The quest for wider wheels and tires, 295, 305 and beyond...

[Lindenwood]

Continuing to get more competitive in Autocross in my M3P, and feel I would benefit from upgrading my cheap Federal 595RS-Pros in 275/35R19 on 19x9.5+22 (which are on their 2nd season and getting old anyways).

I’ve read this thread multiple times, plus lots of other searching.

I am generally still leaning toward 19s for mounting simplicity, but having a hard time deciding between tires. The real kicker is everything keeps pointing back to the A052 as the top AutoX tire, with the RE71RS a seemingly close second. Unfortunately, sizing gets a little squirrelly. So, the question is as much about tire fitment as whether, for example, a 275 A052 might perform better than a 285 RE71RS with all else equal.

-285/35R19 RE71RS
-275/35R19 A052s
-305/30R19???
-(Id honestly be interested in the A052 in 295/35R19, but suspect it will be a little too husky to fit without a lot of work).

Considering these wheels:
-19x11 Forgestar CF5s in +24
-Any of the standard Konig 19x10.5 offerings

For everyone who has been stuffing wide tires under the front fender, have you seen noticeable gains in AutoX and time-attack type events compared to a solid 275 setup?

(FWIW I am not explicitly opposed to 18s, but I don’t see that the available sizes are significantly better and I am less interested in trying to explain where the wheel weights can and can’t be mounted, or shaving the knuckle, etc).

 

[gearchruncher]

I have 275 A052's. I know for a fact I'm faster on 295 RE71's. I'd buy RE's today if I was buying. I think they're better suited to the Model 3 weight and platform.

I'd really go for 18's. I have 19x9.5's for my 200TW and I regret it. 18x10.5's Koneigs fit fine as long as you have enough front camber. I have a set of 295 Hoosier's on 18x10.5 Koneigs which are great.

 

[dsgerbc]

Be a hero and try to make 315/30/18 Yoks work

 

[Lindenwood]

I have 275 A052's. I know for a fact I'm faster on 295 RE71's. I'd buy RE's today if I was buying. I think they're better suited to the Model 3 weight and platform.

I'd really go for 18's. I have 19x9.5's for my 200TW and I regret it. 18x10.5's Koneigs fit fine as long as you have enough front camber. I have a set of 295 Hoosier's on 18x10.5 Koneigs which are great.

It’s interesting you say that, because I have had problems heat-soaking my tires on hot days (TX and OK summer AutoX events) and had considered the A052 might be more prone to that as well given the M3Ps power and weight.

 

[The Other Dan]

Be a hero and try to make 315/30/18 Yoks work

There might be pics of that very thing pretty soon..

 

[The Other Dan]

It’s interesting you say that, because I have had problems heat-soaking my tires on hot days (TX and OK summer AutoX events) and had considered the A052 might be more prone to that as well given the M3Ps power and weight.

I'm running my second set of 295/35/18 RE71rs for the season (went to Nats with Stickers). Over the bigger summer events I saw people with A052s spraying after the first run, where as the REs I almost never had to spray. As a single driver, I sprayed once on a 100*+ day. That was it.
When I had co-drivers and at the ProSolo, which were usually in the 90*s I had to spray starting the second run.

I did have one day where I whore'ed out my car to a couple fast drivers, with probably 10+ back to back runs and never sprayed to see whatvwoukd happen. While it got a little greasy, it still had alot of grip.

As of now, I'm not planning on swapping to A052 for next year.

 

[Lindenwood]

I have 275 A052's. I know for a fact I'm faster on 295 RE71's. I'd buy RE's today if I was buying. I think they're better suited to the Model 3 weight and platform.

I'd really go for 18's. I have 19x9.5's for my 200TW and I regret it. 18x10.5's Koneigs fit fine as long as you have enough front camber. I have a set of 295 Hoosier's on 18x10.5 Koneigs which are great.

Oh, I wanted to ask: why do you regret the 19s? Principle, or have you made specific observations?

 

[gearchruncher]

19's use more expensive tires and have less available sizes.

 

[The Other Dan]

19's use more expensive tires and have less available sizes.

Side note on this... it's kinda a catch 22.
19" does allow more clearance between the wheel and upright, so you could run a 19x11 more easily. But then you're limited in the really wide tire choices the width could support.
Running 18s allow better tire selection, but now you have rim to upright clearance issues with an 18x11.

Pick your poison I guess.
I run 18x11 but had to shave the upright.

 

[Moeb]

I’ve been following this thread for a while to educate myself and I pulled the trigger on my first track oriented setup. I went with a 20x11 et26 apex wheel with 285/30R20 eagle f1 and it is literally a couple of mm away from the front knuckle. Couldn’t be happier with this setup!

 

[kpanda17]

I’ve been following this thread for a while to educate myself and I pulled the trigger on my first track oriented setup. I went with a 20x11 et26 apex wheel with 285/30R20 eagle f1 and it is literally a couple of mm away from the front knuckle. Couldn’t be happier with this setup!

Photos?

 

[Moeb]

Photos?

 

[kpanda17]

Nice
A little dark, how about a brighter side shot?

 

[Moeb]

Nice
A little dark, how about a brighter side shot?

Ya I’ll get some better photos later

 

[CKwik240]

Ya I’ll get some better photos later

Any chance you can get photos of the inner clearance? I'd like to use them as the basis for some estimations on my next tire size selection.

 

[Moeb]

Any chance you can get photos of the inner clearance? I'd like to use them as the basis for some estimations on my next tire size selection.

 

[Cce32]

19x10+38 wearing 275/35R19 Bridgestone S007 with aftermarket rotor hats on performance hub has about 3mm clearance after filing down the casting protrusion on the upright.

 

[CKwik240]

Thanks. That's probably about as close as anyone is going to comfortably get. But seeing as your wheel is 16mm closer than mine, I probably have more than enough room if I want to try a 275 tire. I'll run through some more detailed calculations with the tires I'm considering when I have time. Thanks again. You have a pretty wicked set up.

 

[SK360]

19x10+38 wearing 275/35R19 Bridgestone S007 with aftermarket rotor hats on performance hub has about 3mm clearance after filing down the casting protrusion on the upright.

View attachment 983663

265/35/19 RT660 on a 19x10 +35 on stock performance rotors. It was a little close for comfort so I run a 5mm spacer up front.

 

[E.Potter]

daaaaaaamn son...that's crazy close!!!