Auto X rims and tires???

[diegosurfer5]

Ok well for those of you who read my last thread you know i went down and tried the auto x i loved it now my dad lovingly and willingly decided he would help me in febuary when i get back from my trip with getting me some auto x rims and tires. i know the rims dont really matter so i want to know if anybody knows of any good cheap light weight rims that will be able to handle the auto x and then also tires. well let me know any ideas would be great.

 

[chris1866]

Honestly, if you are just starting out, i would run on street tires. (read apexlater's sticky thread about race tires at the beginning of this forum--tons of good info there).

It is important to learn your car and improve your skills as a driver and the best way to do that is on street tires. I would stick with them for at the very least 8 events before you move up to anything stickier. (i have been autoxing for almost 5 years and just now got my first set of race tires).
Also, you could get some falken azenis rt 615's or Hankook rs2 z-212s. They are extremely aggressive street tires and really provide some awesome grip. Personally though, i would even hold off on these for a while until you kind of get your bearings.

Also, (and i guess this depends on your budget), i wouldn't go spending a fortune on the lightest wheels possible--just get something that works.

Again, read apexlater's thread on "think you're ready for race tires". Lots of help there.

Good Luck! There are a lot of great guys on this forum who can really help you out with this stuff.

 

[Jas00x]

From the looks of your sig, you have a bunch of mods that would put you into the STS class, which is a great place to start. Any rims will work fine for autocross, but for STS, I believe the rules only allow up to a 7.5" wide wheel. I'd look for something like a 15x7, 15x7.5, 16x7 or 16x7.5, in size that is as light as you can afford. Typically, the lighter the wheel, the more expensive it gets, but there are some affordable options if you look at sites like Tirerack, or Discount tire.
As mentioned above, the best "street tire" is probably the Falken Azenis RT-615. You will probably want the 205-50-15, or 205-40-16. There is enough difference between RT-615's and real R-Compound Tires, that I would say its OK for a rookie to get the RT-615's starting out. The 615's give you enough grip to have fun in the curves, but you still really need to learn how to brake.

 

[Vanimaniac]

Also keep a lookout on your local regions website/forum/etc.

My local region's site has a forum with a classified section. There's always guys selling off decent used wheels/tires etc.

Van

 

[aMaff]

Ahhh yes, welcome to your addiction. I started off running stock wheels with falken azenis. I ran a few events in an MSP at the end of this season w/ R's. While they're ridiculously fun, I know I didn't get close to the max out of them because I was not up to it as a driver. I'm currently building a Miata for STS2 competition that may possibly morph into CSP (R's) in the next couple of seasons. I'm running the ST class for 2 reasons: 1) It's cheaper to prep the car for lol, and 2) I'll learn a lot more on the streets than on R's.





For the record, the catless exhaust puts you in FSP.

 

[dmitrik4]

i've had a set of 4 relatively light 15x7s and a pair of 15x6.5s up for a few weeks now. they have tires that are good enough for local events. i'm flexible on price.

 

[122 Vega]

The catless exhaust takes you out of STS and puts you into Street Prepared.

If I were you, I'd go out and buy a set of 15x7 Team Dynamics and some 225/50/15 Kumhos and have a blast. You don't have to "grow up" on street tires. I started autocrossing on full slicks and ten years later I'm on street tires. What matters the most is seat time. You will learn about car control regardless of how the car is set up, so why not mod it and have as much fun as you can now? Five years from now you'll probably be in a different car, a different class, but with a whole lot more experience, and that is what matters.

Figure that the P5 is not going to be a Nationally competitive car without a crap load of money, so just have fun. When you get really serious, you'll get a car that is more competitive anyways.

Get some R-comps, run FSP, and don't worry about your times. They will get better as you go along. I would suggest not making a ton of changes all at once though, do them little by little so you know what works and what doesn't. Even better, be happy in the fact that you have a dad that is cool enough that not only will he help support your interests, but sounds like he'll be involved as well. Heck, everyone needs a "tire warmer" so why not co-drive with your dad?

Britt

 

[xelderx]

Figure that the P5 is not going to be a Nationally competitive car without a crap load of money, so just have fun. When you get really serious, you'll get a car that is more competitive anyways.

I hate you.

Get some R-comps, run FSP, and don't worry about your times. They will get better as you go along. I would suggest not making a ton of changes all at once though, do them little by little so you know what works and what doesn't. Even better, be happy in the fact that you have a dad that is cool enough that not only will he help support your interests, but sounds like he'll be involved as well. Heck, everyone needs a "tire warmer" so why not co-drive with your dad?

Britt

You forgot to tell him about the 4 sets of R'comps he'll cord in the first year.

 

[gar777]

I say start with 9-spoke 15x6" Millenia wheels and Falken Azenis 205/50R15, total cost around $600. Reasonable price, sticky, predictable breakaway, decent wear -- good tire to learn on and a nice way to transition from street tires to r-comps

 

[122 Vega]

I hate you.



You forgot to tell him about the 4 sets of R'comps he'll cord in the first year.

Not a dis by any means, lol, I just had to do the same thing! I just hate new autocrossers going out and not being at the top of thier classes, getting dismayed and never returning.

Tell me, have you not spent a crap load of cash? I thought so!

I quit counting somewhere around $12,000, and I still have about another $6,000 to go to get the car where I want it....

Geez, I could've bought a Nationally competitive car for that!

I went into STX instead of DS because I wanted to mod the car so it would be more fun as a daily driver, but it would have saved me a lot of money to go DS even with 4 sets of tires a year!

Britt

 

[122 Vega]

Could be worse though, I have more than $10,000 into my EP car and it doesn't even run yet! I only have about another $20,000 to go into it before I even bring it out to the track.

I'd hate to think what this stuff would cost if I didn't build my own cars, including the cages, paint, engines etc...

I guess I'd be running a spec miata like everyone else.

Britt

 

[xelderx]

Not a dis by any means, lol, I just had to do the same thing! I just hate new autocrossers going out and not being at the top of thier classes, getting dismayed and never returning.

Tell me, have you not spent a crap load of cash? I thought so!

I quit counting somewhere around $12,000, and I still have about another $6,000 to go to get the car where I want it....

Geez, I could've bought a Nationally competitive car for that!

I went into STX instead of DS because I wanted to mod the car so it would be more fun as a daily driver, but it would have saved me a lot of money to go DS even with 4 sets of tires a year!

Britt

My suspension and tire budget from last year could have bought me a trophy FSP Scirocco. What the hell am I thinking. People ask me how much I have in the car and I'm like uh....at least $10,000. I could have a Scirocco and a sweet aluminum trailer for that!

 

[khaosman]

Britt, could the MSP be decent in DSP? I never really thought about it.

 

[moxnix]

Britt, could the MSP be decent in DSP? I never really thought about it.

I am not Britt but I think right now the MSP would be a second rung car in DSP. I don't think it can compete with the top BMW's in the class. Of course nothing else can compete with them either right now so that is not saying much.

I think with a metric asston of money it could do well depending on where it ends up after the SP changes this coming year. Look at xelderx's FSP build and add more $$ to it because you are going to need some serious tuning with the altered boost and also a lot of tire testing. Can we fit the 285/30/18? how about the 275/45/16? Might have to go down to 245/45/16? Is hoosier going to make the 245/40/15 that they are talking about? what width rims?

 

[xelderx]

I am not Britt but I think right now the MSP would be a second rung car in DSP. I don't think it can compete with the top BMW's in the class. Of course nothing else can compete with them either right now so that is not saying much.

I think with a metric asston of money it could do well depending on where it ends up after the SP changes this coming year. Look at xelderx's FSP build and add more $$ to it because you are going to need some serious tuning with the altered boost and also a lot of tire testing. Can we fit the 285/30/18? how about the 275/45/16? Might have to go down to 245/45/16? Is hoosier going to make the 245/40/15 that they are talking about? what width rims?

275 or 285 series tires will work...sawzall for the win.

 

[122 Vega]

Personally, I don't think anything can compete with a decent RWD car in autocross. I ran in DSP and FSP for a few years, but haven't read the rules lately, but I can imagine that I could easily spent twice what I have already to build a DSP MSP. But no, I don't think it would be a top contender.

I had been considering building one for FP, but Fp also has the Elise and 240 and a few other proven RWD cars. I just don't think it would be worth the $$ to find out.

My next car - after my EP car is done - will be an ITA or ITS (depending on where SCCA classes it) MP3. Will it contend with the 240sx and BMWs and CRXs in ITA? Who knows, but who cares, it is an awfully fun car to drive at speed, and the setup for IT racing is not too far off from where my MSP is now.

Britt