15"s or 16" (Tech related)
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From: Bamberg, SC, USA
15"s or 16" (Tech related)
I want to get new wheels. And sell my azenis with the steelies.
I was debating with my self to get 15s or 16.
I think the 16" rims are just right. How ever, they may be a compromise.
Is it possible to run the same off set on a 15 inch rim, and run a wider tyre than you oculd on the 16" rim? or is that all in my head.
The main reason I would like to get 16" rims is the more tyre size available. I know there are 2 different sizes in azenis and one is very wide.
Do 16s offer that much more of an advantage over 15" wheels? Im shure they weigh a little more, but they ought to offer a greater breaking and cornering advantage shouldnt they
I was debating with my self to get 15s or 16.
I think the 16" rims are just right. How ever, they may be a compromise.
Is it possible to run the same off set on a 15 inch rim, and run a wider tyre than you oculd on the 16" rim? or is that all in my head.
The main reason I would like to get 16" rims is the more tyre size available. I know there are 2 different sizes in azenis and one is very wide.
Do 16s offer that much more of an advantage over 15" wheels? Im shure they weigh a little more, but they ought to offer a greater breaking and cornering advantage shouldnt they
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From: Raleigh, NC
Re: 15"s or 16" (Mr. Teal)
I'd honeslty stay stick with the 15s for the reason you want to move to a 16. Tire selection. 15 inch rims get a much better selection of tires than the 16 inchers do.
Just my .02.
Just my .02.
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From: Sykesville, MD
Re: 15"s or 16" (Mr. Teal)
If you're going to stay with the Azenis, just know right up front that they'll be a different overall diameter than the stock 185/60-14. In 15", you'll be looking at 205/50-15 and 16" will get you to 215/45-16. Both of these will give you a taller diameter, and will change your gearing slightly.
Also keep in mind that the Azeni is a VERY heavy tire. In fact, they were close in weight to my Khumo Victoracer R-compounds. The sidewall is very stiff, which will give you quick turn-in, but the penalty is weight. If you're looking to shave some weight from the steelies & Azenis combo, maybe consider a light wheel with something lighter like a Toyo Proxes T1-S. They're very light & grippy, but you get a softer sidewall, with nice wet-weather manners and a quiter ride as a bonus. But they're also more expensive than the Azenis.
I agree that 16's look better, but it really depends on what you want them for. If it's just a street-driven car, I'd go for the 16's so you get the look. While something like Spoon wheels are ultra light (and expensive), something from Rota typically weighs under 14 pounds. Something like a Volk TE37 or SSR Competition is even lighter.
But if it's going to see some autocross duty, or you're looking for ultimate handling response, stick with the 15's. They're typically a few pounds lighter than 16's, and as Ricey pointed out, there's a much larger selection of performance tires available for 15" wheels.
Also keep in mind if you're autocrossing that larger diameter wheels may put you into a prepared class where you're suddenly in over your head.
As for your question about 16's offering better performance, that's incorrect. Braking is a result of the friction material on the brake pads, the stickiness of your tires, and your suspension setup. A 13" R-compound tire will out-brake a 16" street tire any day. Same for cornering, as a lot of the cornering capabilities of the tire are a result of the sidewall construction and the tread compound.
So basically, if you drove your car with 15" wheels with Azenis verses 16" wheels with Azenis, the only real advantage (other than looks) to having 16's would be increased turn-in on the 16's, with the downside being you'd also notice the extra weight of the 16" wheels and tires.
It's all a compromise of what you want from the wheel/tire package.
Also keep in mind that the Azeni is a VERY heavy tire. In fact, they were close in weight to my Khumo Victoracer R-compounds. The sidewall is very stiff, which will give you quick turn-in, but the penalty is weight. If you're looking to shave some weight from the steelies & Azenis combo, maybe consider a light wheel with something lighter like a Toyo Proxes T1-S. They're very light & grippy, but you get a softer sidewall, with nice wet-weather manners and a quiter ride as a bonus. But they're also more expensive than the Azenis.
I agree that 16's look better, but it really depends on what you want them for. If it's just a street-driven car, I'd go for the 16's so you get the look. While something like Spoon wheels are ultra light (and expensive), something from Rota typically weighs under 14 pounds. Something like a Volk TE37 or SSR Competition is even lighter.
But if it's going to see some autocross duty, or you're looking for ultimate handling response, stick with the 15's. They're typically a few pounds lighter than 16's, and as Ricey pointed out, there's a much larger selection of performance tires available for 15" wheels.
Also keep in mind if you're autocrossing that larger diameter wheels may put you into a prepared class where you're suddenly in over your head.
As for your question about 16's offering better performance, that's incorrect. Braking is a result of the friction material on the brake pads, the stickiness of your tires, and your suspension setup. A 13" R-compound tire will out-brake a 16" street tire any day. Same for cornering, as a lot of the cornering capabilities of the tire are a result of the sidewall construction and the tread compound.
So basically, if you drove your car with 15" wheels with Azenis verses 16" wheels with Azenis, the only real advantage (other than looks) to having 16's would be increased turn-in on the 16's, with the downside being you'd also notice the extra weight of the 16" wheels and tires.
It's all a compromise of what you want from the wheel/tire package.
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From: Bamberg, SC, USA
Re: 15"s or 16" (HamandEGgs)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by HamandEGgs »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">If you're going to stay with the Azenis, just know right up front that they'll be a different overall diameter than the stock 185/60-14. In 15", you'll be looking at 205/50-15 and 16" will get you to 215/45-16. Both of these will give you a taller diameter, and will change your gearing slightly.
Also keep in mind that the Azeni is a VERY heavy tire. In fact, they were close in weight to my Khumo Victoracer R-compounds. The sidewall is very stiff, which will give you quick turn-in, but the penalty is weight. If you're looking to shave some weight from the steelies & Azenis combo, maybe consider a light wheel with something lighter like a Toyo Proxes T1-S. They're very light & grippy, but you get a softer sidewall, with nice wet-weather manners and a quiter ride as a bonus. But they're also more expensive than the Azenis.
I agree that 16's look better, but it really depends on what you want them for. If it's just a street-driven car, I'd go for the 16's so you get the look. While something like Spoon wheels are ultra light (and expensive), something from Rota typically weighs under 14 pounds. Something like a Volk TE37 or SSR Competition is even lighter.
But if it's going to see some autocross duty, or you're looking for ultimate handling response, stick with the 15's. They're typically a few pounds lighter than 16's, and as Ricey pointed out, there's a much larger selection of performance tires available for 15" wheels.
Also keep in mind if you're autocrossing that larger diameter wheels may put you into a prepared class where you're suddenly in over your head.
As for your question about 16's offering better performance, that's incorrect. Braking is a result of the friction material on the brake pads, the stickiness of your tires, and your suspension setup. A 13" R-compound tire will out-brake a 16" street tire any day. Same for cornering, as a lot of the cornering capabilities of the tire are a result of the sidewall construction and the tread compound.
So basically, if you drove your car with 15" wheels with Azenis verses 16" wheels with Azenis, the only real advantage (other than looks) to having 16's would be increased turn-in on the 16's, with the downside being you'd also notice the extra weight of the 16" wheels and tires.
It's all a compromise of what you want from the wheel/tire package.</TD></TR></TABLE>
your inteliigent
Also keep in mind that the Azeni is a VERY heavy tire. In fact, they were close in weight to my Khumo Victoracer R-compounds. The sidewall is very stiff, which will give you quick turn-in, but the penalty is weight. If you're looking to shave some weight from the steelies & Azenis combo, maybe consider a light wheel with something lighter like a Toyo Proxes T1-S. They're very light & grippy, but you get a softer sidewall, with nice wet-weather manners and a quiter ride as a bonus. But they're also more expensive than the Azenis.
I agree that 16's look better, but it really depends on what you want them for. If it's just a street-driven car, I'd go for the 16's so you get the look. While something like Spoon wheels are ultra light (and expensive), something from Rota typically weighs under 14 pounds. Something like a Volk TE37 or SSR Competition is even lighter.
But if it's going to see some autocross duty, or you're looking for ultimate handling response, stick with the 15's. They're typically a few pounds lighter than 16's, and as Ricey pointed out, there's a much larger selection of performance tires available for 15" wheels.
Also keep in mind if you're autocrossing that larger diameter wheels may put you into a prepared class where you're suddenly in over your head.
As for your question about 16's offering better performance, that's incorrect. Braking is a result of the friction material on the brake pads, the stickiness of your tires, and your suspension setup. A 13" R-compound tire will out-brake a 16" street tire any day. Same for cornering, as a lot of the cornering capabilities of the tire are a result of the sidewall construction and the tread compound.
So basically, if you drove your car with 15" wheels with Azenis verses 16" wheels with Azenis, the only real advantage (other than looks) to having 16's would be increased turn-in on the 16's, with the downside being you'd also notice the extra weight of the 16" wheels and tires.
It's all a compromise of what you want from the wheel/tire package.</TD></TR></TABLE>
your inteliigent
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From: Harrisburg, PA, USA
Re: 15"s or 16" (Mr. Teal)
I gotta be the devil's advocate and say 16's.
How many tire sizes do you really need? 205/45R16 should do just fine. Last I knew the UTQG or wear rating decreased as wheel size increased, meaning the compound was stickier with the larger wheel while using the same brand and model of tire.
Having owned 15's for the last 3 years, I wish I had the responsiveness of a 16 inch tire with a stiffer sidewall and stickier tread.
Be careful about trying 215mm wide tires. They're hard to fit in a Civic wheel well.
How many tire sizes do you really need? 205/45R16 should do just fine. Last I knew the UTQG or wear rating decreased as wheel size increased, meaning the compound was stickier with the larger wheel while using the same brand and model of tire.
Having owned 15's for the last 3 years, I wish I had the responsiveness of a 16 inch tire with a stiffer sidewall and stickier tread.
Be careful about trying 215mm wide tires. They're hard to fit in a Civic wheel well.
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From: Somewhere to anywhere, Ca
Re: 15"s or 16" (hondacivicgirl)
I have a question(not to thread jack) My car is a 96 ex coupe (civic). I just bought a set of 99-00 Si wheels. I have been told that I should use 205/55-15's. Is this a good tire size and how much will it change my gearing? I checked the tire calculator site and it seemed to only be off by about a half a mile per hour. but I'm still unsure. HamandeGgs I would really appreciate some input from you, as you seem to have quiet abit about tires. Thank you for you help
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From: Sykesville, MD
Re: 15"s or 16" (DOHC4life)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by DOHC4life »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">HamandeGgs I would really appreciate some input from you, as you seem to have quiet abit about tires. Thank you for you help </TD></TR></TABLE>
Uh oh, now I gotta make sure my math works out.
I'm not sure how much you know about tires, but feel free to skip by this part. Otherwise, feel free to read on. According to what I've found at Tire Rack, the stock tire size for the '00 Si 15" wheel is 195/55-15. But just to help clarify, this is how the tire breaks down:
195 is the tread width (in millimeters - 25.2mm=1 inch)
55 is the sidewall height (I think it's also in millimeters)
15 is the inner diameter of the tire at the bead (inside) in inches.
One thing to keep in mind is that if you go with a tire that has a wider tread width, the tire's sidewall will get taller. To keep the same overall diameter, you'll need to change the size so the sidewall is shorter. Also, if you change the wheel diameter, you'll also need to adjust the sidewall height as well.
The larger overall diameter works like the gears on a 10-speed bike. You have one that works well for you, like 5th gear on your bike. But as you're pedalling at the same rate, you slip it into 1st gear, which makes pedalling easy and you go very fast very quickly but don't have much top speed (imagine putting 13" wheels on your car). Conversely, you slip it into 10th gear, and suddenly you have to pedal slowly, you don't accelerate quickly, but you can ride at 40mph on your bike (like putting 26's on your car).
So what should the correct tire size be so you don't end up with the bike scenario? The way this would break down in your case would be to start with the OEM 195/55-15 tire. If you wanted to go a little wider, you would go to a 205/50-15, or even a 215/45-15. Any of these tires will give you about the same overall diameter. I say "about" because they'll still be about a millimeter or two off due to factors like manufacturing tolerances or if your wheel is slightly bent or stressed.
I'm trying to do the math off the top of my head for how much a taller 205/55-15 would adjust things, and I'm thinking it's somewhere around 5.5%, but it's late and I wouldn't trust my math. If it helps, I once had slightly oversized tires on my old Miata that had a sidewall that was 5mm taller (about where you are with the 205/55-15's), and it threw off the speedo by about 7mph.
Fortunately for you, the sizes you'd need have a good selection. In fact, Toyo Proxes T1-S' are only $62 each in 195/55-15 and Azenis are about $72 in 205/50-15, so it works to your benefit.
(Just as an aside, if you were shopping for narrower tires - like for snow - you'd want something along the lines of 185/60-15, but snow tires are a discussion for another day.)
Hope that helps.
Uh oh, now I gotta make sure my math works out.
I'm not sure how much you know about tires, but feel free to skip by this part. Otherwise, feel free to read on. According to what I've found at Tire Rack, the stock tire size for the '00 Si 15" wheel is 195/55-15. But just to help clarify, this is how the tire breaks down:
195 is the tread width (in millimeters - 25.2mm=1 inch)
55 is the sidewall height (I think it's also in millimeters)
15 is the inner diameter of the tire at the bead (inside) in inches.
One thing to keep in mind is that if you go with a tire that has a wider tread width, the tire's sidewall will get taller. To keep the same overall diameter, you'll need to change the size so the sidewall is shorter. Also, if you change the wheel diameter, you'll also need to adjust the sidewall height as well.
The larger overall diameter works like the gears on a 10-speed bike. You have one that works well for you, like 5th gear on your bike. But as you're pedalling at the same rate, you slip it into 1st gear, which makes pedalling easy and you go very fast very quickly but don't have much top speed (imagine putting 13" wheels on your car). Conversely, you slip it into 10th gear, and suddenly you have to pedal slowly, you don't accelerate quickly, but you can ride at 40mph on your bike (like putting 26's on your car).
So what should the correct tire size be so you don't end up with the bike scenario? The way this would break down in your case would be to start with the OEM 195/55-15 tire. If you wanted to go a little wider, you would go to a 205/50-15, or even a 215/45-15. Any of these tires will give you about the same overall diameter. I say "about" because they'll still be about a millimeter or two off due to factors like manufacturing tolerances or if your wheel is slightly bent or stressed.
I'm trying to do the math off the top of my head for how much a taller 205/55-15 would adjust things, and I'm thinking it's somewhere around 5.5%, but it's late and I wouldn't trust my math. If it helps, I once had slightly oversized tires on my old Miata that had a sidewall that was 5mm taller (about where you are with the 205/55-15's), and it threw off the speedo by about 7mph.
Fortunately for you, the sizes you'd need have a good selection. In fact, Toyo Proxes T1-S' are only $62 each in 195/55-15 and Azenis are about $72 in 205/50-15, so it works to your benefit.
(Just as an aside, if you were shopping for narrower tires - like for snow - you'd want something along the lines of 185/60-15, but snow tires are a discussion for another day.)
Hope that helps.
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Re: 15"s or 16" (HamandEGgs)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by HamandEGgs »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
55 is the sidewall height (I think it's also in millimeters)
</TD></TR></TABLE>
Good info, the 55 is the aspect ratio. It's a ratio of the the sidewall's height to the tire's width. With a 205/55/15 the sidewall would be 55% of the the tire's width.
55 is the sidewall height (I think it's also in millimeters)
</TD></TR></TABLE>
Good info, the 55 is the aspect ratio. It's a ratio of the the sidewall's height to the tire's width. With a 205/55/15 the sidewall would be 55% of the the tire's width.
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From: Charleston, SC
Re: 15"s or 16" (t0p_sh0tta)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by t0p_sh0tta »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
Good info, the 55 is the aspect ratio. It's a ratio of the the sidewall's height to the tire's width. With a 205/55/15 the sidewall would be 55% of the the tire's width.</TD></TR></TABLE>
Good info, the 55 is the aspect ratio. It's a ratio of the the sidewall's height to the tire's width. With a 205/55/15 the sidewall would be 55% of the the tire's width.</TD></TR></TABLE>
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