285/35/20 vs 285/35/19 RE-71

I really like the TSW RF wheels (sochi is my favorite) also, but the problem with the 19x10.5 is the offset is 27. I wonder if you can get tsw or another company to "shave" off the hub side of the wheel to effectively raise the offset? I've seen videos of it being done, but not sure if it's a cost effective solution or not? Is this common?

I have an old set of 18x10.5 TSW wheels that barely do fit over the GTPP brakes that I sometimes use at the track. But they do poke quite a bit with the 27 offset.

Grintch said:

295/40-18 Hankook RS4 is a good match to the stock diameter. Only issue is 295 is where fitting up front starts requiring significant attention.

Click to expand...

Significant attention? As in beyond spacers/studs?

Hawk296 said:

Significant attention? As in beyond spacers/studs?

Click to expand...

Good question! (I'd be curious to hear the answer.) Also looks like 18x11 would be the ideal rim for that tire.

Hawk296 said:

Significant attention? As in beyond spacers/studs?

Click to expand...

As in the right camber, ride height, effective offset (with or without spacers). Plus there is some variation in how wide a given model 295 tire is. Once you get close to the limit, you have to start worying about it.

I currently have 275/35R19s on the front. I am confident I can fit 285/35s with no issues with my current wheels & setup But for a 295, I may need a 5mm spacer and a bit more camber. Do-able, but no longer easy. I am not sure where the no poke limit is for a non Shelby (they have wider front fenders). I suspect it may be 305 if everything else is just right. Course the back has tons of room toward the inside, none of the concerns about hitting the strut like up front.

BmacIL said:

I wouldn't run 20's for a track setup on this car. A 35 aspect tire is not going to have an issue on the track at all, and there are benefits to be had from a taller sidewall too. 20's = heavier and that mass is all further out, so worse inertia (worse acceleration, slower response, worse braking). I also would run a different tire than the RE71R for track use. It's designed to heat up fast and will get greasy much easier than a more track-oriented tire, vs. auto-x tire. Hankook R-S4, Star Specs, RE11's, or if you can spring for them, Sport Cup 2's would be better options.

Click to expand...

As someone already said earlier, the RE71R's don't get greasy when hot. Yes there is a drop off in grip, but even when they are over heated they are still very grippy and they don't exhibit any bad behavior like unpredictable breakaway.

And, how do you know how the RS4 is going to be? You got some inside info?

tyshenry said:

As someone already said earlier, the RE71R's don't get greasy when hot. Yes there is a drop off in grip, but even when they are over heated they are still very grippy and they don't exhibit any bad behavior like unpredictable breakaway.

And, how do you know how the RS4 is going to be? You got some inside info?

Click to expand...

No inside info on the R-S4, but the R-S3 was a very capable tire for track use (and used to be for auto-x until the RE71R and Rival). Those who've run several sets of RE71Rs here didn't find them to get greasy when hot during autocross but only during open track lapping.

BmacIL said:

No inside info on the R-S4, but the R-S3 was a very capable tire for track use (and used to be for auto-x until the RE71R and Rival). Those who've run several sets of RE71Rs here didn't find them to get greasy when hot during autocross but only during open track lapping.

Click to expand...

In my experience that just simply isn't true. I was referring to tracking the tire, not auto-x.

tyshenry said:

In my experience that just simply isn't true. I was referring to tracking the tire, not auto-x.

Click to expand...

+1 on this....my experience is the RE-71R just gradually loses grip when too hot. If you have your car set up right, it will just start to do a gentle 4-wheel drift at the limit.

No greasiness or scary unpredictable behavior.

Appreciate the feedback guys. Not everyone has the best perception of what's actually happening.

BTM said:

+1 on this....my experience is the RE-71R just gradually loses grip when too hot. If you have your car set up right, it will just start to do a gentle 4-wheel drift at the limit.

No greasiness or scary unpredictable behavior.

Click to expand...

That's been my experience. Too hot and they loose a little grip, but in general they are very well behaved at the limit. Nothing like tires I would describe as 'greasy when hot' and I've driven a few.

BTM said:

+1 on this....my experience is the RE-71R just gradually loses grip when too hot. If you have your car set up right, it will just start to do a gentle 4-wheel drift at the limit.

No greasiness or scary unpredictable behavior.

Click to expand...

That's been my experience too. I have had a drop off in grip when/if they get too hot, but it is a very predictable and forgiving tire under all conditions IMHO.

<TED>

lugz said:

... does come in a 19x10.5, but that seems overkill for a square 285 setup.

Click to expand...

Overkill? Not hardly. 285/35 works very nicely all the way out on 11's, 10.5's are only half an inch above "measuring".

For a track day tire or dual-purpose street/track tire I wouldn't obsess over tire diameter unless it's forcing an upshift right before a braking zone and you're time-trialing. Even for a street-only tire, half an inch or so shorter shouldn't be a deal-breaker if you're looking at max- or extreme-summer performance rubber and that's what the closest size (in adequate load capacity) measures.


FWIW, one of my tire & wheel sets is 265/40's on 9.5" wide wheels. Definitely softer-responding and less precise than the 285/35's on 11's.


Norm

Thanks for all the great feedback guys! I ended up going with the 19x9.5 bathurst with 285/35 RE71. I know 10" would have been a better setup for the 285, but I wanted the lightest wheel for reasonable price, and also not 100% convinced long term on the shorter 285/35 and may end up going back to a 275/40, where the 9.5" rim would be perfect. This car will do a lot more street driving than balls out track time, so compromises have to be made here and there.