Mike_C

Rules
(NOTE: These rules can and will be enforced)

0. THIS IS NOT A FOR SALE FORUM.
Classified listings should be posted in the marketplace forums, not here.

1. Check the FAQ for answers before you post a new topic:
Links:
FAQ: How to polish your wheels
FAQ: Centercaps
FAQ: How to paint your wheels
FAQ: Picture Archive(Lugs,Wheels,Cars)
Imitation Wheel Thread
Motor Trend Tire 101
Sport Compact Car Wheel Tech
Tire Rack - General Tire Info
TireTab - Online Tire Price comparing search engine
DIY: 3-Piece Wheel Assembly

2. Search!
Before creating a topic to ask a question, search the appropriate forum(s) to see if it has been asked before. You'll be amazed how many things have been covered before. If in doubt, use Google and type in for example "topic site:honda-tech.com". That will search the entire database here on Honda-Tech.

3. When asking a question please include all details that are necessary (car, wheel size, intended use, etc) for someone to make an informed response.

4. When starting a topic, make the title specific enough that people scanning the list of forum topics will know what's inside.
"Need help" or "have a question" are not specific enough. We will rename threads in ways that you might not like. If it becomes a habit, threads will be locked or deleted.

5. Do not use all capital letters in thread titles.

6a. This is a technical forum, please keep it that way.

6b. No opinion threads for the appearance of wheels.
Examples:
"Which wheel will look better on my car?"
"What color wheels should I get?"

7. Bump once and if you still don't get the info you're looking for just let it die, don't bump it again.
If you bump the topic a second time, the topic will be locked. Think about this, please. This means that if you use your single bump on your topic after an hour, when it's still at or near the top of the forum topic list anyway, it will be wasted when it doesn't accomplish anything for you.

8. This is honda-tech.com, a place for sharing information about Honda and Acura cars.
This isn't the place for information about wheels and tires for your grandmother's Buick or your son's Mustang; there are other websites that specialize in those cars, where people will have more specific expertise with those cars than here.

9. Be courteous and act like an adult, in posts in the forum as well as with any interactions with moderators.
Keep the profanity to a minimum (it's best avoided entirely) and leave the juvenile text message abbreviations on your cell phone, not here. No insults or personal attacks, please; point deductions will result from such incidents, with a ban possible for repeat offenses. If you disagree with a post, just state your own opinion and reasons for thinking so.

10. Do not ask about "stretching" tires onto wheels that are too wide.
All such topics will be locked. Tire manufacturers determine the wheel widths onto which each model and size tire can be mounted safely, and you can find the range of these wheel widths in the specs on their websites as well as those of retailers like the Tire Rack. Mounting tires onto wheels outside this range of approved wheel widths is unsafe because it can, and often does, result in the buildup of excessive stress and heat in the tire sidewalls, which can lead to the tire "popping the bead" and/or tire failure. Make sure your tires are mounted on wheels whose widths are within the approved range.

If you observe someone violating these rules, please use the button next to the post to report it, and let the forum moderators deal with it. Do not respond by committing a violation of your own.

Mike_C

Wheels FAQ

What lug nuts do I need?
The "seating area" (or "seat") is the area of the lug nut, and the area of the wheel, that come in contact with each other. Stock Honda/Acura wheels have a ball/radius/spherical shaped seating area, and need lug nuts (such as stock lug nuts) which also have the same shaped seat. After market wheels use a tapered/conical/cone shaped seating area and need lug nuts (including most tuner lug nuts) which also have the same shaped seat. No, it is not safe to mix and match (stock wheel with tapered lugs or vice versa); the contact between the lug nut and the wheel will be insufficient, putting undue stress on them and potentially causing failure.

The threading spec for our lugs is 12x1.5 .









I know I can go to most auto parts stores or Honda/Acura car dealers and get chrome-finished lug nuts with the ball-shaped seating area for my Honda/Acura wheels. But do you know where I can find ones with a black finish?
The lug nuts for the '91-96 NSX are black and fit all Honda/Acura cars and wheels. You can order them from any Acura dealer. Ask for part number 90304-SA7-811. List price is $5.50 each and you can also get them for $4.38 each at Delray Acura. If you need a set of matching wheel locks, the part number is 08W42-SL0-201.


What about ball-shaped lug nuts in other colors - like red, blue, or green, as well as black?
See this topic where a vendor has those available.


I have extended lugs, so I need open-ended lug nuts, but I can't find ones with the ball-shaped seating area for my Honda/Acura wheels.
You can order them at the parts department of your local Honda car dealer. Tell them you want part number 90381-SV1-901. They list for $1.81 each, or you can order them for $1.27 each plus shipping at Majestic Honda.


What is bolt pattern (also known as lug pattern)?
Bolt pattern is expressed as two numbers, such as 4x100. The first number is the number of lug nuts. The second number is the diameter of the circle formed by the centers of the lug nuts. Most Honda/Acura cars have four or five lug nuts, and a diameter of 100 or 114.3 millimeters. (If you're wondering why they use an odd number like 114.3, 114.3 mm equals exactly 4.5 inches.)

The following diagrams show how you can measure the diameter of the lug circle.

4 lugs:


5 lugs:


Or, alternatively:



What is offset?
The offset of a wheel is the distance from its hub mounting surface to the centerline of the wheel. It determines how much the wheels stick out from the car. The best offset depends on your particular car as well as on the width of the wheels. As a general rule, you *should* be able to get away with an offset between +35-45, but you will have to check what others have used for your car's year, model, and version to be sure. More info: http://www.tirerack.com/wheels/tech/offset.jsp






What is center bore?

The center bore, or centerbore, is the diameter of the big hole in the center of the wheel. It is designed to fit precisely over the hub when mounting the wheel, and the hub keeps the wheel centered. If the center bore is too small, the wheel won't mount properly. If the center bore is too large, the wheel can be mounted, but is more susceptible to vibrations unless you also use hubcentric rings to narrow the diameter so that the hub centers the wheels.




What size are my stock wheels?

Acura | Honda
OEM Wheel Database: http://www.fatboyraceworks.com/wheels
OEM Wheel Distributor: http://www.originalwheels.com/


I want to buy wheels. How should I decide what size to get?

You need to make your decisions in the following sequence:

1. Decide on a wheel diameter (15", 16", 17", etc) based on looks, performance, availability, tire availability, etc.

2. Decide on what tire size(s) work best with that wheel diameter on your car. For street use, this is normally the tire size that has the same outer diameter as your stock tires, and is no more than 10-20 mm wider than your stock tire size. See the Tire FAQ below for more information on how to choose the best tire size, including recommended sizes for the most popular Honda/Acura models.

3. Decide on which tire make/model you want to get, based on what's available in those size(s), and on what your needs are (performance, weather conditions, usage, budget, etc). Again, see the Tire FAQ below for questions to consider when finding the best tire for your needs. Feel free to create a topic on the forum to ask for advice.

4. Look up the specs for approved rim widths to help you determine the rim width for that model and size of tire. You can find the specs on the tire manufacturer's website or on the website of tire dealers like the Tire Rack. You should keep the rim width within the range of approved rim widths. You may want to pick a width in the middle of the range; the one at the widest end of the range may make the tire look a bit "stretched", and at the narrowest end may make the tire look "bulging". But anywhere in the range should be okay for safety purposes.

5. Find out the best offset for your wheels and tires, based on the rim width and your car. There's no magic formula; you may have to ask those who have tried different rims. Remember that offset depends on the wheel width, so a given number for a wheel of one width may position the wheel the same as a different number for a wheel of a different width. You can convert offsets to adjust for differences in width using this wheel offset calculator.

6. Then you can find out which wheels come in the rim, width, and offset you need, as well as the bolt pattern and center bore your car's hubs require.


What size are x center caps?

Integra and Civic Si wheels have a 2.5" center cap.


How much does x wheel weigh?

http://www.wheelweights.net
http://www.wheelspecs.com
http://www.superhonda.com/tech/wheel_weights.html
http://www.google.com


What effects does wheel/tire weight have on the car?

Reducing the overall rolling mass will increase your fuel economy, as well as provide improved acceleration. Depending on how much weight you reduce it by, you can save quite a bit on fuel costs. But, the acceleration changes won't be as significant.


Should I get 17s?

Unless they are for a Prelude, S2K, Accord, NSX, etc... No, but they will fit other cars.


Should I get 18s?

Unless they are for an S2K or NSX... No.


Will x wheels fit my car?

First, check the bolt pattern.
Acura | Honda

Second, check the offset. See offset answer above.

Third, check the hub bore, you may want hub centric rings.
http://justforwheels.com/index...k=GHR


Tires FAQ


How should I rotate my tires?

That depends on whether your tires are directional and/or asymmetric.

Directional Tires

The Yokohama ES100 is a good example of a directional tire:



Directional tires are designed to rotate in a specific direction - usually, so that in rain, water is channeled from the center of the tread to both outer edges as the car travels in a forward direction. Directional tires have an arrow on the sidewall to indicate the direction in which the tires should rotate when the car goes forward.

When a directional tire is mounted on the wheel, it is done so that it can be used on one side of the car. The arrow shows whether the tire is mounted as a left tire or a right tire. Usually, directional tires are only rotated between front and back, remaining on the same side of the car. If you wanted to move it to the other side of the car, for best rain performance, you need to "flip" the tire on the rim in order to maintain the proper directionality.

Asymmetric tires

The Falken Azenis RT-615 pictured here:



has an asymmetric construction. Tires designed for maximum performance on dry pavement are typically designed this way, with larger tread blocks on the outside edge of the tread than the inside, to help to maximize cornering ability. Asymmetric tires have markings on the sidewall indicating whether each side should face in or out.

When an asymmetric tire is mounted on the wheel, as long as the proper side faces out, it can be used on either side of the car. You can (and should) rotate the tires from one side of the car to the other, without dismounting them from the rims; that will even out the wear the best. This can be done by using the "criss cross pattern". One pair crosses the car and the other pair moves to the other end of the car on the same side. The drive axle tires normally stay on the same side of the car, and the non-drive axle moves to the other side of the car. On a front-wheel-drive car, this means:

Left front moves to left rear
Right front moves to right rear
Left rear moves to right front
Right rear moves to left front

Directional and Asymmetric Tires

A few tires are both directional and asymmetric. Such tires are designed to be used on one specific side of the car, and you need to order different tires, with different part numbers, for a "left tire" or a "right tire". If your car uses the same size tires in the front as in the rear, you can rotate the tires front to back, like other directional tires, but if they are asymmetric, you should not "flip" them on the rim to use them on the other side of the car.

Tires That Are Neither Directional nor Asymmetric

Many tires, particularly all-season tires, are neither directional (they are non-directional) nor asymmetric (they are symmetric). They can rotate in either direction and be mounted on either side of the car. They should be rotated in the same "criss-cross pattern" as noted above for asymmetric tires; however, if the tread wear is not uniform across the width of the tread, you can flip such tires on the rim to even out the wear.


When should I replace my tires?

By law, you need a minimum of 2/32" of tread depth, so they must be replaced at that point. However, when they are worn (but not yet at 2/32"), their traction in rain gets considerably worse, so you may want to consider replacing tires before that point. The Tire Rack did a test comparing braking distances for new tires, tires worn to 4/32", and tires worn to 2/32". They found that braking distances on wet pavement increased by about 50 percent for the 4/32" tires and almost doubled for the 2/32" tires. You can read the full test on their website here, and their advice on when to replace tires here.

It's easy to tell when a tire is down to 2/32" of tread depth. By law, all street-legal tires have tread wear indicator bars, half-inch strips going across the width of the tread that are 2/32" shallower than the rest of the tread. When the tire is worn down to 2/32" of tread depth, these strips appear as flat across the tread.

You can see the tread wear indicator bars in this photo. There are two center tread grooves running vertically in the photo. About halfway down, you can see the tread wear indicator bar, where the tread is not as deep as in the rest of those grooves:




What if my tires are really old?

Age is measured from when the tires were manufactured, not bought. Tires should not be several years old when sold as new. Up to one year is really not a big deal, but never as much as two or more. The big internet tire dealers have plenty of turnover in their inventory, so from them you should be getting tires that were manufactured quite recently. However, when you're buying at a local tire store, it's possible to get stuck with a tire that's older than you really ought to be buying.

Here are the relevant write-ups on the Tire Rack website:

Determining the Age of a Tire
Rubber Cracking
Tire Aging

Here's what it says in that last write-up:


What do the numbers (aaa/bb/cc) mean on a tire?

aaa = the width of the tire in millimeters.
bb = the aspect ratio. the height of the sidewall, this is a percentage of the width of the tire.
cc = the diameter of the wheel to be used.


F.Y.I. Meaning of Yellow and Red dots on tires: https://honda-tech.com/forums/wheel-tire-56/f-y-i-meaning-yellow-red-dots-tires-3167869/


What size tires should I get?

The proper size depends on your car, not just the wheels you are using. So if you want to ask what size you should get, let us know what kind of car you have (year, model, body style, version)!

For a CRX, del sol, del sol Si, or pre-'96 Civic, the following sizes are usually best:

13" - 175/70-13
14" - 185/60-14, 195/55-14
15" - 195/50-15
16" - 205/40-16, 195/45-16

For an Integra, del sol VTEC, or '97-00 Civic, the following sizes are usually best:

14" - 185/65-14, 195/60-14
15" - 195/55/15, 205/50-15
16" - 205/45-16 would be the best size but 215/45-16 will work also but only if your car isnt too low and if the wheel offsets aren't too low.
17" - 205/40/17

The '96 Civic came with two different tire sizes, depending on version. For DX versions and hatchback versions, the sizes shown above for the pre-'96 Civic are usually best. For all other '96 Civics, the sizes shown above for the '97-00 Civic are usually best.

This is open for discussion and by no means what you have to get, but as a general rule you cannot go wrong with these sizes.

If your year, model, and version is not listed above, the best size (at least, for street use, rather than track use) is generally one which has about the same outer diameter as the stock tire size for your car, preferably within 1 percent, and which is no more than 20 mm wider than the stock tire size. If you're still not sure, you can use the website of a tire retailer like the Tire Rack to find recommended size(s) for your car.


What kinds of tires are there?

Broad groupings of tires include summer tires, winter tires, all-season tires, and competition tires.

Summer tires are designed for use for moderate to warm temperatures. If you are only going to be using your tires in temperatures above freezing, summer tires provide the best performance at those temperatures. With only a few exceptions, most summer tires do extremely well in rain as well as on dry pavement. Summer tires are not recommended for use in extreme cold conditions, and especially not on snow and ice.

There are several types of summer tires:

a. Specialty tires designed to maximize traction on dry pavement. Downsides typically include so-so traction in rain, and rapid tread life. These are a good choice for someone who only cares about dry traction, such as those who use their tires for auto crosses or track events as well as normal driving. Recommended examples include the Dunlop Direzza Sport Z1 Star Spec, Falken Azenis RT-615, Bridgestone Potenza RE-01R, Toyo R1R, and Kumho Ecsta XS.

b. Top-of-the-line performance tires, designed for excellent traction on dry pavement and in rain, and very good tread life. The primary downside is a rather high purchase price. These are a good choice for someone who wants excellent performance and also cares about grip in rain and/or about tread life, and doesn't mind paying more for better performance. Recommended examples include the Goodyear F1 GS-D3 and Bridgestone Potenza RE050A Pole Position.

c. Budget performance tires, designed for good traction on dry pavement and in rain, very good tread life, and a relatively low purchase price. The downside is that the performance is not quite as good as the previous two groups. These are a good choice for someone looking for good value as well as good performance and tread life. Recommended examples include the Kumho Ecsta SPT, Fuzion ZRi, and Yokohama ES100 and S.drive.

Winter tires are designed for use on snow and ice, and in frigid temperatures. They grip better than all-season tires in such conditions, even when the roads are dry. On warmer days, their handling is sloppier than all-season tires. For this reason, they are recommended for winter use, not year-round use.

There are several types of winter tires:

a. Tires that have the very best traction on snow and ice, but have so-so ride and handling on days when it's not so cold. Recommended examples include the Bridgestone Blizzak REVO1 and WS-60, Dunlop Graspic DS-2, and Michelin X-Ice. (The Tire Rack calls these tires "stud less ice and snow tires".)

b. Tires that have good traction on snow and ice and in cold, although not quite as good as the previous group, but they also have very good ride and handling characteristics on days when it's not so cold. Recommended examples include the Bridgestone Blizzak LM-25, Dunlop Winter Sport M3, and the Michelin Pilot Alpin PA2. (The Tire Rack calls these tires "performance winter tires".)

The choice between these two categories depends on the climate in your area, how much highway driving you do in the winter, how much you care about ultimate snow/ice grip versus ride comfort, whether you have another vehicle to use in the worst of winter, etc. Oh, and the tires in category (a) are usually significantly less expensive than category (b), which may be important. For example, if you live in an area with harsh winters and you want want the best snow/ice traction during the winter and don't mind sacrificing some ride comfort and handling for those few months a year, you may prefer category (a) tires. If you care more about ride comfort or if you live in an area with somewhat mild winters, you might be better off getting the category (b) tires.

All-season tires are the most flexible in terms of ambient temperatures, as they are designed to be used in frigid winter cold and on snow, as well as in moderate to warm temperatures. The downside of this flexibility is that their performance in most conditions is not as good as tires designed specifically for those conditions. In winter conditions, all-seasons perform better than summer tires but not as well as winter tires; in moderate to warm temperatures, they perform better than winter tires but not as well as summer tires. If you need to use the same tires all year round, in winter conditions (frigid cold, snow, ice) as in moderate to warm temperatures the rest of the year, then all-season tires are a good choice. Recommended all-season tires include the Kumho Ecsta ASX, Pirelli PZero Nero M+S, and Bridgestone Potenza RE960AS Pole Position.

One additional advantage of all-season tires is that they tend to last longer (more miles) than summer tires or winter tires. For this reason, if performance is not a priority, all-seasons may be fine for your family car or commuter car.

Some people mistakenly believe that all-season tires are needed for rain performance. This is not true; good all-around summer tires like the Goodyear F1 GS-D3 and Kumho SPT are outstanding in rain, better than all-seasons.

Competition tires (often called "track tires" or "R compound tires") are designed for use on racetracks, drag strips, and auto cross courses. They are not recommended for use on public roads, primarily because they wear rapidly (you might get 5K miles or less to a set) and also because they need to be warmed up to grip effectively, and they are generally poor in rain. However, most such tires are DOT approved so you can use them to drive to and from competition and track events without issues (just go very slow in rain).

There are several types of competition tires, designed for different environments:

a. Racetrack tires for road courses, designed for overall grip including cornering. Examples include the Hoosier R6, Kumho Ecsta V710 and V700 Victoracer, Toyo RA-1 and R888, Hankook Z211 and Z214, Michelin Pilot Sport Cup, Pirelli PZero Corsa, BFGoodrich g-Force R1, Avon Tech RA, Yokohama A048, and Nitto NT01 and NT555RII.

b. Auto cross tires for auto crosses, designed for quick warm up as well as overall grip including cornering. The Hoosier A6 is one example.

c. Drag radials for the drag strip, designed for grip during straight-line acceleration, as well as the ability for the sidewalls to withstand deformation when tire pressures are lowered. Examples include the BFGoodrich g-Force T/A Drag Radial and Nitto NT555R.


Which tires should I get?

This depends on what you're looking to get out of the tire. If you're still not sure what to get after reading the above information , make a new topic and tell us what you intend to use it for. In that topic, make sure to answer the following questions:

- What kind of car you have (year, model, version)
- What size wheels you have
- How the tires will be used (daily driving, auto cross/track/drag strip)
- What kind of weather the tires will be used in (dry, rain, snow)
- What your preferences is in the trade-off between value (low purchase price and/or long tread life) vs performance


What speed rating tires should I get (ZR, HR, etc)?

You should get tires with a speed rating at least as high as the stock tires which originally came on your car from the factory.

For more information on what the various speed ratings mean, go here:
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/...id=35


Do I have to use four matching tires?

It is best to use four tires of the same make/model/size, to make your handling neutral and predictable. For example, when you have different tires on the front from the rear, what can happen is that, in some conditions, the front may grip better (so that your car has a tendency to over steer, meaning that the back end wants to come around on you when you turn), and in other conditions, the rear may grip better (for under steer, meaning that the car wants to plow straight ahead when you turn the wheel). The standard advice is not to mix tires at all, where avoidable.

In some cases, it's impossible to avoid. For example, you have four matching tires, one tire gets damaged by road debris and must be replaced, and the tires have been discontinued, so you can't buy a single tire to replace it. Obviously, you could replace all four tires with a different set that matches. But no one wants to buy four tires if they can avoid it, or to have to get rid of three tires with plenty of usable tread depth. In such a case, your best bet is to buy a replacement tire whose performance characteristics match the other three tires. For example, if the other three tires are top-of-the-line performance tires, the fourth should be, also. The Tire Rack classifies tires in "performance categories" and these are useful for finding a tire that's similar. This will keep your handling neutral and predictable. What you really don't want to do is mix tires with drastically different performance - for example, mixing summer tires with all-season or winter tires.


How much will x size tire throw off my speedometer?

http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html
http://www.powerdog.com/tiresize.cgi
http://www.1010tires.com/TireSizeCalculator.asp
http://www.rims-n-tires.com/rt_specs.jsp


What air pressure should I use in my tires?

As a general rule, regardless of wheel or tire size or type, the best place to start is with the pressure recommended for your CAR, as shown in your owner's manual and on your car either on the door jamb or glove compartment door. Measure the pressure when the car has been sitting for several hours out of the sun, at the outside temperature at which the car will be used. Adjust from there in 2 psi increments as needed, based on tire wear and your preference for handling and/or ride comfort.

Do NOT set the pressure to the maximum pressure indicated on the sidewall of your tire.


Where should I order my tires?

Check TireRack first, as they are our forum sponsor. Even if they are a few dollars more (unlikely), consider buying from them anyway as they keep this forum going.

If they don't have what you need, check these sites as well:
Discount Tire
TireShack
Vulcan
Tires-easy


OEM Wheel Site: http://www.wheelcollision.com/cta.htm

Other Wheel Accessories: www.ebay.com or www.prestigewheel.com

Wheel FS Mega Threads:
Southern California "RIMS" Classified Thread : Link
Chicago Wheels Classifieds: Link
4 x 100 Wheel Classifieds: Link
4 x 114.3 Wheel Classifieds: Link
5 x 114.3 Wheel Classifieds: Link

toyomatt84

iTrader: (1)

Addressing wheel and tire fitment

First off, I would like to note that information here will be somewhat circumstantial. Also, Honda-Tech does not support wheel and tire combinations that do not abide by the specifications published by the manufacturers.

There are definite size limitations for tires, when it comes to how wide the wheel must be. Ignoring those limitations can cause tires to wear improperly and prematurely, thus making your car unsafe. Running extremely stretched tires causes heat to build up in the sidewall under normal operation. This fatigues the tire at an exponentially greater rate. There are sizing limitations on how much overall wheel and tire clearance a car has from the factory. Going beyond those limits can be unsafe, if proper techniques are ignored (ie. running extremely high camber).

--UNDER CONSTRUCTION--