The stock RE070's are pretty good trackday tires, and the BBS wheels are pretty light as well. Race compound tires are much different... they are a lot stickier than street tires and they make the limit a lot higher. Generally I advise learning with less traction; its easier to slide the car around and learn handling dynamics when you can slide the car around at lower speeds. This is ultimately safer and more effective at teaching skills to drive around a track. Dedicated race tires will also chew up your paint because they kick up rocks, and for this same reason the tires are also more vulnerable to nails and other road debris that could damage the tires.

But you make a good suggestion about the second set of wheels. I'd recommend getting a set of street wheels and a set of all seasons or less extreme performance tires (I.e. Pirelli Pzero Nero M+S, Potenza RE960A/S, Toyo T1R, Falken FK452, etc.) for more civil daily driving and saving the STI BBS and RE070's for the track. The all seasons will be better in the wet and soak up bumps a lot better especially considering the crappy conditions of many roads here in the bay area...

 

well speaking of 070s...

anyone know where the cheapest place to get new ones?????

 

070's are probably not the best tire to buy new. Takeoffs are pretty cheap on IWSTI.com. I'd go for the Bridgestone Potenza RE-01R's right now. They are $144 per tire in 225/45R17 at TireRack, and there is currently a $100 rebate on potenza.com. That makes it about half as much as the 070's, and they are better riding tires with more grip. You will need to add a couple PSI to make up for the slightly softer sidewall, but these are definitely a worthy replacement.

 

And the wheel gap is a lot larger on the front then on the rear. So if you lower them both equally it will look like the rear is dropped more, because its closer to the wheel well...

 

yes...

oh ya i forgot, the driver rear side was a tad lower then the left rear one. It was odd maybe it was a defective set. i dunno

 

have you looked at tanabe gf210 05+ spec? im getting these on soon hopefully they will ride good.

 

+1 Exactly

 

just since i'm new and asking tons of questions....what are bumpstops?
thanks for the input :-)

 

Hey didn't read the whole thread but another +1 for Crucial springs. They have similar spring rates as the JDM pinks but lower your car a tad bit more in the front as opposed to the JDM and a lot cheaper brand new. Everyone who gets those springs love it, you can't go wrong. If i had to get springs on my 05 STi, it'd be the Crucials for sure.

 

RCE's!!

 

I recommend doing at least 3 track days before going with any mods. The STi is a very capable car, and you will learn faster with it in stock form. A bonus is you will get a LOT more out of your mods when you know how to use them. If anything, a set of brake pads like Porterfield R4-S and get out for some track days.

 

bumpstops are these hardened rubber ribbed stops that are slid over the piston on your strut. They are to stop the strut from bottoming out so hard. With stock springs you'd have to jump the car to hit it. With lowered springs if you don't cut the thing in half you'll hit it on hard bumps and it'll make hard bumps harder.

I'm strongly against removing it. Just cut it in half.

Pretty sure it's still yellow. Hard to miss. It's under the dust cover..if you slide it up you'll see it.

 

you will be happy with any one of those im sure. and yes get some sways with that.

 

I've installed a few swifts in subys and like the feel and height. They are very consistent in spring rate compared to a lot of other brands. Not sure about Prodrives though.

Soggy, I found out that they have a balanced load in front when braking. that's why the rear looks lower.

 

Hey, if I remember right the bumpstops are not under the dust covers. They are inside the strut body itself (not the cartridge). I remember because they were covered in grease! Also, you shouldn't have to cut more than the top small ring of the fronts to keep from hitting them on hard corners. There are a lot of threads on this with pics that will show you how to do it.