Extra-wide tires in back?
 

My taste runs more toward hotrod than tuner. That means wider tires in back and a slightly nose down stance.

Even though the rear tires on the xB are just there to keep the back from dragging on the ground, I imagine going to 225, 235 or 245 tires in back will effect handling in some way. It's not like I'm going to race the thing, but I wonder if wider rear tires will increase the likelihood of hydroplaning and the rear end coming around when it's wet or increase understeer when it's dry.

Depending on the diameter of the new rears, I might want to drop the front a little more than the back -- like 2" in front, 1" in back. Since no one makes spring sets like that, I'd need to get two sets from different companies. But unless I can find springs of the same rate, there might be all kinds of squirreliness in the result.

Anyone have any thoughts?

Re: Extra-wide tires in back?
 

Can't help you with the performance issues, but as for mxing springs.....
I know KG/MM (www.kgm.co.jp/) lets you mix and match springs to your taste. They're supposed to be top quality for race or comfort or both, but are expensive- still might end up being cheaper than buying 2 sets of cheaper springs.

I think you would need some really low or even negative offset to fit tires that wide. I haven't heard of any one on the forums even running 225, but I could be wrong.

The offset might not be a problem. I'd be using the factory 15" steel wheels, but I'd send them to someone like Stockton Wheel Service to have them widened and the offset reconfigured.

The bigger problem is finding wide 15" rubber that isn't also way too tall.

Why 15" wheels, you might ask? Because I want to use full Moon disks, and the largest Moon makes them is 15". Kind of the tail wagging the dog, I know, but...

I run 225s all the way around. Classic muscle car tires, Dunlop Qualifier GT in 225/50R15... There is definately a handling difference with them on all 4 corners but I could only speculate about the back. I had no problems with them in the rain but the tires do pull you around on grooved roads.

I was also planning to have my stockers widened by Stockton but its an insane amount of money. Buying real wheels turned out to be small amount more. Good luck! PS - Moon branded discs are available up to 17"


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Cheese

"Moon branded discs are available up to 17"

But the snap-ons only go up to 15"

I currently have conventional salt flat discs held on by a center bracket. Although this looks good, I am not happy with the complexity it adds.

What I am working on now is attaching the discs magnetically to the wheels. You can get neodymium magnets that are 3/8 in diameter and 1/16 inch thick, and which have a pull of about four pounds. Glue a dozen of these around the perimeter of a salt flat disc and you have 40+ pounds of force holding the cap to the wheel with no other hardware required. It also won't scratch up the wheel like snap-on caps!

If it works, I'll post about it.

George

If you go to a wider tire in the rear of a front wheel drive car you will increase understear on an already understeering car. If you want to go wide go wide all the way around.