rhodie1211

Hello everyone! This is my first post, so thank you for viewing. I own a stock 2000 s2k (sebring-black/red int) and am looking to roll BIG: F19x8.5 +53off on 245/35/19; R19x10 +69off on 285/30/19. Any suggestions as to what company can custom make these? The look i am hoping for is racing hart cx/volk gt-av (i.e. deep dish, 5 spoke, silver). i will probably upgrade sus/brakes while i'm at it...my budget for wheels/tires/sus/brakes is 6k (i am willing to buy used). Your constuctive advice/comments/criticism is greatly appreciated!

rhodie1211

Well, after doing some additional research, it seems i probably do not have the budget for these... I have found that the SSR gt-3 (18") look to be of high quality, as well as the style i am hoping for. regarding brakes/suspension, i am leaning towards 13" drilled/slotted wilwood 6pot and tein flex ( i see that many of you on this forum favor those upgrades, so who am i to argue?). for tires, i am still unsure as to what brand/size will work. i live in a desert climate, so wet traction is not a concern. i am looking to drop at the most 1.5 in.

your opinion is very much appreciated on:

SSR gt-3?
Wilwood 6 pot?
tein flex? w or w/o electronic dampening?
tire brand/size (biggest i can go w/o rubbing)?
suggested vendors/installers?
can this be done for 6K??

thanks!!!!!!

bazaar

rhodie1211, you may want to try HRE for some custom rims (about a grand each...$$$). I've got a set of three piece 18" 445s, 8.5 front, offset +54 and 10" rear, +64. I'm running Pirelli P-Zero and 265x35 at the back, but I am not lowered. It'll be really close if and when I install some coilovers. I would recommend a slightly higher offset (about +68 or better) and the 265 tire. Regarding the rubbing issue, proper offsets will avoid it, but go with a height adjustable set up (TEIN FLEX) to be on the safe side. Just my thoughts...good luck and when you're done, post some pictures...

rhodie1211

Bazaar, thanks for the info. how are you liking the pirelli's? how do they compare to the tried and true s-02s? i am liking the idea of 10 x 265's in back, but i'm concerned about rubbing. i have read that many people 'roll' the fenders, but i am not really sure what that entails. Any experiences with that? man, i wish i had the budget for hre's, but i just can't lay down a grand ea. do you know if SSR will customize? Also, did you go BBK? So many questions!!!!!

bazaar

I found the P-Zeros quieter than the S-02s. I didn't notice any lack of grip, probably due to the wider widths, weight for tires and rims was about 2 additional pounds in the front and 7 at the rear. I wore them out after 8500 miles... I am very, very close with my offsets at the rear and if I lower the car I am going 1" at the very most. I am still on the fence reagrding lowering since it may compromise the handling if not done correctly. I am leaning towards TEIN FLEX since the adjustment can be nearly whatever you dial in (but I am going to wait for the stock shocks to wear out before changing anything). Rolling the fenders will give you about another 12~15mm to play with which should get you in the clear (again, depending how low you go). I've never heard of SSR customizing rims and the BBKs I researched were beautiful rims but the offsets weren't optimum. I was lucky to have a "contact" that got me the HREs at bargain basement pricing. THe designers recommended the offsets for the S2000, but I wish I had insisted on the +68~+70 range (I got +64) other S2000 owners used. Nevertheless, I am enjoying the wheels (centers were customed painted Spa Yellow and the rims polished) and tires. They are flush with the fenders and I could probably get away with an inch or 3/4 drop with no rubbing. Roads being as they are in New England, any drop may be a risk . Good luck with your plans.

rhodie1211

Bazaar, you wore out rear and front at 8500? you must be ripping up the road, or vice versa! Can you post pics? You've got me thinking about HRE's did you get wheels and tires for 4k otd?? too bad i'm 3k miles away, otherwise i'd buy you a beer to discuss your HRE 'contact' ...meanwhile, I'm waiting to hear from Jim@tirerack to see what my options are re: SSR...I can't afford to screw this up! Does the car need to be counterbalanced at the corners even with lowering springs? it seems that there is so little room for improvement for certain aspects of this car (handling/sus) i'd hate to digress on my current driving characteristics. Tein flex allows for dampening adj on the fly, not ride height, correct? i think we're talking hydrolics for that. Now that would be a sight: S2k lowrider sacrilegious?!?!

bazaar

Sorry I wasn't clear about the tire wear, the rears were gone at 8500 miles, fronts look new . To make a long story short, I was contacted by a friend at Boston Acoustics about using the S2000 for a project car. BA was going to install a stereo and their speakers for free, all other accessories would be at cost. My obligation was to make the car available for a photoshoot (about a week's worth of time). We started with the wheels and tires, but then BA wanted me to install a carbon fiber hood, wing, new seats, lowering springs, and a lot of other "rice" add ons. Some I wanted, most I did not. I opted out of the deal and they let me keep the wheels and tires (which is all I wanted anyway). I got the HREs and Pirellis for $3200 delivered to my door, a GREAT deal indeed. Regarding the TEINS, they can be damped on the fly, but I understand they are height adjustable (which is what I meant when setting the optimum drop). Many on this site have counterbalanced and realigned with their drops, but you'd need to speak to some of them for their experience. I can't post pictures but I can email some to you. PM me if you want to see a New Englander's S2K.

rhodie1211

Jim@tirerack, tried pm-ing you. Any suggestions for me? Do i go through you directly to purchase wheels/tires? Is there an s2ki discount for members? I am looking to buy TODAY! thanks

Jim@tirerack

Hi Rhodie, Just give me a call or email me direct. We can talk about the best tire options.

rhodie1211

Thanks Jim. i will be giving you a call today 4/29 at 2:30est