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Topic ClosedPerformance race tires and wheels

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ehwert View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Topic: Performance race tires and wheels
    Posted: March/27/06 at 10:45am

Dear All,

I am just getting a total Diana Stage 2 package and am wondering about getting a set of new track tires and wheels for track days. Any comments on a good mid-priced package?

Best,

Evan Wert

Evan Wert
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miniwayne View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/28/06 at 1:04am

My suggestion, find the tires and wheels you want, and compare prices at Discount Tire and Les Schwab, and any other tire stores near you. Then have the one you like best order them. The good thing about Discount Tire is they mount and balance for free, I assume Les Schwab does the same.

It is difficult to find packages for racing. You generally have to build a package.



Edited by miniwayne - March/28/06 at 1:05am
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/28/06 at 5:09am
Originally posted by miniwayne miniwayne wrote:

My suggestion, find the tires and wheels you want, and compare prices at Discount Tire and Les Schwab, and any other tire stores near you. Then have the one you like best order them. The good thing about Discount Tire is they mount and balance for free, I assume Les Schwab does the same.

It is difficult to find packages for racing. You generally have to build a package.

No balance for free they charge $11.00 per wheel.

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Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/03/06 at 8:03am
Originally posted by ehwert ehwert wrote:

I am just getting a total Diana Stage 2 package and am wondering about getting a set of new track tires and wheels for track days. Any comments on a good mid-priced package?


What is your goal?   a set of wheels and tires so you don't tear up the street set?  or real high performance?


Keith
02 IB/W MC with the really big checkered flag on top - GONE
07 MY/B MCS with some sort of stripes or something
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/27/06 at 4:19am
i have 17 inch wheels on my car but spoke to les schwab the other day and they recommended i go to a 15 inch wheel and get a tire that they can buff down to make it more sticky. Reducing to the smaller size makes the price go down allot.
04 Graphite Cooper Sport, Dinan SR1 upgrade, 17% alta pulley, Passport 8500, ZR3 shifter,Alta Wheels, Toyo tires, Full tint
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/27/06 at 11:19am
15" wheels are usually lighter as well which will help on the track (I assume anyway, based on the fact that people shell out huge money to get 8lb rims for race purposes)
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ehwert View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/27/06 at 1:26pm

Dear All,

Sorry it took so long to respind. I am looking for something to do track days with my car and for autocrossing. I have 17 inch wheels now on the car. I think I would go dowen to 16 inch wheels. Something that would be good in the NW.

Thanks, Evan

Evan Wert
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/27/06 at 2:00pm
16" are good that is what I use. as for tires, Falken Azenis seem to be pretty popular. I use Hankook Ventus myself, I like them. There are several others, Yokohama, Kumho and Toyo. There are more, but don't know all of them.
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Red Dwarf View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/29/06 at 1:32pm
I think you should make a dedicated search for tires. I currently run a Miata track car, we own a 2006 MCS also. The Miata  uses Yokohoma AO32R tires for the track which are also street legal, so you can drive to the track.I found the AO's the closest thing to gumballs or slicks that I used when doing regular sports car racing. Yoko and Kumho make tires for the track, I would not really be interested in "buffing" down some street tires at Les Swab. Look at Yoko and Kumho and see what is available and make your wheel choice from that. The lighter the wheel the better, but also pay attention to the weight of the tire. If you stick with a tire that has the same overall circumference as the stock tire that is OK, don't go to big on the width. Read up on the tire ratings, Tire Rack is a good place to start, you want a soft tire, like AO 32R or maybe 48R, AO's used to come in 2 grades, one grade was for autocross and another for track duty. If this is your first venture into track days staying close to your stock size will give you a degree of predictabilty that you are used to. I would say offhand 15 or 16 inch wheels should be OK, with good tires you'll have fun. After some track time with us other track junkies you'll have some stronger thoughts for next years run. I use Discount Tires for my balancing as they have the best balance machine in the are(Bellingham)Last year I was on the track up in Canada and we had an MCS with 17" wheels who did very well, but he really needed a Limited slip to really take advantage of the power in sharp turns, so there are more things lurking in the wood pile. Have fun, Ciao, Bill

Edited by Red Dwarf - June/29/06 at 1:37pm
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