My s2k has Kw variant 3's on them and currently running stock rims with 225/245 Hankoon Z212 for the street and using the same setup on the track. Now that I am in the market to pick-up a set of track rims as I plan to increase my track time with my s2k. I am definatly familiar with FWD driving but definatly not RWD and running a setup which is non-stagered would surly prove to be a handfull at the time being seeing how 1 of my local tracks has some good elevation changes and some sweeping corners. So my question is what would you guys suggest in a staggered setup which would work well at the track (and which tire sizes to fit to it) where it will not have clearance issues and I will not have to roll my fenders.

 

What you currently have will work fine. If you want a bit more grip just get RA-1s.

 

with 225/50/16 & 245/45/16?

I still will need to pick up a second set of rims in that case. That is my current option, but what would be ideal for my position?

 

There are simply too many variables, even with the information you have already given. I think you need to do your own experimentation.

But since you asked, you were given an answer. Now you have to decide whether or not you will take that advice.

good luck, be safe, and have fun.

 

for the time being, obviously I will do a fist run with the RA-1's on my stock rims, however having to experiment with different rims at oh say $3000 per set isnt quite in my budget range to experiment... say a set were $500 I would experiment without wasting a heartbeat.

Obviously you guys have alot more experience driving RWD cars at their limit as opposed to me, who has drivin FWD all my life and raced FWD for 2 years and just a little too used to their handeling characteristics. Any advice which could be given is helpful.

 

Since you have KW's, you can adjust compression/rebound to change the handling. If you find the car oversteery, try increasing the compression on the fronts a couple of turns. That should give you more understeer (to be clear corner entry understeer). You could also try softening the rear rebound, as well as changing tire pressures, or removing your rear swaybar.

As said, there are a million factors, there really is no point trying to solve a problem without knowing what the problem is. Go out and experiment, and see how the car behaves and then come back here with a more specific question.

 

CE28s in 17x9 +63 F&R w/245s or 255s in front and 275s in back. Go with RAs and ditch the Hankooks. Feel free to drive 'em on the street as much as you want, too. And lots of guys haven't had to roll the rear fenders, but even if you do have to roll 'em nobody will be able to tell unless they put a finger up there. I did mine with a bat and had no issue with cracking paint/spderwebs/etc.

I'd recommend getting a big fat front sway bar or just remove the rear bar, too.

 

I have a smaller rear sway bar to be installed for the time being. I am not finding enough grip with the current tires, and yes they are street tires. I would drive RA1's on the street, however i do an average of 25,000 Kms per year on my car. I could justify the RA-1's if i was at the track every other to 3rd weekend with the s2k, but thats the case with the civic, the s2k maby once to twice every month to 2 months. I may try it out for my next set.

I do acknoledge all the various factors and the advice is definatly helping me in what to do. But the main question was with a stagered setup, what would work which would provide good levels of grip (all else being equal), and not have issues with rubbing.

With my current setup (last time at the track was 100% stock with UK alignment and Z212's) I was getting entry understeer and getting some oversteer on exit which was making me ease up on the throttle quite a bit (at least a LOT more than I would with the civic) to keep it somewhat inline.

When I get my car back and after winter is over, I will start playing around with my new suspension and begin to dial in better and understand the car better (it is still somewhat new to me only having it for a handfull of months on it).

 

That's all relative. I've had fun and learned a lot about the car and driving by running on stock tire sizes (245/45R16, 205/55R16) on the stock wheels. That's the cheapest way to go, and it will mean you can afford more track time.

Is there a specific reason you don't want to do that?

Yes, you will get entry understeer and exit oversteer. Trailbraking and more front camber helps the former. Just getting used to the feel of RWD during trackout helps the with the latter.

Try letting somebody else who has more experience with this type of car drive it. If you are as fast as they are, then it's time to make more mods. If not, maybe it's not the car that really needs the work right now.

 

Driving on 245/45R16 and 205/55R16... I hope that you listed it R & F tires and not F & R, otherwise im sure that would make for some fun spirited driving ...

I do not want to sound like a know it all, but pretty much everyone who has come out in the civic with me is at par if not slower than I, which still means there is room for improvement on that car becuase I am familiar with it and they are not, so I have room for improvement (theres always room for improvement). I do beleive on that track I can still grab a second. The only person who took my s2k out on the track wasnt really pushing it too hard and i was running better times than that. At the local track, the point is not to go trackout becuase everyone who has, has had just a few dollars of damage. Its quite a fast track with runoffs but from the elevation changes, you seem to find the walls pretty quickly. The unfortunate thing is the track which is better for trackoffs is almost 3 hrs away while the local is 40 (hard to get that much time off work, even on saturdays and they dont have many track days except for guys who have never been out to the track going all out and its just simply not worth it in the slightest bit to be out there with them).

I am still obviously still learning RWD and will probally go for some more schooling to get a better feel of overstering (I refuse to do it on the streets).

At that note, has anyone used 2" or 3" harnesses with the stock seats with the GFL roll bar? or would the traps move around too much? If so, what about modifying the stock seats to have holes for the belts to pass trough? (would be a hell of a lot cheaper than picking up proper seats).