Unofficial Big-Wheel Thread: 18/18 and 18/19 - the future for NSX tire sizes

Lol.......Billy sounds very passionate about this whole 17 inch tire extinction....but since my head is buried in the sand.....I'm still under the belief that the 17 inch wheel will stick around for many years because it is still an oem size for lots of cars other than bmw/Porsche/ferrari /corvette/viper/mercedes/ ect.....there are still plenty of people who want sticky tires on midsize sport coupes/sedans.
Re-read first two paragraphs of Post #1 :). 17" tires for most modern cars have huge sidewalls. The NSX specific 17" sizes are endangered and will most likely go away all together.
 
....................uh shouldn't you be driving around Daytona right now.... ......or are you posting trackside making the crew think you got the hookups on beaucoup babes..:tongue:



what hard data from tire manufacturers makes you believe that 40 series tires in 17 inch are going away?There are too many cars on the road already imo we won't see your scenario play out for another 15-20 years.By then i think you will be right.
 
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what hard data from tire manufacturers makes you believe that 40 series tires in 17 inch are going away?There are too many cars on the road already imo we won't see your scenario play out for another 15-20 years.By then i think you will be right.
Look at the other thread and how many performance tires are in the 215/40-17, 235/40-17, and 215/35-18 sizes. 215/45-17 and 235/45-17 are common and will continue to be around but not the NSX specific sizes.

225 40 18 is wider but also much taller than the 215 35 18... I would love for a good solution to this though. I'm surprised nobody is complaining about the added weight of these tires especially a 295 rear :) It will really slow down a normal NSX probably though it will add more lateral grip. Boosted cars won't care much though!
The weight of a:

-295/30-19 Michelin PSS = 28lbs.
-265/35-18 Yokohama AD08 = 28lbs
-265/35-18 Michelin PSS = 26lbs
-245/40-17 Yokohama AD08 = 26lbs *STOCK REAR TIRE SIZE

Since tire variance is greater from brand to brand, this is not really a concern.


Front:

Volk CE28: 17x8 = 15lbs
Stock: 16x7 = 16.75lbs

Rear:

Volk CE28: 18x9.5 = 17lbs
Volk TE37: 18x9.5 = 18.3lbs
Stock: 17x8.5 = 20.85lbs
5Zigen ProRacer GN+: 18x9.5 = 22.5lbs

Volk TE37: 19x9.5 = 20.9lbs
Advan RS: 19x10 = 20.3-21.4-22.7lbs
Advan RGII: 19x10 = 19.95lbs

Wheel weight also varies from brand to brand. Most high quality 18" wheels are about the same weight if not lighter than the stock 17" rear wheel. When picking a quality 19" wheel like an Advan RS, a <2lb difference is not an issue.
 
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to the OP, have you tried and confirmed that 295/30/19 will actually fit on an nsx?? im almost positive its too big, and it side wall may look too meaty.

however indeed if the sizes 225/40/18, 295/30/19 can be made to fit the nsx without issues (ie. downforce front fenders + remove front wheelwell liners, some minor fender rolling in the back) you will have a quite a long time to choose from all the good tires out there. these are common sizes amongst lexus is/3 series/c class/Porsche 997/certain amg models etc etc etc.

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exactly what i was thinking.

It will handle it by being completely annihilated.
 
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to the OP, have you tried and confirmed that 295/30/19 will actually fit on an nsx?? im almost positive its too big, and it side wall may look too meaty.

however indeed if the sizes 225/40/18, 295/30/19 can be made to fit the nsx without issues (ie. downforce front fenders + remove front wheelwell liners, some minor fender rolling in the back) you will have a quite a long time to choose from all the good tires out there. these are common sizes amongst lexus is/3 series/c class/Porsche 997/certain amg models etc etc etc..
That's exactly the goal.

FYI: ekin95 ran a 285/30-19 on a 10.5 and depending on tire choice, a given 295 could be smaller or larger than a given 285 tire.


With 235/40-17 and 265/35-18 as my benchmark. I'm thinking 18x8 and 19x10.5 with 225/40-18 and 295/30-19 are 2.8 and 2.6% larger respectively with 0.3" larger radius -so TCS should be fine. I'm aware that these are both pushing the limits but I know of cars that run 305s with stock bodywork and these wheels can fit with proper homework. Tire models are endless for these sizes. You could also go with a 265-275/30-19 which will have ~ same OD as the 265/35-18.

There are some issues with fender well clearances and i'm working on an option to get around that, but IMO 18/18 and 18/19 is the future and you can be pro-active and work on adapting with life, or be left behind and deal with the ever-shrinking tire options.
Getting closer. After a lot of research i'm thinking this is the package:

18x8.5 +36 (with DF front fenders) and 225/40-18

19x10.5 +42-47 (+45 being ideal) and 295/30-19


Another rear option is:

19x10 +35 with a 275/30-19
 
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Not the best pic to showcase tire width but 295/30/19 here. It's definitely on the heavier side. Michelin Pilot Super Sport PS2 I believe. This is on a 19x10.5 Wheel.
ezu6uqaz.jpg
 
18x8 + 36 front
19x10.5 +40 rear

And to clarify after just reading a different thread....NO spacers are being used in the above pic.

Also I've used the stoptech bbk templates and found that the fronts clear and the rear bbk would definitely clear with a 5mm spacer.
 
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Here's almost exactly my future setup and the proposed 'ideal' setup: 225/40-18 275/35-19 (although this car has a 275/30-19 and I photoshop lowered the car a little:)

supersports (15) LOWERED F.jpg
 
18x8 + 36 front
19x10.5 +40 rear

And to clarify after just reading a different thread....NO spacers are being used in the above pic.

Also I've used the stoptech bbk templates and found that the fronts clear and the rear bbk would definitely clear with a 5mm spacer.

You have the exact look I've been searching for. What is the tire size up front?

Can you take a pic from the rear of the car to see how the rear tires poke out? Trying to get an idea of what that offset looks like compared to the front.
 
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Here's almost exactly my future setup and the proposed 'ideal' setup: 225/40-18 275/35-19 (although this car has a 275/30-19 and I photoshop lowered the car a little:)

Care to share a list of the requisite hardware? What wheels are those? Is the car running fender liners? Wide fenders? Spacers?
 
Care to share a list of the requisite hardware? What wheels are those? Is the car running fender liners? Wide fenders? Spacers?
Having tracked many different NSX's with various builds from NA to 800whp, by far my favorite tire sizing is:

17x8 +38 with a 215/40-17 to 235/40-17
18x9.5 +40 to 18x10 +46 with a 265/35-18 to 275/35-18

There are just a handful of top level street and R-comp tires in this size. I think the sizes are probably good for another 5 years, maybe longer, but options are few. This thread is not for those who don't track their cars and/or want the best performing tires on the market. But in order to get a vast array of choices of the best tires on the market, there might be a few prerequisites:

-Change out front fenders to Downforce or FXMD wider fenders
-Remove fender liners (does not matter since the OEM fenders are shelved)
-Install optional thin fender liners
-18x8 or 18x8.5 with pending offsets to use a 225/40-18 (or even 235/40-18)
-And corresponding 19x10 to 19x10.5 with 265 to 295/35-19s
 
-Change out front fenders to Downforce or FXMD wider fenders
-Remove fender liners (does not matter since the OEM fenders are shelved)
-Install optional thin fender liners
-18x8 or 18x8.5 with pending offsets to use a 225/40-18
-And corresponding 19x10 to 19x10.5 with 295/35-19s
That setup will be on my next NSX soon, my car needs to have a nice behind ;)
 
You have the exact look I've been searching for. What is the tire size up front?

Can you take a pic from the rear of the car to see how the rear tires poke out? Trying to get an idea of what that offset looks like compared to the front.

Not sure if this is what you had in mind but I can take other pics next time I have these wheels on.

Also to clarify, this is NOT a track friendly suspension/wheel setup. I definitely rub the liners like this but with vrh it works on the street. The fronts are 225/35/18 and rub on full lockout but could pass for track use with a little more ride height dialed in (higher, obv). The rears could possibly work with a 275 tire and a bit more height also.

My next track wheel setup will work with the coilovers set this low. Billy- Thanks for making this thread and helping us sift through the confusion to get the best trackable setup possible!

I'm interested to know what you have in mind to improve the fender liners. Potential customer here...

denusyze.jpg

ebebunyb.jpg
 
If you remove your front fender liners, would you feel that setup is trackable?

IMO almost any performance oriented aftermarket setup will cause the tire's tread to rub the chassis at full lock. I don't view this as a problem because it does not hurt anything, you're never at full lock, and you can dent in that part of the chassis if you really don't want it to rub at full lock.

The fender liner solution is pretty easy, it's just hard to do it when my car is on the other side of the country. But with wider fiberglass front fenders, its probably less important anyway.
 
I'd say yes it would be functionally possible to track if the fender liners were removed but between the weight of the wheel/tire combo and the width of the tires it is not ideal.

I agree that rub at full lock is not a big deal but we have the age old challenge of the fender liners being the limiting factor. I'd rather not change my fenders in order to track it but I would like an aggressive track setup that enables my oem fenders to be protected on the underside.

What do you have in mind?
 
-18x8 or 18x8.5 with pending offsets to use a 225/40-18 (or even 235/40-18)
-And corresponding 19x10 to 19x10.5 with 265 to 295/35-19s

I'll wait here for pictures... But I have ran literally 30 sets of 18/19 wheels and 225 40 18 and 295 35 19 are way over sized regardless of DF fenders, fender liners removed, etc etc etc.

225 35 18 and 295 30 19 are not an issue, although large and the front can rub depending on ride height unless you go out to a 18x9" wheel with more of a stretch... and DF fenders.

Once you attempt to go over the top diameter wise with 40 series front and 35 series rear on 18/19 you're causing all sorts of issues. I'm down for pictures though :cool:
 
Post #38

Please re-read the thread to understand the whole reason for pursuing these larger sizes. Specifically posts #1 & 41.
 
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You asked for a pic of a 225/40-18. Please don't post if you are not contributing. Thank you for your input on sizes that fit easily with limited tire selection but since your content with the available tire choices in those sizes, this thread probably isn't for you.
 
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Umm. I'm pretty sure a 225/40/18 front tire won't fit. Thread of someone that did it:
http://www.nsxprime.com/forum/showthread.php/46035-225-40-18-front-tires-problems-turning

Even if it does fit it'll look really out of place.

Here's a 265 or 275/35/19 which is close to what a 295/30/19 would look like.
20120726_175031.jpg


Bottom line for 18/19s the proper sizes are 215/35/18 front and 265/30/19 rear (or 275/30/19) rear if you have a stock bodied with full fenderliners.
...

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You asked for a pic of a 225/45-18. Please don't post if you are not contributing. Thank you for your input on sizes that fit easily with limited tire selection but this thread probably isn't for you.

He posted a picture of 225-40 18 on a car that is Photoshopped

I just quoted a picture of 265 35 19... if that is functional and or acceptable fitment then I will more than likely exit this lovely informative thread. :wink:
 
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