Haha truth.

OP, is this a track car or street car? If it's a street car, then you're posting in the wrong section. Anyhow, given you're supercharged, it's street driven, and you love to drive the sh** out of it, err on the side of caution and keep some stagger. Especially since you've already done a few 180's.

225/255, 235/265 should be pretty similar to stock stagger.

 

Not trying to solicit an argument necessarily, but you are judging pretty harshly one of the best laps ever turned by an S2000 on street tires at Buttonwillow so I assumed you must have a lot of experience driving time attack cars at this particular track. That's another discussion though you are right.


To the OP I honestly wouldn't recommend going to a square setup 255/255 unless you think you have reached the limit with 225/255 particularly under braking. You won't be faster with 255 square if you haven't found the limit of a staggered setup. I would take more time to consider your alignment possibly as well. 235/255 should hardly make the car difficult to handle. Do you happen to know what your alignment specs were when you had the 235/255 setup? Were you wildly off and on the throttle when you spun? When you spin it is always safe to assume that it is your own fault and not an issue with the car.

 

This

180s on the track or the street? I've had my share of offs and spin outs at the track - never on the street.

What's great for the track isn't necessarily great for the street.

False - sounds like driver error... I doubt the conditions were much worse than this (no wing, square tires/wheels, in the rain) - disclaimer, driver is not me - i'm not that skilled

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9WAevH7SgI[/media]

Optimal for the car? Maybe toning it down and some on course HPDE instruction - likely to result in fewer 180s and less smashing of the car.

Good luck - Stick with 225/255 or 235/265 if you can find the right tires.

 

I don't have as much experience as much as the members that already commented on this thread but I can share my two cents with you. From what I have seen, the 255 square seems to be the favorite choice for all the track guys. It's less understeer, better braking etc. You also have to remember that it's also to rotate tires and 255s are cheaper than buying 275.... And yeah NT01s come in 275 in 17s. Bradskee runs them in the back. And he GRIPS haha.

But if you said you have already done a few 180s and if you were on the street, it's the driver not the car unless it has some serious alignment issues. SC'd S2000s can be pretty tail happy. I have driven a few on the street and I can tell you one thing. Unless you get the driver mod, the tires wont help you. This is coming from a guy who wrecked his Moonrock S2000 2 weeks after he repainted the whole car. (3 years ago) I have been there and done it. Track days FTMFW!!!

 

yes I understand it could be lack of experience... that said it doesnt change the fact that I do have to buy a new set of rims/tires. Spend the money on track days or some lessons... sure but wouldnt I have to buy some tires/rims in order to do that, cant exactly drive it without those. If im about to spend 2500 bucks Id figure I would ask some more experienced people so I hopefully dont have to buy another set 6 months later thats all.
So sounds like maybe go 255 square or 255/275... what width 17 would be the best for these two options (would17x9 work... biggest size in rims i was looking at)

O and my alignment was something around 2.2 front and 2 rear with I think 1/16 toe in rear and 6.5 caster.... does that sound about right?

 

Pretty heated thread here...

Most Tracked S2000 run a non staggered tire because it makes tuning the suspenion alot easier. You can dail in all your settings without having to spend money on a new set of tires every track day trying to acheive the correct tire bias.

If you can't run 255/255 or 265/265 like all the actual track record holding S2000's run then try and get close to non bais as you can.

235/245 - 245/255 ect....

If you run a really wide tire bias then you'll push in every corner and when you do get into a loose spin it will be alot more violent and hard to recover.

________________

Watching the video tells me the car has great balance. It pushes / 4 wheel slides / can steer loose with the throttle. This is what you want when you track! All and every input you apply as a driver feeds directly into the car. It's complete car control. The car is NON bias to the driver.

________________

Run more camber in the rear and max your factory camber out in the front.

-2.8 is maxed out in front
-3.0 is maxed out rear

________________

I track about 2 weekend per month and I run

-3.0 front
-3.25 Rear
I am on stock AP1 sway bars

If I change the front sway I can add more camber in the front to get more "bite" but i love the current setup and I'm not planning on a change in 2014.

 

Too funny!

 

That video is ridiculous! I wish I had that kind of control...

 

You've spent more on mods than most have on seat time.

Driving isn't something you pick up overnight.

 

You don't need to spend $2500 on wheels and tires. 4 TRM 17x9s are about $650 and you can get some decent tires for around $700. That leaves you with over a grand for brake pads, fluid, and track days.

Maybe consider picking up non-staggered wheels and starting with staggered tires, if you need to get a complete set of new wheels. That will leave the option to go with non-staggered tires down the road and a skinnier front tire on a wider wheel will give you improved steering feel in the short term.