285/30/18 tire suggestions?
 

Hi guys,

I will have to replace tires on the FD soon. Right now, the car has 285/30/18 yokohama ad08 on 18x10 +50 CCW wheels all around.

I like how the ad08 sticks, but I'm looking for something a bit more comfortable than the ad08 for street driving. On the freeway, when I change lane, I need to hold the steering wheel tight because the car wants to change lane very abrutly. I'd like to avoid or eliminate as possible this behavior.

I plan on putting the car on track 1 or 2 times a year, so I'd like a track-capable tire. I'm not a fan of strech tires so I'd like to stick something close to 285 wide. I'd prefer to not roll the fender. I have a budget of about 300-330$ per tire.

Actually I was thinking about the new direzza ZII, but there is not much review on it yet.

Your suggestion are welcomed since there is not that much choice in this tire size.

Thanks,

Alex

That's probably going to have less to do with the tires, and more to do with your alignment and the fact that you have a 10" wheel on the front.

^

The tires really don't have too much to do with tracking and bump steer outside of the width of the tire.

If you could afford it I'd say the PS2's but they are way spendy. Your best bet really is the Direzza. Tirerack has already tested the new Direzza and said it's a damn good tire. Even a little better than old ones. The Direzza will be my next tire. Wish they has a 295/30-18 though for the back. Just make sure you don't go with a 300 tread wear tire. They last and do ok for traction but low 200's are the sweet spot I think.

I've read some good stuff about the new Direzza's. Tire rack's test says "...very responsive handling and excellent traction, but trades off a little civility out on the road to get it..." More firm and noisier than others tested. It sounds like a great track tire, but I doubt it will be better on the street, in the manner that the OP is looking for, than the AD08, also listed as a firm tire.

I think Mahjik had it right, your responses are likely dominated by tire and wheel sizing. A staggered 17" set is likely going to be more street friendly, and give up a little on the track. Compromises! (Disclaimer: having said all this, I have staggered 17's for the street, and want 18 x 10's for track only.)

I'd agree with 17's on the street. I have 17x8 with 255/40 and 18x10 with 285/30 on them. Unfortunately the order they were purchased meant the sticky tires were on the 17's. Next time around the sticky tires will be on the 18x10's.

Sorry guys I misleaded you. My actual tires are yokohama a048 and not ad08.

Thanks for the answers. So there is not much I can do reduce tracking except replacing my front wheels for smaller one (less wide)?

Someone has input about the potenza RE-11?

Have your alignment checked, that solved my tracking issues.

285's on the front is a lot of tire, especially an A048 R compound tire! Something more narrow will help however a softer non r compound with proper alignment will also help. How much it will reduce tracking or become an acceptable level is up to each person...

Since you already have the wheels, something like the bridgestone s04 would be more of a street friendly tire that is track capable. Won't stick like your A048's however will be just fine for a track day.

So there are two main components to tramlining, as it's called:

* Tires
* Alignment

With the tires, you can reduce the tramlining a little with a less aggressive tire. Michelins are known for being good at reducing that effect. However, you have a large contact patch up from with 10" wide wheels and a short sidewalls, so it will only be reduced so much. Using a 17" wheel with a more narrow width would provide a better result (as you increase the sidewall as well as narrow the contact patch).

You can adjust your toe settings to help with tramlining, however that will have an adverse affect on your track performance. This is part of the problem trying to have a dual purpose car; what helps one side hurts the other. In the end, you need to make a decision as to which compromise you want to make.

Thanks Mahjik, great answer!

I found an interesting article about tramlining on tirerack:
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tirete....jsp?techid=47

I would absolutely go with the RE-11 over the S04 for any kind of track use, or spirited street use..... the S04 are worlds removed from the old sticky S02, and with a treadwear of 300 they're not meant for any kind of real performance driving IMO.

And what about re-11 vs direzza ZII ?

the re-11s are a generation behind. The newer re-11a would be comparable to the ZII but it's not available in the right size yet (only 1 18" size so far).

ZII is going to be the best performance tire in that size period, unless you want to step up to an r-comp like an R888 which I don't think you do.

The RE-11A is just a compound change..... the RE-11 will still blow the S04 out of the water. Ideally you'd go with the A, but based on the lack of sizes gotta work with what's available. Just sayin' :)

Just wanted to share that I went with RE-11 285/30/18 on four corners. I'm very happy with my choice. Tramlining is almost inexistant with these tires. Much much more comfortable than A048 and more fun to drive.

I did a lapping event last weekend and they performed well.

I have 285 30 18 nitto nt05 and I absolutely love them. Comfort and performance is great

I chose the re-11 in 285/30/18 as well. It has a tread width of 11 inches across. I am going to run them all out on an 18x11.5" wide wheel front and rear. The should be slightly stretched out with a slightly wider wheel width than tread width which is recommended by the michelin tire engineers. Figured I would go all in. I did test fit the wheels already and they clear the rear trailing arms. I will get a very slight rub on the coilover spring at full lock in the front, nothing to complain about. Tires come in next week.

May I ask how u fit 285's up front? I am assuming you have at least pulled the fender or have aftermarket fenders. Also, what can you share with us your ride height and spring rates?

Appreciate it

rolled flat fenders, 25" ride height up front, 25.5" in the rear, 12KG/12KG -2 degrees camber front, -1.3 rear.

I really like that setup.
I damaged my slightly rolled front fender back when I mounted 275/35/18's up front. So now I stick with 265/30/18 which works. Ride height is 25. 12k 10k rear. Car pushes tho. 285 all around will be ideal. Street class time attacks rules allow up to 285's generally also.

I am running stock sway bars front and rear, my car doesn't push. handles really well.

Are you running a front sway bar? rear bar? what is causing the understeer?

Basically my car leaned too much with stock bars. Fender liner got destroyed and my car bottoms out on certain turns at streets of willow here in California. So now I have tanabe front and rear bars. Feels much better but doesnt turn in the way it should and also pushes especially on slower corners. Its not major, but it is robbing some time and I prefer slight oversteer.

Front camber is -2.3 and Rear camber is -1.6. 265/35/18 front 275/35/18 rear.

Other than buying new rims and running 285's all around... the ways I see to fix this is either buy 12k springs for the rear or buy a tripoint adjustable front swaybar and soften the front up a bit.

What width wheel is on the front of your car? And what model tire are you running?

9.5inch front 10inch rear. I know your recommend stretched tires.. I have alternated from 255's to 275's and noticed that the larger 275 has easily been the most grippy size and also the limit for my rear rim. If I were to buy rims again, Id probably go with 11inch rims for 285s.

My tires are Dunlop Zii's. Best street tires imo

Yea, stretching does help handling. As weird as this sounds.....yea I know, have you thought of running 265's all around, and running the 10" wheel in front?


This will help you with handling. Its actually a more robust and faster set up without selling a thing.