Function over Form????

posterchild2 · 28 June 2015

Ok guys, when I purchased my 96 last year the owner slapped a set of 255/30R 19 rear and 215/35R 18 in front. I believe the offset is 18X8 + 35 and 19X9.5 + 40. The car is lowered not sure how low; but can't get a floor jack underneath it. I love the way the car looks and how low it is; but becuase there are spacers involved and the offset, I have worn away both rear tires from the inside and had 2 blow outs in the past 5 months. One was the other day; but thank goodness I wasn't traveling very fast! I'm in the process of tracking down the OEM wheels and tires; but the former owner is hard to get a hold of. Rapper from Louisiana and the go between is a Tire and Rim Shop here in Houston. They lowered the car and slapped on the wheels and tires. I'm at the point to where if I can't get the car back to factory set-up I might just throw in the towel! Everytime I get a flat or blow-out I have to get the car towed and those tires are getting harder to find! Very frustrating; as I love my NSX! Getting an alignment is not so easy as well. I found one guy in Houston that can do it. So what should I d guys? Please help!

docjohn · 28 June 2015

very simple,you need more suspension height and less extreme tire sizes and then a good alignment back to near factory specs.

jwmelvin · 28 June 2015

Do the tires rub? Either that or the alignment is the likely problem.

posterchild2 · 28 June 2015

Yeah they do rub, the guy at NTB showed me the rub bubble on the inside and the reason why it's doing it. Very frustrating.

NSXonwheels · 28 June 2015

With a little patience you can find better wheels or oem rims for sale in the parts for sale thread, this way you can keep the car low, and avoid the rubbing issues. Tyler (carolineNSX) can do your alignment and he knows a lot about proper wheel fitment for NSXs, he's had a million sets of rims

posterchild2 · 29 June 2015

Managed to get a floor jack under the car with a little inventivness, and put the spare on. These tires and rims have to go! Here is what has happened to 3 of my 4 tires in the last 6 months. No doubt it will happen to the last one very soon!

JoseJA1979 · 29 June 2015

[MENTION=30163]posterchild2[/MENTION] buy these, problem solved!

http://www.nsxprime.com/forum/showthread.php/189980-OEM-1994-rims-and-tires

Hapa88 · 29 June 2015

posterchild2 said:
View attachment 125197 View attachment 125196 View attachment 125198 View attachment 125199Managed to get a floor jack under the car with a little inventivness, and put the spare on. These tires and rims have to go! Here is what has happened to 3 of my 4 tires in the last 6 months. No doubt it will happen to the last one very soon!

From the look of the pictures it looks like the problem you had was not the alignment, the wheel offset, nor was it the rubbing. The problem looks like you had insufficient tire pressure leading to the sidewall to heat up, fail, and eventually blow out. That's what caused the cracks and the discoloration bands of the sidewall.

The rear tires wear out because of the toe-in alignment combined with the negative camber. This is actually normal for the NSX and is designed that way for handling purposes. If you want longer tire life at the expense of handling, then remove as much toe in and camber as you can adjust.

Lastly, for a floor jack, get a "low-profile" jack. I have a Harbor Freight one and it works great. http://www.harborfreight.com/automo...-compact-aluminum-racing-jack-68053-7814.html

Otherwise make yourself some wood ramps like this. Mine only have 2 levels, vs these have 3.

posterchild2 · 1 July 2015

Hapa88 said:
From the look of the pictures it looks like the problem you had was not the alignment, the wheel offset, nor was it the rubbing. The problem looks like you had insufficient tire pressure leading to the sidewall to heat up, fail, and eventually blow out. That's what caused the cracks and the discoloration bands of the sidewall.

The rear tires wear out because of the toe-in alignment combined with the negative camber. This is actually normal for the NSX and is designed that way for handling purposes. If you want longer tire life at the expense of handling, then remove as much toe in and camber as you can adjust.

Lastly, for a floor jack, get a "low-profile" jack. I have a Harbor Freight one and it works great. http://www.harborfreight.com/automo...-compact-aluminum-racing-jack-68053-7814.html

Otherwise make yourself some wood ramps like this. Mine only have 2 levels, vs these have 3.

The tire pressure is something I considered; but trying to get the proper tire pressure on these wheels has proven to be difficult. I have been keeping to the factory PSI specs; but should be putting more air?

Jinks · 1 July 2015

posterchild2 said:
The tire pressure is something I considered; but trying to get the proper tire pressure on these wheels has proven to be difficult. I have been keeping to the factory PSI specs; but should be putting more air?[/QUOTE

To answer your question of the original post, I vote for form over function only because I did the whole form thing when I acquired my nsx. Though form may look freakin awesome sitting still, function to mash the pedal and not bite your nails or rattle your fillings out of your teeth is much more exhilarating. You bought an nsx. It was made to drive quickly and hug corners. I regret ever buying cheap over sized wheels and cheap suspension for it. But I did do it so I could afford my ctsc, lol. Now It is so hard to open it up under full boost without bottoming out and smacking my fender liners or rolling the fender tabs on roads with any contour. I'd say, buy a conservative set of wheels and just deal with the fact that it will never have a stance more desirable than a new M3 or comparable comparison car. Hope this helps.

Hapa88 · 1 July 2015

posterchild2 said:
The tire pressure is something I considered; but trying to get the proper tire pressure on these wheels has proven to be difficult. I have been keeping to the factory PSI specs; but should be putting more air?

No, what I'm saying is that from the pictures it looks like you got a leak in that tire. After you got the leak, the tire pressure dropped and you drove on it. As you drove on the somewhat deflated tire, the sidewall heated up and caused the discoloration and the additional cracking on the sidewalls.

dquarasr2 · 1 July 2015

OP, these guys appear to be onto something by citing tire pressures. The flats and blowouts - were they always the same corner of the car? If so, it's possible the wheel itself has a problem holding the bead or the valve is bad. New wheels? Problem solved!

goldNSX · 2 July 2015

People will hate me for my comment but I never understood how 18/19 work on a lowered NSX which is driven fast. I consider 17/18 already at the limit.

As from your pics the inside of the tires gets destroyed. This is the result of a very low sidewall, a very lowered car with more than 2 degrees camber, maybe a stiff suspension (what are you running) and probably the road quality in your area. Tire pressure can't help you out really, even if you pump it up to 100 psi. I once had a crack in the sidewall of a Bridgestone 215/40/17 with 40 psi in it right after driving cautiously through a construction zone with big stones and that was in the front. A stone was maybe just enough.

The given road quality in your area will determine by most which size is maximum possible.

shern · 2 July 2015

posterchild2 · 11 July 2015

Hapa88 said:
No, what I'm saying is that from the pictures it looks like you got a leak in that tire. After you got the leak, the tire pressure dropped and you drove on it. As you drove on the somewhat deflated tire, the sidewall heated up and caused the discoloration and the additional cracking on the sidewalls.

I'm pretty sure you have this pegged buddy! I'm notoriously bad about checking tire pressure in my vehicles, including my bikes. I just get in them and go! It's a bad habit that I need to break. I guess in terms of checking the tire pressure, I need to check it every week. Even if the car sits. I don't always think to do a pre-ride check; but maybe I should.

Function over Form????

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