I've seen a lot of guys getting new rims on LF. Is it mainly for looks? Is there a way a better rim might benefit better performance, besides being able to fit bigger tires. Would a good brand or bad brand matter in quality? I'm asking these questions, because I see some cheap ebay rims, and I'm wondering if i should get them.


such as this one

 

16" x 7.5 Nice and wide yet light enough to not kill your off the line acceleration, unlike larger 17" and 18"s which with 7.5" width is probably gonna rub. Look at the lug pattern you can't get them anyway since th bolt pattern is off.

 

i love This one

->http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...tem=1852617261

 

Well prolly it can slow you down a bit... Thatz why you should get tha light ones only.. Tho i think its expensive, tha lighter it is, tha more expensive.... But yeah.. Rims are juz also for show... But it can also smoothen your ride..

 

Rims aren't just for show. They let you slap on wider rubber while reducing your sidewall height so you can get that good combo of grip as well as keeping your gear ratio down. A nice 16" like the Kosei K1 is a great wheel.

 

The larger the Rims the better you can handle. unless you get somethign too large.

 

rims can be for looks and for peformance. uhm with low profile tires and wider wheels u can get better handling and traction in ideal racaing conditions. uhm some aftermarket wheels can also be much lighter than stock OEM wheels, or maybe weigh as much for the larger sized rims.

 

The larger the Rims the better you can handle. unless you get somethign too large.


That was the most informative response I have ever read. Thats not true. I have 16's, and I bet my car can outhandle a Bling Bling Escalade on Duece trips any day of the week.


With wheels the width is what is makeing the difference because of the tires contact patch. The more contact patch, the more rubber is on the street = more grip. As long as aftermarket are lighter than the stock one's then you will gain some benefit, but mostly thay are fo show.

 

aerialcombat, the motegi's are nice..

Rims should be for both show and go - nice looking yet light..
That's why I want the C5's sooo bad.. anyone wanna put money in my rim fund for me? I would oh so appreciate it..

 

17x7.5-17x8.5 Is pretty much ideal for handling. running 225-245 width.

The larger the rim, the better? Who told you that? Most of the N1 cars in Japan are running exotic light 17X8.5's.

Weight is a major factor. By going to with the RH CP-035's (12lbs each, one of the lightest 17 inchers in the world) I saved like 10 lbs per corner. That is 40lbs of unsprung wieght! Off the line acceleration is a big deal, and shaving that weight will help that out alot!

 

17"s sound like the best bet. for style and performance.

 

A.W.D., I agree that DaTenshi's statement was very broadly stated and for the most part wrong, however width is not the only factor in handling (or performance in general). I don't even know a fraction of what there is to know about tires/wheels, but I can say that there is no simple answer to performance of wheel/tire combos.

- Weight is a big enemy. A lightweight wheel will always improve performance over a comparably sized but heavier wheel. If you can get a bigger diameter wheel that is the same weight as the smaller OEM wheel, than you will come out ahead on performance. Most inexpensive 17s/18s are pretty heavy - and the weight is concentrated further out from the axle - so you will take a performance hit.
- A larger wheel with lower profile tires (maintaining the stock rolling diameter) will offer a handling (cornering) improvement because the tires have less sidewall flex, and can withstand greater slip angles and thus exert more force. The downside to this is that sidewall flex absorbs a lot of the small bumps. Putting 18" wheels and LP tires will give you a harsher ride (if you care).
- More width is generally a good thing as well, due to increased lateral stiffness.
- Tire load (measured as a percentage of rating) and inflation pressure both have a significant effect - more so than the rim/tire width or tire profile height. Ideally you would be at 100% of the tires rated load and at a high enough tire pressure to maximize the tire's stiffness.

OK, enough of this technical crap If you really want to improve your car's handling, you should be looking at quality forged aluminum wheels - From companies like Volk, Kinesis, Advan, Work, etc. These will not be cheap, you probably won't find them on Ebay, and you definately won't find them on tire rack. For decent 17 x 7.5" wheels, expect to pay about $400-750 per wheel, and another $125-175 for some decent rubber. Otherwise, don't bother

 

WestSideBilly
You forgot Racing Hart! Actually, Sprint Hart is the real name. They have been rebadged for the USDM. I like the rest of your suggestions though.

 

And for $95-$100 you can get Khumo's, or Sumitomo's that perform pretty well for a bargain! I have the Ecsta 712's, and they are pretty bad *** as a dry weather tire, but I do not know about in the wet. The Sumitomo's are my favorite, but when I bought the tires, the Sumi's were backordered.

Of coarse, Potenza S03 are bad *** too!

 

I've also read a good deal singing praises of Falken Azenis.

Billy, if you have larger wheels that weigh less than stock you'll definitely do better because you're also going to have lighter tires more often than not...which is just damn great. As I understand it it's all about keeping the weight light and as close to the center as possible while maintaining a wide tire patch. Without getting too into detail I think they're the basics that are most important to keep in mind.