Forester Flat 5-Spokes Installed
Posted: Sat Oct 16, 2004 12:55 am
I need to get some pictures to post but I work from 8:30-21:00 and the weather has sucked. I won't complain about having to work, just stating an excuse for not posting pics yet.
They look f'n great! I got Kumho ECSTA 711s ($53/ea from TireRack) in 205 50s and they're pretty damn nice for the price.
I was going to strip the clear coat and goldish paint off the insides of the spokes, but got impatient at my indecisiveness on color and threw them on. No need to paint.
The only thing I liked about my old wheels better is that they don't tramline at all - they tracked perfectly straight (even with the warp). I'm thinking of doing a spec of toe-in on the front to counter it. Other tghan that, the new tires grip harder than the decent Yokohama 550s, are MUCH quieter (the Yokos howl in corners), but drift like the Falken 512s I had (the mostly superior Yokos would hold a turn better, but weren't as conducive to oversteer). The tread pattern is similar to the Falkens. Just as importantly I have zero ride quality loss, just a smidge better turn in from the larger wheels. My poor abused brakes don't shake like before either. Hell, my speedometer even seems more accurate.
The old wheels were 40+ offset with 195/60 15s and filled the car's wheel wells out perfectly. The Foresters tuck in a little bit more on the back (like OEM). I don't think I could fit 215s without a different offset on these wheels. These look bigger than 16" on the car, almost too big, but I'll get used to it. I've already gotten several compliments (including my boss) with nobody realizing they were OEM Subaru wheels.
Thanks to those who dammed my torque-thrust style I was going with before with faint praise and to Ford for putting a similar style on the guppy-style Taurus and completely turning me off them.
Steve
They look f'n great! I got Kumho ECSTA 711s ($53/ea from TireRack) in 205 50s and they're pretty damn nice for the price.
I was going to strip the clear coat and goldish paint off the insides of the spokes, but got impatient at my indecisiveness on color and threw them on. No need to paint.
The only thing I liked about my old wheels better is that they don't tramline at all - they tracked perfectly straight (even with the warp). I'm thinking of doing a spec of toe-in on the front to counter it. Other tghan that, the new tires grip harder than the decent Yokohama 550s, are MUCH quieter (the Yokos howl in corners), but drift like the Falken 512s I had (the mostly superior Yokos would hold a turn better, but weren't as conducive to oversteer). The tread pattern is similar to the Falkens. Just as importantly I have zero ride quality loss, just a smidge better turn in from the larger wheels. My poor abused brakes don't shake like before either. Hell, my speedometer even seems more accurate.
The old wheels were 40+ offset with 195/60 15s and filled the car's wheel wells out perfectly. The Foresters tuck in a little bit more on the back (like OEM). I don't think I could fit 215s without a different offset on these wheels. These look bigger than 16" on the car, almost too big, but I'll get used to it. I've already gotten several compliments (including my boss) with nobody realizing they were OEM Subaru wheels.
Thanks to those who dammed my torque-thrust style I was going with before with faint praise and to Ford for putting a similar style on the guppy-style Taurus and completely turning me off them.
Steve
