R32 GT-R Wheels and Tyres.

[lwells]

Hi Guys,

Ok, I searched for information but there is a suprising lack of threads (either that or my search skills are crap ).

The story goes like this: my R32 GT-R has landed and is in the process of being ADR'ed and blue slipped. Thoughfully, the previous owner left me some tread..... somewhere on a road in Japan, so I will definately need some new tires.

The car was meant to arrive with a set of 18" Volks on it, but they got left behind (long story) Anyway, the will eventually get here with any luck, but in the meantime its god the stocker rims on it (16x8).

So, first question: what width/profile/offset tyres should I be looking for? And second (and related to the first), what would people recommend?

Basically I want something good, but I don't want to spend a fortune only to have the 18" wheels arrive in a month or two. So I am basically after bang-for-buck (aren't we all?).

Nathan @ Grey Imports is going to get some prices for me on various tyres, but I thought I would see what others recommend and if there are any particularly good deals or places to go (hmmm.. maybe SAU should try and get a club discount for tyres ).

Thanks guys

[lwells]

Bumpity-boo.

[Duncan]

225/50/16 is the stock size. Im sure there is room for something bigger like 245/40/16 in there

Tyres - depends if you want something cheap to keep you going, or great road tyres?

If you want cheap, go to tempe tyres and get a set of Falken FK326. They are terrible but dirt cheap.

Good road tyres, there have bee a few threads on these, I personally like the falken fk451 which are excellent but still cheapish. I've also seen dunlop 9000 (?) recommended by a few people.

[lwells]

Duncan: do you know what the max and minimum tyre size would be then? 225/50/16 (min) --> 245/40/16 (max)?

I am after something better than average, ie. something "good" but perhaps not "great".

Any idea of the rough price of those Falkens you mentioned?

Cheers,

Lucien.

[lwells]

I just got a call from Nathan re tyre prices. He can get:

* Some brand -- Fathers or similar I think; line was a little noisy - $163/ea

* Dunlop 3000As - $226/ea

Anyone got any comments on the Dunlops? I have done a some googling and found one review complaining of high wear rate, and a couple of posts on the Ford forums (mainly positive), but nothing really definitive.

Lucien.

[Duncan]

Well if you have real wheels coming in a few weeks, I'd definately buy the fk326 and take it easy....good rubber is farking expensive

I'm pretty sure the Dunlop 3000A are just their regular family car tyre which I would never touch.....never buy an mid-range tyre from a well know brand....they are just a plot to milk good money because of the strength of the brand.

I've got no idea about prices for those sizes, but I'd strongly suggest calling Tempe Tyres

[lwells]

Problem is a few weeks could be two to three months

Dunlop SP3000A's are meant to be sports oriented (you might be thinking of the 300E?): they seem to be popular on the XR Falcon range (hence the Ford Forum posts).

Yeah, I will give Tempe a call when I round up a few other model numbers to throw at them

Lucien.

[sewid]

FK451 are good for a cheap tyre. Tempe tyres does a good price on them but you can always talk them down.

Artarmon performance tyres in artarmon have good prices and have always done me some good deals if you're northside.

[lwells]

Ok, going to do a ring around this morning. I haven't been able to find many 16" tyres tjat are wider than 225, at least according to the specs on tyre websites -- am I looking missing something?

I am going to ask for prices on the following:

Bridgestone:

S03 - 225/50ZR16

GIII - 225/50ZR16

Dunlop:

SP3000A - 225/50R16

SP9000 - 225/50ZR16

Falken:

FK451 - 225/50ZR16 & 225/45ZR16 & 245/45ZR16

Toyo:

Proxes T1-S/T1-R - 225/45ZR16 & 245/45ZR16 & 225/50ZR16

Yokohama:

A539 - 225/45R16 & 225/50R16

Anything obvious I have missed / should ask for prices on?

Lucien.

[lwells]

Ok, I have spoken to more people about tyres than I care too. The results are in; the tribe has spoken:

Bridgestone:

S03 - 225/50ZR16 - 270.00

GIII - 225/50ZR16 - 210.00

702 (imported) - 225/50/R16 - 199.00

Dunlop:

SP3000A - 225/50R16: (no prices)

SP9000 - 225/50ZR16: (no prices)

Falken:

FK415

225/50/R16 - $180.00

245/45/R16 - $190.00

Kumho:

712X 225/50/R16 - $195.00

Toyo:

Proxes T1-R:

225/50ZR16: 245.00 (not in stock)

245/45ZR16: 265.00 (not in stock)

Proxes T1-S

245/45ZR16: 240.00 (runout special)

Yokohama:

A539 - 225/50R16: 199.00

Thoughts? I am tempted by the Toyos as they have an excellent reputation (so it would seem), but they are also on the limit of what I want to spend...

LW.

[Scooby]

Lucien;

Congrats on getting the car.

Whether it's 2 - 3 weeks or months I'd still just get something to get by with, frustrating as it may be. Even look for 2nd hand stuff. You'll need every dollar you can muster when the 18's arrive because the prices for anything decent will make you cry. You might like to get on the web and look for a tyre sizing chart - it will give you options for tyre sizes re rolling diameter although it looks like you might have done this already. The cheapest you'll find will be tyres that are made for something like Commodores and the like. Remember also that you prob won't get much for 2nd hand tyres no matter what they are if you are thinking of on-selling what you get now.

[Beer Baron]

for cheap tyres I have found the Bridgestone GIIIs to be "ok". They don't have huge grip, but I found that they break traction quite progressively (which is nice) and they are relatively hard wearing (compared to the more performance oriented tyres). They are cheap as too.

In the end it's up to you.

Richard

[lwells]

Scooby: The 18's have nearly new tyres on them, which is also very annoying since I wouldn't be buying tyres if the damn wheels had come on the car as they were meant too.

mmmgtir: I have heard mixed things about the Brigestones. GIIIs are apparently very noisey, and Merli (I think) has S03s and didn't think much of them.

I wouldn't mind the A539s (eveyone seems to think they are good for the price), but they are only available in 225. Sigh.

LW.

[Duncan]

definately the fk541s, they were the cheapest and they are good tyres, the difference is you are not paying for the brand

To give you context my stockish gtst did a 1.57 around eastern creek on these

[ferni]

Add another to the list, hankook k104 ... got them on my gtr in 255/35/18, they are a good tyre for the road, i'm happy with them and will buy them again, 1200 i paid for the set, should be alot cheaper in your size.

[lwells]

ferni: I saw your posts about the Hancrooks (sorry, couldn't help myself). Unfortunately all the tyre places aren't answering their phones, so I will have to wait till tomorrow to check prices.

One thing that occurred to me after doing some searching: I can either go 225/50/R16 or 245/45/R16 (in between sizes basically don't exist). If I went the 245s, are they likely to 'swim' around on the rim too much as compared to the 225s which would be more 'stretched' to fit?

Cheers,

Lucien.

[ferni]

225/50/R16 is the stock size i think right?

on 18x9s (my wheels) stock size was 245/40/18

i could of gone 245/40/18 or 255/35/18 or 265/35/18

I found out 265 would probably be to much sidewall flex, which would be ok on a gtst for a luanch but on a 4wd gtr, you dont need tht left you want a good stiff sidewall... thats my opinion, go fro 225 or 235 on yours

[Duncan]

nah 245 would be fine....although each tyre design is different about the impact of it.

Another cheap tyre I was impressed with was Federal, but unfortunately I didn't see a model name. They were on the front of the S2000 I hired for Phillip Island, and we good for what I assume was a very cheap tyre. They had far more grip than the Honda standard bridgestone which they had on the back.

[Duncan]

nah 245 would be fine....although each tyre design is different about the impact of it.

Another cheap tyre I was impressed with was Federal SS595 http://www.federaltyres.com.au/car/ss595.htm They were on the front of the S2000 I hired for Phillip Island, and we good for what I assume was a very cheap tyre. They had far more grip than the Honda standard bridgestone which they had on the back.

I don't know if there is a common brand ownership, or if the design was sold, but they look identical to the dunlop FM901s that everyone used to run and recommend.

[lwells]

I managed to get a price on Hankook K104s in 225/50/R16: $185/ea. Only problem is I can't find a close dealer, which considering I need the tyres for blue skip purposes, is a PITA.

LW.