Hello everyone, first I will give a little background to my question.

I autocross a 2000 civic si. It is setup for sts, but I am currently running a 15x6.5 wheel. I would like to upgrade to a new wheel/tire package, and I can't seem to find any cheap 15x7.5 wheel for my car. Most are 15x7, and the only 15x7.5 wheel I've seen are ssr comps, and they're a huge hit on my wallet.

For financial reasons, I am willing to buy 2 15x7.5 and 2 15x7 wheel. I will use the 15x7 in the rear. Any ideas where are the cheapest 15x7.5 wheels are? Thanks

 

Why are buying a 7.5 in wide rim? I'm guessin you are running 215/50/15, which will fit fine on a 7" wide rim.

 

I will be running 205/50/15 azenis 615

even though they're rated at 205, they're really like 225. So a wider rim would mean more contact patch for me.

 

have you checked out the drag dr 20? 15x7.5 15lbs per wheel and only cost 500-600 on ebay.

 

that seems to be a very good, cheap wheel. Any reviews on them? I heard that they don't fit on eg civic, but would they fit on my em1?

actually that might be my next wheel. I have the whole winter to find a good deal lol.

It's a waste, because these wheels would only be used for autox, since I'll have stock si's on for the street lol.


Modified by longuyen88 at 9:08 AM 10/4/2006

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Leofski &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I'm guessin you are running 215/50/15, which will fit fine on a 7" wide rim.</TD></TR></TABLE>

The only tires that come in 215/50-15 are really crappy (such as the BFG g-Force Sport).

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by longuyen88 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I will be running 205/50/15 azenis 615</TD></TR></TABLE>



Those fit fine on 15x6, 15x6.5, or 15x7. You don't need 15x7.5.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by longuyen88 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">So a wider rim would mean more contact patch for me.</TD></TR></TABLE>

No, it won't. As long as the tires are inflated to support the weight of the car, the size of the contact patch is determined only by the pressure in the tires and the weight of the car. A 2640-pound Integra Type R with 33 pounds per square inch of pressure in the tires has contact patches that total 80 square inches, regardless of whether the wheels or tires are overwide or skinny. The shape may be different, but the size remains the same. (Read more here.)

 

so i won't notice a difference in grip if i used my stock si rims vs. a 7.5" rim?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by nsxtasy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

The only tires that come in 215/50-15 are really crappy (such as the BFG g-Force Sport).



Those fit fine on 15x6, 15x6.5, or 15x7. You don't need 15x7.5.

No, it won't. As long as the tires are inflated to support the weight of the car, the size of the contact patch is determined only by the pressure in the tires and the weight of the car. A 2640-pound Integra Type R with 33 pounds per square inch of pressure in the tires has contact patches that total 80 square inches, regardless of whether the wheels or tires are overwide or skinny. The shape may be different, but the size remains the same. (Read more here.)
</TD></TR></TABLE>

So in essence supercars should be fine running steelies?

EDIT: I love autospeed but seriously. There's a reason so many auto-x people get wide wheels. hell ive seen someone running lenso vpds and rota rbs.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by longuyen88 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">so i won't notice a difference in grip if i used my stock si rims vs. a 7.5" rim?</TD></TR></TABLE>

No.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by junkyardTurbo &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">So in essence supercars should be fine running steelies?</TD></TR></TABLE>

No, because steelies weigh more, and supercars excel in part due to weight reduction.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by junkyardTurbo &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">EDIT: I love autospeed but seriously. There's a reason so many auto-x people get wide wheels.</TD></TR></TABLE>

People who are competing in autocross - meaning that they are looking for chamges that can benefit even a few thousandths of a second, and they are using superexpensive, supergrippy autocross-specific tires - use wide wheels so that they can mount wide tires on them. Those who are not already maxing out everything else get wide wheels (or wide tires) because they mistakenly believe that the added width is going to make a big improvement in their times, when in fact they would be better off working on the things that make a bigger difference (like driver skill, tire choice, etc).

 

thats true but stating that a wider section tire has no effects on a car's handling is false. i mean would a viper lay its power down out of a corner if it was equipped with 225s instead of 345s?

 

nsxtasy, would you tell me if there are any benefits of running a wider rim?

STS class states that the max rim width is 7.5", so I would like to run that if it's more advantageous.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by junkyardTurbo &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">thats true but stating that a wider section tire has no effects on a car's handling is false. i mean would a viper lay its power down out of a corner if it was equipped with 225s instead of 345s?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Any time anyone dreams up a ridiculous example - like comparing 225 treadwidth tires with 345 treadwidth tires - it usually means that they don't know what they're talking about. And this instance is no exception.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by nsxtasy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Any time anyone dreams up a ridiculous example - like comparing 225 treadwidth tires with 345 treadwidth tires - it usually means that they don't know what they're talking about. And this instance is no exception.
</TD></TR></TABLE>

So rather than educate those persons you prefer to e-bash them stating that they know nothing. That's a sure indicator of a someone who "knows what he's talking about".

 

he is a little harsh on people.....BUT he does no what he is talking about

 

The information in that article is misleading. They are in error in several places. For instance, in the first section they state that:

"the size of the contact patch of a tyre is not related to the width of the tyre - it is, in fact, proportional to the tyre pressure. "

While it may be related to tire pressure, it is ALSO related to the width of the tire. For example, we were running a 15x7 wheel with Azenis RT-615, and ran 36-37psi before the tire would roll over. However, we changed to a 15x7.5 wheel, and couldn't go above 32-33 psi before it would roll over. This agrees with the article (less pressure = bigger contact patch). The wider wheel allowed us to use more contact patch at a lower pressure.

In response to the original question, check sccaforums.com to see if there is a Rota Slipstream groupbuy going on for the 15x7.5. It weighs approx 13.5lbs, and it does seem to fit the RT-615 better than the 7" wheel. 15lbs is just too heavy for a 15" wheel.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by longuyen88 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">nsxtasy, would you tell me if there are any benefits of running a wider rim?

STS class states that the max rim width is 7.5", so I would like to run that if it's more advantageous.</TD></TR></TABLE>

welll how competitive are you? i dont think youll be any faster on a 7.5 inch wheel anyways... just get a light 7" width wheel like the falken hanabi... unless your serious and plan to compete at a national level

the only wheels i see on most nationals competitors that are 7.5 are ssr comps.... cause they are light

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by JustinHoMi &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">The information in that article is misleading. They are in error in several places. For instance, in the first section they state that:

"the size of the contact patch of a tyre is not related to the width of the tyre - it is, in fact, proportional to the tyre pressure. "

While it may be related to tire pressure, it is ALSO related to the width of the tire. For example, we were running a 15x7 wheel with Azenis RT-615, and ran 36-37psi before the tire would roll over. However, we changed to a 15x7.5 wheel, and couldn't go above 32-33 psi before it would roll over. This agrees with the article (less pressure = bigger contact patch). The wider wheel allowed us to use more contact patch at a lower pressure.

In response to the original question, check sccaforums.com to see if there is a Rota Slipstream groupbuy going on for the 15x7.5. It weighs approx 13.5lbs, and it does seem to fit the RT-615 better than the 7" wheel. 15lbs is just too heavy for a 15" wheel. </TD></TR></TABLE>

this is the reason why i plan to run a 7.5 wheel.

Yes, i plan on being competitive at a regional level next year. Thanks

 

you can also run up to a 225 tire in STS
i've heard they are slightly slower then azenis, but:

Hankook Rs2 Z212
225/45/15
8" tread width

the azenis 205/50/15 have 7.6" tread width
they do run wider then most 205/50/15
the Hankook Rs2 Z212 205/50/15 are only 7.2" tread width.

 

I've considered the hankook but the price and performance difference doesn't justify it over the azenis.

 

so your saying u dont want to run a wider tire but you want to ride a wider rim?

i believe alot of the miata guys are goign 225 45 on their cars

 

I don't know where you heard that. There wasn't a single STS2 car at Nationals with Hankooks.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by vietnameeh &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">so your saying u dont want to run a wider tire but you want to ride a wider rim?

i believe alot of the miata guys are goign 225 45 on their cars</TD></TR></TABLE>

azenis are sized 205, but there width is actually more then a regular 205 sized tire. the 225 hankook is only .4" wider then the azenis, but there are people to say the grip isn't much more then the azenis. Plus, the price is much more expensive then the azenis

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by JustinHoMi &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I don't know where you heard that. There wasn't a single STS2 car at Nationals with Hankooks.</TD></TR></TABLE>

i didnt reference to nationals on that last post... but i may be wrong might be the people i talk to that are running 225 45 ..

wasnt it the advans the tire to have for ST?


Modified by vietnameeh at 3:35 PM 10/5/2006

 

People may use the advans in STU or STX. I don't think they make the right size for STS or STS2 cars. This is a good thing, as far as I'm concerned... I don't want to pay for them.