[The Black Stig]

My michelins have exhausted their normal useful life and I wasn't a fan of the all season pilot super Sports I bought to replace the oe run flats. On top of this I wasn't a fan of the factory "stretched" look and combine that with fact that I now have a dedicated snow tires/wheels....

I was able to get spicy 🌶🔥🌶 .

1. I Lowered the car on my special mix of oem GM parts bin springs.
2. Added some girth & stickiness and got some 245/40/18 Nitto NT05's
3. Had the car aligned to ATS-v Alignment specs

OE size is 225/40/18
NT05 Is 245/40/18
Slight rub on the front at Hard lock with the aggressive alignment. Does not rub on oe alignment specs.

The combination of the tires, springs, & alignment induced near puke status motion sickness when I took my friend for a ride, Track day on next Friday so I'll report back lap times after.

I Also had the forthought to ceramic coat the wheels too 🤔🧐😃

 

[hoser450]

That’s awesome. Car looks good, and most importantly, it seems to perform better. I really want to step it up to 245s but really don’t want any rubbing. But I think a bit wider tire, and an alignment like yours would make a noticeable difference on the track. Just curious, what made you go with a 245/40 and not a 245/35?

 

[robertorolfo]

The combination of the tires, springs, & alignment induced near puke status motion sickness when I took my friend for a ride,

Had a co-worker make me insanely nauseous in a gutless rented FIAT Punto, just because he couldn't apply the gas smoothly. Also got super-sick in the passenger seat of a cargo van driving the extremely twisty back roads of Sardegna. Point is, making someone sick isn't exactly a good barometer of vehicle performance.

 

[The Black Stig]

That’s awesome. Car looks good, and most importantly, it seems to perform better. I really want to step it up to 245s but really don’t want any rubbing. But I think a bit wider tire, and an alignment like yours would make a noticeable difference on the track. Just curious, what made you go with a 245/40 and not a 245/35?

The tires I wanted did not come 245/35 but that would have been the preferred option. But contrary to popular belief sidewall is your friend.

And I want to stress it's a very slight rub, and you have to crank the wheel all the way left or right and hold it which is not something that would happen normally, this could be fixed buy running -0.5 of camber or less, A 3-5mm spacer, or having wheel that is not a +42 offset.

 

[The Black Stig]

Had a co-worker make me insanely nauseous in a gutless rented FIAT Punto, just because he couldn't apply the gas smoothly. Also got super-sick in the passenger seat of a cargo van driving the extremely twisty back roads of Sardegna. Point is, making someone sick isn't exactly a good barometer of vehicle performance.

1. Very true, however the same friend has been in with me In the same car on the same roads.

2. A fiat punto? Tell your friend to have some self respect lol.

 

[DavidATS]

The tires I wanted did not come 245/35 but that would have been the preferred option. But contrary to popular belief sidewall is your friend.

And I want to stress it's a very slight rub, and you have to crank the wheel all the way left or right and hold it which is not something that would happen normally, this could be fixed buy running -0.5 of camber or less, A 3-5mm spacer, or having wheel that is not a +42 offset.

Maybe for running over things but past that I don't see it when the diameter gets larger and you end up with rubbing issues. I don't think your tire size is a big deal but I would have kept the diameter as close to original as possible.

 

[rsingl]

How sticky is the NT05 tread compound? I stayed with the stock Michelin PSS tires for my Z06 but there are a lot of roads I won't take it on because of the very sticky compound of these max performance summer tires. They pick up every piece of debris on the road and throw it. The first year I owned it I had the targa top off and used one hand to catch a rock thrown high in the air that was coming down inside the car when I was taking a newly resurfaced exit from an interstate. Sticky compound tires provide incredible handling but they have their drawbacks.

I had ACS side skirts installed on my Z06 before I took delivery because I liked their contour shape better than the factory option look and they provide better protection to the side panels from stuff thrown by the front tires. If those have a sticky compound, be very cautious about what the wider tires are going to throw at the sides of your car. The big impact area for a C7 Z06 without side skirts is the leading part of the rear quarter panel around the brake cooling duct area. I suspect the ATS would have a similar hit zone near the leading edge of the rear tire area.

Rodger

 

[robertorolfo]

2. A fiat punto? Tell your friend to have some self respect lol.

FIAT makes some great cars, and the Punto is actually quite respectable. In Italy they tend to appreciate driving skill over the ability to simply open your wallet or mash on a gas pedal to go fast...

 

[The Black Stig]

How sticky is the NT05 tread compound? I stayed with the stock Michelin PSS tires for my Z06 but there are a lot of roads I won't take it on because of the very sticky compound of these max performance summer tires. They pick up every piece of debris on the road and throw it. The first year I owned it I had the targa top off and used one hand to catch a rock thrown high in the air that was coming down inside the car when I was taking a newly resurfaced exit from an interstate. Sticky compound tires provide incredible handling but they have their drawbacks.

I had ACS side skirts installed on my Z06 before I took delivery because I liked their contour shape better than the factory option look and they provide better protection to the side panels from stuff thrown by the front tires. If those have a sticky compound, be very cautious about what the wider tires are going to throw at the sides of your car. The big impact area for a C7 Z06 without side skirts is the leading part of the rear quarter panel around the brake cooling duct area. I suspect the ATS would have a similar hit zone near the leading edge of the rear tire area.

Rodger

They are not gumballs, The nittos have much better contact patch then most tires. But I would consider them sticky, but they need some heat to get sticky stick that's not possible on the street.

 

[The Black Stig]

FIAT makes some great cars, and the Punto is actually quite respectable. In Italy they tend to appreciate driving skill over the ability to simply open your wallet or mash on a gas pedal to go fast...

Yes I know, I would kill for a 695 biposto. But punto is the equivalent of a chevy spark.

 

[robertorolfo]

Yes I know, I would kill for a 695 biposto. But punto is the equivalent of a chevy spark.

I wouldn't disparage the Punto too much. They are decent little cars. They usually more highly regarded than any of the new 500's.