Stock tires are biggest setback to handling

[LazerBlueP5]

Has anyone noticed that the bottle-neck in our cars' stock handling performance are the tires. Ugh, I can turn into a turn hard with little body roll but the tires always want to start breaking away. Gotta get a set of Yokohamas on there!

by the way check out how my animated (avatar) is comming...

 

[Equinox]

haha yer crazy man, it would be 50% more expressive with the bulging vein neck, lol. But yeah, good skill. and I never really got to know the stock tires, I just live on my Kuhmos

 

[Rogue]

well, i'm getting new rubber on mine tomorrow. I was going to get the Kumho's, but the guy said that the Yokohama's were better (performance-wise) and they were a better deal.

the face looks cool

 

[WaatDaHell]

Actually, our tires are really good for stock tires. Of course the Kuhmos and the Yokohamas, depending on which models you're speeking of, are better. But for stock tires, they're really good. The problem, however, is the width. 195's are just too skinny. Increasing your wheel size to 17" wheels still only get you to 205's. (If you plus size correctly, that is.) So wider tires will definitely help because of the increased footprint.

 

[EVADE]

just wonder if the 02 celica gts tires 205/50/16 would fit our stock rims? cuz i got a set of those!

 

[WaatDaHell]

it'll fit but the size is a little too thick. It won't really mess up anything but your mileage and your speedo. It shouldn't be a big deal though.

 

[EVADE]

thanks!

 

[rodslinger]

I changed out the tires on my P5 for Bridgestone Potenza RE-730's in a 205-50R16 a few weeks after I got the car. It made a HUGE improvement in handling. Much better response, grip, everything. They looked good on the car too. Even though the diameter was about the same, the extra width made the stance appear more uniform. To me, the stock wheels/tires look like they are too far in from the edge of the fender.

 

[dichiee]

rodsliner can you post some pics of your wheels

 

[WaatDaHell]

I changed out the tires on my P5 for Bridgestone Potenza RE-730's in a 205-50R16 a few weeks after I got the car. It made a HUGE improvement in handling. Much better response, grip, everything. They looked good on the car too. Even though the diameter was about the same, the extra width made the stance appear more uniform. To me, the stock wheels/tires look like they are too far in from the edge of the fender.

I know what you mean, they are too skinny. The Civic SI has 195/60/15's. If they were 16" wheels, they'd be 205/50/16's. I hate how our car is bigger and supposed to be really sporty, which it is, yet they give us skinny wussy looking tires. When I upgrade to 17" wheels, I'm most likely gonna get 215/40/17's. A little bigger than it should be, but we don't have traction control anyway. So it won't do any harm.

 

[dichiee]

will it look good if I put 205 on our 16?

I wish I can put my jetta's 245 hehe

 

[Equinox]

yeah I have 205s, it bulges out more and actualy helps prevent curb rash because the tire is a lot farther out than the tire. Fits just fine tho

 

[dichiee]

do you have pix equinox?

 

[Don]

I can tell you that at least part of the handling limitations are that the stock alloys are just to darn HEAVY

I went to 205/55's on 15 inch BBS alloys (off the '88 - '91 RX-7's) and would up with a correct diameter tire which is wider and the whole shebang is 4 pounds lighter than stock per corner - Major improvement in handling!

I'm still at 31.5 pounds per corner, (my Miata is just 25) but even 31 is VERY light for a Protege.

Don

 

[Equinox]

do you have pix equinox?

Stock 195 tire -

Kuhmo 205 tire -

notice how the 205s curve out towards the outside of the tire, while the stock is your classic ....tire. This goes to show you how much a 215 tire WOULDN'T fit on a 6" wide rim.

 

[Rotus]

I put 205/45/16 on mine. The total diameter is a little smaller, but they are the same size as my other car and when I go to 17 on the P5, I can just move these tires to the Lotus.

 

[Equinox]

...to the Lotus.

(bowdown)

 

[Rotus]

(bowdown)

No need, it's all show, not much go. I have to sell it soon, too. So... anyone interested, just let me know.

It's the Elan with the Isuzu turbo and the only performance upgrades are K&N drop in, custom rear section with Borla and custom tip and an aquarium valve on the wastegate .

The Mazda seems to outhandle it plenty. The steering is way better and the ride is, too. May just be a seat of te pants thing, but there has to be something said for 11 years of advancement in automotive engineering.

On similarity I've noticed between the two is that the drivetrain seems to have it's own subframe or raft. Lotus were the ones to pioneer this on FWD cars.

 

[Rogue]

do you have a picture of the car?

 

[Rotus]

I'll take a few later today and post em up.