Anyone here using 17x8 rims and if so what tires? Mainly interested in light weight and great dry grip. I'm doing street use with occasional spirited country runs and highway ramps etc. not auto-xing.
Thanks
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Anyone here using 17x8 rims and if so what tires? Mainly interested in light weight and great dry grip. I'm doing street use with occasional spirited country runs and highway ramps etc. not auto-xing.
Thanks
Not sure if they are making them anymmore, but the Kumho SPT in 235/40/17 would probably be a great tire (they may have discontinued that size).
I think Thomas is right as the 235 size is listed as a closeout on Tire Rack at $103. The 225/45/17 size I run is $93.
I have taken the SPT's to the track, on a nearly 4000 mile cross country trip, and many a rain storm with always positive results.
I was thinking about putting on some more T1R's on my NC, my last toyo's gripped good in all weather conditions.
Let us know what you end up with.
Thanks. I hadn't considered the Kumho SPT but will look into it. I have been eyeing the new Toyo R1R but have seen no feedback on it here or the pointy boards. I'll let ya know what I get. I'm putting them on some Enkei RS-M 17x8 that I picked up on craigslist.
R1R seems to be popular with the Street Touring set so far, but Andy Hollis warned me that they didn't last long at all.
I'm on my second set of SPTs on the RX-8. Great tire, especially when you consider the price. We pulled nearly 1G lateral grip in the RX-8 with these on wet concrete. Even with that level of grip, they still lasted 15k miles with an aggressive alignment, and they work well in bad weather and colder temps, unlike a lot of today's "max performance" summer tires.
Just got off the phone with Tire Rack and they confirmed the SPT was discontinued and they only have 1 tire left in stock.
A 225 will work fine on an 8" wide wheel. I use 225/45-18s (OEM size) on the RX-8's 18"x8" OEM wheels, because I'm too cheap to pay the extra $20 a tire for 245/40-18s. :wink:
remz dog, remz.
Nitto NT-01's are great on the street. BTW, those enkei's look like prodrive/OZ knock-offs...which makes me sad.
Just get something rock hard on the street. If you driving hard enough that you "need" grip, you should just be a man and go to the track. I always buy the hardest, longest lasting tire for the street.
I would also consider the Sumitomo HTR Z III, reviews have been positive. Was set on them before I found the good deal on the Dunlops.
Tirerack Link
The 225/45/17 is a little tall for the NC. You might want to try a 235/40/17 Falken FK452 (they're $98/ea at edgeracing.com, but I'm sure you could get a local discount tire to match that price).
The R1R is too aggressive for what you are looking for. I've heard "90 autox runs" thrown around and that's R-comp territory for tire wear. I'd steer clear.
Thanks for all the input. I decided to get Toyo T1R's. Tried and true and a bit lighter than the rest. The R1R's were almost 3 lbs heavier and much shorter tread life. Should hopefully have 'em in by Wednesday thru Discount Tire.
Cool... I think you will like them.
I'm looking forward to them. I'm very happy with the yokahama advan a11a's I have because they grip very well and break traction in a "controlled" feeling.
But I'm trying my hardest to keep weight the same yet get another inch or more width. Since the T1R's are lighter than most of their competition it should help me alot because the enkei's maybe a half pound heavier than mine.
I'll be doing photos and weigh-ins when I do the switch.
love these tr1s
ummm last two posts were Carazzie being Crazy! :jocolor:
Congrats, you will like em.
Sumitomo HTRZ III's are badass tires. Tested #1 by tire rack and I put a set on the parents Solstice and love them. Every customer I've sold these to loves them as well. If they made them in 15 in diameter they'd be on my car right now.
I had htr2's on my old vw's and I like them a lot. I'll buy them for the street as long as the prices stay reasonable. The only tire I liked more than are the pirelli pzero-nero.
Ok went from stock Enkei 16" five spokes with Yoko Advan A11A's 205/50/16 to Enkei 17" x 8" seven spoke RS+M with Toyo T1R's 235/40/17.
The stock wheel and tire weighed in at about 34.5 lbs. I used a digital bathroom scale and averaged weighs of wheel alone and me holding it.
The new wheel came in at about 39.5 lbs. so I gained a whopping 5 lbs a corner. BTW the stock 17" wheel and tire is about 37 lbs. I'm told.
Initial impressions are:
Pros: Quieter ride
Small bumps like reflective lane dividers are less noticeable
Rear end less prone to spin or slide
Cons: Less power for acceleration
Heavier steering
Car has a bad understeer tendency now
I had BAM! do an alignment this afternoon (Thanks AJ!) and he agrees on the understeer. He thinks maybe after the tires get about a 1000 miles on 'em (scrubbed) that they will grip better. We'll see. Carazzie and I are off to Galveston tomorrow and taking my car so I should have almost that many miles on 'em by Sunday.
In the pics I left the old tires on the passenger side of the car for comparisons. The new ones stick out past the fender a bit on the front but not rear.
:drive:
Let's see a full shot with the new rims. Looks good. I think you'll love the Toyos once you get them scrubbed in. Remember, this is a much grippier tire than you old ones were.
The Toyo's will take a little bit of driving to be right.
It took mine a little while too but, once scrubbed in they grip very well.
OK here's the real pics. Still has the 4x4 look though since suspension is still stock.
Yep. You need to slam dat bitch or raise it up Donk-style!
http://www.socalcustoms.com/Shows/20...s/DSC03048.jpg
:clap: Never seen Lambo Suicides before!