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[Tirewarmer]

Is anyone running this setup on their stock width 7.5" Front and 8.5" Rear wheels? Or is anyone running one of either size on either end?

From what I've read and looking at the room in the wheel wells, the rears should fit easily, but I'm not so sure about the front.

Does anyone have the 225/40R18s Star Specs on the front that can tell me what kind of clearance they have, since I'd only need and extra 5mm inside/outside, and .2 inches in diameter?

Anyone have pics of their Star Specs on the car?

[randomquickness]

235 will be a little wide for the front but you can probably stuff it on there. Most go with 225/40 on the front stock rims.

[nordique14]

According to the specs, the 235/40/18 requires a 8-9.5" rim. Tire is too big for a 7.5" rim.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/Spec.j...irePageLocQty=

[larryn]

Bdh821 has that exact setup.. 235/255 star specs on stock wheels.

[Tirewarmer]

Originally Posted by larryn

Bdh821 has that exact setup.. 235/255 star specs on stock wheels.

Awesome. That is exactly what I was looking for.

larryn, do you know if he had to run a spacer to make it fit to avoid any clearance issues on the inside?

[MadMan77]

I believe the 235/255 fitment is what pretty much everyone is going with in regards to the star specs. I plan on going with them in a couple thousand miles.

[arrutled]

Originally Posted by Tirewarmer

Awesome. That is exactly what I was looking for.

larryn, do you know if he had to run a spacer to make it fit to avoid any clearance issues on the inside?

No spacer

[Ruffan]

Originally Posted by MadMan77

I believe the 235/255 fitment is what pretty much everyone is going with in regards to the star specs. I plan on going with them in a couple thousand miles.

This is not true. MOST people have chosen 225 fronts, especially with the star specs as they are wider than most other tires. Some have put 235s in the front, but with a spacer. Some even still say there is rubbing and need to add negative camber to make it work. If you plan on lowering the car at all the 235s won't work without a ton of camber and fender rolling, which would not be ideal for the street. Keep this in mind if your plans include a suspension change.

[larryn]

Ruffan, Bdh821 (and a few others) has 235 Star Specs in front with no spacer.

[MadMan77]

Originally Posted by Ruffan

This is not true. MOST people have chosen 225 fronts, especially with the star specs as they are wider than most other tires. Some have put 235s in the front, but with a spacer. Some even still say there is rubbing and need to add negative camber to make it work. If you plan on lowering the car at all the 235s won't work without a ton of camber and fender rolling, which would not be ideal for the street. Keep this in mind if your plans include a suspension change.

That is totally backwards unless you are talking about rubbing on the strut but I seriously doubt that. A spacer would push the tire out farther into the fender.

[Ruffan]

Originally Posted by MadMan77

That is totally backwards unless you are talking about rubbing on the strut but I seriously doubt that. A spacer would push the tire out farther into the fender.

yes, i was talking about the inside. Then, with the spacer people have used either fender rolling, or camber to prevent rubbing on the fender. I'm surprised people are able to fit the 235 in front with no mods, i was sure I heard that it wouldn't work.

[MadMan77]

I just checked the clearance from the stock tire to the strut body and it is slightly less than 0.50". According to Tire Rack the sectional width is 9.1" on a 225 RE050A RFT and 9.6" on a 235 Direzza Star Spec.

With those numbers, the 235 will either not fit or be extremely close to the strut tower.

[arrutled]

It works, just looks poofy. I have seen BDH21's car with my own two eyes

[arrutled]

Originally Posted by MadMan77

I just checked the clearance from the stock tire to the strut body and it is slightly less than 0.50". According to Tire Rack the sectional width is 9.1" on a 225 RE050A RFT and 9.6" on a 235 Direzza Star Spec.

With those numbers, the 235 will either not fit or be extremely close to the strut tower.

Don't forget that its on a 7.5 inch wheel and will change the shape of the tire

[MadMan77]

I hear you about squeezing the tire on a smaller wheel which will suck in the edges just a tiny bit.

Now I am wondering how much more under steer we are getting with a 225/255 set up. Maybe Gill can chime in on this one once again.

[Tirewarmer]

Originally Posted by arrutled

Don't forget that its on a 7.5 inch wheel and will change the shape of the tire

Originally Posted by MadMan77

I just checked the clearance from the stock tire to the strut body and it is slightly less than 0.50". According to Tire Rack the sectional width is 9.1" on a 225 RE050A RFT and 9.6" on a 235 Direzza Star Spec.

With those numbers, the 235 will either not fit or be extremely close to the strut tower.

It should be ok. The skinny wheel will pull in the sidewall some. Also, 0.5" larger would only be .25" on both the inside and the outside, not just .5" on the inside. So at worst, it should be no more than an extra .2" of extra tire on the inside.

I am actually looking for a bit of balooneyness(new word), since even with the alignment pins removed, we can't get alot of negative camber. The extra width should provide a bit of an angled surface so that I don't destroy the outer sidewall/tread surface of the tires.

The 235 is only .4" taller than stock, or .2" top and bottom, so it will only raise the car .2" and only be .2" closer to anything along the outside of the tire. I am staying at stock ride height, so I should be ok.

If there is enough clearance on the outside to the fenderlip, I plan on running 1/4" spacers to help get rid of some of the understeer the car has.

I'll try to take pictures with my digital calipers out so show what the clearance is when I get everything mounted. Pictures don't lie, well not usually at least.

[Tirewarmer]

Oh, almost forgot, I ordered through Gill at Tirerack, our forum sponsor. He recognized me as the person who started this thread. Its nice to have someone like him at the other end of the phone. It only took us 5 minutes to get the order in, and the tires may be here as early as tomorrow. Thanks Gill. Highly recommended.

[MadMan77]

That sounds good. When are you getting them mounted up?

[Tirewarmer]

Originally Posted by MadMan77

That sounds good. When are you getting them mounted up?

As soon as they get here.

[arrutled]

Don't forget to post pictures so we dont have to have this discussion again!

[Macca916]

If your tyre (uk spelling ) is close to the strut when unloaded it may still contact the strut when its loaded up as the tyre carcase deflects under load. I had this on my lotus europa at the rear where there was clearance static but after some use there was evidence of tyre rub on the chassis from the inside edge of the rear wheels sidewalls I assume from deflection whilst cornering.

[Ruffan]

Just a note. Clearly adding some tire at the front will help reduce the understeer issue by reducing the stagger, but I've found that camber plates go a long way towards helping understeer, especially on the street. Initial turn in with more negative camber is wonderful.

On the track, the front tires push a lot if you're not carefull, so the only real solution for a good track setup is getting some wider rubber up front.