Building a $50K Track Tool to beat $500K Track Tools
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Keep your liners or you'll destroy your fenders. I trim mine but unfortunately not quite enough for these plus sized Nitto's.
Rob - I can't recall what size tires you were on before (215?) but overall how did you feel about the 235s? Do you think they're worth it? I know you mentioned you were still getting used to the new track.
The last time I was on 235s I ended up with a molten lava drip of plastic liner flowing into the outer fender. It was kind of funny looking and not at the same time. I was only lowered .8". Not sure what that'd do to my liners/fenders now that i'm lower still..
Tein springs and Bilstein shocks gave me a lot of understeer before even with the 235s. I was constantly fighting the long high speed sweepers. My coilover setup now is a lot more neutral so I'm wondering if I need the 235s or keep with the 215s.
The last time I was on 235s I ended up with a molten lava drip of plastic liner flowing into the outer fender. It was kind of funny looking and not at the same time. I was only lowered .8". Not sure what that'd do to my liners/fenders now that i'm lower still..
Tein springs and Bilstein shocks gave me a lot of understeer before even with the 235s. I was constantly fighting the long high speed sweepers. My coilover setup now is a lot more neutral so I'm wondering if I need the 235s or keep with the 215s.
Ah yes, the dreaded molten lava drip liners.
I actually left my drivers side front liner in the exit of T13 on my last session. On my next lap I spotted it and thought; hmm, that looks familiar... When I came back into the pits, Nick's wife came up to me before I had shut it down and pointed to my passenger side front fender. The liner was dripping...I have always felt that for technical courses, the NSX is way under-tired, especially up front. The 215 is just not going to cut it for me. On my 400hp 911 track car, I used 245 front & 305 rears on 9 & 11 inch wheels, (what else would you put on a 911 other than 9's & 11's???:smile: That car weighed 400 lb. less than my 2800 lb. NSX btw.
Thus far, the optimum setup on my NSX has been with 225/40/17 & 295/30/18 Hoosier R6's. Very minute rub at full lock.
I have also run 235/40/17 & 285/35/18 Toyo R888's along with the 235/40/17 & 285/35/18 Nitto NT01. Rub-a-dub-dub!
Of these choices I'd put the Hoosiers in a league of their own and the NT01's slightly better than the Toyos for 1st loser (2nd place).
My car felt very neutral on the NT01's as it does on the Hoosiers but I run -3.2 camber front & -2.2 camber rear.
Other factors - Cost: the NT01's are half the price of the Hoosiers & Toyos...
Are the NT01's worth the trouble? I think so, but since I shredded both my front liners at Chuckwalla I have ordered a new set of liners and I will be trimming them down aggressively to try to accommodate the NT01's. I will need to test them out at my home tracks (Infineon, Thunderhill) to get a more accurate assessment of them but for the price, I don't think you can beat them. Wider front fenders are definitely in my future.
(IMHO) You can never be too rich, too skinny or have 'too much' tire. :wink:
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Don't forget that everyone's wheels may not have the same offset. And we all know actual tire dimensions differ from model to model. Thus 235/40-17 fronts may rub more for some than others. I also have 235/40-17's and I have acceptable amounts of rubbing(Tein Flex with a finger gap).
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Can you share your wheel dimensions?
Mine are a conservative (F) 17x7.5 +42
When I had 235 NT-05s this size was melting away the outer fender liner AND rubbing on the inside at full lock. I'm worried that now that I've added the front non-compliance clamps and a BBK, which requires a 5mm spacer to clear, it may be untrackable.
On the NSX the fender well itself seems very narrow. It's worse if you lower the car and worse yet.. have 'soft' suspension setup.
Here was the car with about 100lbs worth of tools and spare parts in the trunk.
The factory spec 'overall width' for an inflated 235/40ZR17 NT01 on a 8.5" rim is 9.49 inches = 241.046 mm
http://www.nittotire.com/Tire/nt01#size
The tires are not with me currently, but I can stop by tomorrow and verify these specs if you like?
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Thank you Dave...
I do realize that, just the little professor in me. :biggrin:
Wheel width and offset is obviously going be a mitigating factor. As an example, the Toyo R888 in the same size is listed as 9.6" which is wider than the factory spec for the same size NT01 (9.49"), yet I experienced more rub with the NT01 than the R888. Reason: My R888 is mounted on a 7.5" wide wheel and the NT01 is mounted on a 8" wide wheel.
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FYI, just registered for AROSC TT/Time Attack on Sunday, May 5. Come on out and join me!
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No problemo doc, I'll get it for you tomorrow afternoon.
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FYI, just registered for AROSC TT/Time Attack on Sunday, May 5. Come on out and join me!
I'm not sure I understand the "trimming" done on the fender liners?
My 235/40*17 Toyos stick out a lot as my 8" wheels run with 33mm offset only.
This was required to clear my Porsche front calipers running on 32 mm disks.
I have the DF front fenders that allow space for the tire.
My 235/40*17 Toyos stick out a lot as my 8" wheels run with 33mm offset only.
This was required to clear my Porsche front calipers running on 32 mm disks.
I have the DF front fenders that allow space for the tire.
Still rubbing badly with DF fenders? Not a good sign. I think the Toyo 235/40 is a very tall tire which doesn't help.
Put the front of the car on stands and remove front wheels.
Observe where the tires are making contact with your liners and cut out those sections of the liners being careful not to cut too much. Where possible drill holes in the liner to fit zip-ties thru to pull the liner away from the point of contact. Also may require race tape to fill in any exposed gaps.
The ultimate solution is the Hoosier 225/40/17.
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They appear to have almost no grooves?
Do you actually drive back and forth to the track with them?
Thanks for the tip about the liners!
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It's enough to get the top of the tire inside the wheel arch under full compression with the help of CT front camber bushings.
My front wheels are Volk Racing CE 28N 17*8 with 38 mm offset.
I'm using an extra 5 mm spacer to clear my Porsche 993 turbo calipers.
The shocks are from Bilstein with Zanardi 389lbs/in springs and Daliracing 22 mm swaybars.
I looked up the Hoosier tires.
They appear to have almost no grooves?
Do you actually drive back and forth to the track with them?
Thanks for the tip about the liners!
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I have the DF fenders that extend the width by 6mm.
It's enough to get the top of the tire inside the wheel arch under full compression with the help of CT front camber bushings.
My front wheels are Volk Racing CE 28N 17*8 with 38 mm offset.
I'm using an extra 5 mm spacer to clear my Porsche 993 turbo calipers.
The shocks are from Bilstein with Zanardi 389lbs/in springs and Daliracing 22 mm swaybars.
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another option is rolling to fenders (which I know NSX owners are terrified of) and apply a sound dampner like dynomatt or others, also types of spray on liners to deaden the impact causing reverse dings. just make sure you clean the fenders inners very well for a good matting surface.
No fear, I rolled my fenders long ago. I've got a special Easton alloy baseball bat with lots of sentimental value (I liberated it from a burglar breaking into my business). Next steps may involve your suggestion for undercoating, thanks. Where to buy?
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