tire width
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From: Single camshafting for now in, N.Y.
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From: Binghamton, NY, US
Re: tire width
can we keep this more about racing, i really have no use for information about a "slammed" car. I really would just like to hear from people trying to maximize performance.
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From: Single camshafting for now in, N.Y.
Re: tire width
Sorry about the clutter man
Compound > Treadwidth says it best. or Compound + treadwidth + more power is best
.
However, the treadwidth is a relatively minor factor in performance. Much more important is the make/model of the tire, which determines the stickiness of both the compound and the tread pattern. That's the main reason you felt an improvement in the XS over the RT-615, and the RT-615 over the SPT, not the treadwidth.
That's a rather long answer. Someone recently posted all of this here wisely, in a much more concise statement:
Compound > Treadwidth
Stick with the Kumho XS, in 215/45-16. It's an excellent tire, and 215/45-16 (as well as 205/45-16) is the perfect size for your Integra. Don't go any bigger, or you'll have problems with rubbing. If and when you're ready for even more grip, like if you're competing for every last hundredth of a second and you don't care about how much your tires cost or how long they last, then go for the Hoosier A6 (R compound autocross tire) in 205/45-16. Yup, slightly narrower, but they'll give you even more grip and faster lap times than the XS in 215/45 (a size for which the A6 isn't available). Because
Compound > Treadwidth
However, the treadwidth is a relatively minor factor in performance. Much more important is the make/model of the tire, which determines the stickiness of both the compound and the tread pattern. That's the main reason you felt an improvement in the XS over the RT-615, and the RT-615 over the SPT, not the treadwidth.
That's a rather long answer. Someone recently posted all of this here wisely, in a much more concise statement:
Compound > Treadwidth
Stick with the Kumho XS, in 215/45-16. It's an excellent tire, and 215/45-16 (as well as 205/45-16) is the perfect size for your Integra. Don't go any bigger, or you'll have problems with rubbing. If and when you're ready for even more grip, like if you're competing for every last hundredth of a second and you don't care about how much your tires cost or how long they last, then go for the Hoosier A6 (R compound autocross tire) in 205/45-16. Yup, slightly narrower, but they'll give you even more grip and faster lap times than the XS in 215/45 (a size for which the A6 isn't available). Because
Compound > Treadwidth
Compound > Treadwidth says it best. or Compound + treadwidth + more power is best
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From: Charleston, SC
Re: tire width
So going with a 16x7" rim and some 215/45-16 tires (from nsxtasy's post) is my best bet for my DA I suppose? Versus a 15x7" rim and tires?
I'm asking stupid questions because I'm new and this is my first autox season. I'm just trying to pick out some new rims and tires for the next competition.
I'm asking stupid questions because I'm new and this is my first autox season. I'm just trying to pick out some new rims and tires for the next competition.
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From: Chicago
Re: tire width
So going with a 16x7" rim and some 215/45-16 tires (from nsxtasy's post) is my best bet for my DA I suppose? Versus a 15x7" rim and tires?
I'm asking stupid questions because I'm new and this is my first autox season. I'm just trying to pick out some new rims and tires for the next competition.
I'm asking stupid questions because I'm new and this is my first autox season. I'm just trying to pick out some new rims and tires for the next competition.
Here's my advice. When you're first starting out, in your first say 6-10 events, you're really not going to use all the capabilities of your tires. You won't even be coming close. The limiting constraint on going faster will be your own abilities and experience, not your tires or other parts of your car. You'll be learning about technique and procedures and such, and building experience (which you will continue to do beyond that point, of course). I suggest not getting wheels and tires at this point in time, and instead just use whatever wheels and tires you already have on the car for a while, even if they're crappy all-seasons or whatever. Not only does this avoid spending money right away - always a good thing - but it's actually better for learning. Lower-performance tires give lots more audible warning before they lose traction, so you can use them to tell how well you're going around turns and how smooth your inputs are and where you're messing up and why.
After you get a bunch of events under your belt, say after your first season autocrossing, at that point you'll have a better idea of what your car does, and what you might be able to do, and how serious you want to be about autocrossing. You might decide that you want to be serious, but that you want to change some other things about your car, like maybe the brakes or the suspension, before you do anything about the wheels and tires. Or, you might decide you want to be really competitive, and instead of getting some really sticky street tires, you want to go for R compound autocross tires like the Hoosier A6. Or you might decide that you just want to do it just for fun and that you can continue to do that without spending a grand on wheels and tires. (I'm not trying to predict what you'll like, but rather I'm trying to point out the benefits of just using what you have on your car and waiting a while before making a major dollar commitment on wheels and tires before you've even begun.)
HTH
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From: I heart tool, US
Re: tire width
On the note of tire widths, anyone have a picture of the 205/50/15 NT01s compared to the 225/45/15 NT01s? From the specs Nitto gives, the actual width difference between the two is very small.
Does anyone have the 225 NT01s mounted on a 6.5" 15?
Does anyone have the 225 NT01s mounted on a 6.5" 15?
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Re: tire width
First of all, they're not stupid questions. You're new and we've all been there and had tons of questions when we were newbies.
Here's my advice. When you're first starting out, in your first say 6-10 events, you're really not going to use all the capabilities of your tires. You won't even be coming close. The limiting constraint on going faster will be your own abilities and experience, not your tires or other parts of your car. You'll be learning about technique and procedures and such, and building experience (which you will continue to do beyond that point, of course). I suggest not getting wheels and tires at this point in time, and instead just use whatever wheels and tires you already have on the car for a while, even if they're crappy all-seasons or whatever. Not only does this avoid spending money right away - always a good thing - but it's actually better for learning. Lower-performance tires give lots more audible warning before they lose traction, so you can use them to tell how well you're going around turns and how smooth your inputs are and where you're messing up and why.
After you get a bunch of events under your belt, say after your first season autocrossing, at that point you'll have a better idea of what your car does, and what you might be able to do, and how serious you want to be about autocrossing. You might decide that you want to be serious, but that you want to change some other things about your car, like maybe the brakes or the suspension, before you do anything about the wheels and tires. Or, you might decide you want to be really competitive, and instead of getting some really sticky street tires, you want to go for R compound autocross tires like the Hoosier A6. Or you might decide that you just want to do it just for fun and that you can continue to do that without spending a grand on wheels and tires. (I'm not trying to predict what you'll like, but rather I'm trying to point out the benefits of just using what you have on your car and waiting a while before making a major dollar commitment on wheels and tires before you've even begun.)
HTH
Here's my advice. When you're first starting out, in your first say 6-10 events, you're really not going to use all the capabilities of your tires. You won't even be coming close. The limiting constraint on going faster will be your own abilities and experience, not your tires or other parts of your car. You'll be learning about technique and procedures and such, and building experience (which you will continue to do beyond that point, of course). I suggest not getting wheels and tires at this point in time, and instead just use whatever wheels and tires you already have on the car for a while, even if they're crappy all-seasons or whatever. Not only does this avoid spending money right away - always a good thing - but it's actually better for learning. Lower-performance tires give lots more audible warning before they lose traction, so you can use them to tell how well you're going around turns and how smooth your inputs are and where you're messing up and why.
After you get a bunch of events under your belt, say after your first season autocrossing, at that point you'll have a better idea of what your car does, and what you might be able to do, and how serious you want to be about autocrossing. You might decide that you want to be serious, but that you want to change some other things about your car, like maybe the brakes or the suspension, before you do anything about the wheels and tires. Or, you might decide you want to be really competitive, and instead of getting some really sticky street tires, you want to go for R compound autocross tires like the Hoosier A6. Or you might decide that you just want to do it just for fun and that you can continue to do that without spending a grand on wheels and tires. (I'm not trying to predict what you'll like, but rather I'm trying to point out the benefits of just using what you have on your car and waiting a while before making a major dollar commitment on wheels and tires before you've even begun.)
HTH
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From: Chicago
Re: tire width
Nitto recommends the 225/45-15 NT-01 for mounting only on rims 7.0-8.5 inches wide.
The 205/50-15 is fine for 15x6.5 and is approved for 5.5-7.5. (I have the 205/50-15 NT-01 mounted on the stock 15x6 ITR rims and they are just fine too.)
Last edited by nsxtasy; Jul 5, 2009 at 08:58 AM.
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From: Boulder, CO
Re: tire width
Just put them on yesterday to heat cycle them before I race on them and have been too lazy to take them off. They are not very wide for being 225 r-comps, only slightly wider than my old 205/50-15 V710s.
A little wide for the wheel but nothing too bad. If you can't see it that well, I could get a pic with them off the car later tonight when I switch back to my street tires.
A little wide for the wheel but nothing too bad. If you can't see it that well, I could get a pic with them off the car later tonight when I switch back to my street tires.
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From: I heart tool, US
Re: tire width
That doesn't look bad at all. Is the contact patch rounded at all, or did it remain fairly flat?
BTW Hemix, I hope to see ya out at HPR sometime. I'm up here in Loveland
BTW Hemix, I hope to see ya out at HPR sometime. I'm up here in Loveland
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From: Chicago
Re: tire width
I wouldn't mount them on non-approved rim widths. Even if they look okay, they might not be; after all, since it's an R compound, their recommendation for wheel widths is for track use. But hey, it's your car yadda yadda yadda...
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From: Boulder, CO
Re: tire width
Well I guess we shall see. I've seen some people mount some seriously wide tires on narrow rims. I'll let you know if they blow up though, then we can have a good laugh, well maybe a few years after the fact for me.
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