would 245/40/17 tires fit a 1999 prelude?

[andy6968]

hi i found somes falken azenis that i want to put in my prelude for better traction but the tires are 245/40/17, do you guys think they will fit?

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[hamadiscool]

A guy on prelude-power did it so I suggest that you search there since I can't give you the link b/c it restricted on honda-tech....

[95greenlude]

with wide wheels and fender flares....sure

[hyabusa hunter]

i didnt need fender flares
i had 17x10 rays with 32 offset on ground controls...
only scrubbed when i hit a bump hard.

[117]

On the rear too? What did you have to mod? Do you have any pictures?

I'm installing Hoosier 245/40/17s on my track car, which run a bit wider than 245/40/17 street tires. Wheels are 17x8.5, +40mm offset.

The fronts look like they won't fit in this picture, but I didn't have the camber nearly as negative as I usually do:



The rear is not even close:

[hyabusa hunter]

i never ran 245 on the rear, i ran 225 on the rear.

[117]

That would have been a good detail to know.

Are/were you using the same size wheels in the rear?

[andy6968]

no i think im going to use 215 on tha rear but if i return the car to its normal height 245maybe fit on the rear because is lowered 2.5

[dagle]

117 I think you could go a little higher in offset if you really want a wheel to fit, I recently tried a wheel onto a 5th gen with a wheel from my S2k and it barely fit. With the normal size tire it would have hit an arm but I'd imagine if you spaced it outward a little and cambered in a bit that it would fit without a problem.

I tried 17x9.0 +54 in the rear and it was 1/4" from hitting the arm and thats without a tire. but with 5-10mm outward would make it sit perfectly.

[117]

The wheels that I am using are not available in a higher offset. The brake package I'm using uses very wide calipers, so I need a lot of spoke clearance. There aren't likely any wheels that will work that are less than $400 per wheel.

[dagle]

lol i forgot the extremeness of the brakes you run.

[117]

Hey, overkill is juuuuuuuuuust right, isn't it?

One other thing, the S2k uses some very high offset wheels. Not very common, IIRC.

Hopefully I'll finish up a bunch of projects with the Prelude, and I'll have to post them up.

[NirVTEC]

Nice to see you did the commercial truck brake swap.....

[mugen22]

Originally Posted by 117

I'm installing Hoosier 245/40/17s on my track car, which run a bit wider than 245/40/17 street tires. Wheels are 17x8.5, +40mm offset.

The fronts look like they won't fit in this picture, but I didn't have the camber nearly as negative as I usually do:

The rear is not even close:

Billy, as always, thank you for your contribution! I need to thread jack (sort of) for a minute. Were you running 235x40x17's before? What wheel size/offset? How much work to the fenders did you have to do to fit them? Any rubbing issues anywhere? Also, what are you doing to gain negative camber up front?

Thanks!
Brian.

[NirVTEC]

*Awaits some good info* from 2 Hardcore Luders!

[117]

I never have run 235/40/17s. I did run 225/40/17s on my 17x8.5s (+40mm offset). I did not have to mod the front fenders at all. I did have to roll the rear fenders (used the Eastwood tool). I did not do anything with the bumper tab, but you can see where the tire has rubbed on it.

For negative camber, I have some custom upper control arms that have a sliding ball joint, similar to the Skunk2 style control arms.

[A Blue Lude]

I've run 235/40/17 on my car and it works out. Fits just barely in the front with stock camber. There may be some minor rubbing with a lot of steering wheel angle and a lot of load, but it's hard to tell.

Harder to say if it would fit in the rear - a wider 225/45/17 on the same wheel would clear the stock metal rear fender with essentially zero static clearance. Mine were rolled for that. Definitely need to go to town on the bumper as well.

48 offset.

[mugen22]

Thanks for the response Billy and Blue Lude! I am considering going to Enkei RPF1's in a 17x8 with a 45mm offset so I can run 235x40x17 Dunlop Star Specs. I would love to go to an RA-1, but they are pretty expensive and only last about half as long as the Star Specs. I also drive the car to and from the track. Plus, I don't have enough front camber for the RA-1's to work properly!

Billy, did you modify a Prelude front UCA or did you fabricate one? I am talking with my friends at King and we are looking at different ways to increase front camber. Once we get something together, maybe we can get a set for NirVTEC too!

Thanks again for the great information,
Brian.

[117]

They are modified OEM control arms. They were made by Comptech for a guy that used to race a Prelude. I bought the control arms off of him when he decided to part the car out.

If you work something out with King that looks promising, let me know. I'd love to do something tubular, but it'll cost me points in PT, which I can't afford to use.

You'll like the RPF1s.

[A Blue Lude]

I almost got the RPF-1s...a little less cost, a little more offset, and no BS valve stems would have sold me, lol.

My car doesn't have nearly enough camber but RA1s are still tons of fun. That said, the Star Specs are scary to watch...even on very serious tracks on seriously heavy cars they just shug it off. Lots of fun to drive on too...

Also interested in what comes of the UCA thing.

[mugen22]

Originally Posted by A Blue Lude

I almost got the RPF-1s...a little less cost, a little more offset, and no BS valve stems would have sold me, lol.

My car doesn't have nearly enough camber but RA1s are still tons of fun. That said, the Star Specs are scary to watch...even on very serious tracks on seriously heavy cars they just shug it off. Lots of fun to drive on too...

Also interested in what comes of the UCA thing.

Can you elaborate on the valve stem issue? What wheels did you go with?

I am overdue to call Chad anyway, so I will start asking him again what he thinks the best route would be. Originally, I thought of adapting Skunk2 adjustable ball joints (the type that slide) to the OEM UCA's, but don't know if the ball joint is the right size for the Prelude knuckle. We also talked about custom fabricating a tubular UCA, but how much would be gained over modifying the OEM UCA and at what cost?!?!

The Dunlop Star Specs are absolutely awesome. I got more than two seasons out of my set (215x45x17) which included 10 track days each season! I did not think there was any way they would outlast my Hankook RS2's based on how much more grip they had, but they have. No matter how long the session was, no matter how fast the track was (Road America was one of the tracks I went to) and no matter how much the Prelude weighs, they took the abuse and asked for more! I have no hesitation going with them again.

The RA-1's are an incredible tire and should the economy miraculously turn around in the next 6 months, I may consider them again. Otherwise, I will be more than happy sticking with the Star Specs.


Thanks!
Brian.

[A Blue Lude]

I have a set of 17x8 Rota Torques...baller, I know.

Don't take the valve stem issue too seriously - but I have a set of old generic taiwanese wheels that take the same style of valve stem as the Enkei's and I went through hell to pick up a set of replacement valve stems (I could just be retarded as well, of course)...and and I still had issues with one of the assemblies losing air pretty quick. And I know a guy who does have RPF-1s (om nom nom so sexy), and one of the lock washers on the valve stem fell off inside the wheel and rattled around.

But really, it's because they were expensive, let's be serious now

[117]

Originally Posted by A Blue Lude

I almost got the RPF-1s...a little less cost, a little more offset, and no BS valve stems would have sold me, lol.

Originally Posted by mugen22

Can you elaborate on the valve stem issue? What wheels did you go with?

Originally Posted by A Blue Lude

Don't take the valve stem issue too seriously - but I have a set of old generic taiwanese wheels that take the same style of valve stem as the Enkei's and I went through hell to pick up a set of replacement valve stems (I could just be retarded as well, of course)...and and I still had issues with one of the assemblies losing air pretty quick. And I know a guy who does have RPF-1s (om nom nom so sexy), and one of the lock washers on the valve stem fell off inside the wheel and rattled around.

But really, it's because they were expensive, let's be serious now

For what you get, the Enkeis are a bargain! Really.

You know, I noticed that the valve stems are very small on these wheels. I thought surely there is an aftermarket valve stem or something that will work. Do you have to source the valve stems directly from Enkei? If so, I better order like 10 spares!!

I have noticed that my Hoosiers lose air a bit quicker than they did before, but then again, I've heard this from numerous Hoosier users (not just Enkeis, either), so I figured it's a Hoosier thing. They would lose air on the Rotas & TDs, but not quite as quickly.

Originally Posted by mugen22

I am overdue to call Chad anyway, so I will start asking him again what he thinks the best route would be. Originally, I thought of adapting Skunk2 adjustable ball joints (the type that slide) to the OEM UCA's, but don't know if the ball joint is the right size for the Prelude knuckle. We also talked about custom fabricating a tubular UCA, but how much would be gained over modifying the OEM UCA and at what cost?!?!

The Skunk2 ball joints should fit the Prelude fine. If not, buy OEM replacements from SPC and make your own ball joint carriers. That's what my setup uses. I'll post pictures sometime soon, as I need to tear the suspension apart anyway to replace some spherical bearings.

Tubular would be good, IMO. I think they'd be lighter, and if it were me, I'd put rod ends on the ends that bolt into the chassis. However that would make adjusting them a PITA, as you'd have to remove them to adjust camber. However, they'd never slip! If you wanted to make them adjustable without having to remove the UCA, and you wanted to avoid using a sliding ball joint (because they can slip), you could make a carrier that uses shims to adjust camber, but costs will increase as you'll have to machine a number of shims for each side.

You guys have no idea how many ideas and whatnot I have bouncing around in my head. I just have no time to get it done (upper control arms, oil pan baffles, lighter bumper cores, cage work, etc)...

As for the sliding ball joint, mine have slipped a couple of times, but only during offs. I've jumped a few large gator strips, and they didn't slip.

Originally Posted by mugen22

The RA-1's are an incredible tire and should the economy miraculously turn around in the next 6 months, I may consider them again. Otherwise, I will be more than happy sticking with the Star Specs.

If you think RA1s are great, you should try the purple crack (Hoosier). Talk about grip!

Originally Posted by A Blue Lude

I have a set of 17x8 Rota Torques...baller, I know.

Nothing wrong with Rotas. I had like 6 sets of 15x8s before I decided to go with larger brakes.

[A Blue Lude]

Originally Posted by mugen22

The RA-1's are an incredible tire and should the economy miraculously turn around in the next 6 months, I may consider them again. Otherwise, I will be more than happy sticking with the Star Specs.

Yeah, I forgot to mention - I'm slow, my main use of race tires is getting used ones for fairly cheap and messing around with them. 235/40/17 is a great size for takeoffs.

Originally Posted by 117

For what you get, the Enkeis are a bargain! Really.

You know, I noticed that the valve stems are very small on these wheels. I thought surely there is an aftermarket valve stem or something that will work. Do you have to source the valve stems directly from Enkei? If so, I better order like 10 spares!!

I have noticed that my Hoosiers lose air a bit quicker than they did before, but then again, I've heard this from numerous Hoosier users (not just Enkeis, either), so I figured it's a Hoosier thing. They would lose air on the Rotas & TDs, but not quite as quickly.

[...]

Nothing wrong with Rotas. I had like 6 sets of 15x8s before I decided to go with larger brakes.

They're tiny! I'm not sure who makes the valve stems, I hunted around for awhile until I ran into some Japanese tuner place that sold me them for more than I wanted to pay.
My Hoosiers (Koni Challenge) tend to be pretty bad at holding air over the course of weeks as well...but my 16"s with the valve stems that were losing air had otherwise happy street tires on them, not Hoosiers.

Yeah, I would have loved the RPF-1s. But there are lots of HC cars and at least that one WC car that uses Rotas so they can't be all bad. Hope for the best, right? (I really need a proper car with proper safety equipment if I'm going to keep going to Mosport though).