New R35 Tyre/wheel Combination

[LSX-438]

I've previosuly been running Enkei GTC01's in 18x10" on the track, with 295 RE55's - they have been great. However Enkie only make these rims with a 22mm offset, with the wheel sticking out on the front, which is not ideal, and tucked in on the rear.

However some new wheels came in last week. They are "Rota" 18x10x15 and 18x9.5x30. I think these are the ideal offsets for the staggered setup that our R35 needs.

Now i have got hold of some (2nd hand) Porsche Cup Michelin 270/68/18's which fit these wheels PERFECTLY. There are some things to sort out (make sure caliper clearance is ok, it is not touching but it is VERY close) and i need a correct size hub locator. When i have tested all this out i will report back. Total cost for this setup thus far is $2300 INCLUDING tyres.

Here's the best bit.... total weight per corner is 20.9kg. That's a saving of 10kg for the rears and 9.5kg for the fronts (vs stocker bridgestones). PM me if you are interested in buying the wheels and/or tyres. However as mentioned i still need to make sure they work on the track I have high hopes.

Edited October 3, 2009 by LSX-438

[Tim GTR]

I've previosuly been running Enkei GTC01's in 18x10" on the track, with 295 RE55's - they have been great. However Enkie only make these rims with a 22mm offset, with the wheel sticking out on the front, which is not ideal, and tucked in on the rear.

However some new wheels came in last week. They are "Rota" 18x10x15 and 18x9.5x30. I think these are the ideal offsets for the staggered setup that our R35 needs.

Now i have got hold of some (2nd hand) Porsche Cup Michelin 270/68/18's which fit these wheels PERFECTLY. There are some things to sort out (make sure caliper clearance is ok, it is not touching but it is VERY close) and i need a correct size hub locator. When i have tested all this out i will report back. Total cost for this setup thus far is $2300 INCLUDING tyres.

Here's the best bit.... total weight per corner is 20.9kg. That's a saving of 10kg for the rears and 9.5kg for the fronts (vs stocker bridgestones). PM me if you are interested in buying the wheels and/or tyres. However as mentioned i still need to make sure they work on the track I have high hopes.

[fatz]

nice should chip second

[Tim GTR]

I've previosuly been running Enkei GTC01's in 18x10" on the track, with 295 RE55's - they have been great. However Enkie only make these rims with a 22mm offset, with the wheel sticking out on the front, which is not ideal, and tucked in on the rear.

However some new wheels came in last week. They are "Rota" 18x10x15 and 18x9.5x30. I think these are the ideal offsets for the staggered setup that our R35 needs.

Now i have got hold of some (2nd hand) Porsche Cup Michelin 270/68/18's which fit these wheels PERFECTLY. There are some things to sort out (make sure caliper clearance is ok, it is not touching but it is VERY close) and i need a correct size hub locator. When i have tested all this out i will report back. Total cost for this setup thus far is $2300 INCLUDING tyres.

Here's the best bit.... total weight per corner is 20.9kg. That's a saving of 10kg for the rears and 9.5kg for the fronts (vs stocker bridgestones). PM me if you are interested in buying the wheels and/or tyres. However as mentioned i still need to make sure they work on the track I have high hopes.

Hi, I am very interested. I have been using RE55,Dunlop 02G/03G,Yoko 048. Keen to try Michelins, How second hand are they? Look like full slicks.Got a set of TE37 18x10.5 +22 ear mark for R35 track use.( waiting for it to arrive from Japan) I'll be testing a GTR34 HKS 2.8 APs 345kw at all 4 LMGT4/RE55 on Nov 2 Monday at Sandown Hoping to go under 1:16. Keen to follow up with you with the ROTA/michelin set up.Thanks for sharing your experience in this forum. my contact is 0439 818008, [email protected] or PM me.

Thanks a lot

Alex

[knore]

Thats a massive weight saving, good info.

Your quite the guru with R35 track duties!

Those michelins are slicks right? Have you been looking at slick tyre options for the gtr?

[LSX-438]

Yeah these tyres are full slicks; they have about 1mm of tread depth inside the dimple remaining, so i have NFI how much that is relative to new, or how these will go really. I got the hub locator today, fits perfect.

About 10kg per corner weight saving is massive. And how cheap are these relative to say a Rays TE37? I suppose the rays wheel would be a better item, but at least $1000 more, EACH.

[Tim GTR]

Yeah these tyres are full slicks; they have about 1mm of tread depth inside the dimple remaining, so i have NFI how much that is relative to new, or how these will go really. I got the hub locator today, fits perfect.

About 10kg per corner weight saving is massive. And how cheap are these relative to say a Rays TE37? I suppose the rays wheel would be a better item, but at least $1000 more, EACH.

Hi, Are these ROTA forged obtainable from the US, or just casted like Koya Drifteks ? Do you mind letting us know the seperate cost of wheels and Michilins?

cheers

Alex

[LSX-438]

Hi, Are these ROTA forged obtainable from the US, or just casted like Koya Drifteks ? Do you mind letting us know the seperate cost of wheels and Michilins?

cheers

Alex

They are just cast like Koya's yes. TE37 copies i guess. $379each. And the slicks were $200 each.

[Tim GTR]

Yeah these tyres are full slicks; they have about 1mm of tread depth inside the dimple remaining, so i have NFI how much that is relative to new, or how these will go really. I got the hub locator today, fits perfect.

About 10kg per corner weight saving is massive. And how cheap are these relative to say a Rays TE37? I suppose the rays wheel would be a better item, but at least $1000 more, EACH.

Hi, BTW, I have come across a set of Yokohama Advan TG II18x10.5 weighing 18.5 kg with half worn 02G. may not clear R35 brakes.

Are you going to Oran Park tomorrow?

cheers

[LSX-438]

Hi, BTW, I have come across a set of Yokohama Advan TG II18x10.5 weighing 18.5 kg with half worn 02G. may not clear R35 brakes.

Are you going to Oran Park tomorrow?

cheers

Planning on heading out to OP yep. Unless it's torrential rain.

[LSX-438]

Got to ask (about these ROTA rims) has anyone seen any failures with them?

A few of the guys on the USA forum are saying they are shit. Now i know they are cheap and that probably does mean something. I've done a bit of reading and it does seem there were some failures in 2005 (different rims, thin spoked ones) but thought i would ask if anyone has had problems with these rims?

I notice a few skylines people using them (similar in style to above, probably TE37 copies) so maybe someone can chime in?

Edited October 4, 2009 by LSX-438

[lidz]

yeah they dont have a real flash reputation...

http://www.skylinesaustralia.com/forums/Ro...hl=rota+failure

but who knows, they might have got their act together by now. Plus they look great on your gtr.

cheers, Tim

Got to ask (about these ROTA rims) has anyone seen any failures with them?

A few of the guys on the USA forum are saying they are shit. Now i know they are cheap and that probably does mean something. I've done a bit of reading and it does seem there were some failures in 2005 (different rims, thin spoked ones) but thought i would ask if anyone has had problems with these rims?

I notice a few skylines people using them (similar in style to above, probably TE37 copies) so maybe someone can chime in?

[LSX-438]

yeah they dont have a real flash reputation...

http://www.skylinesaustralia.com/forums/Ro...hl=rota+failure

but who knows, they might have got their act together by now. Plus they look great on your gtr.

cheers, Tim

thanks for the link. Like most of these matters, i only have more questions than answers now! Were most of these breakages just people who lost it and smashed into gutters? Who knows. I'll have to talk to the importer, see if they can shed some light on it. Hmmm.

Edited October 4, 2009 by LSX-438

[Marlin]

Yeah nah, I wouldn't personally be happy to run these on a 35.

Knowing the lateral grip the car is capable of making and seeing what it can do to even a good quality tyre thats not designed for the weight of the car, I would steer clear, it's false economy to risk a car of this value to save a couple of grand on a questionable wheel.

[nisskid]

sorry to bump this thread. but wow, rotas on a R35. 2 things, the weight, well uve downgraded the size of both the rim and the tyre (both diametre and width), so obviously there is less metal and rubber there now, so naturally it's easier to weight less when there's less material there keeping u stuck to the road. 2ndly RE070's are a heavy tyre, a lot to do with their RFT construction, but also if ur comparing new RE070's to 2nd hand tyres, then there is less rubber left on them, less weight.

either way, weight isnt everything, the amount of stress u would put on these wheels strength will play a massive role. being cast ud need more weight than the forged items to get even close to the same strength.

imho uve basically downgraded size, performance and strength, it's one thing to lose a few seconds on the track, it's another to have a wheel fail and leave ur gtr skidding on it's rails down the road.

[stathi]

I agree with nisskid, your comparing 2nd hand race tyres and cheapo 18s to the factory fitted gtr stuff. You might save some money but how longs are these parts gonna last. Im not trying to kill the idea though, if it does work well then congrats. Good luck buddy

[LSX-438]

Guys, I've been running the 18" Enkie GTC01 and RE55's for 12 track days in my R35 and it is a MASSIVE improvment over the stocker 20's - in terms of weight (the enkie's are 6kg lighter ea. than stockers, which is huge too) not to mention that the RE55's shit over anything in larger sizes, IMHO. The "problem" is i need to run 18's due to rubber selection, this isnt negotiable (in fact, it's not a problem, it's a huge advantage if you can be farked). The other issue is that enkie only make the 18x10's in 22mm offset, which does not work with the staggered R35 offset arrangement. The fronts stick out of the guards for starters.. it does work fine (no rubbing) but this isnt really in keeping with motorsport rules. Hence, why i have been looking for some 18's with the right offset. That's when the rotas came along. Look, i had NFI they were seen as inferior or poor quality - and to be frank it does look like they had some failures about 4 years ago, but i am not convinced they are all automatically shit. I have tried the slicks and rota's at Oran Park GP and all i have to say is, they helped make the car quicker than the modified GT2 around the south circuit in the latest motor mag test. That's all i am saying for now.

Now if anyone knows where i can get some Rays/Volks 18x9.5x30 (fronts) and 18x10x15 wheels, please let me know. Even 2nd hand. I gave up looking locally after searching for months. And FWIW, these enkei, rays and rota wheels are the only 18" rims known to fit the r35 to date.

[nisskid]

im not criticising them being 18", but when u say "they are lighter" makes me think ur trying to say it's better, but light is only good if ur NOT compromising strength or other elements of the performance (tyre size etc)

now enkei's are on a whole new level to rotas, generally a much better wheel, although id still be slightly doubtful assuming the enkei's are cast like most enkeis. i mean ur comparing a company that supplies to F1 and many other motorsports around the world, and a company that spends their time copying the appearances of wheels made by companies that supply to F1 and other motorsports around the world.

you wouldnt put rodney jane wheels from ur local tyre shop on ur GTR, why would u put ROTA's on?

btw, u want to know what to buy? buy the real thing, the wheel that rota copied to steal millions of $$ from rays for:

http://www.rayswheels.co.jp/cgi-bin/cgi2/e...?modelName=TE37

18x9.5 +22 and 18x10.5 +12 would be my pick (bit more agressive)

contact Jesse Streeter, get him to bring them in for you privately from Rays, my guess is probably around the 4.5-5k mark all up.

[LSX-438]

I understand what you are saying. I am not trying to infer that "lightweight" is automatically more robust or stronger. Sure these wheels may be shithouse, fair enough, I really dont know. I was quoted $6k a set for some Rays a few months back, and at the time a) it would take two months to get them in and b) nobody had tried them on R35's. Anyway, with the dollar the way it is, it may be time to look at that option again. What i can guarantee though (through first hand experience with ther R35) is that the 18" Enkie's + RSpec tyres are far superior to the factory wheels/tyres for the track, at least with RE55's, in terms of price, handling and results (lap times). I can't really judge how robust the enkei's are however. I've given them hell and they seem to have held up well fwiw.

[fatz]

so they didnt snap in 2 tonne gtr with slicks and running far faster then stock lap times....

ive been running rota's for ages on my gtr never had a problem

lots of hate for well priced rims is you ask me

ill take my rota's at 1300 over the same set of 5k volks anyday