I have an 04 MC with SS+. I have been fighting my BMWCCA class for 2 years now on my lowly Holies and 205/50/15 Azenis. The Azenis are about to go and I have decided to buy a wheel and tire package. I am running Helix Camber plates (-2 degrees of camber up front) and Helix Control Arms (-1 degrees of camber in rear).

Here is the package I am considering:
- 15x7 Rota Slipstreams 40mm offset with Toyo RA-1 competition tires

205/50/15
PROS:
They are 3lbs lighter than the 225/45/15s
They will fit the 7" wheel easy as their measuring rim width is 6.5" - so the wide wheel can provide plenty of support to the already stiff sidewalls.
CONS:
Less contact patch than the 225/45/15.

225/45/15
PROS:
Slightly lower rolling diameter
Wider contact patch
Priced $5 dollars more than the 205s
CONS:
WILL THEY FIT? I don't want to have any rubbing. The 40mm offset + 225 wide tires have worked in street applications with street tires and no camber. These suckers may be slightly wider than street since they are comp and the 2 degrees of neg camber up front and 1 in the rear may make it too close.
The 225/45/15s weigh 3 lbs more each
Barely fit on 7" wide wheels

So assuming 225s fit well without any spacers or fender rolling, is the added contact patch worth the extra weight and the compromised sidewall?

 

I am running 225/50R15's on similar wheels (same width and offset) with NO issues... After running 205's for awhile, the 225's are way, WAY more awesome!

The negative camber up front and out back will make it easier to fit them under the fenders... I haven't had to trim anything and I've got similar camber settings, too.

So, IMHO, GO 225!!!

 

Sounds like a big vote for 225s!! What tires have you run in 205 and 225? R-comps? Just wonderin, was the performance difference observer/measured at the autox, if so, how much faster do you think they made you?

Moderator, I just realized this thread should be in Solo2 not General Discussion - could you please move. Thanks

 

I'm currently running the Holies with the Hankooks rs2 and have pushed them to the max. I'm also going to a simular set up in that they should be in next week.. going to the Hannabi with Toyo RA1 in a 225/45/15. Most of the guys running R-compounds are running 215/40/16 and theres a big difference between the 215 and the 205's the only person down here that can keep up with (or beat almost all the time) the 215s is a guy running the 225's Azenis

 

205/50R15 RT-215 and RT-615 Azenis and went to 225/50R15 Michelin Pilot Sport Cups... I put the PSC's on at the same time as the camber plates and put a 6 second gap on the Cooper S that I was racing for the class title... Same results for the last event of the season, too. Beforehand, he and I traded 1st's at events and were always within a second of one another... I'd say the r-comps and camber plates made a HUGE difference.

You definitely need camber plates to keep r-comps really, really happy, IMHO, so it's great that you have those already... I know a lot of people run them on stockers for the stock classes, but they don't last anywhere near as long as they do with -2.0 or more up front...

Most people around here that want a full season out of their r-comps + 2 DE's on average run either the RA-1's or the Michelin PSC's... V710's, Hoosiers, etc. all last about 4-5 events on average on our very rough surface at our normal autocross venue...

 

Mugami,

I guess you are going with the Edge Racing package. I thought about going with the Hannabi+RA-1 deal from edge as well, but at the end the Rota Slipstreams with the 40mm offset and 56.1 hub matched the MINI too well to pass up. Though I'll probably end up paying $200 extra for the better fit. Let me know how the Hannabi works out for you, there was another member here that bought them and mounted them up with 225/45/15 Hoosiers and had enough rubbing to smoke the tires (easily resolved with a small spacer). I doubt the RA-1s will have any rubbing issues since the Hoosiers in the same size seem to run almost an inch wider, which is pretty insane.

 

I did some more reading and I'm starting to get a bit concerned about the fit for 225 RA-1s. There are a few people reporting problems with rubbing on the inside, usually resolved by putting in spacers. Me having -2 degrees of camber up front would bring the tires even closer in, making chance of rubbing higher. Scobib I know you are having no problems, and I believe you, but I wish I could find more people that can confirm that there are no issues with this setup. By the way, you running stock shocks/springs?

I can't find many people with -2+ camber, 40mm offset rims and 225/45/15 RA-1s. I really don't want to deal with putting in spacers, or modifying fenders to make this happen. I would rather go with 205 in that case, since i was already on the fence.

 

running Stock shocks but running Racing Dynamic lowering Springs. As for the 2 degs you putting on should make it worse since to get it your moving the shock and all. As for spacers.. been running 6mm for a while now so i have no Hubcentric to worry about. Also in prep for this i ordered a 15MM spacer and will be moving the 5mm in the back. I'M also checking with Megan to see about ordering just the front shocks with the plate and no springs. Or to have a front set to match what i already have.

Oh and yes im doing the Edge racing deal. And one other thing As hard as ive been pushing the Hankooks on the Holies I've been having them rub even with 5mm spacers on the front. btw i did call Edge again on wed. well after 3 people looking up my inv. one finnally came back and stated there gettig prepped to ship out today. (so much for normally ships in 24 hours) that after 2 weeks on order. Hopefully i'll get to try them out for the autox on July 23. Again once they arrive ill check the clearence both with and without the spacers.

Some other thing ive done was the Stud conversion on the car which makes it easier to swap tires.. I've gone with the 37mm studs in back and the 50mm studs in front. If you decide to do the conversion i would suggest buying a few spares. Just incase you get a cross thread. a Rusy nut that doesnt want to come off and takes out the stud intead. or a few other things for safety.

Hope to report soon.. until then

Be safe, Have fun and Keep MOTOV8N

 

...so long as the springs you have are as narrow as the Megans...why not just order everything?


To all, you might find that a smaller negative camber value works with wider tires. Reducing negative camber will help braking and reduce a few other compromises as well.

How much better are the 225s when compared with the 205s on a track, not an autoX event? Similar tire of course.

 

Funds mainly Meb .. i had option of tires or Shocks.. couldnt do both. With what i have left I could do the camber plates but I would like the set of coil over that megan is selling. so i thought if i could get the fronts now (possibly with in budget) I could get my front camber and start learning how to adj shock settings. then when next years budget comes up i could get the rest of the set up. But no one is willing to split up the set.. so i'll just wait till next year and get the whole thing.

 

I understand...funds...my honey is trying to slam the door on my meager racing budget and she's winning...er, won.