Help with 15" tires for AutoX on Kosei K-1 Racing rims

[6SPDGTS]

I am going to be purchasing some 15" Kosei K-1 Racing Rims for Auto-X. I am new to this and I thought the K-1's wpuld fit the bill. What tire brand and size do you recomend for this setup. I was thinking either 205/55/15 or 205/50/15. I want a tire for Auto-X or a racing tire for Auto-X. These will not be used on the street(only to drive there). Thanx for your help.
Ryan

[Karim]

depends on the class you want to be in, if your going STS most people are going with the falken azenis but if your going to dsp you can use r compounds and here hoosiers and kumhos seem to be that favorites.

Karim

[erok]

I'm happy with my 205/50/15 Kuhmo Victoracers on the same Kosei wheel you're considering. When these wear out, I may try a 225/45/15 tire. The Falkens are popular for street tire classes.

[6SPDGTS]

I think I am going to get the Kuhmo Ecsta in 205/50/15. I will be entering the STS class and will have to seel my TRD rear Strut and pick up a newcelica.org rear strut bar. What other cars compete in the STS class? Does anyone also know if there are any circut racing or larger scale track around the Tri-State area that I could go and try out also? Thanx for all your help.
Ryan

[pitcrew]

The Ecstas (712's I assume rather tha V700's for STS) are a decent street tire, but give up a LOT of grip for competition. The Falkens, or possibly the new Hancooks would be a FAR superior choice. The new but pricy BFG's are starting to be popular in STS as well.

[scapamouche]

Whenever they come out, the new Kumho Ecsta MX is supposed to be a competitor with the Falkens.

I have a set of Falkens on my K1 racing rims for STS. I have been VERY happy with them. Previously, I ran Ecsta 712s on stock rims, and there is NO comparison.

If you're autoxing for fun, then it doesn't matter; if you really want to be competitive, get the Falkens (if you can find them) Potenza S-03s or BFG Gforce KDs. The Hankooks may be good, I don't know, but the other tires are very highly rated for STS.

I think Potenza re730s (?) are also highly regarded.

[6SPDGTS]

Anyone know a price on the falken azenis or if they make the in a 205/50/15 or 205/55/15?
Thanx
Ryan

[scapamouche]

They are 205/50-15. I paid $62 apiece from Discount tire direct. I expect they're sold out right now..

One of the local guys there in NorCal was saying there was a store in the LA area that was selling them for $51 each. I don't really know, though.

The real kicker is that I couldn't find a place that sold BOTH the Falkens and the Koseis. I ended up going to both tirerack and discount tire separately, and getting them mounted locally. What a pain....

BTW, I don't recommend getting the white version of the Koseis; they are a pain to keep clean. If I could do it again, I'd order the Anthracite wheels.

[Unity112]

Andy if your referring to me, actually, I bought the tires for 69.99. Markup bull ish. Probably the same price someone would pay for shipping. The shop had it within a couple of hours from my order. Just go to falken's website and try to find an authorized dealer near you. Give them a call and see what you can get.

And I got my koseis from Tirerack. Your not gonna be able to find both at the same place.

[6SPDGTS]

Ya I am going to get the kosei k1 and the falkens.
scapamouche: They dont make the anthacite ones to fit the ou car I wish they did. I am going with silver. The falkens are 70 a piece at discount tire direct now. Does anyone know the weight of the Koseis in the 15" size?
Thanx
Ryan

[scapamouche]

13.5 lbs. The whole kit weighs 36lbs on my kitchen scale, with the Flakens. They're really heavy.... On the same scale, the stock 16s with 205/50-16 Kumho 712s weighed 38lbs BTW.

I never thought to ask about the Anthracite, myself. The white looks great, but only until I use the brakes; my pads are a bit dusty.

Unity: Nope. Wasn't you. I'd say who, but I don't want to infringe on his privacy. If he wants to say it, fine.

[6SPDGTS]

Maybe I will go with the rota subzero also they are light from what I hear.

[6SPDGTS]

Sorry Mistake

[6SPDGTS]

Any opinions on the SSR Integral 16inch with a bridgestone s03. I can get a good deal on these. The tires are partially used. I know the SSR are forged and better quality than the Koseis. The s03's are also a great tire from what I have heard but I would also like them to last an entire Auto-X season. Any opinions?
Thanx
Ryan

[scapamouche]

The S-03s have a great reputation, and the SSRs are good. I don't have numbers, but the integral is heavier than the Competition, I believe. Probably still lighter than the 16" Kosei, though.

[Phil C]

Technically the SSR wheels aren't forged but the semi-solid-forging that SSR uses creates many of the same advantages of a true forging.

I've always liked the Integral for it's simple bare 5-spoke look.

[6SPDGTS]

so would you take the used rims and tires over the new kosei and falkens. The SSR are a few hundered less also.

[erok]

I think it depends on your tire preference. 15" wheels make it easy to have an overall tire diameter smaller than stock. IMO the perfect size for autox has got to be either a 205/50/15 or 225/45/15. I definitely notice better acceleration and braking with my smaller, lighter wheels & tires. I have had some excellent runs with this set-up. And this is my 1st season autocrossing. The only drawback I can see to running smaller diameter tires is that courses with top speeds around 55-60 mph could require a 2-3 gear shift, whereas the stock diameter set-up goes to about 62 mph before needing to shift.

A hidden bonus to the smaller tires is that 4 of them will fit standing up under the back hatch and the 16" tires will not. For me this has been a major convenience while carrying race tires to distant events and changing tires there.

On the other hand, for maximum convenience and $ value, you could run in STS and just make the 16" SSRs your daily driving wheels. Sell your stock wheels and tires and don't trouble yourself with changing wheels at all. If I hadn't bought the 15" Koseis, my 2nd choice was 16" SSR Competition wheels and 225/45/16 Pirelli P-Zero tires to run in STS and daily driving.

Edit: I don't know the wear rating for the SO-3s, but since they're designed for regular street driving, they should hold up as well or better than the Azenis or a DOT race tire in autox.

Good Luck.

[6SPDGTS]

erok
I would just use the ssr and the s03's for auto-x. Any other opinions?

[6SPDGTS]

Anyone????

[toyfan1]

I'm thinking about getting the SSRs too, in 15s though.. does anyone know of other places that sell them other than TireRack?

- Michelle

[6SPDGTS]

tirerack is the cheapest Michelle unless you can find a local shop to match the price.
Ryan

[6SPDGTS]

Any other opinions?

[nxracer]

Originally posted by 6SPDGTS
tirerack is the cheapest Michelle

Is she cute?

[6SPDGTS]

I have no clue I am just helping her out.
NX can you help me out with my?

[toyfan1]

Haha I think nxracer was trying to be funny.

I spoke with one of the reps at TireRack this afternoon and the guy said that the SSR Competitions didn't come in a size that would fit the Celica. I gave him the specs that I wanted (15 x 6.5 in., 5 x 100 lugnut pattern, and an offset of 39mm), but he said that they wouldn't fit and he wouldn't tell me the specs (of the 15s) that he was quoting from. Was he BS-ing me? :confused:

- Michelle

[scapamouche]

That's kind of funny. if you go to tirerack and look, they have the SSR Competition listed in 3 sizes for the Celica GT-S. 16x7, 17x7.5 and 18. Those aren't the 15" you're looking for, but they ARE SSRs for the Celica.

[toyfan1]

So no 15s? *pouts* :(

- Michelle

[nxracer]

If I was shopping for a Michelle it would be good to know. I'm in the one day shipment zone or I can be there in about 1 1/2 hours

[toyfan1]

Originally posted by nxracer
If I was shopping for a Michelle it would be good to know. I'm in the one day shipment zone or I can be there in about 1 1/2 hours

Sorry, this Michelle's a bit young to be on the market.

Hmm.. well if the SSR's aren't available in 15s then I guess I should start looking at other options.. I'm back to square one. Argh! Too many to choose from! Maybe I should just buy another set of GT rims and slap some Kumhos on them.

- Michelle

[NoCones]

Originally posted by toyfan1
Maybe I should just buy another set of GT rims and slap some Kumhos on them.
yeah, yeah...take mine! :gap:

[erok]

The tires you choose will have much more impact than the wheel they're mounted on. What class do you guys want to run in?

[6SPDGTS]

I am getting the Kosei K1 racing and the Falkens

[scapamouche]

Bravo. Join the club :)

[Fourgig]

Wow...Kosei's are getting to be a really popular wheel with the Celica autox crowd.

[scapamouche]

There's good reason.....

[6SPDGTS]

I got the Koseis from a shop I know. I payed $125 a piece so it was $500 for all four. No tax either because I payed cash. The tires were in stock at discount tire and I got them for $70 a piece shipped so it was $280 for them. So I spent $780 for the package and I am getting them mounted and balanced for $30 so the whole deal was $810 with tax. Not too bad I dont think

[erok]

That's great! I paid $1100 for the Koseis with Victoracers mounted from Tirerack.

[6SPDGTS]

I cant wait to start auto x now.

[6SPDGTS]

F**king discount tire has the falkens on backorder noe I have to wait 15-30 DAYS.

[scapamouche]

Ahhhh....welcome the the pit of waiting for Falkens.....

I need to get a set on order so they're here by the time I need them. At the rate I'm going, I think I'll need a new set well before the fall.

AS an aside, one of the RSX guys at the local autox yesterday mentioned that Falken might be discontinuing the Azenis. Anyone know any more?

[Al2ktoy]

Originally posted by scapamouche
Ahhhh....welcome the the pit of waiting for Falkens.....

I need to get a set on order so they're here by the time I need them. At the rate I'm going, I think I'll need a new set well before the fall.

AS an aside, one of the RSX guys at the local autox yesterday mentioned that Falken might be discontinuing the Azenis. Anyone know any more?

The Azenis is only available in six sizes: 195/60-14. 205/50-15, 205/55-16, 215/45-16, 225/45-17, and 245/45-17.

All the other sizes were cancelled by Falken.

[scapamouche]

OK. That makes me happy.

[Fourgig]

Hmm...I got my Falkens from Discount Tire in 2 days. Oh wait, I have 17's not 15's like everyone else and their brothers. ;)

I paid through the nose to get my Falkens and Kosei's 2nd day though. $813 for the 17x7.5 K1's from Tire Rack, $589 for the Falkens from Discount Tire and $72 for Big O Tire to mount and balance.

[6SPDGTS]

Ya I HATE WAITING

[Fourgig]

Check the Wheel and Tire Forum. Edge Racing says they have Falkens in stock.

[6SPDGTS]

Edge Racing is out now. Rims will be here friday.