My integra came with 15x6 +50 wheels and 195/55/15 tires.

Now I have 15x7.5 +40 wheels with 205/50/15 tires.

I am considering purchasing 15x8 +27 wheels and maybe 225/50/15 tires.

Assuming I use a 225/50 on each set of wheels, would handling improve? And why?

I felt a change in the handling dynamics of the car going from the 15x6's to 15x7.5's as well... I have also driven on 225/50/15's with 15x6 wheels, and it feels better than a 195 (of course), but not as "darty" as the 15x7.5's...

Thoughts?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Black R &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">My integra came with 15x6 +50 wheels and 195/55/15 tires.

Now I have 15x7.5 +40 wheels with 205/50/15 tires.

I am considering purchasing 15x8 +27 wheels and maybe 225/50/15 tires.

Assuming I use a 225/50 on each set of wheels, would handling improve? And why? </TD></TR></TABLE>

If you mean better handling from wider tires, then yes (more grip, wider contact patch). If you are reffering to the fact that the wheels will be wider for the same tire, then it's not as obvious. The 8" wheel will better prevent sidewall deflection, and "should" make turn-in and transient response improve compared to the other 2 wheels. However, a 8" wheel weighs more than a 7.5" wheel of the same style/brand/etc. Heavier wheel will be harder to accelerate in every direction.

However, I think that the geometry should be what you make your decision on. A 8" wheel with a +27 offset is going to stick out of the fender a lot. Do you have adequate travel or will you have to roll your fenders? The lowered positive offset does increase track, which is usually beneficial by itself. Wider track reduces lateral sprung weight transfer, but it will also increase the scrub radius and can change the steering geometry as well (read this month's issue of GRM for a tech article about changing wheel offset), which may or may not be good things.

I would guess that the change you felt is due to the wider wheel reducing sidewall flex in a wider tire that has a wider contact patch (more grip). The track won't change that much anyway. I would be more worried about fitment, rules, and weight.

 

IIRC, if you take a given contact patch and make it wider, you also make it shorter front to back. Correct? This would suggest to me that the increase in lateral acceleration would be offset by a decrease in forward acceleration/deceleration. Given that my rex doesn't have the power to break the tires loose in the snow, I'll take all the lateral acceleration I can get.

 

as someone who ran everything from 185/60's on 14x5.5 to 225/45 on 15x8.5 (19mm offset) i can positively say that having that much added width makes our honda's incredibly fast around corners since you are in SM ken, the bigger, the better

 

i guess maybe i should have posted in here or asked you as opposed to making my own thread about will width on an integra for SM......how well did you like going from your 6" to 7.5"? is there that big of a difference.....i assume so, just would like the voice of experience.....right now i'm running a 6.5" slipstream with azenis and they are about cooked and would like to know where to go next....thanks

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 95dc2 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">right now i'm running a 6.5" slipstream with azenis and they are about cooked and would like to know where to go next....</TD></TR></TABLE>

Next? R compound tires.

 

anyone know where to find a 15"x7.5" at a descent price?????

 

I will never go back to a less wide wheel.

I'm running 15x7.5, +40 cp035's

I usually purchase from http://www.jdmspecperf.com now http://www.passwordjdm.com - just ask for leo.

I believe ssr type c/ competitions can be had in wider sizes too.....

For 15x8, I believe te37's are the only one I found, +27 offset though...

 

cool deal i'll check them out..

 

Todd00 runs 205/50/15 Azenis on 15x8 TE37's, iirc.

https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=525452

 

you do recall correctly. do you know wehre the best place is to get TE37's in 15x8? thanks...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by travis &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Given that my rex doesn't have the power to break the tires loose in the snow, I'll take all the lateral acceleration I can get.
</TD></TR></TABLE>

LOL How do you know? You've never driven in the snow before

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Black R &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
For 15x8, I believe te37's are the only one I found, +27 offset though...
</TD></TR></TABLE>

Can't you get the Kosei K1's in 15x8?

 

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

Can't you get the Kosei K1's in 15x8?</TD></TR></TABLE>

from what i understand you can only get them in 15x7. if you can get then in 15x8, that would be sweet