Lilflip#2

Well guys I've learned some new info about tires and thought I would share some of my new insight with the IS community. Some of you may already know but for those of you that don't know I think you will find this information helpful.

I used to run Toyo T1-R's 245/35/20 up front and Falken FK452's 275/30/20 in the rear with absolutely no rubbing in the rear with 5 people in the back and when I was dropped with Tein S Tech's. I would rub in the front but only when reversing out of parking spaces and when taking turns slow. And when I say rub it was nothing major, it was a very light rub and I didn't even do the heat gun mod. In fact the car rub the same before and after I lowered it in the front. The offsets on my rims are not too aggressive being +37 front and back.

Rims were off the car for 3 months due to a flat tire I decided to take all 3 off and save up for new tires since cash was tight. Wednesday I mounted on some FK452's front and rear with the same exact tire sizes as my previous set up.

What I learned was that the Falken 245 was a good .75-1 inch wider up front. Not the sidewall but the width of the tire was larger than the toyo. The guy warned me before he mounted it on but i like it won't rub because it's the sidewall that matters and the Toyo and Falken sidewalls looked the same...Wrong. On my way back home with 4 rims in the back of my car and 2 tires the rear was tucked in with no rubbing at all. The front on the other hand was rubbing a lot worse than the Toyo. It would rub however to the point where I think a heat gun mod would of improved it and some minor fender modification but anyways.

My brother the next day was mounting on his super aggressive work vs-xx with his Nitto Invo's. Long story short his Nittos (sidewalls) were too chunky for his set up. While we were both at the tire shop (me getting a stud fixed and alignment) they cut some of the part of my fender where the tires were rubbing to fix out the situation. Needless to say it made the rubbing noise about 30 times worse and it made it so the car was embarrassing to drive. I told my brother to take my tires and stretch them on his wheels because that is pretty much all he could do. So the tire shop bought back the INVO's, he took my FK452's and I was to get a set of Nitto NT555 235/35/20 and 275/30/20. Basically they kind of got us out of a hole but came up on great tires in the INVO's.

So I got my Nittos Yesterday, I made sure they did a better job at cutting the plastic fender lining again. They didn't cut a major portion of the fender plastic probably about 6x6 or so, just that part in our plastic liners that sticks out. Front mounted on.. NO RUBBING! The rear on the other hand very slight rub when i drove it home.. The sidewalls on these Nittos are Chunky like the Invos. So I called the tire man and basically I'm rubbing right on the top part of the rear fender.. All I need to do it roll my fenders and I'm going to be game hopefully. I go back today and hopefully everything workouts out when they can roll my rear fenders for me. Last night It rub with me driving slightly and when i had someone in the back it was rubbing continuously.. but when it rubs i barely rubs but like vagina hairs.

So hopefully everything will work out today. Just thought I'd share some tire insight with my fellow IS-ers. Remember sidewalls on Falkens tend to stretch a lot easier than other tires. Also it seems as though Toyos run small in comparison to other brands such as Nitto and Falken in terms of overall width. The Sidewalls on Nittos and Michelins tend to be chunkier than most other brands based on past experiences and new ones.

Hope this helps some of you guys out.