Went from 225/245 to 275/275 and had to make adjustments to my alignment settings and tire pressures to cope with the back end coming out so easily.

At autocross, I noticed that the car rotates nicely with a square setup. On the streets, a square setup can be scary at first because it doesn't take much to break the back end loose (especially in the rain). However, once I got used to a square setup, I don't think I would ever go back to a staggered setup.

 

I run 295 front 315 (for autox)rear with a big bar on full stiff. i still get inside rear tire spin exiting tight corners before the VLSD finally catches.
for track i run 275 front 295 rear. i get the rotation i want on corner entry and am able to play with the back on corner exit.
in 3wks i'll have a square set up of 295s all the way around to try out.
i think ultimately for track i'll run 275/295 as the cost is easier. but if the 295 set up works well i might do that so i can rotate the tires around.

I drive pretty aggresive. I also drive to learn how to make the car do what I want. It took me two track days to get the car to rotate on corner entry with trail braking. I run toe out front and rear. A lot of the way a car handles is directly related to the alignment

 

Not to be a total noob when I ask this here but when you guys refer to a square set up do you mean rim width, tire size the same all around or both?

 

This all directly matches my experience, whether running both 275/275 and 275/295 V710s (autox) or 255 street tires (STR autox setup).

Ran the car toed out front and rear as well on race rubber, but am going with a little toe-in at both ends to tame the car on street tires for autox.

Square is a good starting point, though, if you feel the rear is out-gripping the front. You can work from there. I've found the rear rotates easily even with more tire, and you need all the tire you can get for corner exit.

You can get too much tire up front though, making it really hard to turn.

 

Same tire size all the way around. It usually follows that the wheel size is the same but that's not necessarily true. Track model comes with 8"/8½" wide wheels but I put 265/35/18" tires on them for autocrossing and track use.

 

How do you like the STR set up? Do you think the z will be competitive in that format?

 

I run both depends on the track. Seattle track is close enough I can drive my square setup with r-compounds to the track.

Portland I run staggered as I drive to the track with my DD wheels setup and tires. Don't have a trailer and the track is really smooth compared to the cheese grater at Seattle.

When I get a new trailer next spring then I'll run the square setup.

 

title made me think of this..

 

Don't know for sure; next weekend I'll have my first event with the car mostly built (camber arms, new DA shocks up front, springs, SSR wheels, the rest of my BS setup). My new alignment should also help even things out. Car feels like its on very quick rails on the street.

I've run it with just camber arms and Kumho XSs and came up about 2 seconds off of a well-built STU Evo X. That's pretty similar to what STX is doing at nats, so I think it's at least possible the car can be competitive.

We'll have a good driver (spec miata racer) in an NC miata building full-on for STR locally too, so I should have a good gauge of how well the Z will do.

I need to cut weight - car went on the scales on Wednesday at 3,108lb (still had front mats in, but that's spare & tools out, 1/4 tank). Still need to do the battery, plus headers/cats/Y-pipe ought to get another decent chunk of weight. Looks like I'll be doing pretty good to get under 3,000lb though.

In order to not make this a total threadjack, I run a square 255/40/17 setup on 8.5 inch SSRs for STR, and it drives like magic on the street. For autocross, I'd ideally like a bit more width, but that's the class limit.

 

....

 

Any updates on the people who said they were going to changed thier setups? How did it workout?

 

Remember: Changing tires/wheels sizes can hose the VDC

I disabled VDC when running on the track...square or staggered setups

Search an you will find many threads on VDC issues

 

^I wasnt wondering if it created issues with the VDC.....I wanted to know how it worked out when they changed from staggered to square or visa-versa (sp?). Did they like or dislike the changes.

 

I started off staggered, 255/275, then tried 275/275. 8 sets of tires later, I'm still on 275/275 (and will likely run 285/285 next).

 

?

I plan on doing 265 square setup for my next tires purchase. I can't wait!

 

Nope. Never had any problems with VDC. Do it. You'll thank us later.

 

What would you guys reccomend for aggressive back-road driving? (Empty mountain roads in the middle of nowhere. Dont worry, I dont endanger lives.)

I current have a 245/40, 275/40 setup on 8.5" front, 9.5" rear wheels (18"). Since I need new tires soon, and after research more about square setups, I am thinking about 275/35, 275/40. Or maybe 265 front for a small amount of understeer since its for the street? I'm not sure what to go with.

To give a little background on the setup, the suspension right now consists of RS*R Sports'I coilovers with Ichiba rear arms and toe bolts, and soon to come Hotchkis sways (with stock endlinks).

PS: It will be on a street alignment, i.e. not super aggressive camber settings like a track setup, because I never track the car (Except for a couple Auto-x's during the summer). And its a TCS car, not VDC if that makes any difference. (I usually keep it on too)

Any input from the veterans? The people contributing to this thread so far seem to know what they're talking about

 

Just wondering if anyone went to a square wheel/tire track setup all around...and then go back to staggered for some reason...like they don't like the feel of the same width tires front to rear...

My first setup consisted of rt615's 245 front 275 rear...allthough I was not happy with the tire itself, the balance of the car felt good to me...

Then I went to 275 starspecs all around. The car had alot more grip, but felt twitchy and overall I find it very hard to get use to...

I am aware that more people that track there cars go with a square setup, but I also see all the higher HP cars going with a stagger...

Im honestly considering going from 275 all around to a 265/285...

Any thoughts about this or input front people with experience is greatly appreciated...this will be street tires btw...nothing below 140 TW

Thanks

 

Sorry if I am not answering your question. My tires are near the end of my life so I am deciding to go stagger or square set up. When you went Starspec 275 around, what do you mean by twitchy. Care to elaborate? The reason why I am asking is because 275 around and Starspec are tires I was looking into.

~Robert

 

I'd never intentionally put less traction on either end of the car than I could fit.

If I were somehow limited in width up front, and I had more power (and room) than what the front width could handle, I'd probably go staggered, but I surely wouldn't do it for balance reasons. The car is nicely balanced (with smooth inputs) with a square setup.

Purposefully making a car have less grip at the limit seems pointless to me. Putting on skinnier tires is masking a problem rather than solving it. Smoother inputs on the wheel and pedals is a better answer, and it'll apply even with 400+whp and a staggered setup.