Auto-X wheels/tires
 

I'm looking to do some autocrossing in the spring. What wheels you guys using? I don't know if I should use my stocks or if I should buy Volks or something and use my Yokohama Parada Spec-2's I have sitting in the basement. For those that Auto-X, what do you guys prefer stocks? 17s? Any suggestions would be great, I'll be buying a set of slicks or something after whatever tire I go with runs bald.

Joe

stock tires are probably not gonna be in ur best interest. they are horrible.
a new set of tires would be a great idea

17's are too big for autocrossing. I'd go with the lightest 15" wheel you can find and a set of good autocross tires. Stocks might even be better than 17's???

heres what you should do, get some 16" rotas with some yokohama parada spec 2..they stick like hell. then get some neuspeed race springs to lower the center of gravity for better turning. you my need a rear camber also. then get both front strut bars, both sway bars, and both tie bars.

get a really good suspension setup that will help out

15's with some falken azenis.

uhh, 15"s are gay.

I autocross. Currently I have a set of 17's with Falken Ziex 512's. They are my street tires, and they stick pretty good once they warm up. The biggest question you need to answer is what class you intend to compete in. I run sts. The only rules regarding wheels and tires are
TIRES
Tires up to and including a width of 225.
Tires must have a minimum tread wear rating of 140.

WHEELS
Any wheels up to 7.5" in width that fit over stock brakes

If you compete here. dont use street tires. I.e. Parda spec 2's arn't going to cut it. not to mention you cant get them in a 225 or a 215 in a 16" size and they are a harder compound 300 Vs 200 of the falkens.
next seson I'm going to run 16's with a super sticky set of Falken Azenis Sports(215/45/ZR16) tread wear 200.
34 out of 50 STS drivers ran Falkens at this years nationals including the winner.

If you run stock, (I highly recomend starting here, I whish I did) you have to keep the stock wheels but you can use anny tire that matches the stock size.

If you run in one of the Prepaired classes and you want Maximum traction from your tires, Hoosier A3S03's are the only way to go.225/50-16's will run you $196 each at the TireRack

If you like Kumho's the V700 Victoracer or the ECSTA V700 are excelent choices.225/50-16's will run you $143 each for the ECSTA's and $130 for the Victoracer's at the TireRack

Compititon yokohamas A032R's will run you $155 for 225/50ZR16's

BFGoodrich g-Force T/A KD's can be run in STS like the Falkens. 225/50YR16's are $188

The falkens for a 215/45ZR16's will run about $97, So dollar for dollar they offer the best performanc and the best price, at least for STS.
Even the 225/45ZR17 are only $106.

Figure out what class you want to run then start buying parts. but dont start modding youre car untill you run a few races. Other wise you wont know whats improving, you or your car.

in racing 15" Wheels are not gay. They can help you win.

well i'm no autocrosser so that may be why i don't know much but ya gotta win looking good and the 16" rota are good and light and look good.:tup:

any pics of rotas?


Nevermind, I found one...

http://store5.yimg.com/I/machv_1722_24354897

Oh ya, when you do go auto crossing. take that sub out. and your spare tire and every thing elts not bolted down.[IMG]i/expressions/beer_yum.gif[/IMG]

I thought that by the rules, you couldn't have anything in the car that wasn't bolted down. i.e. floormats, cd case, anything in trunk... Basically gut the car of everything that you can and try to lose all the weight you can.

For autocross you dont have to take any thing out of the car. For sts, stock interior must remain. So I cant take the back seats out. But generaly you should take anny thing that is not totaly nessisary out of the car. Some Clubs will require you to remove Items for safty reasons.

Thanks guys.

We can sit and ponder this one all day long and still not agree on anything. It totally depends on what kind of track you're on. If you're typically running tight twisty tracks, The shorter, stiffer sidewalls on 17's are going to help you with your cornering. So is the ability to put larger brake rotors on. If your AutoX organizers typically design open, fast tracks, then 15's with tires that are shorter (sidewall height) than stock are going to help because they'll give you shorter gearing for better acceleration. Sure, the speedometer will be off and you'll be driving a few miles racking up more miles than you really are, but you shouldn't be watching the speedo too much (if at all), and if you're crying about a few extra ticks on the clock, then match the stock diameter and go slower. If you've got some of both mixed up, then use 16's. There isn't a right answer to this question. It totally depends on the tracks you usually run. The only thing that really remains the same, lighter is better.
And take it from someone who attempted to autoX on the stock Firestones... DO NOT DO IT. They do not hold the track at all, and you will find your self sliding all over the place. Get yourself some sticky tires... I know I am.

I know this thread is hella old now, BUT i just read your remark on the firestones, and wanted to comment on the lack of traction.
My first and only autocross at this point has been in moderate rain, on a very wet, uneven pavement... It was a very slippery day, though I didn't hit any cones which was good....and I was on very bald stock firestones...
I think i fail the penny test..
http://www.7thgencivic.com/forums/sh...59#post1554859

I've deiced I want to go with some SSR Competition 16x7's or 16x7.5's if they'll fit. They also have a 13lb 17x7.5 that looked kinda tempting. Seeing how 13 lbs is still ligher than my 14lb HX rims. Only downside is that they're fairly expensive.

the size may be an issue too, in autocross Smaller is generally considered better.

Secret to speed:

1. Get the smallest Lightest Widest wheels you can fit over your calipers and wont totally destroy the wheel bearings. 15X7 would be a good choices for our cars, but if you can find them 14X7 could be the better choice. Depending that is if you can find a good and sticky tire in 14's

2. get the shortest Widest tire you can for your given Wheel. For me that was a 205/50-15 if you can find a wider/shorter tire that you can legally run for your class all the better.

3. a larger/ligher wheel like the 17's you mentioned may actually have a higher rotational mass Vs your stock 14's even though they weigh a Pound less.

Yeah... my new autoX rims own...
http://tools.ecn.purdue.edu/~krausej/speedy/speedy1.jpg
10.36 lbs each, 15x6.5 and there's no substitute for bright orange.

Damn things are an LB lighter then my Slipstreams....... :(


I may be in the market for a new set of Autocross wheels, like some nice Kodiaks...... in 15X7.5


http://www.kodiakracingwheels.com/13inchpolished.jpg
15 X 7.5 $344.09


Maybe if I win the lotto......

Oh yeah... to the guy who wanted the Comps.... They have flex issues like a mother****er. Not too good for autocross.
While forged is stronger, cast is stiffer. Since quick response is what autocross is all about... go cast.

Renamazazo, if you want to go cheep for autocross. I'd slap a set of Falken Azenis tires on your stock wheels (195/60-14 should be around $50 a tire probably less) they are about 4% smaller then stock so you'll get a little boost in acceleration. then I'd buy what ever wheel I wanted and run them for my street wheels.
but thats just me.

The problem is that I'm kinda torn between doing 2 things. I don't really want to have 2 sets of wheels... So I was thinking about a compromise between the two...
And I don't want to run smaller tires all the time cause then My speedo's gonna be off... Another thing is that I still live at home, so I kinda have to be secretive about car stuff as well as racing and such since my parents kinda from upon it...
I'm really into autocross performance as well as street performace.... So I kinda want a blending of the 2.
At this point I don't really care about coming in first as much as just having fun. If they had a 195/65/14 Azenis i'd get that, cause then my speedo wouldn't be as off but they don't...
They do have a ZIEX ZE 512 in a 205/60/r14 that only throws my speedo off by about 2 percent, any idea how good those are?
I also get your point about the intertia since the bulk of the weight would be at the outer portion of the wheel since it's so much larger, plus I don't think 17x7.5's would fit very well underneath there...
Lastly, thinner sidewalls are better for cornering, but smaller rims are better for acceleration right? So for auto-x the acceleration boost outweighs the gain in sidewall stiffness?
We should get together on AIM or some other chat program and talk about all this stuff....
I'm gonna do some more thinking, I don't have the money for wheels right now, I was still thinking of going with the 205/60r14 sumitomo 200's since they looked to be a decent tire. I think i'll drop some money on some wheels next year when I actually have some, then I'll just use those for autoX and keep the 14's I have for street use.
THANKS a bunch for your insight both of you guys.

the short side walls only apply to street tires...... and The Azenis are not built like any other street tire. see, normal street tires have softer sidwalls to improve ride quality. the Azenis were designed as a Streetable race tire. They have MUCH stiffer sidewalls then a "Normal" street tire. So with them you will not have the roll over problem that you would have with Regular street tires.

With your other tire choices I'd take the Sumitomos over the 512s. Reason being is that the 512s are an all season Performance tire and the Sumitomos are a High Performance Summer tire. That would tell me that the Sumitomos woud have better dry traction.

If you really want to get a set of wheels, Bumping up to a 15 would give you a lot more choices for performance tires.

About your parents Frowning on Racing..... Try this, take them to an event show them what goes on. Have them talk to the "Old" guys there (You'll probably find that the younger croud is the minority at these events, most of the people that come out to ours are between 25-60). Show them how safe the events are. Explain to them that by doing this type of racing, you will be come that much better and safer of a driver.