I'm looking for some tire recommendations. for my 2002 wrx

I have been thinking about BF Goodrich T/A KDW
or Bridgstone Potenza RE0750.
Size 225 50 16 ?

I am staying with factory wheels.

Looking for good wet dry traction in San DIego area.

Thanks.

225/50/16 or 205/55/16

Take a look at the Goodyear F1's if you're looking for wet/dry traction. I have em and couldn't be happier.

I just put a set of Toyo Proxies 4, 225/50VR16 on the stock rims.

They fit well and are not squirmy at all from the plus sizing. Add to that you can get a set for 420 bucks mounted and balanced. :eek:

-Val

Thanks.

Any advantages / disadvantages of going to the 225 width ?


Brendan.

Is snow an issue where you live?

No Snow,

I'm in San Diego. I did loose the rear end from underneath me just over a week ago on a wet onramp. Did a little drive off the road for a while. It seems the few times it rains in San Diego the roads get pretty slippery.

I was looking at the BF Goodrich Dually Tire T/A it looks so bomb, slick in the middle and like a weave at the end and are good for wet and dry traction i say them mounted on BBS rims so i think u can get them for the sti and plus they have good tread life.

I want THEM!!

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=BFGoodrich&tireModel=g-Force+T%2FA+Drag+Radial

This isnt the tire i was talking a bout but its good

bump this, i also need to replace the re92's

BF Goodrich KDW 205/55R16 (http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=6261430#post6261430)

Thats what I got...there is the link to my post on them not too technical, but its has some pictures. I think I am going to get S-03PP next time around.

If you can afford the S-03, I have to say it was the best tire I ever owned. I liked my KDWs also, but dayum they were noisy as hell after a while. The S-03 was telepathic when driven at the limit.

Originally posted by toecutter
Thanks.

Any advantages / disadvantages of going to the 225 width ?


Brendan.



Noise. They are louder on the highway. Not as loud as a BF Goodrich or a Michelin, but it is louder than the Bridgestones. I can accept the noise, but it is noticable.

Ride. The ride is smoother, but there is better tactile feedback. You can feel when a wheel hits a bump or dip in the road.

Braking. I have finally been able to hammer the stock brakes to the point of needing to upgrade. I did 7 0-60-0 in a row. The brakes were smoking by the time I was done. I was NOT able to get the ABS to kick in ever.

Cornering. * NOTE - I am using a plus size for the 16 inch wheel. Stock rim is 16.525 while a 225 tires is supposed to go on a 7 inch wide wheel.* Now that we have gotten that out of the way, they are simply superb :devil:. I have gone through several clover leafs and managed to max out the stock suspension. My normal ability to toss the wheel and get the car to break into a drift is gone. Simply put the car is now stuck to the road and I can't make it drift anymore. This is a good thing.

Squirmyness (is that a word?). Since I plus sized, I run the risk of having the tire being slightly unstable under load. I have found this to be true, however it is barely noticable and only under very heavy cornering loads. For example, I felt it the first time on a cloverleaf marked 25 MPH. I was going through it about 70 MPH and I had to corner in a little harder to avoid a pot hole. The car responded well, but the wheel felt a little soft for a split second.

Conclusion. Considering I spent 420 bucks to get them mounted and balanced, these are a great deal. 225 footprint on the stock 16 inch wheel with little trade off in high speed cornering. These things are MASSIVE bang for the buck. The stock RE92s are wear rated at 160 A A while these tires are wear rated at 300 A A. Double the life, double the cornering, tripple the braking. :banana:

Great feedback. Is the consensus that 225 50 r16 is a good move for stock rims ? Also Toyo Proxies 4 or Bridgestone S03.

I can get the Bridgestone from Costco. Where do I get Toyo tyres from ?

Originally posted by toecutter
Great feedback. Is the consensus that 225 50 r16 is a good move for stock rims ? Also Toyo Proxies 4 or Bridgestone S03.

I can get the Bridgestone from Costco. Where do I get Toyo tyres from ?

www.toyo.com and click the "find a dealer" link.

You can price them online at edgerracing.com.

When the local shop quotes you a price, it will be higher. Quote Edger racing's price and they will usually drop to match the price + shipping. I got all 4 of mine, mounted, balananced, tire disposal, and TAX for $420.44

Originally posted by Valhakar
I was NOT able to get the ABS to kick in ever.

:eek: Are you on stock brakes? Because I am still on stockers and get ABS to kickin everyweek( :furious: crappy roads :furious: )

Originally posted by toecutter
Costco.

The BFG were the second tire I ordered thru Costco...and I am very pleased in there service and price. I did have to wait the full 10 days after ordered them online, but worth the wait.

We get a lot of rain up here, and Dunlop SP5000's have been very popular. I have a set on my Mazda (WRX is still on OEM Slickstones), and am very happy with the performance and treadwear.

Originally posted by collegedropout
:eek: Are you on stock brakes? Because I am still on stockers and get ABS to kickin everyweek( :furious: crappy roads :furious: )






I could not get the ABS to kick in on smooth roads. Part of the problem is the stock lines. Once I have SS lines, new pads, and MC brace I will be able to lock them up I am sure.

On a side note, I was taking my fiance' to work around 6 Am and the road her office is on was deserted. In pouring rain I did a 4K clutch dump. I had no wheel spin, but al 4 wheels sent up huge spray as I took off.

-Val

Originally posted by Valhakar
I could not get the ABS to kick in on smooth roads. Part of the problem is the stock lines. Once I have SS lines, new pads, and MC brace I will be able to lock them up I am sure.

-Val

I've heard the MC brace is a PITA to install, and doesn't really yield significant benefits.

I would reccomend changing the fluid and perhaps considering the legacy or H6 rear rotor upgrade.

I have decided to go with either the Bridgestone S03 or the Toyo Proxies 4. Now The only decision is 205, 215, or 225 wide. I see this also in another thread.

I'm starting to think 215-50-16 rather than 225-50-16. Any comments on that ???

Originally posted by toecutter
I have decided to go with either the Bridgestone S03 or the Toyo Proxies 4. Now The only decision is 205, 215, or 225 wide. I see this also in another thread.

I'm starting to think 215-50-16 rather than 225-50-16. Any comments on that ???

Why?

225/50 is much closer to the original diameter of the tire, so the speedo won't be off by any significant margin.

The reason I see for going thinner would be if you had a wagon that might rub, or if you wanted thinner tires for snow/allseasonal capability.

I have 225/50-16s mounted on stock rims. At least for the ES100s, they have listed the reccomended rim widths as 6-8" so the 6.5 stock WRX rim fits in the range.

Originally posted by NeoteriX
I've heard the MC brace is a PITA to install, and doesn't really yield significant benefits.

I would reccomend changing the fluid and perhaps considering the legacy or H6 rear rotor upgrade.

I already bought one "used but never installed" for 20 bucks. It is worth it at that price.

Okay.

I bought the Toyo Proxies4 225 50 R16. Got them installed today.
Haven't got a feel for them yet.

I have to weigh in on this one. My '02 REX has been shod with Bridgestone RE-950s since I drove it the 0.6 mile off the lot to a nearby tire dealer to trade in the RE-92s (back in May of '01). I have not looked back. It's a meaty tire,with excellent wet grip, and overall braking. I rarely invoke the abs unless I'm acting real stupid in the wet. This tire is an H-rated tire, spec'd for a 6.5 inch rim. Never had a rub issue. Wear is very good. Dry grip is very good aslo. Snow grip is a 5 of 10. I live in Cinti, Ohio, so we get snow, ice, freezing rain. All that.
I've only done a few suspension mods, including the tires:
Poltec front spherical bearing end links
Kartboy solid rear end links
Energy Suspension polyurethane anti roll bar bushings for stock bars
Rev-Lab 11:5.1 quick steering rack.
I'm a happy guy with my little urban warrior
Darryl

Just a note about wet grip. In San Diego, you ain't getting much rain, so I wouldn't worry too much about it. When it DOES rain, it will be wicked slippery no matter what tires are on your car. Why? Because the rain brings oils and other chemicals and debris to the surface -- if you look close, you can probably see the sheen on the water. Even dedicated rain tires won't solve that problem, though they may be a smidge better.

In areas that see more frequent rain, that stuff grime is washed away more regularly so it doesn't build up as much (it's still there, though). As a motorcycle rider, I pay VERY close attention to that kinda stuff. It's typically worst during the first hour after a good rain, after which time it's mostly washed away. Off-ramps are the worst, as it seems like the old beater cars like to dump even more oil as they decelerate -- it starts to look like the parking lot at Autozone! :furious:

Ted