245's vs 275's vs 315's

[craig510]

How much faster would a 315 be than a 275 or a 245?

I am looking at having some custom wheels made for my falcon. I am going with TeamIII LT-III's in 17x10.5 or 17x11 or I stay cheap I can just bolt on some 17x8 mustang bullitt wheels and run 245's.

http://i885.photobucket.com/albums/ac56/craig510/Falcon%20Pics/lt_cast_1812_sc1.jpg

This is my car with 225/50-16 on 16x7 2005 Mustang wheels.

http://i885.photobucket.com/albums/ac56/craig510/Falcon%20Pics/WheelFitment_0049.jpg

I have run a few AutoX events, this is the primary goal for my car. Does anyone have real experience and/or lap time data for different sizes of the same tire. I am looking at Falken azenis rt 615k or Nitto NT05's. From what I can find, the NT05's are the only option in 200 tread wear and a 315/35-17. I will be running the same size all around and will modify the chassis and body to fit. I need 200 tread wear for the Good-Guy's events.

-Craig

[Flash68]

How much power do you have?

I love the Team III wheel. :thumbsup:

[Lowfast]

Go witht he Team III's. I have the same model in 18's on my 65. Just beware, the price can jump substantially depending on the width and backspace you choose. My rears (18x11's) ended up costing almost twice what is listed on thier price sheet. The wheels look nice online, but wait until you see them in person, writing the check hurt until I saw the wheels. :thumbsup:

Here are a few pics of mine:

http://imageshack.us/a/img10/7248/march102012010.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/10/march102012010.jpg/)
http://imageshack.us/a/img832/8467/march102012029.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/832/march102012029.jpg/)
http://imageshack.us/a/img37/7572/march102012032.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/37/march102012032.jpg/)
http://imageshack.us/a/img851/3262/march102012023.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/851/march102012023.jpg/)
http://imageshack.us/a/img59/8726/march102012014.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/59/march102012014.jpg/)


I went with an 18x8 up front and an 18x11 out back, Kuhmo 245/35 up front and 315/30 out back. I plan to paint the centers BBS gold and leave the polished lip.

[craig510]

Lowfast. I got the wheel idea from you. After I saw the pictures of the backside I knew they were the ones. I live close to the factory so I plan to check them out first hand.

Flash68. For now I have about 300 hp. I will need to go through my motor sometime in the next year or two and plan on bumping it up to 400'ish.

[craig510]

I just pieced together a set of real SVT 10th anniversary cobra wheels. 17x9. IMHO they are the baddest 17" rims ford has put out and they were less than the cost of 2 team 3 wheels.

Unless someone can talk me out of it I am going with 275/40R17's. Nitto NT05. I was also looking at the Falken 615K but with my poor driving skills it will be nice to be able to flip the tires on the rims and get another couple events after I plow the corners off.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8331/8111208048_5b86f69e51.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/13310936@N06/8111208048/)

[Lowfast]

Very nice, are you going to have them narrowed? Fitting a 17x9 up front is going to be next to impossible and be able to turn, for the rears it will most likely require a spring relocate.

[craig510]

Very nice, are you going to have them narrowed? Fitting a 17x9 up front is going to be next to impossible and be able to turn, for the rears it will most likely require a spring relocate.

Narrowed??? I know it will take some serious work to get this much tire under a round body falcon, but I am going all in. I have an extra set of spindles that I am going to cut up and fit the ball joints inside the wheel, build custom control arms and then notch the fame as needed.

Mini tubs in the rear and redo all my rear suspension. I just don't think I could be competitive without some serious rubber.

-Craig

[Lowfast]

I would look at having the fronts narrowed to 8" by Weldcraft, that will still allow a 245 tire and will give you more room when at lock, I can tell you my wheels are pushed out as far as possible and with the 245 tire it is tight at lock, only about 1/2 of clearance from frame and fender. THe Falcons just don't have much room for tire, everything is so small. The rear should be no problem. I would run a 275 tire on the 9" rim, actually, if it were me I would have the rears widented to 10 or 11" and run some serious rubber out back. :unibrow:

[Black93GT]

Damn... those team III look awesome on the car. I kept looking at those... especially since they were local. Got a set of used wheels but I'm liking the looks of those!

[Bryce]

Narrowed??? I know it will take some serious work to get this much tire under a round body falcon, but I am going all in. I have an extra set of spindles that I am going to cut up and fit the ball joints inside the wheel, build custom control arms and then notch the fame as needed.

Mini tubs in the rear and redo all my rear suspension. I just don't think I could be competitive without some serious rubber.

-Craig

Sounds like a good plan. I think an 18" wheel will fit over the stock ball joint and you can run a 265 tire. On the falcons tire width is fitting a lowered ride height.

I think you know what i run on my falcon with stock wheel wells (245s and 275s). And I just barely clear.

[ryeguy2006a]

I really like the 10th ann. rims.

[chetly]

Running a 275 on a 9 inch with either of the tires you have listed is not a good idea. They both have a soft sidewall that allow for a lot of sidewall flex. Not exactly something you want when your autoxing. Makes for piss poor handling. On a 9 inch rim i wouldnt go any bigger than a 255.

For instance, Mike Maier (5 time scca national autox champion) run a 265 on his 66 Mustang Coupe and thats on a 9.5 inch rim.

[craig510]

Running a 275 on a 9 inch with either of the tires you have listed is not a good idea. They both have a soft sidewall that allow for a lot of sidewall flex. Not exactly something you want when your autoxing. Makes for piss poor handling. On a 9 inch rim i wouldnt go any bigger than a 255.

For instance, Mike Maier (5 time scca national autox champion) run a 265 on his 66 Mustang Coupe and thats on a 9.5 inch rim.

That's a good point. If I drop to. 255 then it opens up some other tire options as well. I think the Dunlop star specs may be in my future. What I have read they are a little better for autox than the NT05's.

[chetly]

Thats the exact tire that he and I run... fastest autox tire on the market right now.

[craig510]

Went ahead and pulled the trigger on the 255/40-17 Dunlops. I'll find out next spring how much faster they are.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8344/8181155891_8bdb0d1475_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/13310936@N06/8181155891/)

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8200/8181157469_37e17117a2_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/13310936@N06/8181157469/)

Should be a lot faster than my old General UHP 225/50-16s

[chetly]

Good choice. Did you make it to goodguys? I wasnt able to make it.

Another friend of mine was there in his right hand drive ford escort.
.

[craig510]

I had a great time at goodguys. I got down to a 33.082, 1.5 secondimprovement from my last outing in June.

That escort was my favorite car at the show. The only thing that could have made it cooler was is if it had the twin cam cosworth motor.

[craig510]

Getting closer. It is going to be sick. I think I got all my pickup points figured out for my drop spindles.

http://i885.photobucket.com/albums/ac56/craig510/image_zpsbf17cea8.jpg

http://i885.photobucket.com/albums/ac56/craig510/image_zps54057498.jpg

[craig510]

I finally got it back on the ground. Improvement in grip is phenomenal.

http://i885.photobucket.com/albums/ac56/craig510/LookingGood_0008_zps41af7a1c.jpg