Topic: Stance and Performance

[phantomjock]

I've looked - and can't find anyone that has used 35 (profile) tires. 
Seems an easy option to lower and increase contact area - no? 
Consider moving from 245/45/18 to a 255/35/18 - you'd get a lower profile tire, with about 1/2 inch wider - still tuck in wheel wells.
You'd get an overall 1.7" diameter decrease for just over 3/4" drop.  Add a set of moderate lowering springs to clearance the wheel well gap to "look" reasonable.
[ Guests cannot view attachments ]
OK - you get a speedo "challenge" and maybe a driveway strike to deal with.  But there are a number of extreme performance tires not available in the "standard" size. 

Thoughts?
BTW - Track Days, AX, and infrequent daily driving.  Thanks in advance.
Cheers - Jim

[Sol Asylum]

I don't know about the roads where you live but around here in the flat land of central Hellinois our good roads are rubbish and our bad one aren't even good enough to call shit.  Lowering my car would be asking for damage.  Lower profile tires are not going to offer much protection for your wheels and the ride of the car will be more harsh.  That being said lowering the car will in theory improve handling.

As you said the spedo will be off but that can be reprogrammed.   

This forum has/had a lot of people that have experimented with changes to their car.  Don't be afraid to try it out and see.  Tires can always be changed if you don't like the results.

[phantomjock]

Thanks!  Appreciate the response.  Sorry to hear you are in "Hellinois" -- Come on south to sunny (hurricane alley) Florida!
We don't get the upheaval caused by freezing - but rain and sinkholes do happen. 

Fortunately most of my DD routes are (for now) pretty smooth. 
And I'll Trailer to track days and AX - if more than 50 miles away - but most are.

Learned a lesson with my sports racer - getting on and off the trailer can be worse that road course damage.

Looks like I'm settling in on Kuhmo ECSTA V730 255/35/18.  Seem to work on the AX and wear reports reasonable - and near half price for others.

Cheers - Jim

[Gentleman Jack]

I concur with SA, but for different reasons.  Roads here are generally decent, but we have surface drainage swales that make lowering a DD non-practical.  Add to that a very steep driveway entry at my house, and kiss the front bumper goodbye.

So much so that I don't even have the Solstice anymore!  Current driveway situation requires fast SUVs....  still trying to figure out how to get a Cayman up and down the driveway safely... 

[elff]

I ran Continental DW Tires (245/45 front 275/40 rear)
this maintained the stock circumference