Ok first my other thread was starting to go off the deep end! The real reason I asked if anybody had 18’s on their FC was because I wanted to know if anybody was autoX with 18’s. Not weather you thought it looked stupid or flaming on somebody’s choice of what they think looks good. I am about to purchase a set of new rims and wanted 17’s but I can’t find the widths I want without paying $3,200.00 just for the rims. In 18’s it seems to be easier to find the widths I want for half the price and that’s with tires. I DON’T drag race (1/4 mile) this is a GXL I’m talking about, daily driver and autox on weekends and an occasional trip to our local road course track at No Problem raceway. I want the width for traction in corning not because I have a N/A FC pushing 400hp (only in my dreams). Oh, and as far as those guys that reply with the statement that I should do a search before asking a question. Well if I search before ask any question on this club witch most of the time I do. I still can’t find the exact answer that I’m looking for. Also, this statement that is always made to almost every question asked on this club witch leads me to believe that we must have covered every issue that ever came up about a RX7. So why isn’t this club just a huge archive without the ability of posting threads! Sorry, that really burns my *** when someone says that! For those people simply don’t reply on move on to the next thread! Back to the issue, I realize the weight of the rim will effect horsepower but isn’t that the same theory of lightweight flywheels? It doesn’t gain or lose horsepower just makes it more or less available horsepower. I am also installing a lightweight flywheel (12lb) so that might help bring back some of the availability of horsepower. I'm just tired of the way my 15” BBS vert wheels look on the rear. When I put my lowering springs on it will probably look worse. More than likely Ill keep the BBS vert wheels (12lb without tires) for auto crossing and have my 17” or 18” for looks on the street! Here is a picture of my 90 GXL sorry about the picture quality I took it with my camera phone this morning.

 

Nobody auto crosses with anything bigger than 16" wheels, and most of the winning auto crossers use 15" wheels on FCs

 

ROTORYFORCE13B i got 18's on my fc they are light weight racing MSR's, tires suck *** for traction KUMO EXtacys 225/40/z rated, next time i will buy TOYO's
i got a good deal on them only 1,125.00 .. installed balanced etc
by the way *(rotoryforce 13 b )* you didn't have to write a book , just to ask someone about autoxing with 18's ....

 

I autocross with 17s.

 

I've used 16s and 15s with the same width tires. Overall the 16s had more grip potential IMO but I needed spacers for them because of the tapered front springs. Spacers = increased scrub radius = heavier steering effort = slower steering around tight slaloms.

With coilovers on the front, I would use 16s for autocross (so I could keep the stock 40mm offset).

 

Yeah but are you winning???

 

WRONG, search the Tripoint triple national championship FP car, 17x10/17x11.
Also, check The BP National Champ Steve O'Blenes set-up, the year he won, 17x10/17x11.

That said, I run 16x12s, and those cars are using 16s now, but the Championships were won on 17s, The End...

 

Use the 18's on the street and get some 16x10's or 17's for auto-x.

 

DP

 

And, if you are talking NA, they do not generally win, and AFAIK none have won a national championship in stock, or Street prepared. In the day TIIs competed against Lotus Elans, and Porsche 911s in ASP

 

Here are the tires I run on my 16X12s

 

Those ar damn wide. How much do they run you?

 

hey carl... what high school did u go to? i know it off topic.. but ur name sounds familar

 

I buy the tires from a couple of 935 porsche Historic teams for ~65.00 each(250.00 new) for Bias Ply, Radials are 75.00(450.00 new, each) I went to high school in Newport Rhode Island(St Georges prep).

 

No, but that's because I suck.

 

Or maybe its not you, but rather your wheel and tires

And everyone else.. okay so I was mistaken there are several people doing autoX with 17 wheels (not sure why... but that is anotehr story).

 

I guarantee the car will come off the corners harder with 15's and 45 series hoosiers, compared to 16s or 17s with the same sidewall profile.

 

I'm sure Tripoint, and Steve O'blenes(owners of 4 national AX titles in FCs between them) will be calling all you guys for suspension advice any moment now Seriously, look at any modern production performance car, any Lemans Prototype, any DTM car, any AU Supercar, all JGTC cars, World Challenge, Grand AM, Super Cup, The only time you see smaller sizes is as a cost containment measure, and Historics. Granted, FCs nearly qualify for the Historics, but do you really think they are doing it for looks???18" wheels ALL. That is the end of this story.(that little dot is a period) Warmest regards, Carl

 

The issue there is the ability to match gearing and the need to clear bigger than stock brakes. If FC rear axle ratios were as easy to change as on a ford rear, the gearing issue wouldn't exist. If FC big brake kits were available and economical, the wheels would have a functional place on a street driven sports car.

Pure race machines can redesign the machine for the potential gains of larger brakes and wheels, but slap those 17s or 18s on an otherwise unchanged FC, and unless you had traction issues to begin with on 15x8 or 15x10 race rims, the larger wheels will change gearing and add rotational inertia with no gains in braking or traction.

 

MOO!!!!!!
i like my 16's the way they are, no need for big bling, just wish they where F**King wider!!!!
lots of good point in this thread

 

word...

(actually I just wanted to see my new sig and avatar, lol)

unhh, 18's represent!!!

 

lol thats below the belt
harsh

 

Its a little playful banter between Moderators...

And it makes my point.

You have all these [insert derogitory word here] people claiming "oh 18" wheels are the way to go as all race cars have them" and yet they miss the facts that to win both in road racing and autoX you need wheels that hold traction and nothing more. Anyone that has driven on a good set of 15 or 16 inch wheels with a good low profile tire can show you the same or better traction than 17 or 18 inch ON A STREET BASED FC with somewhat near stock power levels (no more than hp more than stock HP).

Sure some people think they look cool, but that is about it. Ride suffers, cornering suffers, power and accelleration suffers with 18' wheels (and even many 17" wheels).

Now all that said, if you spent money or like the look nothing is going to convince you otherwise. So don't come back and bitch that "you can do it just fine" I am sure you can in your little world.

And that is my whole point. So I am done with this restarted dumb thread, and won't be back unless it needs to be closed.

 

Whenever I do what I have planned for my car and get some 18's, I'll keep my 15's for track use, only I'll have them widened. I read somewhere on here that there is a company that does it professionally and can add 2" of width safely. I want the look of wide, deep 18's with the widebody fenders I'll be getting (at some point), so I'm one of the guys that'll want them for the street.

 

Why dont you just close it Icemark........Sorry for posting such a DUMB thread!