Hey guys,
I had a very ironic mishap today. After the Tail of the Dragon event, I drove south to visit my best friend Noreen for a few days. It was my last day of my visit and we went out to dinner with a few of her friends. After dinner, her friend Deb wanted to go for a ride so I obliged. Who am I to decline a request like that.
We proceed to roll out of the restaurant parking lot and down the road. I go for maximum boost and the smiles start to appear!
I turned around a distance down the road and was now on my way back, under full boost again and all of a sudden....BAM!!
It felt like I ran straight into a curb!! I hit potholes before but this was unbelievably bone jarring! The steering felt a little odd after that so I decided to stop and take a look. Yup, as I suspected, flat tire.
Well, that was not all. The rim was bent more than I have ever seen before.

Here is a picture:



EGAD!!!!

Oh yeah, those are new Michelin Pilot Sport 2's by the way. OK, OK, I have resolved myself to the damages but I kept wondering what the hell did I hit that could have caused that much damage!!

I decided to go back and take a look. What did I find?
At the entrance/exit to a strip shopping mall, they installed large inverted salad bowl sized concrete bumps on the line dividing the right hand drive lane and the shoulder. I have never seen anything like these!!! It is pure lunacy on the traffic engineering's behalf!!! What were they thinking??
These lumps of concrete were spaced at roughly 5 feet on center and are a hazard!!! I would estimate they are about 3 to 4 inches in height, bowl shaped and about 8 inches in diameter.

The ironic part about it is that we did not experience a single problem with the many hours of really hard driving of the Tail of the Dragon and this happens on a 3 minute joy ride in Main Street USA!!!!

So, I am now stranded in Atlanta until I can procure an SSR GT3 rim in size 8.5x19 with a new Michelin PS2 premounted. Does anyone have any connections or insight as to a source??? I need this IMMEDIATELY .

 

Ken,

The joys of owning 19" wheels and tires. I just don't understand how being stranded with Noreen and her friend for a few days can be considered "experiencing a problem."

 

Ken, perhaps you should just order a set of forged wheels! I take it you have a Brembo 380mm upgrade that prohibits you from running 18's?

Sorry to hear about your mishap. I just find it interesting that you put in that nice Moton suspension and are still running 19's?

 

Tire Rack has them in stock, why dont you call them and get a tire/wheel package overnighted to your location. Best of luck.

 

Ruiner,
Hmmmm..... Townlake Parkway? I will ask Noreen. I am not sure where I was. Thanks for the insight!

Chad,
I know, I know.......19's.........
Love 'em or hate 'em I can't justify the expensive of the limited 18's that would presumably fit over the brakes. Hey, besides, Porsche is building the 997 on 19's! Maybe our choices will increase....
If I had to be stranded, she would be my choice of a strandmate!!


Tyson,
I spoke with Jim Fikse a month or so ago and he put a package together for me. A whole new wheel and tire package is an expense I wasn't looking for right now. Also see my 19 inch comment to Chad above regarding the 997.

PorschExtremist,
I was under the impression they were out of stock. Where did you get that info?

 

I thought Tire Rack usually has a few sets, however, I might be incorrect. Why dont you just contact Wheel Experts or anyone else who carries Turbo wheels and get any wheel regardless of looks as long as it is the same size for the time being to get home?

 

That suck big time Ken, even more so that you had two women in the car with you. That seem to always happen to me also. I know what you mean about those big a$$ bowls in the middle of the road, in CA we don't have then but when I went to Dallas and was driving around with my cousin I saw them in the middle of the road dividing the turn lane with the rest of the lanes. I asked my cousin if anybody has ever rolled their car hitting the bowls. If you are still stranded tomorrow I call someone and see what I can do. Best of luck.

P.S. can you still use your PS2? Or is it toast.

 

Help is on the way my buddy!
Wasnt that you and I on Wed. straightening the L/F lip with my monster orange snap on dead blow hammer, maybe I should have packed it for you

I will either find a wheel and mount up a new PS2 and get it right down to you or remove a Techart from my car and get it down to you, either way you will be hooked up!
If worse comes to worse we will get a lip and repair that one when you arrive home
Never fear the Fab 5 is here!!!!!!!!

 

From what I understand the SSR GT3 has soft lips, thats a pretty bad bend.

 

Tirerack has the PS2's and the SSR GT3's with the silver finish in stock. It is the SSR GT3's with the satin finish that are est. for availability 10/04/04.

 

ken...if you want help,i am a tire rack dist...call me

516 805 4718

andrew

 

What a drag Ken...At least your with some nice company and not stuck at a cheap motel in the ghetto.... :-)

If you get a loaner wheel to get you home and can't repair the bent one...it's a good time to consider a shoe upgrade...ie an 18" that fits over your brakes and Corsa's...You know how bad you want Corsa's and they will NEVER be available for 19's...Hope this helps for a justifying another mod....It is clearly logical!!! :-)

 

Cant you just replace the lip? You need a whole new wheel?
I thought they could be removed with a simple alan key?

Sorry to hear about your misfortune Ken.

 

Ken...pls contact Chris/Ron immediately at the Station....all is resolved.

 

An exact match wheel and tire are on their way to Ken via Forest Hill Exxon and Performance

Have no fear, the Fab 5 are here!!

Kudos to Sean, he also offered to remove a wheel and tire from his car if need be!!!!!!!!!!!!