Toyo RA-1 Sizing Question - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

BudmanV24 · 06-06-2011, 03:49 PM

I just scored a good deal on (4) 255/40-17 Toyo RA-1's and was wondering what people are running up front with these tires? Suspension is stock Boxster S suspension. I'm currently running 225/45-17 & 255/40-17 Dunlop Z1's and that setup works pretty well. So go back to 205's up front, buy another set of rear wheels and some spacers and mount 255's up front, or is there some other size or front tire I should consider to match with these?

Topless · 06-06-2011, 04:01 PM

I have run both 225 and 255 up front. No clearance issues with stock suspension. The advantage of 255 F is 4 wheel rotation so you can make the most of a set of track tires. The advantage of 225 F, is that they are just a touch quicker on my car.

BudmanV24 · 06-06-2011, 04:11 PM

If only the ra-1 was available in a 225 things would be much simpler. Topless, how much of a spacer do you have to run up front to fit the 255? And I'm assuming you're using an 8.5x17" rear wheel to do that correct?

Topless · 06-06-2011, 04:33 PM

No spacer was needed with stock struts and 255s on 17x8.5 rims. When I added PSS9s and lowered the front of the car I use a 5mm spacer and extended lug bolts.

BudmanV24 · 06-09-2011, 06:30 AM

Topless, Thanks for the advice! I'm in the process of picking up another set of 17x8.5's and will just run those all around.

Topless · 06-09-2011, 08:09 AM

Enjoy! Just a heads up... RA-1s work best with -3 camber and you will be lucky to get -.7 in front with stock struts. With that setup you will be murdering the outside edges of your tires. Adding a M030 rear sway will allow the car to rotate more easily and take some of the push out of the front tires.

BudmanV24 · 06-09-2011, 08:34 AM

Good point. I was already starting to tear up the sidewalls on my Z1's. Although the fact that I had 225's on a 6.5" rim probably did not help anything. I have yet to see the print out from the alignment when I installed the S suspension, but I was at -1.1 on the stock suspension after getting an alignment. Looks like I need to get gt3 control arms sooner rather than later.

Wingnut2u · 06-09-2011, 08:36 AM

Was it just a one time deal on the RA-1s or do they have any left?