Hey guys, which do you prefer on your 86, 14s or 15s?

I want to know as I'm curios for what I should run. I know that the 14s are lighter and reduce unsprung weight and also keep the 86 low, but I hear that the higher 195/60 r14 side wall sacrifices feeling and turn in due to flex. As for 15s the lower 195/50 r15 side walls you run allow for a more predictable corner, but are heavier (anyone know any lightweight 15x7 in 4x114.3?)
and to lower an 86 with 15s to stock 14" height would compromise suspension geometry.

Which do you prefer?

And, yes I've read other threads about the topic but I want to see if there is any new insight.

Also, just a quick question:
Since the larger sized 15" has a larger curvature (curves less sharply) than a 14", would that mean that there is more of a contact patch on a 15" tire than the equivalent 14" tire? Also, would it be a noticeable difference?

Sorry if the question came out a bit weird, I wrote this with my phone which becomes extremely laggy when I want to write posts.

I prefer the 14s personally, but wouldnt be opposed to 15s. A good summer tire with a stiff sidewall, while itll still have the roll-over issue, goes a long way to improving the feeling. So why do I prefer the 14s with this in mind? Because I'm not competing, and able to have 99.9% as much fun on the 14s as the 15s, but the 14s are cheaper. Just my simple logic however.

I think it really has to do with which tire you choose. Any of the "street tires" that are intended for racing use have very stiff sidewalls. In fact, most are so stiff that they will support the car with nearly zero PSI in them. If you're looking at all season or "performance summer" tires, I'd expect their sidewalls to me quite a bit softer. I'm in the 14" camp, myself and I've run 60 series (race type) street tires on my car and response, turnin and transitional grip don't feel any different to 50 series tires that I have run on other cars. If you have access to a tire pyrometer or infrared temp gun, you can use that to help get your tire pressures right, and also figure out how much front camber you need. Getting the pressures right are key to getting the most out of your tires.

Thanks for the info!
Would you know if 195/60 r14 Dunlop star specs have a stiff enough side wall?

If you want to run FC calipers or the T3 Wilwood kit you will need 15's, something to consider in the future if you want bigger brakes.

BosoHachi wrote:Thanks for the info!
Would you know if 195/60 r14 Dunlop star specs have a stiff enough side wall?

They do, and theyre a brilliant tire. One of the best "all around" summer tires in my humble opinion.

I prefer 14 over 15 14 are usually lighter then most 15 in general but not always. also with 14 you can run a shorter tire and still have a decent side wall. I run a 14x8 with a 185/55-14 tire. not only do i still have a 55 seriese side wall but it also changes the final drive ratio to about 4.5:1 rear end ratio.