January 18, 2011 - Here are the 14 inch RA-1s installed.
The left rear is the most problematic tire, and it's not quite tucked into place here. The others are fine, with a perfect fit up front. Really, I should have made that rear axle about 1-2" narrower so I could run bigger tires in the back. That may be a future project. For the time being, I want to see how this setup works, as it's a simple bolt-on that doesn't cost a cent.
On the street, the car is far better. It'll still overwhelm the tires, but only under real duress. I'm not sure it's considered socially acceptable to light the tires up all the way through second gear, but it's in the name of Science!
A nice side effect is that the ride has improved considerably. The Falken Azenis has a sidewall that is slightly stiffer than concrete. The RA-1 has a stiff sidewall as well, but it will flex. So I'm quite happy with this.
tags: tires |
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