Well, after nearly two years of debating on which set of wheels and tires to get, as well as put a punishing 18,000+ miles on the stock tires and they still look great, I finally decided on a set of wheels and tires.

Getting the 18X9" w/255/45/18 Niitto 555 for the front and 18x10" w/295/45/18 555's in the rear on chrome CT-R's.

Yes, I realize the 295 is about 1.3" taller than stock, but that's what I want, some more rubber to fill up that big empty wheel well. And I can fix the 4.8% error in speedo with the Xcal2. With 472hp to the ground on a cold night now that I have the KB, I need some meat back there. And everytime I see pics of a car with 295's in the back, I think "That's what I want mine to look like!"

Besides, if I don't like they way the 295's look, I have four of the same tire and size on the Lightning, and I'll need some more back tires for it soon anyway.

Got the tires from Discount Tire Direct, and both the wheels are tires are being shipped UPS, and will be here next week. Can't wait!

 

those are nice .... nice enough that ,thats the set I want to get in the spring

 

Yep, I dig those too and have been looking at them for a while. Between those and the Shelby CS66 and CS67 for me......

 

I am going to purchase some of those in the spring. My tire selection is going to differ a bit that yours. The plan is Kumho MX's 275/40/18's all around. For the money, you will be hard pressed to find a stickier tire.

 

can you post a link to the rims please. I can't seem to find them at the discount tire site

 

ctrwheels.com

 

Not that those aren't good tires, but I would put my KDW2's up against those. I've never owned a street tire with better wet or dry traction.

Anyway, great choice on the wheels. Can't wait to see how the setup fills the wheel wells.

 

KDW's aren't as grippy. Grassroots Motorsports did a test a while back. The BFG's competitor to the MX's would be the KD's. Both the KDW and KD are much more expensive.

 

Nice choice Hatchman! I loved the look of the 295/45s on my car but when I got my turbo I went ahead and put 305/45s on and they look awesome also..

 

Yeah, the Nitto 555 isn't the grippiest or the best tire, but they aren't bad for the money. I like them on the Lightning. Pretty quite on the highway, descent dry and wet traction, a lot better ride quality than the F1's that were on there, a nice looking tread pattern, a nice amount of rubber on the sidewalls to act as a curb protector, they come in the size I want (295/45/18) and I get a good amount of life out of them.

I'll throw some pics up once they are on.

 

I got the wheels from John at CT-R, and just the tires from DTD. Sorry for the confusion.

 

I was considering them myself, but decided going with the Shelby CS67's once they come out in 18x9.5's in a few months. Those wheels are going to look
soooo sick.

 

Going to look great! Be interesting getting that KB hooking up on the street. Don't get yourself into trouble.

 

Yes, those wheels are going to look great, very classy and retro, with a new style ede. I thought about those as well, but when at the MCA show in Birmingham, out of the thousands of Mustangs there, I liked the GT40 style rims the best.

"Trouble" is my middle name, or is it "Danger"? I forget.
Yeah, if the 295's don't "get 'er done", I'll put on some 305/45 DR's. That should hook up.

 

Those should look awesome! A 305/45?!? Talk about a truck tire, will that be a bit too tall?? To each there own, it would give it even more of that old school drag tire look. Can't wait to see the pics!!

 

Nice choice. Congrats!!

 

Those are sweet looking man, good pick!

 

if you make the tire diameter larger, even if you correct the speedo, wouldnt that make the final drive higher (numerically lower)? so your car would be slower?

i never really understood this stuff. am i way off base on this?

 

NOLAGT has 305/45's on his car and they don't look like truck tires to me. Something to think about, the sidewall on a 295/45/18 is only .15" taller than stock, but you get an extra inch of rim/wheel and .15" on each side, so the overall package is only 1.3" taller. Also, the Nitto 555DR 305 runs a little on the small side, and is actually on a hair taller than the Nitto 555 295.





If the tire diameter goes larger, then yes, you are basically raising the final drive ratio higher. Instead of a 3.55 final drive I will have the equivalent of 3.38 final drive. At 50 mph at the same RPM, I will now be travelling at 52.4 mph for the same engine RPM.

As far as my car being slower, I doubt it. I'm already easily bouncing off the rev limiter in first and second, and can get sideways in third from all the wheelspin, so a Kia could beat me right now. I think for the street, I could use the higher final drive ratio, especially since I put a lot of highway miles on the car. But sure, for the track, I might be shifting into fourth too late to maximize the power curve on a 1/4 mile track. Seems 4.10's work pretty well for running right up to the edge of fourth gear in the quarter.

Also, the taller sidewall gives a little more flex during launching, which helps prevent wheel spin. If I was planning on doing a lot of autocross or canyon carving, I'd get some 295/40's, but there are not too many curves or mountains to carve in Florida.

Besides, I saw this pic of MTAS' car and I knew these where the size tires I wanted:

http://forums.bradbarnett.net/attach...9&d=1164198641
http://forums.bradbarnett.net/attach...0&d=1164198706

Atleast I've heard there are tires on those pics somewhere.

 

Brad, excellent choice. I'm in the same boat as Tom as my choice was between these (in gunmetal) and the CS67's in the stock wheels size. These are going to look sick on your car.