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Track Tire & Wheel Advice Needed


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I am looking for a set of track wheels and tires. As such I am also looking for help. By track I am refering to road courses and would like tires more suited for cornering then the first 60 feet.

 

Tires: If possible I would like a set of D.O.T. competition tires. I have played with a tire calculator some and found the 275/40/18 size would be about 2% diameter differnece. The GT500 sizes of 255/45/18 for the front and 285/40/18 have about a 1% diameter difference. The issue is, the only DOT Comp tire I can find in those sizes is NT01 i the 275/40/18. Does anybody know of other options or advice.

 

Wheels: There are actually a few choices that would wok for 18" wheels on big brakes now. However, I am intriguied by the 18" X 10" wheels from Roush that come on all four corners of the 427R with those 275/40 tires. For track purposes, I am not to concern about Roushing my Shelby but they are the most exspensive wheel I have considered for track purposes. Does anybody know of another 18" X 10" wheel that works on the front with big brakes? Without going custom.

 

Any other relevant advice is welcomed also.

 

Thanks

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The problem with autocross advice for the Shelby GT is they are bound by rules to stay with the same size wheels (8.5"). I can not stay with the same size wheel. I did look at Hoosier but didn't find anything. I will look again. Thanks.

That's a tough one, especially if you want to go with 18" wheels. Been looking myself and haven't found it yet, I was eyeing the Michelin Pilot Sport Cups but their 18" offering don't have enough sidewall to keep everything cool with the PCM. The Hoosier R6's do have 19" sizing that could work, 265/35/19 and 295/30/19, they are both listed as 26.1 diam., I've run 19" Michelin Pilot Sport 2's that are 26.1" diam. w/o PCM problems; 19's might be the way to go, but I'd prefer 18's and a little more sidewall on the tire.

 

Tell us what you find.

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I checked the comp DOT offerings from Hoosier, Kumho and Nitto. I also checked BFGoodrich and Goodyear, nothing. I'll check some others today.

 

So far, the closest one is the 275/40/18 NT01 from Nitto. 26.66 inches and good for 9-11 wheels. So would 9.5" wheels be adequate?

 

I have found one wheel from Krazer on tirerack.com that has a 9.5" front and a 10.5" rear. I saw them on a GT500 at Stillen on Saturday. They look the track part but may require a centering ring. The questions that come up about the Krazer wheel. What is the point of going with 10.5" rear if I can't find a wider tire for it. I remember somebody saying, find the correct tire and then the wheel to fit the tire. Perhaps having to 10.5" would give me better future options but then it also adds more weight. Also, considerint this will primarily be a track set up, how concern should I be using a wheel that requires a centering ring as compared to a wheel designed specifically for a Mustang? Or if the wheel is designed for track purposes does that out weigh the centering ring over a Mustang specific wheel that is designed for styling purposes? Ugh, the questions.

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Chris, call Sam Strano, he was the Northeast Solo champion in 2007 driving a SGT. He utilizes Hoosier DOT's. Very helpful in car set-up and basic improvements and a wealth of information.

 

http://www.stranoparts.com/

 

I didn't know that! Wasn't he a Camaro guy? Too bad he's not a participant on this forum!!

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I didn't know that! Wasn't he a Camaro guy? Too bad he's not a participant on this forum!!

 

Yes he was. And still has a majority of his business in the F Body area. But he raced his friends SGT last year and cleaned up. He has seen the light! LOL. He is going to run the car again this year. I am waiting on his results for a set of prototype AST front struts with built in caster camber plates and matching rear shocks he will be running this year. He ran Tokicko Spec D's last year and changed out the front swaybar links due to going through 5 sets of FRPP units with a Billet set from Steeda and changed out the springs for a set of Vogtland GT500 springs. He is a wealth of knowledge in car set up.

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Here's something that might work (???), they are a FR500 knock-off that CJ Pony Parts sells

 

Front 18 x 9 Backspacinng is 6.2" and offset is 30mm

 

Rear 18 x 10 Backspacing is 7" and offset is 40mm

 

They also come in a variety of finishes, chrome, black chrome, anthracite centers w/polished lip, black centers w/polished lip and silver painted.

 

 

Thanks, no picture makes me think they may not be available yet. Also $140 for a wheel. I'm not into spend too much money but that sounds awfully cheap.

 

I think I will opt for the 18" X 10" racelines that Fatchile has but in black. Or dare I say it the Roush 18" X 10" trackpack wheels. I know they fit on all four corners. I have a friend with a 427R.

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Thanks, no picture makes me think they may not be available yet. Also $140 for a wheel. I'm not into spend too much money but that sounds awfully cheap.

 

Once you hit the link and get to their site hit the box with the single wheel listed, a picture will come up and there is a "Details" tab, I think the 18x10's might work but I'd have to get one to see. They're cheap because they're made in China...

 

Now if you want to spend a little bit more and want wheels made specifically for your car there's always CCW's "C" series. I talked to Chip today at CCW about these, their 18" "C" series will fit big brakes with rotors up to 15" diam. and they're only $2700.00 a set

 

C10_Enlarged_800.jpg

 

DON'T DO THE ROUSH :stop: It just wouldn't be right...

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Once you hit the link and get to their site hit the box with the single wheel listed, a picture will come up and there is a "Details" tab, I think the 18x10's might work but I'd have to get one to see. They're cheap because they're made in China...

 

Now if you want to spend a little bit more and want wheels made specifically for your car there's always CCW's "C" series. I talked to Chip today at CCW about these, their 18" "C" series will fit big brakes with rotors up to 15" diam. and they're only $2700.00 a set

 

DON'T DO THE ROUSH :stop: It just wouldn't be right...

 

:hysterical: That is going to the other end of the spectrum for my fun (not competitive) purposes.

 

I was waiting for somebody to make that point about the Roush. Here is the thing though. It is the right size wheel designed for the Mustang and a decent price. If one of the Shelby partners (other then American Racing) would make a performance wheel for the GT500, Shelby GT, Terlingua, and all other Mustang and not just wheels for appearance, I would consider it. A wheel for performance means that there must be DOT or R compound tires that fit on them.

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