please help me choose my next rims

[blknsxnoc]

I am finally giving in to peer pressure and getting some wheels for my NSX.

The following is what I am considering, inputs and opinions, pros and cons, personal preference, personal experience with the brand or model of rim, anything that will help me decide which to go with is appreciated..


MB Motoring REV

TSW RIB

Enkei CDR9

All rims will have Yokohama ES Tires,17"-18" combo.

Thank you in advance for your time.

 

[Eric5273]

I am finally giving in to peer pressure

Don't do it!!

The stock wheels are forged and you'll have better performance than with most aftermarket wheels.

 

[blknsxnoc]

thanks for the input Eric.

Why is it that everyone seems to rip on the stock wheels?

Even in the Konig thread, the general consensus is that any aftermarket wheel is better than the stockers.

Are they strictly speaking of aesthetics and not considering performance?

It also seems that you can't even give the 15/16 combo stockers away.

 

[jadkar]

Did you check out the superleggeras yet? They are very cheap, very light, very strong. Some people may not like the mulit-spoke design, but I think it looks incredible. The wheels look great on the web and even better in person.

I just got mine, I didn't go "crazy wide" with the sizes, and I think it handles much much better then stock. I also did some other mods, but I honestly think the wheels and tires would have made a big difference if I did them alone.

The stock wheels are forged and you'll have better performance than with most aftermarket wheels

I don't know about that.....I love my stock wheels, however there is room to improve. If you don't believe me, believe Honda, they created a Type-R wheel with wider rubber installed on the rear.

Here's a quickie of my Superleggeras

 

[blknsxnoc]

Thanks for your imput jadkar,

If you don't mind me asking, what did the Superleggeras cost?

 

[SNDSOUL]

upgrading rims and tires was one of my best mods. not only did my looks improve 1000%, but so did my traction. I cant think of one reason why stock rims or tires would be better.

 

[Eric5273]

Are they strictly speaking of aesthetics and not considering performance?

Yes.

If you go with a heavier wheel, your performance will not be as good. In general, unsprung weight counts about 3-5 times as much as regular dead weight. So let's suppose you upgrade to cast wheels that are 8 lbs heavier than the stock wheels. And let's suppose the tires are 5 lbs heavier due to being a larger size. That's 13 lbs increase on each corner, or 52 lbs overall. And this is unsprung weight, so it would be about equal to around 200 lbs of dead weight. Probably about the difference you would feel if you have a 200 lb passenger in the car. Not a huge difference, but surely noticeable.

The only way around this is to get forged wheels. They will still be heavier than the stock wheels due to larger size, but maybe only slightly heavier. Forged wheels will also be stronger. If you can't afford forged, I would stick with the stock wheels, or else look to purchase a set of larger stock wheels used from a later model NSX.

 

[jadkar]

Don't mind at all........the complete package mounted, balanced, shipped was $2161.00 from The Tire Rack, because I live in Jersey I even got them the very next day!!

17x8 superleggera with BridgeStone SO3 215/40r17
18x9 superleggera with BridgeStone SO3 265/35r18

Check out this link, it has more details and photos.
http://www.nsxprime.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=21912

Regards,
John

 

[Eric5273]

Superleggeras are very light cast wheels. These are a good replacement even though they are not forged. However, if you live in an area with bad roads, I would not recommend them. They will be rather easy to bend since they are light (less mass) and are cast (soft alloy).

 

[Doug]

Just go with the OEM 17/16. Plenty out there. I have a set of the '94 "gunmetal" in nice shape with 80% Bridgestones. Price would be $1550. Save the 16/15 for track or Auto-x.

 

[AaronR]

Jadkar, the car looks so sweet! We're proud to have been able to help make the car look like that

I sent a your pic to OZ so they could check it out.
Aaron@TR

 

[jadkar]

Jadkar, the car looks so sweet! We're proud to have been able to help make the car look like that

Thanks, for the compliments. Also thanks for the shipping, next day was unbelievable, especially since I ordered them at 3:30PM

Superleggeras are very light cast wheels. These are a good replacement even though they are not forged.

Are you sure?? Everything I have read seems to say they are forged, and if they are cast they must be the lightest cast wheels on the planet. Perhaps Aaron can shed some light.

However, if you live in an area with bad roads, I would not recommend them. They will be rather easy to bend since they are light (less mass) and are cast (soft alloy).

I'm not sure about that either, I spent tons of time researching this. Supperleggeras are very strong, I have a bunch of friends in the WRX crowd that run these wheels. Some of these crazies run real hard through the woods in Putnam county NY. They have sworn up and down about the strength. I myself live in Sussex county NJ and work in Manhattan, I drive my car through Newark to the PATH sometimes, and I feel real confident that I won't bend anything. Of course this is all relative, any wheel will bend if it hits something hard enough

 

[blknsxnoc]

Thanks for all your imput guys,

I will probably never track or Auto-X my NSX.

The hardest I would ever drive it is either high speed on the way to Vegas or through the canyons like the last Prime event.

I noticed while at the Moorpark gathering that I was one of only 3 NSXes that had stock wheels.. Makes me think that that many NSX owners can't be wrong.

I am open to all suggestions though and I appreciate all of the imput except that no one has commented on any of the wheels I am considering.. are they all bad?

 

[jadkar]

I am open to all suggestions though and I appreciate all of the impute except that no one has commented on any of the wheels I am considering.. are they all bad?

Well........IMO I'm a little bored with 5 stars, and the first multi-spoke wheel you posted looks sharp, but for me.....light weight was a priority. I'm not sure how heavy the Enkeis are, but I'll put money down that they are heavier then the wheels I just bought (probably more money too)

John

 

[Eric5273]

Are you sure?? Everything I have read seems to say they are forged, and if they are cast they must be the lightest cast wheels on the planet. Perhaps Aaron can shed some light.

Actually, I think they come both ways. I think the regular Superleggera is cast, but the Superleggera III is forged. It may depend on what size. I had been considering them in 15s for my MR2 Spyder and they were cast. But they are considered to be very lightweight for a cast wheel.

 

[blknsxnoc]

Jadkar,

I did not receive an exact quote but I was told that the Enkei CDR9s were below $2000.00 with tires.

 

[blknsxnoc]

Just got a quote on the Enkei CDR9s

$1241.00

17"- 18" combo

Yokohama Prada Spec2s

205-40/17"
225-35/18"

Is this a good deal?

 

[jadkar]

wow....I'll give it to you for the cheap aspect. They are cheap. 3 things though:

1) Those tires sizes seem a little strange, I don't know why you would want to go that small.

2)I'm not sure about that specific model of Yoko.

3)That seems really cheap, I mean so cheap that the "You get what you pay for" saying applies.

What Eric said earlier is so true, weight, weight and weight. Honda designed this car with a few key goals, overall weight being one of them. I have always prided myself on having a car that looks long, wide, and sleek but is lightweight. I think we do a huge injustice this cars basic design by throwing on heavy wheels. What it does to performance, forget it, that's a whole other thread!! Of course that's my own opinion.

John

 

[Doug]

Why would you want to go with skinnier tires than factory spec? Most people upgrade wheels to go wider.

 

[blknsxnoc]

Im an idiot and didn't notice that.

Perhaps the guy I was talking to didn't know what he was talking about.. I will call again and get the right sizes. Thanks for spotting that.

 

[FuryNSX]

Just got a quote on the Enkei CDR9s

$1241.00

17"- 18" combo

Yokohama Prada Spec2s

205-40/17"
225-35/18"

Is this a good deal?

Tire sizes are way too small for your NSX. Parada Spec2s are borderline performance tires. I have them on my 3.2TL. They're fine for just cruising around in my 4-door, but I would NEVER consider them for my NSX. They would severly limit the performance of your NSX. Even if you don't do track events, you still do canyon events. Plus, they don't make an appropriate size for an NSX 17/18 inch setup.

Find out what the breakdown is on a per tire basis for the Paradas. Pay the difference and get a decent tire like an S-03 in the right sizes. 215/40/17 and 265/35/18 are very popular sizes with many inched-up NSXs.

(As an example of comparing apples to apples, in your 225/35/18 tire, an S-03 is $35 more than a Parada at TireRack.com. The money is well worth it. Keep in mind that you really should get the wider size for you NSX, so the difference from the Parada quote will be much greater.)

-Randy

 

[bizman]

FuryNSX

In you response above you said to get the correct size 215/40/17 and 265/35/18. I have heard the same from almost everyone and just today I have installed my new tires and rims but I am disappointed that the "correct" sizes I have used give the car a raised look . The car is actually 3/4 to an inch higher. I was just wondering do most people leave it that way or do they lower it. What do you think is the best way to lower and not change the ride to much. Just asking for your or any opinion.

Thanks Wade

 

[JsnNSX]

O.Z. Racing Superleggeras
17x8 48mm offset - 17.1 lbs
18x9 35mm offset - 19.6 lbs

A friend of mine (Ky650 on prime) also has this set up. Looks AMAZING. Bilstein shocks and H&R springs, the wheel gap is perfect. (215/40/17 - 265/35/18)

Nice, light, strong, affordable rims. (they are forged, "titanium enriched alloy" off of the OZ site)

Dali also sells them at a nice price. $1,310.

The ride is great as well, not to stiff at all. The bilsteins are about the same as stock, and the H&R springs lower it perfectly.

I think that the car will look raised with almost any aftermarket rim/tire setup if you do not lower it.

No tire rub either (even at full lock).

BTW, any chance anyone has a picture of these on a silver NSX? I might be buying a sebring silver nsx soon and I have only seen the rims on black and red.

Side note:

Eric - the OEM wheels are not as light as perceived to be. With the 17/18 inch OZ setup you're up 1.9lbs for the fronts and 0.74lbs in the rear - that's not bad considering the large size increase (the greater difference in weight would be in the tyres I'd imagine). If you compare like sizes the 15x7 superleggeras way a mere 10.7 lbs - so for a substantial performance increase you could switch to those.

Stock OEM wheels are:

1991 - 1993

Front - 15x6.5 inches 15.2 lbs
Rear - 16x8 inches 18.86lbs

1994 - 2001

Front - 16x7 inches 16.75lbs
Rear - 17x8.5 inches 20.85lbs

Hope you don't mind me talking about your car kelly

Sources:
NSX Prime FAQ
OZ's website @ http://www.ozwheels.com

 

[jadkar]

Bizman,

The car is actually 3/4 to an inch higher.

This is mathmatically impossible.

The stock front tire (assuming you have a 94 and up) is:
215/45R16 which is 23.62 inches tall
The size mentioned is:
215/40R17 which is 23.78 inches tall
This is a .16 hieght difference, but to make it more confusing you have to divide that figure in half bacuse your car is connected to the wheel in the middle (obviously). So your car should be sitting (in the front) .08 inches taller, a far cry from 3/4 to an inch

Now the rear may be a little more, stock rear is:
245/40R17 which is 24.72 inches tall
The size mentioned is:
265/35R18 which is 25.3 inches tall
Overall hieght difference of .58 inches, again divide that in half and your car should be sitting (in the rear) .29 inches higher.

With that said, if you have an earlier car, all that was a waste of time. If someone wants to respond with the tire sizes from an earlier NSX I can do the conversion for you.

I only decidded to go into a long explination because I am currently involved with a strange hieght problem on my car, however mine is Zanardi spring related (you can do a search, it's a pretty new thread). I hope this helps

Regards,
John

 

[Acura NsX Pilot]

91 Nsx Blk/Blk

16/17 enkie CDR9's w/ new stock Yokos

Cost $1550.00.......but this was a while ago when we still used to recieve a discount from tires.com