Wheels Size and AutoX

[renfield90]

No offense OP, but if your skill/knowledge level is "are 17s better than 18s?" you are exactly the kind of person who needs to spend some time autocrossing the car on stock tires.

Grippy tires will mask your mistakes. They will allow you to develop bad habits that "feel" fast but are actually slow. Stock tires will punish you for every mistake; the understeer is trying to tell you something. You can either try to learn from that something and become a fast driver, or you can bolt on grip and pretend you're a fast driver. I won't judge you either way as long as you're honest about it.

Very little of your canyon experience will translate to a 10/10ths autocross environment.

[renfield90]

Originally Posted by xwd

I'm not a believer in autocrossing on crappy stock tires to learn something, the car behaves very differently on them than any real performance tire. Sam Strano (many time national champ) said the same thing when he was still on here. Tires can hide bad driving, but you also can't progress very far on the stock tires.

If you are dropping 7 seconds per run on the stock tires, you have lots of room for progress.

[Strife26]

Originally Posted by renfield90

No offense OP, but if your skill/knowledge level is "are 17s better than 18s?" you are exactly the kind of person who needs to spend some time autocrossing the car on stock tires.

Grippy tires will mask your mistakes. They will allow you to develop bad habits that "feel" fast but are actually slow. Stock tires will punish you for every mistake; the understeer is trying to tell you something. You can either try to learn from that something and become a fast driver, or you can bolt on grip and pretend you're a fast driver. I won't judge you either way as long as you're honest about it.

Very little of your canyon experience will translate to a 10/10ths autocross environment.

I meant to say, I am pretty much the best driver under the sun (when it's out). Do you see the dilemma there? I don't want to say I am a great driver. I think I do fine. What I am not, is a mechanic, or anything other than an enthusiast who is learning as I go, and with anything on the internet, there is a lot of conflicting data. Which is where forums come in, or should I say community. I trust that someone here has way more knowledge than me, and some can wade through the bs and take me with them.

I am definitely learning as far as autox goes, there is no doubt about it. I have done a total of probably 15 laps so far. I was kind of band wagoning it. Lots of people go the 18x9.5 route, and I figured as long as I shed the weight the bigger size would at least balance out, but again conflicting data found have I!

Regardless of opinion (thank you btw) I need to replace the tires because I hate them, lol. They don't feel good, and they take away from the car, even if I do suck at driving. Primacy's should not of been on the car from the start unless they wanted to show how drifty it can be. They do OK, but I don't have enough trust in them.

Again, thank you (all), even if I don't like your opinion, haha.

[Ashikabi]

I didn't read the whole thread. OP, for autocross, 17>18 for unsprung mass. Wider is better. And you need camber(like -3 front-2 rear). 18s look better so if these will be your dd wheels then get 18 cuz looking good 100% if the time > being .05 seconds faster a few times a year. Don't stagger your setup

[justint5387]

18x9.5 for autox in this car? You must make a lot of power.

Since you have some modifications already, I would look into running STX if you want to be somewhat competitive in autocross. Get some 17x9 wheels.