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305 squared set up as a daily driver

Cardude99

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I am going to need tires in a few months and if the stars align I may be able to pick up a set of wheels at the same time. I know I want to do a square setup to be able to rotate and for autox. Assuming that I am willing to fork out the extra initial for the wheel studs, spacers, caster/camber plates, allignment, and install; is a 305 squared setup a good daily set up? Or is it stupid and I should stick with a square 285 setup?

Since the allignment is on the more extreme end am I going to sacrifice a lot of tire wear because of it? Hoping I can get away with -2.5° of camber up front to make the tires fit. Also I do still plan on sticking with a max performance tire, the Conti Extremecontact Sport.

I definitely can not afford a dedicated track set so I need to have a good balance. I put about 9k miles a year on my car, and run about a dozen or so autox and drag events; (auto x matters more to me than drag racing). Trying to get a tire that lasts at least two years so the ECS seems to be a good candidate over say an rs4.

Given all of this should I go for a set of 19 x 11' and run 305's? Or should I go with the easier option and run 19 x 10's and stick with 285's? Are the 305's worth all of the extra effort and extra cost?
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Cdnspeed

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If you are already going to do Autox and some lapping, you will have probably at least 2.5 degrees of front camber to begin with. From there the only thing you would want to do is the ARP studs and a spacer, Not a huge difference in terms of setup, on the other hand cost does go up quite abit.
 
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Cardude99

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Ya I guess that is the question, is all of the added cost worth the extra 20mm of tire? That and with the added camber will the tires last? Not looking to replace a set of tires every year
 

Condor1970

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I personally am sticking to 285's with my 19x10's. That's more meat than stock to begin with. As infrequent as I will ever track the car, anything bigger just seems like overkill. For me, better suspension with a good chunk of 285 meat to provide comfy highway commutes and plenty of traction for the windy mountain roads is all I need. Unless I plan to become quite competitive, I just don't see a reason to go through all the trouble of trying to build it into a PP2.
 

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Cdnspeed

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2.5 degrees of camber didn't effect my tire wear.
 
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Cardude99

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I'd imagine 305 would be fine, but if you're super worried about it why not run a 295 and split the difference?
I wouldn't say I'm worried just trying to justify the added complexity and expense involved with going too 305 set up vs a 285. Does the added traction outweigh the cost, or is it just a road of diminished returns since I'm not even going with a dedicated autox tire?

I guess I was hoping to hear from people that have done it and if they would do it again or if most of them just use the mustang as a track/weekend car. Granted I have no commute I still put about 9k miles a year in it so to me it's still a daily.
 

Grintch

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How much of a drop did you do?

I plan on a 1" Steeda Comfort Package drop (~1.7 deg), and everyone keeps telling me I really should buy the $265 camber plates.

Your first track day will put a big hurt on the tires with - 1.7 camber. As will several autocross events. Even - 2.5 is not really enough for the track, but it is an OK compromise road/track setting. Plus you usually have to modify the stock hole to get more than - 2.5, which many people shy away from.

The are almost no options in 295-19.

Compare the cost of your target tire in 285 verses 305. That recurring cost is even more important than the one time cost of long studs, spacers, and 11" wheels for 305's.
 

NightmareMoon

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You can certainly daily on 305s. With the right spacers, studs, and camber plates they fit and drive fine. I’d do it :)

Will you be much faster than a car with 285s with camber plates that spent less money on spacers, studs, and tires? Probably not much faster, no.

Also noted tires are a consumable, so the only thing cheaper about not running a dedicated set of track wheels is the wheels themselves. You’re going to put a hurtin on your one set of tires trying to do it all, and will be rrplacing them so often you might as well go ahead and bite the bullet and get some dedicated autox wheels, but YMMV.

305 continental street tires are NOT faster than 275/285 RE71Rs around an autox course, so if you have to prioritize, get the faster tire compound, not the wider tire.
 

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Cardude99

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305 continental street tires are NOT faster than 275/285 RE71Rs around an autox course, so if you have to prioritize, get the faster tire compound, not the wider tire.
If I could get 20k miles out of an re71r, I totally would. Though, I doubt they would last 7k. That's why I was also considering the RS4. I just need to research more.
 

thelostotter

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How much of a drop did you do?

I plan on a 1" Steeda Comfort Package drop (~1.7 deg), and everyone keeps telling me I really should buy the $265 camber plates.
Get the camber plates if you plan on tracking the car. You’ll destroy the outer edge of the tire in a couple track days with only -1.7 degrees camber. I guess it probably depends on the track, but I’m going by my experience.
 

tj@steeda

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Yes, you should :) - shoot me an email & let's get some forum pricing on the camber plates & get you a little better deal.

TJ
 

Cdnspeed

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you'll need camber plates to hit your 2.5 degrees of camber.

If you do not get the camber plates do not bother with the 305s they wont fit
 
 




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