00' GT

hey guys, got a problem. had a flat on my rt rear and needin a tire size. i've got 18x9 chrome saleens on front and 18x10's on back. the tire i have now is a 295 30 r18, i want at least a 305, but i want a little bit bigger side wall if possible, whats a good size to go with? thanks for tha help in advance!!

Jazzer The Cat

I think it best to avoid going larger than a 305 on a 10" wheel. You can run a 305/35, but that is about all I would recommend to have good clearance for tires.

Why do you want a larger profile? Are you into launching or 1/4 mile?

Jazzer

00' GT

[QUOTE=Jazzer The Cat;6393834]I think it best to avoid going larger than a 305 on a 10" wheel. You can run a 305/35, but that is about all I would recommend to have good clearance for tires.

Why do you want a larger profile? Are you into launching or 1/4 mile?

well not into 1/4mi times! but even so, i've heard the smaller side wall the worse trac u get?

00' GT

hey jazz, what size tires u runnin on ur saleens? and what brand? thats tha look id like! thanks! bad *** car btw!! im gettin a saleen kit for mine, i love those cars.

Jazzer The Cat

Thanks

Generally speaking, yes... the lower the sidewall, the worse the traction on the 1/4. This is due to lack of flex on sidewall inhearant on lower profile tires.

The following are general statements, but will give you an idea of how they differ. There are two different directions to go when addressing a road or cornering tire and a 1/4 mile tire. A good cornering tire is going to be soft compound, lower profile (subjective, but lower the better for me) and best to be sticky. The lower the UTQG number, the softer the coupound and hence the more grippy on a corner. The lower profile will enable LESS flex and is preferred on a corner for better turn-in response (quicker reaction to change of direction with steering input). A cornering performance tire will also have a stiffer sidewall to further reduce this flex. Now a 1/4 mile or drag tire (DR) will also be very sticky but best to have a taller, MUCH more flexable sidewall. This will enable the tire to get a "wrinkle" for a sling-shot action off the line:

^ Suffice to say, a DR would NOT be a very good cornering tire

My tires, since you asked, are widened Saleen knock-offs and are 10"s up front and 10.5"s out back on my Winter wheels. I run a 295/30 and 315/30 Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 (220 UTQG) on them. My Summer wheels are 10"s and 11"s with Toyo R888's (100 UTQG) in the same sizes.

I am leaning toward the Advan A048's next time around and are 60 UTQG. I am into the corner... BIG TIME and AX my ride 7~8 days a year.

Jazzer

devongarver

Hey jazzer, how/where did you get your wheels widened? Is that something I could have done to mine? I have 18x10s out back, and I would like to put a 315 out there...

Jazzer The Cat

I had my Wheels Widened at Weldcraft Wheels and is the ONLY place to have this work done!

One needs to consider some things PRIOR to considering widening wheels. The back-space is the easiest way to determine what you need and is going to be 6 7/8" max out back (can be a bit deeper with use of a hammer!).

I can tell you an interesting story on how I came to decision for widening my wheels. I was running a pair of 10.5" Saleen knock-offs on the rear of my ride. At the time, I was not aware, but my panhard bar was 1/2" out-of-center and pushed to the passenger side. I finally looked closely one day and could see this difference in my tire clearance on each side. I promptly jacked up my ride and corrected the PHB to center the axle. Upon doing this, I realized since I had very minor rubbing on inside of drivers tire and no rubbing on outside of passenger tire, I had 1/2" additional clearance. I ended up putting longer/stonger rear lug-bolts on my ride and picking up a pair of MM 1/2" spacers. THEN..... when I purchased my second set of wheels for Summer tires, I had them drop-shipped to Weldcraft and added 1/2" to 10.5"s and 1" added to the 9"s for up front (this is due to SLA front suspension, do NOT try this on your ride!). As a result of this widening to rear wheels, I MUST run 1/2" spacers or the wheels will not fit, period!

Tada..... 10"s and 11"s baby

Devon.... measure the back-space of your current rear wheels and go ***HERE*** and see how this is done. You MUST have no more than 6 7/8" space when done to avoid running spacers.

Jazzer... spaced out

00' GT

ah, thanks for tha info! wish i'd known that b4 i bought my new rear tires 2day! i went w/the nitto 555r 305/35zr 18. and not sure if im diggin em yet! love tha width, but tha side wall kinda looks weird 2 me! guess cause im not use to em yet? got pirelli p zero's on tha front.(not for long) im w/u jazz, im more into handeling and road course stuff rather than tha drag thing, so i deff want a bad *** suspension set up, so please help! should i keep the nittos or change em out? thanks for all the info and help guys!

Jazzer The Cat

I think the 305 Nittos are a bit wide for a 10" wheel, but not horrible. I am more concerned with having Pzero's up front. The Mustang is already prone to understeer and would expect EXCESSIVE amounts of it running your set-up.

Head over to my Official Suspension Guide for lots of good info. One day, I will make up an Official Tire Purchase Guide as well and have the entire sticky section all to myself.... ha ha haaaaaaaaaaa!


Jazzer... goin' completely mad

00' GT

yea, know what ya mean bout tha p zero's! deff gonna be swappin those out w/some nittos to match tha rear now! thanks for tha suspension guide! be checkin in w/ya along my suspension build! thanks again!