dvs4.6

i recentlly got a set of 01' svt 17" wheels that i am going to use in place of my 18" GT500 wheels for track days. i have narrowed my tire selection down to three different models based on price and that my track wheels are only 8" wide.

My Question is has any one run or running a 255/17 on all four corners. i have not seen them yet, but i fear it may not be enough rubber on the ground for this heavy car. i have read several threads about running 275's but my wheels won't support this tire size.

Hootna

Should be fine as long as you dont take any corners



Just kidding.

Argonaut

You indicate you already narrowed your tire choice down, so this may not be useful, but here are 4 good (and cheap) choices in the appropriate sizes:
Falken RT-615 255/40/17 OD ~25"
Dunlop Direzza Z1 255/40/17
Nitto NT05 255/40/17
Kumho Ecsta MX 255/45/17 OD ~26"

I personally have run the 255/40/17 Falken RT-615 on all 4 corners. I did approx 50 AX runs on them and 8 full track days. Could have got a few more days out of them but I was anxious to try R-comps and switched them out. I liked them a lot, they will work very well for you. Perhaps not as grippy at the limit as a bigger tire but they will hold up fine and be lots of fun.

jayel579

The Miller Cup guys run on 255 somethings, I am not sure of the aspec ratio. You will be fine with that tire width. I run 275/40/17s on my 17x8s they will fit so you won't have to worry about that. Autocrossers will use steam roller rubber whenever possible, Strano runs on 295/30/18 on a 18x8.5 rim. For track you won't really need that as much tire but of course the more the better. My next set of track tires will probably be the same size you are mentioning, 255/40/17. Anything more then that is a lot of tire if youre able to use it all on that track.

dvs4.6

With the exception of the dunlop those were the exact tires i was looking at. and the kumho xs (new). i just cant believe your running a 275 on a 8" rim. you have had no problems?

Argonaut

Jason is the one running 275's on the 8" rim. He's mainly into AutoX. My experience has been using both 255's and 275's on 9" rims. Both sizes worked well. You should not have any issues with 255's on 8" rims, but personally I'd be a little concerned with 275's on an 8" for high speed track. Not saying its bad...I really don't know. As you are aware the tire manufacturers do not recommend it. Just as you are doing I'd seek out guys who have done it extensively before I tried it.

Brad

dvs4.6

Sorry did not mean to get u confused, but i am pretty sure i will not run 275's on the 8" rim. the track i run on is way to fast and has two real tight hair pins, and i cant afford any tire squirm. r u running a 40 or 45 series tire?

Sam Strano

Shoehorning a really big tire on a small wheel is not ideal for life or crispness. But there are variables. While I'd not recommend doing what I do for track days, I do it for speed--and it's faster and the car is less edgy at the limit than with smaller, more "appropriate" sized tires for the wheels.

Check recommended rim widths for the tires you are using, that's fine. But running a 275 on an 8" is not the end of times. Lots of folks do it, and with regards to 17" wheels do it because there aren't a lot of options. 18's bring many more choices. Also remember that some tires are MUCH stiffer in construction than others (for instance Hoosiers vs a street tire) which allows you to put them on a smaller wheel with the squirm you are worried about. Yes, more vague than a smaller tire on the same wheel, but about 200% sharper than a real street tire still.

And fwiw, tread squirm is a much bigger issue--the one that causes tires to chunk and feel really vague, than is carcass squirm. More air will stiffen the tire, but can't help the tread.

And a final note. I've seen tires of a "right" size run on a more appropriate rim and wear worse due to small construction differences in the various sizes. For instance the new 255/18 Hoosier A6 wears way, way worse on a 8.5" rim than my 295/30's do, despite the 255 being listed as right for a 8.5-10" wheel where the 295 is speced to be on a 9.5-11" wheel.

jayel579

The only issue I would say I have had would be wanting more camber out of the front end, the inside edges are a little unused, but for the 20+ heat cycles I have gotten out of my tires I cannot complain about them. A 275/40-17 tire is like your best bargain tire out there, stock size on a C4 vette so everyone makes a tire in that size. It is plenty of tire for a good price considering the price of larger tires, be it larger width or rim.