rsx tire option stock rim
rsx tire option stock rim
My brother has a 03 rsx and he's looking to get new tires. He decided on the bfg g-force. He is just undecided on what size to get. I think stock is 205/55r16 but he was thinking of 205 or 215 45 r16. Is that ok to run or not? He has coilovers on the car to, moderate drop, just enough to clear the wheel gap. Thanks.
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Re: rsx tire option stock rim
Reposting this from Clubrsx.com
TIRES
Again, start with what you’ve got.
1st Gen RSX: 205/55/16
2nd Gen RSX: 215/45/17
What that means:
215 is the width of the tire.
45 is the aspect ratio.
17 is the wheel diameter.
Why do you get different tires?
1.) Better rubber. High performance tires use a different rubber compound that grips better than all-season rubber. Here are some basic things you need to know:
Summer tires use a compound that grips well when the tire is hot. Some tires heat up faster than others, some get hotter than others, and some perform even better than others when they’re warm. The Falken Azenis is well-known in the autocrossing circles because it gets warm very quickly. Other tires, such as the Kumho Ecsta MX, take longer to heat up so they’re more suited for road course racing.
Winter tires use a compound that grips well when the tire is cold.
All-season tires are not good in all seasons, they’re mediocre (at best) in all seasons. These use a compound that falls somewhere in the middle between summer and winter tires. They don’t work well when it’s cold, and they lose traction very quickly when they’re hot.
Again, start with what you’ve got.
1st Gen RSX: 205/55/16
2nd Gen RSX: 215/45/17
What that means:
215 is the width of the tire.
45 is the aspect ratio.
17 is the wheel diameter.
Why do you get different tires?
1.) Better rubber. High performance tires use a different rubber compound that grips better than all-season rubber. Here are some basic things you need to know:
Summer tires use a compound that grips well when the tire is hot. Some tires heat up faster than others, some get hotter than others, and some perform even better than others when they’re warm. The Falken Azenis is well-known in the autocrossing circles because it gets warm very quickly. Other tires, such as the Kumho Ecsta MX, take longer to heat up so they’re more suited for road course racing.
Winter tires use a compound that grips well when the tire is cold.
All-season tires are not good in all seasons, they’re mediocre (at best) in all seasons. These use a compound that falls somewhere in the middle between summer and winter tires. They don’t work well when it’s cold, and they lose traction very quickly when they’re hot.
2.) Wider (for handling), Smaller (for gearing), or Larger (for looks). Wider tires handle better than narrow tires. See below:
The wider contact patch keeps the car more stable in turns. Note the total area of the contact patch is the same, because that’s determined by the weight on the tire and the air pressure inside the tire.
Smaller diameter tires change the gear ratios and provide better acceleration at the expense of top speed.
Larger diameter tires hurt acceleration and increase top speed potential.
SELECTING TIRES
What you need to know
Wheel size
Overall diameter of tire
What you want to do with the tires
Where to start
Start with width and wheel diameter. Those are the criteria that will guide the rest of the process. For example, let’s say I’m getting a 17” wheel and it’s 8” wide.
Recommended tires sizes:
7” rim............215 – 225 tire
7.5” rim.........225 – 235 tire
8” rim............235 – 245 tire
I’m going to run a 245mm wide tire. Make sure it’ll fit in the car, though, by checking the List of Wheel Sizes thread.
I gotta say this now. There is absolutely no reason to get a wide rim if you’re not going to get a wide tire. It won’t fit right, meaning the contact patch will be stretched, and it won’t look wider, and it costs more and adds weight. It really doesn’t matter if somebody’s done it and it works fine, it’s stupid.
Now onto the tire diameter. This is by far the easiest tool to use. Miata Tire Size Calculator All you have to do is put in the stock tire size, the new width and wheel size, and you’ll be able to get close to the stock diameter by adjusting the aspect ratio. Make sure it’ll fit by consulting the sizing thread.
Now you’ve got a size for your tire. The last thing is choosing the brand and model of tire. There are many threads that list the good ones and how people have enjoyed them. Read up before starting a new thread; chances are you’re not the first person who’s ever thought of using Bridgestone Potenza’s on your sport compact car.
Good luck!
My wheels and tires for an example:
17x8 +45
245/40/17
The wider contact patch keeps the car more stable in turns. Note the total area of the contact patch is the same, because that’s determined by the weight on the tire and the air pressure inside the tire.
Smaller diameter tires change the gear ratios and provide better acceleration at the expense of top speed.
Larger diameter tires hurt acceleration and increase top speed potential.
SELECTING TIRES
What you need to know
Wheel size
Overall diameter of tire
What you want to do with the tires
Where to start
Start with width and wheel diameter. Those are the criteria that will guide the rest of the process. For example, let’s say I’m getting a 17” wheel and it’s 8” wide.
Recommended tires sizes:
7” rim............215 – 225 tire
7.5” rim.........225 – 235 tire
8” rim............235 – 245 tire
I’m going to run a 245mm wide tire. Make sure it’ll fit in the car, though, by checking the List of Wheel Sizes thread.
I gotta say this now. There is absolutely no reason to get a wide rim if you’re not going to get a wide tire. It won’t fit right, meaning the contact patch will be stretched, and it won’t look wider, and it costs more and adds weight. It really doesn’t matter if somebody’s done it and it works fine, it’s stupid.
Now onto the tire diameter. This is by far the easiest tool to use. Miata Tire Size Calculator All you have to do is put in the stock tire size, the new width and wheel size, and you’ll be able to get close to the stock diameter by adjusting the aspect ratio. Make sure it’ll fit by consulting the sizing thread.
Now you’ve got a size for your tire. The last thing is choosing the brand and model of tire. There are many threads that list the good ones and how people have enjoyed them. Read up before starting a new thread; chances are you’re not the first person who’s ever thought of using Bridgestone Potenza’s on your sport compact car.
Good luck!
My wheels and tires for an example:
17x8 +45
245/40/17
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