We pretty much answered your question in your thread here:
http://www.nsxprime.com/forum/showthread.php?t=167465
My suggestion is to completely wipe the idea of the Michelin Supersports out of your mind for the NSX! There is NO front fitment!!!!
18/19 Tire choices!!!
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We pretty much answered your question in your thread here:
http://www.nsxprime.com/forum/showthread.php?t=167465
My suggestion is to completely wipe the idea of the Michelin Supersports out of your mind for the NSX! There is NO front fitment!!!!
Thanks again for the input. I reposted my question here at your suggestion so that it was in the appropriate thread.
The odd thing is, my car has tons of room up front for more, and the same for my rears. I've attached 2 photos that I have, and my rears have 5mm spacers on them already, so I what would the problem be if I put those spacers on the front if necessary?
Looks an be deceiving.
The main problem with running tires that aren't recommended by the tire gods are that you'll get rubbing issues when turning full lock which you can't see from a normal side shot.
The main problem with running tires that aren't recommended by the tire gods are that you'll get rubbing issues when turning full lock which you can't see from a normal side shot.
In his pictures he's missing this fenderliners, so I guess all bets are off. He could probably run wider tires because there's less to actually rub on.
I still would recommend only going 215/35/18 fronts unless you have the DF wider front fenders or go Widebody.
I would also highly recommend you replace your fenderliners to protect the inside of the fender.
Great suggestions, i actually had planned on replacing the fender liners.
I just wish I could squeeze the 215/40/18 Supersports in there.
So as I am continuing to study which tires to get, I remember that my current tires leave quite a bit of rim left exposed. I have posted a pics of them 1 front and 1 rear. Notice the amount of extra rim? Still think I'd rub with 215/40/18 on the front, plus without fender liners?
HOLY Freakin CRAP MAN!!! How many times do we need to tell you this!?!?!? Get that SH!T out of your freakin head!!!!
215/35/18 ONLY!!!!
The reason your rims are exposed is 1) for the front you have Falkens which run narrow and 2) for the rear you're running a narrow 245/35/19 when you should be running a 275/30/19
Get the right tire sizes and
trust us on this.
HOLY Freakin CRAP MAN!!! How many times do we need to tell you this!?!?!? Get that SH!T out of your freakin head!!!!
215/35/18 ONLY!!!!
The reason your rims are exposed is 1) for the front you have Falkens which run narrow and 2) for the rear you're running a narrow 245/35/19 when you should be running a 275/30/19
Get the right tire sizes and
trust us on this.
Thanks again for you input, although before you continue with the shouting...
It's not a matter of trust. It's a matter of paying to ship 4 tires to Hawaii which is NOT CHEAP and NOT QUICK. So I have to be sure I order the ones I am going to use. If you had to cough up a couple of hundred dollars in shipping, plus wait 7-10 days extra for the shipping and no ability to return it if you didn't want them, you would do the same and make sure you had exhausted your research before making a final decsion.
Yeah, if you go with what you keep posting you'll DEFINITELY BE OUT couple hundred dollars.
Have you read anything in this thread at ALL? Look at the very first post in this thread! 215/35/18 and 265/30/19 or 275/30/19. The Tire Experts are telling you and it's right there in front of you!
Here's some more for your research. The Wheel-Tire Theory that I wrote!
http://www.nsxprime.com/wiki/Wheel-Tire_Theory
This comes from knowledge and experience of running multiple 18/19" wheels on the NSX since 2005!
See my first set here:
http://www.nsxprime.com/forum/showthread.php?t=51360
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I appreciate the input. Thank you.
The Michelin Pilot Super Sport is not available in an 18" size to fit the NSX front.
Ok, so being the non-conformist I am along with access to wholesale pricing, I figured, what the hell, why not try it and see. So I ordered the Michelin Pilot Supersports for my car. Had them put on my Wedsport SA-55ms. 18x8 fronts and 19x10 rears. Here's the tire sizes I did...
Front - 225/40ZR18
Rears - 275/30ZR19
Love them!! The passenger side rubs only if I turn the wheel as hard as I can full lock. They cleared the welded seam in the rear part of the fender area by about 1/2cm at the point where the weld starts to curve down, so I took a dremel and shaved about 1cm off of this seam at the corner just to be safe.
Been driving on them since Saturday and love them. So much more comfortable and stable then the Falkens that were on before. I loved the Super Sports on my m3 and love them even more on my NSX. The car feels like it simply couldn't slide no matter how hard I push it.
I'm glad I took the risk, as I honestly haven't seen any tires that stand up to the Super Sports.
Will post pics tomorrow when I remember to take them in good light. Been inside the car too much enjoying it.
Front - 225/40ZR18
Rears - 275/30ZR19
Love them!! The passenger side rubs only if I turn the wheel as hard as I can full lock. They cleared the welded seam in the rear part of the fender area by about 1/2cm at the point where the weld starts to curve down, so I took a dremel and shaved about 1cm off of this seam at the corner just to be safe.
Been driving on them since Saturday and love them. So much more comfortable and stable then the Falkens that were on before. I loved the Super Sports on my m3 and love them even more on my NSX. The car feels like it simply couldn't slide no matter how hard I push it.
I'm glad I took the risk, as I honestly haven't seen any tires that stand up to the Super Sports.
Will post pics tomorrow when I remember to take them in good light. Been inside the car too much enjoying it.
You have changed the front/rear ratio so much I cannot believe your traction control is not freaking out. Is it on?
As far as performance goes, I am glad you like them but I want others reading this and thinking of doing the same thing that the car is probably NOT better off no matter what the compound of the Michelin is. Smaller more proper sized tires on the NSX will work better.
Driving around on the roads with a subjective impression is not solid fact. Driving on a track with timed laps is. The fact is that there are stickier tires that will outperform your michelins available in NSX sizes. While I like Michelin very much as a brand, I wouldn't do what you have done. I think long term you will notice more rubbing, and you live in Hawaii where the roads are very good year round. You don't ice under the pavement that creates man sized potholes. Your suspension travel may be a lot less than what a typical driver experiences.
I would like to see your pics, and I am glad that you are happy and don't mean to sound negative. I just don't want someone who doesn't fully understand the facts to think this is a good possible solution.
As far as performance goes, I am glad you like them but I want others reading this and thinking of doing the same thing that the car is probably NOT better off no matter what the compound of the Michelin is. Smaller more proper sized tires on the NSX will work better.
Driving around on the roads with a subjective impression is not solid fact. Driving on a track with timed laps is. The fact is that there are stickier tires that will outperform your michelins available in NSX sizes. While I like Michelin very much as a brand, I wouldn't do what you have done. I think long term you will notice more rubbing, and you live in Hawaii where the roads are very good year round. You don't ice under the pavement that creates man sized potholes. Your suspension travel may be a lot less than what a typical driver experiences.
I would like to see your pics, and I am glad that you are happy and don't mean to sound negative. I just don't want someone who doesn't fully understand the facts to think this is a good possible solution.
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On a '91-93 NSX, those sizes are likely to cause problems for the TCS as soon as they are mounted on the car.
On a '94-05 NSX, those sizes may not cause TCS problems immediately, but will probably do so as the rear tires start to wear.
Of course, that's in addition to the rubbing problems noted above.
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No worries, you didn't sound negative at all. You're suggestions are very good, I just looked at every tire that would be suggested on an 18/19 setup and didn't see any I liked as much as the super sports.
I was going to get the Yokohama S-Drive, as I liked their performance except when it rains they get slippery and we get random tropical rains, and coming down a steep, curvy road like the Pali when it's raining requires sticky, sticky tires. Personally, I don't like the Bridgestones, I have a friend who has an 2006 Cayman -S, a car that drives somewhat similar to the NSX, and didn't like the Bridgestones on his car, and neither did he. I test drove a 1991 NSX before I bought this one with the BFG KDW2 on it, and it was raining that day and car felt slippery. I also test drove a 2002 NSX with Kumho SPT on it and didn't like those either.
The TCS was coming on intermittently, so I just turn it off when I get in the car. The car is my daily and 90% of my driving is traffic lights, so TCS isn't really a requirement. The island I live on has no track, Honolulu is a city, so most of my driving is stop light to stop light, with an occasional highway run that can never be longer than 20-30 miles. This is a VERY small island.
Our roads are actually pretty terrible (but they're finally starting to fix them.) We live on a volcano and the subsurface constantly shifts and causes pretty bad potholes. In 2008, Honolulu roads were rated the 2nd worse in the USA... http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2008/Mar/13/ln/hawaii803130345.html
This has SLOWLY started to get better, but still many roads are bad. I've found the SuperSports feel much more stable driving every day.
I went through the lists on this thread and didn't see any tires that I really liked. You said there's some that will out perform the Supersports, and I'm curious which ones you think so, as I am willing to try them on my next round. My buying options are limited to what I can get from Tire Rack and Costco, otherwise shipping here is too much.
Thanks for your input, again, it wasn't negative and I am grateful for the guidance!
The "extreme performance" tires (Dunlop Direzza Sport Z1 Star Spec, Bridgestone Potenza RE-11, Yokohama Advan Neova AD08, etc) will substantially outperform the Super Sport, but - like the Super Sport - they're not available in the preferred 18"/19" sizes of 215/35-18 and 275/30-19. Slap them on 17"/18" rims and they're a great choice to maximize the performance of the NSX.
Thanks! I'm considering going 17/18, just don't make my Wedsports SA55-M rims in a 17", and I honestly love my rims. They do make a SA60-M in 17/18" rims, and I might do this at a later date, but I'd like to spend the $$ on the KW Club Sports first
Here's some pics. Not best quality as sun is behind the car, but all I can do this morning. That's my 1969 Bronco behind the car. I'm actually happy to say nothing I drive has power steering .
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So sad to see you go this route after we all told you so many times not to.
Anyway, the reasons why I preferred you stayed with the 215/35/18 are:
1) It doesn't cause TCS issues.
2) It doesn't rub.
3) It doesn't have a larger sidewall than the rear, making it look unbalanced.
4) It doesn't fill up the wheel well more than the rear making it look unbalanced.
5) It doesn't change the rake of the car such that now the nose of the car angles upward (when the OEM look has a nose downward rake).
6) 215/35/18s are generally (but not always) cheaper than the 225/40/18s.
7) It stretches the tire little more (makes it less "square"), matching the stretch of your rear.
Everyone, keep in mind that he doesn't have any front fenderliners. Otherwise it would rub like crazy.
Anyway, all that matters is that you're happy... Congrats on your purchase.
Anyway, the reasons why I preferred you stayed with the 215/35/18 are:
1) It doesn't cause TCS issues.
2) It doesn't rub.
3) It doesn't have a larger sidewall than the rear, making it look unbalanced.
4) It doesn't fill up the wheel well more than the rear making it look unbalanced.
5) It doesn't change the rake of the car such that now the nose of the car angles upward (when the OEM look has a nose downward rake).
6) 215/35/18s are generally (but not always) cheaper than the 225/40/18s.
7) It stretches the tire little more (makes it less "square"), matching the stretch of your rear.
Everyone, keep in mind that he doesn't have any front fenderliners. Otherwise it would rub like crazy.
Anyway, all that matters is that you're happy... Congrats on your purchase.
Is it just my eyes, or do the front sidewalls look bigger than the rear sidewalls. Looks unbalanced.Here's some pics. Not best quality as sun is behind the car, but all I can do this morning. That's my 1969 Bronco behind the car. I'm actually happy to say nothing I drive has power steering
The front sidewalls are bigger than the rears. It's not your eyes.
Based on this calculator, the front sidewall measures 90mm and the rear is 83mm.
http://www.rimsntires.com/specs.jsp
Bonham, I'm afraid your improved performance is not actually there. You are really bent on this model of tire but the numbers and facts will bear out that the car is not better off. I'm a true believer in michelin, I looked at making these tires work but they just aren't right for this car. Happa is right. You have no fender liners. If you did, that front tire would be shredding it. You've increased rotational mass over stock significantly. Your TCS by your own admission is not working well. There are too many compromises made when an AD08 or the upcoming star spec Z2 in the right size will outperform what you have in every category. The michelins aren't cheap either. I think we are being nice saying "if you're happy" but we all know this is not a good move. LOL... Hey man I've been following you from the M3 forum and I'm glad you're here and think you have a great car. Don't take this personally. But you've basically stuck to your guns and made an incorrect move technically. It's not the end of the world... But you're going to have a hard time convincing most of the tire guys the car is better because it's on a tire you really like.
All excellent points for everyone, thank you. My rake was already a little higher in the front, but my passenger front shock has a small leak in it, so I haven't adjusted it since I purchased the car, hence my soon purchase of the KW Club Sports. After I recoup some $$ from these and my Lovefab kit, I'll probably be buying the Wedsports SA60-M's for a 17/18 setup.
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