Tire Questions

[mazdaowner123]

I'm looking at r-compounds now. I ordered new azenis, but my stock tires are rubbing again, and spacers didn't help. So, what I'm gonna do is order new wheels/rcopmounds, and make the azenis my street tires till they die then chuck on some cheap all seasons. I've been wanting to get some rcomps anyway. So, I don't want to deal with ANY rubbing. I'm scared of ordering 225-50-16 victos, because they might rub. So, would a 205-55-16 toyo ra-1 be ok? Is that enough tire? Too much sidewall? I'm guessing even losing 10mm per corner it'd still be better than 215 azenis. 225 is the smallest diameter victoracers come in. Anyone else have any suggestions for an rcomp tire to go to? Thanks.

~brian

 

[xelderx]

Why don't you go ahead and get 15" rims and R-compounds. Then you can run 225's.

 

[mazdaowner123]

Or, should I go with 225-50-16 vracers? Do you think it'd rub? I don't mind rolling fenders...

~brian

 

[mazdaowner123]

i see. so if i get 15s i can run 225s because it will have more fender gap?

~brian

 

[mazdaowner123]

Any suggestions on a lightweight 15" wheel to go with? 15's are appealing cause of cost as well...

~brian

 

[xelderx]

I have 15X7 Kosei K1's (approx 13lbs ea.) with 225 series Hoosiers. They don't rub as long as you have enough ride hieght. They will stick outside the wheel wells just a hair on the back.

 

[mazdaowner123]

Is there a way to browse wheel details on tire rack? or anywhere else that sells them? It keeps making me tell them i have a mazdaspeed, then won't display the 15s. talk about a bad system.

~brian

 

[mazdaowner123]

Is there a way to browse wheel details on tire rack? or anywhere else that sells them? It keeps making me tell them i have a mazdaspeed, then won't display the 15s. talk about a bad system.

~brian

what i'm trying to find out is the offset, btw. i'm hoping for +45 offset, I think, unless I can go lower. the rubbing for me is on the bigger jic shocks i'm running. thanks for your help. i'm about to shoot myself with all of this hassle.

 

[xelderx]

Use a mid 90's 626. That will show you the 15's, but I don't think it tells the offset. IIRC the ones Tirerack has are +37 offset which should get the 225's away from the shocks enough. I have the Mazdaspeed adj. struts and I can't even get a finger in between the 225's and the strut in the back.

 

[mazdaowner123]

So even with a +37 they're close to the shocks? dayum. Maybe I won't fit 225 victoracers with +45 offset, even with 5mm spacers? this is hard.

 

[xelderx]

So even with a +37 they're close to the shocks? dayum. Maybe I won't fit 225 victoracers with +45 offset, even with 5mm spacers? this is hard.

You'll be very, very close. Tirerack can get custom offset Kosei's, but the +37's are close enough for me so I didn't bother. 225's won't fit under the fenders in the back with the struts in the stock location no matter what offset you get. Believe me though, 225's are so worth the trouble. I think white is the only color they can get them in right now, but they would look hot on the blue (not that looks is top priority).

 

[xelderx]

Also...my Kosei's w/ the Hoosiers are much lighter than my 15" 626 rims with 205 Azenis.

 

[mazdaowner123]

I see, could you hop on aim for a little so I can ask you a few more questions?
Thanks for all the help.

~brian

 

[mazdaowner123]

Well I saw you got offline. So with a +38mm offset wheel you aren't hitting the fender up front with a 225? thanks.

 

[xelderx]

Well I saw you got offline. So with a +38mm offset wheel you aren't hitting the fender up front with a 225? thanks.

I'm back on. It should clear up front if you run enough ride height which you'll want anyway so the suspension does what it's supposed to do.

 

[mazdaowner123]

I see, do you have any pics of your car with the k1s and 225 hoosiers? Also, are hoosiers supposed to run wider than vracers? (Like, I know azenis are notorious for being wider than they say).

Thanks for all of your help.

~brian

I'm back on. It should clear up front if you run enough ride height which you'll want anyway so the suspension does what it's supposed to do.

 

[thekid]

I personally wouldn't waste your time with Victoracers... i'd run the Kumho Ecsta V710's, they are far better... I've run both this year, and V710's are worth at least an extra second on most courses...

I'm running a couple different sets of Kosei K1's, 15x7 with a 42 and 45 offsets.

 

[thekid]

I see, do you have any pics of your car with the k1s and 225 hoosiers? Also, are hoosiers supposed to run wider than vracers? (Like, I know azenis are notorious for being wider than they say).

Thanks for all of your help.

~brian

Hoosiers and 710's are both known for being wider than usual... for example a 225 v710, lined up beside a 245 street tire, and they were the same width! I know hoosiers tend to have similar charcteristics, I don't know if they're as exagerated as the 710's

 

[mazdaowner123]

Do you get any rubbing? I went ahead and ordered 225-50-16 victoracers. I don't want the 710s because I think they won't last as long as I want them to. These will be used for track days, not autox. Wes has been running victoracers with great success at track days. Right now I'm thinking of ordereing 16x7 +40 slipstreams, any input? Do you think I'll rub anywhere? From talking to people and testing some things out, this seems like the way to go. Thanks!

~brian

 

[thekid]

my bad, i didn't realize you wanted these for track... yeah 710's for autoX but, I use both victos and hoosiers for the track... i'm only running 205s though, so I don't have any rubbing problems,but with the correct spacing/offset you should be able to pull it off, you may need to roll the rear fenders, but you can play with that once you have them...