[RUFDRAFT]

Picked up my Enthusiast last week and have been researching tire/rim alternatives (the stock rims are a little on the cheesy side, IMHO).

I've read a few threads here on people going to the same size tire all around. I'd like to do the same (most especially so I could rotate - with our f/r weight bias).

Does anyone have an answer for the results if I do this? What will be affected and by how much?

I'm looking at going with 18's.

Let's Ride! :shiftdrive:

 

[philosophy]

I personally have not done this to my Z (bout to sell so I won't get to try it), but I was looking to get away from the staggered set up as well. The reason I was looking to do so is trying to maximize the front grip on track with a wider sized rim with fatter rubber and increasing the entry and exit speeds. Evidentally it's the "new thing" for time attackers in Japan (not trying to be all JDM) but increasings overall grip instead of a fat staggered set up leading to understeer. You'd probably still run a wider tire on the rear anyway, but you get the idea.

 

[jetpilot718]

I had been kicking around buying a set of stock 18" 245's to put up front, so I could run 245's all around. Don't think it would make much of a difference tho.. probably better off upgrading to 265's all around.

 

[philosophy]

Some guys run the rear Track rims front and rear with 245's and they say the front grip is definitely noticable but I'm sure 265's would be even more so.

 

[krevissco]

RALLY CARS! Why do you think the majority of them run the same, or very close to the same, wheel/tire combos all around? Better Grip! Of course it doesn't look as cool as a fat-rear-staggered set-up. But neither does your car sitting in a ditch. I'm not a pro driver so I need all the handling help I can get.

 

[Got Rpm]

RALLY CARS! Why do you think the majority of them run the same, or very close to the same, wheel/tire combos all around?

Of course the stage-winning Citroens, Skodas, Mitsus and Subarus are all 4WD, not quite an apples and apples comparison to a RWD street-driven Z car is it. :headshake: Shame on you! :rolf2:



Just kidding = :surprise:

 

[DiRN]

Actually, there is a WRC Z and I think it does pretty well

 

[hypersprite]

Sport Compact Car mag did their Z this way, the article is online at their site. They got it to run over 1g.

You should also read how that car did in the rain on track day though (diff article), it puts things into perspective. It got 9th out of ten cars and the tenth car did not run.

Chris

 

[smoothz]

I still don't understand why Nissan did the staggered tire setup when my wheels are all 18x8. I also thought about going 245's up front, but then Nissan got me new fronts so I can't complain. 265's all the way around would look good and probably feel solid.

 

[dm4]

Here is the lowdown on tire sizing. When the width of the rear tire is increased with respect to the front tire (i.e. 245 rear/225 front) understeer is induced. When the front tire width is increase with respect to rear tire width (i.e 245 front and rear) understeer is reduced. The optimal setup is to have equal width tires at all corners. Bear in mine now that the 350 is equipped with VDC and/or traction control and the electronics controlling these systems are programmed to see different tire rotation rates for the front and rear. If you plan to do equal tire widths front and rear (as I plan on doing), you will have to compensate by using different tire aspect ratios front and rear.

The reason Nissan, as well as many other manufacturers, stagger tire sizes is to induce understeer in the car. Now don't panic, all cars are designed to understeer. The 350 is a mass market car and understeer is a a means to dumb down the car to the lowest common denominator. When a car with understeer is pushed beyond its limits and it losses grip in a corner a it will tend to plow forward. A car with oversteer will loose grip and tend to spin. A car sliding in a straight line is easier to handle than a spinning car. The auto company lawyers agree.

Fortunately Nissan has dialed in some of the understeer with stagger tire sizes, which is easily corrected. Swapping out the OEM sway bars for the NISMO sways also makes a significant improvement with understeer.

Good luck and have fun

 

[krevissco]

Originally posted by Got Rpm@Aug 30 2005, 07:48 PM

RALLY CARS! Why do you think the majority of them run the same, or very close to the same, wheel/tire combos all around?

Of course the stage-winning Citroens, Skodas, Mitsus and Subarus are all 4WD, not quite an apples and apples comparison to a RWD street-driven Z car is it. :headshake: Shame on you! :rolf2:



Just kidding = :surprise:

[snapback]150732[/snapback]​

:doh: Ok! You got me. I didn't get anal and cover every aspect I could think of that rally cars incorporate to achieve great handling. A mere technicality!

 

[RUFDRAFT]

Well - I jumped into the deep end.

I bought 19's. (9.5 f's - 10.5 r's) and tires: 245/35's f - 285/30's r.

Egads! With those and the Eibach's - I need a jock strap!

Cheers - :cheers:

 

[jetpilot718]

Read on the other forum as posted by a pretty credible source that the 18" rims are both the same size front and back. Is this true, first off? I thought the fronts and rears were .5" different. If they are the same, I'm sure I can run 245's all around. Someone shed some light please!

 

[smoothz]

Tsk, tsk....Steve, you should know better. oke: You asked the same question not too long ago. You shouldn't have any problem except for maybe the slip light coming on. It should help improve your performance, though.

 

[scorpZ]

I am in the process of doing that setup right now (for AutoX and track). Fn-01rc rims (17x9 all around (+35 offset), and 275/40/17 tire all the way around. The only problem is having to use spacers in the front - the tire rubs on the inside. Once I have that all setup, I'll post some pics.