E36 M3 - 17x8.5 all around - help me choose tires [Archive] - Bimmerforums

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M3 Pete

10-03-2005, 01:25 PM

Here's the situation, I currently have a pair of Michelin PS2 235/40/17 on stock E36 M3 17 x 8.5 rims, and they have about 50 percent tread left. I have a new pair of stock 17 x 8.5 rims to go on the car, so I need to choose 245/40/17 tires to go on the two new rims only. At a track event, the PS2's rolled terribly on the front of the car, and developed a sidewall blister, so I'm not inclined to buy another pair, but I don't want to trash my current pair of $200 tires right now as they still have a lot of life.

I want to use a high-grip summer tire that costs less than $150. I've been thinking of Toyo T1-R, Kuhmo MX, or possibly one of the new Hankooks, in a 245/40/17 size. When the PS2's wear out, I'll replace them with the same as whatever I put on the new rims, in a 245/40/17. There should be something comparable to the PS2's, race teams run different compounds on front and rear, so there must be some combo that will work and not be too biased either way.

My car is a daily driver, but I do about 3-4 track events a year, with street tires. I have Vogtland springs with Koni shocks, so it's slightly lower than stock (less than an inch in front), and I have shimmed the front struts to get about -2.1 degrees camber. I don't think there will be any rubbing issues with the 245/40/17's in front, but I have not tried them yet.

So here are the questions.

What 245/40/17 tires would you put on the new rims?

Would you put the 235 PS2's in front and the new 245's in the rear? (conventional wisdom is to put the newest tires in the rear, but let me know if you think differently)

Will there be any rubbing issues with the 245's in front with the shimmed struts, and if so, what size spacer would I need?

Thanks

Mode

10-03-2005, 09:16 PM

Hey Pete - I run 255/40 MX all-round and am pretty happy. 245/40 all-round should be a good setup too with the MX. Swapped hats with 10mm spacer (sorry, doesn't help your shim question).

M3 Pete

10-04-2005, 12:47 PM

Thanks Nick. Looks like 255's are the max size on the 17 x 8.5 rims. I think I'll go with 245's just to make the fitment easier, and put the tire more in the middle of the rim width zone (245/40 can be mounted on 8.0 - 9.5 inch rims). One of the reasons I bought the 8.5's for the front was to run the Kuhmo MX, because they don't make a 235 that would fit on the 7.5, only a225, 245 and 255

Maybe you can answer my "dumb" question. How do spacers help fit wider tires? I thought that rubbing occurred at the fender, and spacers would make that even worse by putting the tire further out. Or is it more of a problem inboard, at the strut?

Mode

10-04-2005, 03:29 PM

Up front, rubbing occurs on the inside - on the top of the strut insert (spring hat).

pbonsalb

10-04-2005, 03:53 PM

I run 245/40/17 Toyo T1R on 17 x 8.5 rims. I considered Hankook RS212 (?) but they were not available in 245/40 at the time. The new Kumho, the EPT (?) may also be worth considering in this price range.

Next time, I may consider 255/40 to give a little more damage protection although I have not yet experienced any. The reviews on 255/40 are mixed, however -- many people experience some rubbing. I would prepare carefully before doing it.

Philip Bradley

scottst

11-12-2005, 11:33 PM

s_ribs

11-13-2005, 02:00 AM

- finally, how does steering feel get affected by the wider tires up front? Any of you go from 235x2 to 245x2?

245's will give you a bit more grip than a 235. So, if you have 235's F, 245's R then you should expect a very neutral feel with slight understeer. Running 245's F&R will be very neutral with oversteer/understeer bias minimal.

dngo

11-13-2005, 09:39 AM

Sorry for resurrecting a couple month old thread...
Quick questions:
- you guys are running oe 8.5" wheels in front, right, ET41?
- assuming so, do you think the BBS 8.5" 40mm wheels (such as the RA) would work w/245s up front? 1mm further "out" should be OK, no?
- finally, how does steering feel get affected by the wider tires up front? Any of you go from 235x2 to 245x2?

Thanks much!

1. Yes, wheels with a 40mm offset work just fine.

2. The steering will get a touch heavier. Depending on the tires you use and your alignment, you may experience more tramlining. FWIW, I didn't notice that much of a difference at all in the balance of the car when I went to 245s all around when I was autoxing on street tires - IMHO, YMMV, yadda^3. The main benefit is that you get to rotate the tires front to rear.

Dave

Pasquale

11-13-2005, 03:22 PM

Unfortunately Hankook doesn't offer RS2's 245/40. I'd go with the Kumho MX.

mikeo

11-13-2005, 06:32 PM

Yokohama ADVAN Neova AD07 is a sticker tire than the MXs according to Jim @ TireRack and comes in a 245x40x17. It is more than $150 ea. though.

s_ribs

11-13-2005, 06:41 PM

There are other factors besides the grip level of the tire though. While the Khumo's are one of the stickiest tires I've run on my car, they have been my least favorite of all. Sidewalls are horrible on them, incredibly soft, and rain performance is ok. Whenever we have heavy rain here I would try to not drive on the freeways because they hydroplaned so easily. Both of those factors made me look for a different tire when the Khumo's were worn out.

ChaseBimmer

11-13-2005, 10:03 PM

Mr.M

11-13-2005, 10:27 PM

I have MX's, and they blow. PS2's are infinately better. And proportionately more expensive :stickoutt

scottst

11-13-2005, 11:38 PM

MikeO, sorry to go off-topic, but what size tires are you running on the RCs? Beautiful wheels, just not sure I want to go 18...

THanks.

mikeo

11-14-2005, 09:03 AM

scottst,
In the sig they're 225x40x18, which were on the wheels when I bought them used. I'll go to 235x40s soon.

Phat Ham

11-14-2005, 11:22 AM

I've got 225/40/18 f & 255/35/18 Toyo T1-R's and they are amazing, 2nd set. They are a very good priced tire for how they perform, sticky, stiff sidewall, and aggressive tread. I've found the T1-R's to have a rather soft sidewall on my 540. They are still a good street tire, though. Incredible in the wet.

beem3

11-19-2005, 01:29 AM

I got my Toyo T1-r's 245/40/17 for $150 each. I have 235/40/17 front and 245/40/17 rear. There was slight understeer at first until i got sways, then the understeer went away. Having more rubber has definately made a big difference in cornering. If i were you, i'd try to get 245 or even 255 for the rears. Since you have Koni's, i don't think you'll have too much of a problem with understeer.

KBtoys

11-19-2005, 02:35 AM

i have BFG g-force Sports on the front of my Doublespoke I's in 235/40/17 and i love them... the performance to price value is much higher than other tires i have tested.. oh and stay away from Sumitomo HTR Z II's....

M3 Pete

11-21-2005, 06:31 PM

I've got 225/40/18 f & 255/35/18 Toyo T1-R's and they are amazing, 2nd set. They are a very good priced tire for how they perform, sticky, stiff sidewall, and aggressive tread.

I have a question for you though, in sidewall blister, are you speaking about an impact break? Where the sidewall seems to have a bulge coming out? If so, then you NEED to invest in new fronts also.. as the tire is prone to a blowout and should not be driven on.surprised to see this thread rise again, I just found it by accident, I clicked on the wrong forum.

the "sidewall blister" was a bubble in the sidewall of the tire. The tire guy at the track could not find anything on the inside of the tire, but the bubble was there. I replaced it immediately with a much cheaper and inferior tire. On my spare, a Michelin Pilot MMX3, I just noticed that it also has a sidewall bubble. I wonder if that's a Michelin trait?

My current plan is to get the Toyo T1-Rs in a 245/40/17, $155 each from my local dealer. Since I used shims to obtain more negative camber, I am having to use spacers, I just got some 10mm Rogue spacers.