I'm sure you've seen this topic numerous times, but a search didn't answer my questions. I've been looking for a set of 16x7.5" wheels in the hard to find 4x114.3mm bolt pattern with no luck. I'm sure I can pay good money for a set of custom drilled Kosei K1-s, but I'm cheap, and want to spend the lowest amount possible for a set of autocross wheels that I only use a few times per month.

I believe that I'll end up buying a set of 16x7" wheels for cheap (i hope so), and slap some decent rubber on them. If I do get lucky and find a 7.5" wide wheel, I would most likely go with the 225/50-16 MX...

So, on my 3100+lb accord, which tire do you think I should go for with a 16x7" wheel? I'm from Houston, so I will be autocrossing on a lot more Hot days (75+ deg.) than I will be on cold days (<60 deg).

225/50-16 Kumho MX
205/55-16 Kumho MX
205/55-16 Falken Azenis

I may even use this combo on the street for a while since it will match my stock diameter...

 

Why not the 215 45 azenis?

 

well, they are a smaller rolling diameter, and could be an issue if I do decide to use these on the street temporarily. If not, then I could go with those too. I'm leaning towards the 205 since I believe they will site nice and square on a 7" wheel...

I've still got another month's worth of autocrosses before I need to swap my Michelin Energy MXV4s side to side

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by LX4CYL &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">well, they are a smaller rolling diameter, and could be an issue if I do decide to use these on the street temporarily. If not, then I could go with those too. I'm leaning towards the 205 since I believe they will site nice and square on a 7" wheel...

I've still got another month's worth of autocrosses before I need to swap my Michelin Energy MXV4s side to side </TD></TR></TABLE>

I don't get it. I use 215 45 azenis as my street tire, daily. What sort of 'issue' are you referring to?

 

The only problem you can run into is your speedo & odometer is off AND if you have ABS it will severely mess it up.

I recommend the 215/45x16" cause more is better. The 215s of the Azenis variety likes the 8" or 8.5" wheel because for some reason Falken's 215 is more a 225 or 235 wide tire just like the 205/50x15" are more like 215 or 225 wide.

I recommend the Azenis cause they do have a stiffer sidewall and all you have to do is spray them down with water to keep them cool.

I've ridden in someone's car with the Kumho MXs and they were pretty good, but it was cold out.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by bb6h22a &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

I don't get it. I use 215 45 azenis as my street tire, daily. What sort of 'issue' are you referring to?</TD></TR></TABLE>

My Accord has a stock rolling diameter of 25 inches, and the 215/45-16 azenis have a rolling diameter of 23.5. Even if I could deal with the speedo being off, I would still sit .75" lower to the ground than I want to (on the street; daily driving)

However, if these 16" wheels+tires are only going to be used for autocross (no street), then my argument about rolling diameter would become a non-issue since all I would be doing is helping out the gearing a little.

BTW, I don't have ABS to worry about on my LX

anyways, will the 215/45-16 still sit "nicely" on the 7" wide wheel?

 

you're incorrect with your assumption of what will happen with the abs. ask matt watkins or mike neary how the 13" wheels and tires work on a gsr with abs. the ABS sensors only measure the speed of the axle. whether or not that corresponds correctly with the actual vehicle speed doesn't matter.

you are also incorrect about the azenis and their width's. the azenis is a very "square" tire. the section width, that 205, 215, 225 number, is a measurement of how wide the widest part of the tire is. on a azenis, it just so happens that corresponds with the tread width. on other tires, it does not. a 205 azenis still measures roughly 8" across, not 8.5". compared to the 205 kumho though, the falken puts down a bigger footprint since the sidewall of the kumho "bows out" more then the azenis.

for an accord, i'd want to fit the widest tire on the widest wheel that i could legally fit. for sts, that means a 225 on a 7.5" wheel. my take, go with the kumho's. an even better approach would be some 17x7.5 wheels with the 225 kumho or azenis. shorter sidewall=more responsive tire=more responsive chassis=faster and much more fun to drive

nate

 

Okay, lets clear a few things up with empirical evidence.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">The only problem you can run into is your speedo & odometer is off AND if you have ABS it will severely mess it up.</TD></TR></TABLE>

In the 20 track days that I've done with Azenis I've had no issues with ABS using the 215 45 size tire. No issue at all. Ever. I don't know what you're talking about. And with respect to speedo inaccuracy, well ... so what?


<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
My Accord has a stock rolling diameter of 25 inches, and the 215/45-16 azenis have a rolling diameter of 23.5. Even if I could deal with the speedo being off, I would still sit .75" lower to the ground than I want to (on the street; daily driving)

However, if these 16" wheels+tires are only going to be used for autocross (no street), then my argument about rolling diameter would become a non-issue since all I would be doing is helping out the gearing a little.

BTW, I don't have ABS to worry about on my LX

anyways, will the 215/45-16 still sit "nicely" on the 7" wide wheel?
</TD></TR></TABLE>

You're thinking about this way too much. 3/4 of an inch isn't anything , especially if your car is still sitting on stock suspension. Moreover, since the sidewall aspect ration is a percentage of the width, a 225 50 is much taller relative to a 215 45. Again, there's no problem in running the 215 45 azenis on a 7 inch wheel, at all.

 

As long as you're willing to buy a separate set of wheels and tires to use ONLY for autocross, why wouldn't you want to get some real R compound tires for them, instead of either of these two street tires? You can even choose ones that are specifically designed for autocross - say, the Hoosier (A3S03 or A3S04) if you're competing and looking for that last couple of hundredths of a second, or another competition tire (maybe the Yokohama A032R soft compound?) if you're not.

 

Perhaps he wants to run STS? Even then, though, I'd just run the Azenis or Ecsta MX on the street all summer (and go with the proper height).

Remember that contact patch has length in addition to width, related to tire diameter. A 25" tire will have a longer contect patch than a 23.5" tire. I don't have exact numbers so it's all speculation, but the 215/45-16 might not necessarily put more rubber on the ground than the 205/55-16.. ESPECIALLY since both wheels would be mounted on the same 16x7 rim. The spec widths for the Azenis assume the 205/55 will be mounted on a 16x6.5, and the 215/45 on a 16x7. Put them both on a 16x7, and the 205/55 might well make up most of the 0.4" difference in tread width.

As for gearing, depending on course design in his region, a shorter tire might force more upshifts to third gear - but that's something he'd have to figure out.

 

As a driver, I don't think I'm quite ready for R compunds just yet. I probably will move up to R copmunds a few years from now (who knows, I could get a 240SX which uses the same bolt pattern )

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by LX4CYL &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> I've been looking for a set of 16x7.5" wheels in the hard to find 4x114.3mm bolt pattern with no luck.</TD></TR></TABLE>

do they neccisarily(misspell, i know) have to be 16x7.5?

my rota c8's had dual bolt pattern,they were 16x7's i believe...

at the time i got them for $550 shipped..they're cheaper now...

 

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

do they neccisarily(misspell, i know) have to be 16x7.5?

my rota c8's had dual bolt pattern,they were 16x7's i believe...

at the time i got them for $550 shipped..they're cheaper now...</TD></TR></TABLE>

I'm just picky, but as I said earlier, I'll "settle" for 16x7