change the tires than the setup. The tires are Yokohama AVS-ES100 275/40/17s

I'm running 3mm of toe in per side in the rear and the very top of the inside edge on both sides just barely rub the trailing arm with a 2mm spacer. The problem is that the pass. side also just barely rubs an oil line. The trailing arm I could live with we'd just polish it down a bit. Now that the car has been lowered another 3/4 inch it's also dangerously close to the fender lip, although that can be massaged pretty easily.

I'm currently running Toyo RA-1s for track tires, and unfortunately they just don't make many sizes. Optimally to not worry It would be great to run 215s in the front and 265s in the rear, but finding those in 17 isn't easy. I think Kumho and Michelin would work, but I hate the MPSCs, and the kumhos are really fast, but I can go through a set in one or two weekends.

Toyo makes a 275, but no comparable front to go with it, and I'm chewing up 205s like crazy when I push it. Sitll, the Toyo 275 has an overall diameter of 25.67 and a width of 10.9 inches. The yoko has a diameter of 25.70 and a width of 11.1 inches. Since the yoks are just barely barely touching, would it be worth it to try a set of 275 toyos and see if they fit?

Lol, sorry I didn't mean for this to be that long just to ask that question.

Then again, a 275,205 combo is fine for the street, but on the track I'd really like a bigger tire in front, and the Toyo 235 is just too big, it'll never fit. Lol, I've begged them to make a 225/45/17 I could run it on the front of my RSA, and all four corners of the WRX. Or maybe it's finally time to bite the bullet and get some 18" track wheels?

wastintime · 10-18-2005, 08:10 AM

Well, I've been talking with Toyo, and looking at widths, heights, etc... it looks like the Toyo 275 will fit perfectly, so we're going to try that. The front is going to suck a little bit... they only make a 235, and it's going to be TIGHT... although I'm hoping on a racetrack, the only clearance issue is going to dissapear, because the loaded side is going to be turned away from the point where it might rub.

I also found out the have a 215/265 street tire combo, which I think I'll be switching to.

Still, any input from you guys is appreciated. I'm always open to ideas.

Mike Metzler · 10-19-2005, 10:25 AM

I am running 235x45 and 255x40 RA1s on my '87 with 8/9x17 Fikses and they work great. I have some rubbing at full lock, but how often are you at full lock? The fit of the 235 is quite similar to the 225x45 Victoracer.

For what it is worth, these tires seem to last forever. I finally corded one of the rear shoulders after 38 heat cycles (~1000 track miles), but the fronts still have plenty of tread, and the tires still had a lot of stick. Perhaps I drive too gently, but I have never had problems holding my own against similarly prepared cars...

Tyson Schmidt · 10-19-2005, 01:22 PM

I ran 245/45/17 in front and 275/40/17 in back on my '72 with Carrera flares. No problems in front. Except inner fender well at full lock. But if you're rubbing the inner fender well at full lock on the track, tire rubbing is the least of your worries!

wastintime · 10-19-2005, 05:33 PM

Thanks guys, I think I will try the 235/275 combo. I'm a little more worried about the fronts than the rears actually. Obviously, yes the 235s will rub at lock, but I'm more worried about them rubbing on the very front part of the fender. I think a 235 is actually going to stick out past the front of the front fender and cause some problems, it's 1.1 inches wider than the 205 I'm currently running which with the steering wheel straight is dead even with the fender. and I don't want to have to run new wheels to make them fit... mainly being cheap. 993 cup wheels seem to work fine, they're 1 inch wider then the 964 wheels to help with the wider tires.

btw, speaking of the RA1s... I'm on my 2nd set, and my first set lasted forever... like 8 or 9 DEs, my current set of RA1s is going to last 3 DEs I'm not really sure why, well this past DE I did 3 days, and about 17 sessions, so 17 cycles were in one weekend as opposed to the usual 7. Oh well, if I make it through '05 without new track tires on the 911 I'll be happy.

air-cool-me · 10-19-2005, 10:32 PM

"I ran 245/45/17 in front and 275/40/17 in back on my '72 with Carrera flares"

what wheels? i guess you had to do some tucking and shaving...

RSAmerica · 11-03-2005, 04:13 PM

Here are the wheels and offset I run on my RS America:

BBS RS GT 8x18 50 mm offset w/245/35/18 Hoosier
BBS RS GT 10x18 65 mm offset with 21 mm spacer, offset w/spacer equals 44 mm w/285/30/18 Hoosier

To run the 285/30/18 you will have to roll your rear fenders. Keep in mind that you will get some rubbing on the inside with the 285. Also I made a guard for the oil line. And my car is setup for the track with lots of negative camber. 275/35/18 is an easer fit.

wastintime · 11-03-2005, 05:47 PM

245/285... I need to see a picture of that. Where's your ride height?, the car can't be lowered.

RSAmerica · 11-03-2005, 07:08 PM

Check this link for shoots of my car:
http://www.rsamerica.net/gallery/davidk_of_nj.htm

wastintime · 11-04-2005, 05:17 AM

I've seen those pics before, I really like your car. I was more impressed with the driving lights than the wheels/tires. I thought those only fit 993s. I've seen a kit for 964s, but i'd never seen a worse brake cooling kit. the "cool brake kits" for 964s suck, the only right way to do it is to drill into the trunk and run hoses through there like they did on SPOT. Otherwise you just knock them off like crazy.

wastintime · 11-07-2005, 12:37 AM

Hey guys,

I ended up picking up another set of 993 cup wheels which I'm planning on using as track wheels. It's almost a shame since they're so nice, but, they work, they're wider than the 964 cups, and they have offsets I like.

Anyway, if I run Victoracers I would probably run 265/215 and never have a problem. I'm trying to stick with Toyos and as I said before, my only options are a 275/235 combination. The 275s I think are actually going to do ok. The 235s I'm a little worried about fender rubs, but also, I'm really worried about them fitting on the rims... Toyo says they should be mounted on an 8 inch rim, but the 993 fronts are only 7"s (I had thought they were 7.5" for some reason). Now, granted, they also say a 205 should be mounted on a 7.5" rim, and I've seen 205s mounted on way narrower rims.

Just wondering if anyone thought I'd have a problem with the 235s on 7"s

Thanks