Re: WHEELS

["I.Mannix" <mannix@secretignition.com>]

At 01:39 AM 10/9/98 EDT, Shawn C Meze wrote:
>
>On Thu, 08 Oct 1998 22:35:02 -0600 "I.Mannix" <mannix@secretignition.com>
>writes:
>
>>If only the 5 VWs that beat me at Nationals thought like you! Propogate
>>that one, Shawn, if you're successful, I'll thank you publically when 
>>I win a National Championship on my crappy 13s;).
>
>Id love to see that!
>I never said the 13's were crappy. I just have a differient view on the
>best wheel size choice VS tires to put on them. :)

The 13s do something very special - lower the CG without harming the
geometry of the (poor) suspension.  I thought about a wide 15 or 16, simply
to get more tire under the car(like a 245/something-16), but decided that
the penalty in ride height was too much.  Gearing, too.  13s are faster.
Now, if they'd make a wider 13, that'd be cool.  On wide wheels, sidewall
flex is minimal.  Some say that(on F bodies) a taller sidewall is
easier/more predictable/more forgiving - arguably not as fast in absolute
terms, but easier to drive fast.  I had my car set up VERY stiff earlier
this year - when I got a good run in, it was fast.  It was difficult to
drive fast, however, so I believe I consistently drove a bit below my
limits(and far below those of the car).  Softening the car might have hurt
absolute potential, but I can drive it faster(and I am not convinced that
it really slowed down).  If the VW suspension did not suck from a
performance standpoint, and I could get similar gearing, I'd use huge
wheels & wider tires.  I've thought about trying 15/16s, but IMHO, they're
simply too tall, and would requre cutting the fenders - I'd cut, if I
really thought a benefit would be gained, but I don't.  Not yet.  If I can
figure out how to get the car lower to compensate, I might(but OTOH, if I
can figure out how to get the car lower, and I use 13s, welll....back to
13s are better!).    


>The key word here is HOOSIER. its not on my list of things to buy right
>now. Maybe in another century or so...

Hoosiers are bueno, and you're going to be limited next year in terms of
13" sizes - Y & K & T will make 205/60-13, but AFAIK, there's not going to
be any 13"/short&wide tires from anyone but Hoosier.  

FWIW, I ran 185/60-13s on 5" wheels at the practice event - old Yokohama
roadrace tires.  Got to a time 2.8 seconds slower than my Hoosiers.  I was
surprised - I did'nt think they'd do that well.  If you don't want to get
Hoosiers, BFG or K might make a 185/60-13 - this might be a good compromise
for autocrossing, put them on a 6 or 7" wheel, get the lowering benefits in
terms of gears and CG, eh, who knows.  That course was very tight, which
had something to do with it, I am sure(the only fastish section on the
course could be taken MUCH faster on the Hoosiers), eh, who knows.  I'd
probably go that route if I did not want to use Hoosiers.  I think they'd
be faster than a 14, even if they are narrower.  It'd be interesting to
compare new, good tires(like an R1, Hoosier, Kumho) in 185/60 to my 225/50s
- - I know the big tires are faster, but I'd bet the little tires would go
faster than most would give credit.  I have no idea how hard these old
Yokohamas are, I've done a LOT of T&T runs on them, a time trial, and I
drive them on the street.  They're firm.  I'd bet a new, sticky(IE, not
Yokohama) 185/60 is only about 1 second slower than the big tire, all else
equal.  1 second is an eternity, on one hand, but if a compromise is being
made, might as well make the cheap compromise!  Enough babbling......


>What size is the tire? (Asking is it a 22" or less?)
><I dont do tire size math..>

22.7.  Not bad, similar to stock size, AFAIK.  Maybe a smidge taller.
Dunno.  You might wind up validating by default next season - if Hoosier
are the only short 13" tires out there, you might as well try a G Force or
V700 in 15", assuming you don't want to come to the dark side.....


I.Mannix(mmm, Hoosiers.....)
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