Sheasta

Hey guys my mod list is in my signature... I'm running all this with 25 mm rear spacers and 20 mm front spacers with 245 45r18 rear and 245 40r18 up front (car came with these tires.). Turd Nankang front and some Michelins in the rear they have 4/32nds left.... My sway bars are set at the 3rd hold front (2nd stiffest) and softest rear so both about 80% stiffer than stock.

Now for the question... Do you guys think my car will be fine with these crap tires for a while with my stiff suspension setup, or will I loose traction super easily... It rains a lot here in Seattle and base models have no tcs at all. Ideally I want to save up for wider wheels 10" rear and 9" front then get new tires for those wheels rather than drop $800 on new tires for the stock skinny wheels.

MicVelo

Well, your .sig isn't showing so no way to know what the exact wheels are, nor specs.

On your sway bars though, what kind? You mention 3rd hole front (from the end of the bar?) and softest rear so I take that to mean you're running the rear at the hole closest to the end? If so, net result is stiffer front than rear which is a recipe for more tendency towards understeer.

Stiffer (than front) rear bias will give you more tendency towards oversteer.

Just wanted to point that out, depending on what you want the car to be doing.

S'far as tires, well, it's clearly not an optimal set up - just the mixed nature of the tires tells that story - but.... if they have tread on them, are kept properly inflated, and you don't try any Superman heroic moves on them, especially when wet; you should be fine until you can get yourself a new rolling stock set up.

Sheasta

I'm sorry the sig didn't show. I have Bilstein shocks, swift lowering springs, Hotchkis sway bars set at 3rd hole front and 1st hole rear so they're both like 80% stiffer than stock. I have stock wheels 18x8.5 rear and 18x8 front with mismatched low quality tires with 25mm rear spacers and 20mm front spacers. I want to get bigger wheels before I get new tires. I'm just curious if my current setup is too stiff for this wheel/tire setup so if I take a turn relatively fast in the dry will it unexpectedly loose traction?

dcains

iTrader: (15)

Are you looking for some sort of guarantee that if you're driving too fast for conditions that you won't get into trouble? Sorry, but that's not happening. Too many variables, not the least of which is your own ability to drive with your (and the car's) limits. If you choose to take undue risk, have at it, and let us know what happens.

MicVelo

OK, pretty normal setup.... I'd tell you that it's largely dependent on you, not the car. With mismatched tires like that, it might be prone to more slippage; but I think you're more likely to understeer so doubt you're going to get into tail out problems.

If you really want to know, go out to an autocross and run it. Or worse idea but it works: find the biggest empty parking lot (obviously with no one around or likely to come in) you can and give 'er a shot. Only way to know for sure is trying it.

Sheasta

Thanks for the help guys. Was not looking for any guarantees just helpful input like the response above.