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Tire & Wheel Forum sponsored by The Tire Rack |
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View Poll Results: Tire & Wheel Road Map | |||
205 Snow / 245 Summer (Buy winter wheels) | 4 | 50.00% | |
225 Snow / 265 Summer (buy summer wheels) | 3 | 37.50% | |
225 Snow / 245 Summer (Switch Each Season) | 1 | 12.50% | |
Voters: 8. You may not vote on this poll |
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11-09-2012, 04:40 PM | #1 |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 316517
Join Date: Apr 2012
Chapter/Region:
NESIC
Location: Portland, ME
Vehicle:2012 WRB WRX Hatch TP Stage III & ELH |
Need Tire & Wheel Width Advice: Snows & Summers
I know that I want to run General Altimax Arctic snows, and Michelin Pilot Super Sport summers... I've made up my mind there, but I need help making up my mind about tire widths, and consequently what to do about wheels, because it impacts what I do right now.
I love my OEM wheels, but I feel that a 235 snow tire might be too wide, (not enough downforce), and a 235 summer tire might be too narrow, (not worth the money). I used to run 205 snows, and I hear 265 summers are optimal. Neither work with the stock 8" wheels. So I feel like I have to compromise on one of them. Granted, I only DD my car. It has RalliTEK solid sways (22F 19R), but stock springs and struts, and I don't realllly see that changing. Does it make more sense to buy narrower wheels for narrower snows, wider wheels for wider summers, or compromise on both and get 225 snows and 245 summers and switch each set on and off EVERY year for like $80/yr. So confused...
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Last edited by blehhh; 11-09-2012 at 04:46 PM. |
11-09-2012, 05:01 PM | #2 |
Scooby Guru
Member#: 97135
Join Date: Sep 2005
Chapter/Region:
NWIC
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Either a 205/50 or 215/50 for winter, or a 235/40 or 245/40 for summer.
the stock 235/45's are a bit squishy and soft, using a slightly smaller sidewall really improves the feel of the tire. |
11-09-2012, 08:13 PM | #3 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 330185
Join Date: Aug 2012
Chapter/Region:
MWSOC
Location: Omaha, NE
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Since you love your oem wheels, i would go 245 summer and 205 winter and since you only DD, I would think 245 pilot ss would be plenty.
Saw some 255 pilot super sports today and they looked pretty dang wide, 265 would look sick, but would probably be overkill |
11-10-2012, 02:55 AM | #4 |
*** Banned ***
Member#: 16200
Join Date: Mar 2002
Vehicle:OK buy Nates beans westcoastroasting.com |
get winter wheels and put the snows on them and get the 245/40's on the stock wheels
or get some 235/40 595RS-R's for summer and save enough to pay for the winter tires |
11-10-2012, 03:22 AM | #5 | |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 316517
Join Date: Apr 2012
Chapter/Region:
NESIC
Location: Portland, ME
Vehicle:2012 WRB WRX Hatch TP Stage III & ELH |
Quote:
Then in the Spring, or just after my oem tires wear out, I can get some 245/40/17 PSS and still enjoy my OEM wheels. |
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11-10-2012, 03:42 AM | #6 |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 67225
Join Date: Jul 2004
Chapter/Region:
NWIC
Location: Spokane, WA
Vehicle:2015 Audi S4 Red |
245 width is optimal for summer for the GDAs and GDBs...but I think in the GR chassis you need to be at least 265 but ideally 275.
But since you love your stock rims so much, I guess you are stuck at 245 for summer so that's what I voted. |
11-10-2012, 05:49 AM | #7 |
Scooby Guru
Member#: 97135
Join Date: Sep 2005
Chapter/Region:
NWIC
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optimal tire width has absolutely nothing to do with chassis size or style or what you can physically fit in the fenders. if that's how you are buying tires, you're misinformed.
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11-10-2012, 09:30 AM | #8 |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 305107
Join Date: Dec 2011
Chapter/Region:
Tri-State
Location: Long Island, NY
Vehicle:2016 GT 5.OHH DIB |
try and pick up some 1st gen wrx wheels. i mounted a 205/60/16 altimax on them
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11-10-2012, 01:19 PM | #9 |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 316517
Join Date: Apr 2012
Chapter/Region:
NESIC
Location: Portland, ME
Vehicle:2012 WRB WRX Hatch TP Stage III & ELH |
I think these are the only thing I would let upstage my OEM wheels, but they are insanely rare, expensive, and even if there are some in 5x100, I doubt the offset would really cause the wheels to sit further out than the OEMs.\
Overall, I'm just a big fan of the straight, flush, gunmetal 8-12 spokes, and so few people make something like that. It's like trying to find a case for a gaming PC; all of the cheap ones are covered in lights and chrome and BS, while the simple, sleek, unlfashy ones are $$$$$. |
11-13-2012, 02:11 AM | #10 |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 251804
Join Date: Jul 2010
Chapter/Region:
SWIC
Location: Gilbert, AZ
Vehicle:05 WRB STi |
Look at Enkei RC-T4
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11-13-2012, 07:12 PM | #11 |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 316517
Join Date: Apr 2012
Chapter/Region:
NESIC
Location: Portland, ME
Vehicle:2012 WRB WRX Hatch TP Stage III & ELH |
I think 15 spokes is a little too many, but other than that, that's exactly the style I'm talking about. Especially the flush spokes; none of this bent, curvy BS.
The Rota Gravel is a replica wheel to the one I posted, but I'm still not sold on anything yet. I did pull the trigger on a set of General Altimax Arctic studded snows for the OEM wheels though. Worst comes to worst, I'm out $40 in the Spring and I just remount my summer tires. |
11-14-2012, 04:45 PM | #12 | |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 67225
Join Date: Jul 2004
Chapter/Region:
NWIC
Location: Spokane, WA
Vehicle:2015 Audi S4 Red |
Quote:
Its the typical width for those seeking performance without having to do "too much" (fender flares, crazy offset or extensions) to get larger widths to fit. So for instance, on the GDA-GDB, you can easily get 245-40-17 to fit in the wheel wells without hitting the struts. Just get a +35 offset 17x8 wheel and get the fenders rolled. Anything more is a little more tricky...as such 245-40-17 is the optimal width for those looking for performance without having to do anything extreme. |
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11-14-2012, 04:55 PM | #13 |
Scooby Guru
Member#: 97135
Join Date: Sep 2005
Chapter/Region:
NWIC
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11-14-2012, 11:57 PM | #14 | |
*** Banned ***
Member#: 16200
Join Date: Mar 2002
Vehicle:OK buy Nates beans westcoastroasting.com |
Quote:
really +35 is wrong and a 235/40 is better for the wrx as it lowers gearing a bit and makes the car accelerate better and there are a good few 235/40 s that are as wide or wider than most 245's too |
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11-15-2012, 12:44 AM | #15 |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 197764
Join Date: Dec 2008
Chapter/Region:
NESIC
Location: Broston
Vehicle:2002 Nissan Frontier buh bye WRX :( |
Do this, you won't be disappointed with these tires. The 595s will be my next set, although the pricey set of Star Specs I currently own have a few seasons left (and two years later are by far the most reliably fun purchase I've made for the WRX )
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11-15-2012, 12:55 AM | #16 | |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 316517
Join Date: Apr 2012
Chapter/Region:
NESIC
Location: Portland, ME
Vehicle:2012 WRB WRX Hatch TP Stage III & ELH |
Quote:
I think I'll end up going with some 18x8.5 Rota Gravels with 245s either way. I dunno if I wanna be 'that guy' with the WRB & goldies, but hyper black looks nice too. |
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