Racing with Staggered wheels

[sykikchimp]

to play devils advocate here.. wouldn't adding a substanial amount of power to the car warrant an increase in rear grip via a wider rear tire? you will push more comming to a corner, but you should be able to tune that out with appropriate parts. This should allow you to lay down more power sooner in the corner because it should increase the size of the friction circle?

I have some other thoughts about this, but wanna hear what you guys have to say?

[nokeone]

see this is what i was thinking when i initally posted my question in the other thread...given proper tuning i believe the handling characteristics can be improved..

and your statements of power handling seems valid..

i guess the argument would be...how many of us are pushing enough power to warrant such costs?

i was also slighty confused about the thinner front tires pushing thing...because regardless they will be larger then stock...so even if the rears were wider, larger contact patch, more grip...the fronts would be as well compared to stock..

just thoughts..

[Maeda]

Wider tires will apply more power (where applicable) right? Also in turns right?

If you dial out the push wouldnt you dial out some of the perks you gained from a wider tire?

[sykikchimp]

I was thinking about that, but even once you dial it out, you still have a larger contact patch..

[Maeda]

Ok so if you have the contact patch...
whats numerical the difference in patch after you dial it out? is it WORTH the change? o.O

what happens if you dial it out you get a 1/4 of an inch more contact? is that even worth it? o.O

[nrcooled]

i haven't felt any ill affects from having staggered wheel sizes. I have nothing but praise because I can get on the throttle earlier and harder due to the bigger rubber out back and she still feels super nimble because of the 7" in the front. Buy my veiw could be skewed from the HICAS which is still active.

-Bakari (who is appreciating HICAS more and more everytime he takes a corner too hot:p )

[bbp]

I have never had the experieince with a 240 with a staggered setup. I have driven M3 that came from the factory with stagered widths fron and rear. This was done to induced UNDERSTEER. Not a good thing on track. I think you would really need to increase the HP significantly to make this work to your advantage. To the point where you could induce oversteer with adding throttle, to get the car to rotate as needed. There is a certain point where the width and contact patch of a tire will actully begin to slow you down a bit.

[nrcooled]

My instructor at VIR had a M Coupe that had staggered widths and he just used trail braking if and when it was necessary to create oversteer. That car absoulutely tap danced all over the course...a great ballance of gracefullness and power

[302INMY240]

everybody knows wider is better, the best thing is getting wider wheels and tires front and rear.

if i had money i would get 17 x 9 and nitto nt555r II's in 275/40-17's for the front and rear. they'd stick out a little but id out handle vipers and z06's

one thought i had is, if you have a 2-way lsd and wide tires in the back, then you are goin to have a harder time turning