I need your opinion and I'll send $20 via PayPal to the person with the most helpful response!!

I currently have 18x8" Mille Miglia EV-R wheels. They look very nice--very aggressive--but are on the heavy side. Probably 25 lbs each. I'm running 235/45/18 tires, so the tire height is exactly the same as the stock 17" sport tire.

I'm feeling upgraditis and would like to fulfill one or both of the following: (1) reduce my wheel weight, (2) provide more rubber for the rubber for the rear wheels since I have a supercharger.

Option #1:
--------------

The lightweight wheels that seem to best match what I'm looking for in looks, weight, and price are the SSR Competition wheels. However, all that I've been able to find in offsets that work with the sedan are 18x7.5 +42 rims. In other words, the height is good and the offset works, but it won't allow me to go any wider than the 235/45/18 that I'm already running. However, these rims only weigh 15 pounds each and they look great, IMO. For autocross, track, and street driving these wheels would be fine. For best 0-60 times and trips to the drag strip these wheels aren't going to be wide enough but I could buy a dedicated set of drag wheels for those times. So, option #1 is to buy a set of 4 SSR Comp wheels, use my existing tires, and buy a set of dedicated drag rear wheels for the occasional trip to the strip. Cost would be roughly $1600 for the SSRs and another $1000 or so for drag radials/rims if I end up spending time on the strip.

Option #2
---------------

My ideal tire size is 235/45/18 front and 265/40/18 rear. By my calculation, the ideal rims for those tires would be 18/8 +38 and 18x9 +48. Something like that. So option number two is to try to find lightweight rims that look similar in style to the SSRs (I also like iForged Aeros, Volk SF Challenge to give you an idea of what I like). Assuming I get the same brand of tires in the front and back, that means a whole new set of rims and tires and something like $550+ per rim and $200+ per tire. So about $3000 bucks--assuming I can find what I like in offsets that will fit the sedan.

My requirements regardless are:

- Must be a 5- or 6-spoke wheel with a machined lip
- Must be an 18" wheel (except the drag radials)
- Offsets must properly fit the sedan
- If I can't find that exact size and style then I'll just stick with what I've got or go with option #1.

Ideas? Any other options? Again, I'll send $20 via PayPal to the person who provides the most helpful response!

--Steve

 

BTW, here's what my current wheels look like (top) and also what the SSR Comps look like (bottom).



186188-mmevr.jpg

 

SSR Competition:



186190-ssrcomp.jpg

 

you may want to take a look at iforged. let me know if you like something there i can get you deal. iforged.com

 

My opinion: I would go with Gram light 57F Pro's. This is what I am getting, and I liked the Volk SF Challenges too. Here is a link to the offsets and the sedan offset chart (I can email you a better copy of the sedan offset chart if you would like). I would go with the 18x8 in a 37 and the 18x9 in a 47. Beatuiful wheel, forged, two piece, light weight, decent price, perfect fit. Gunmetal would be my pick.

http://www.gramlights.com/wheels/57f...roappguide.htm

https://g35driver.com/forums/showfla...sed&sb=5&part=

'03.5 Brilliant Silver AT Sedan, Premium, Aero Kit/Package, Sport, Winter, Stillen Air Box, Z pipe, Clear Corners, Alum. Pedals, Polk Tweeters, Clifford RSX 3.5, Gram Light 57F Pro's (on the way!)

 

khsonic03: The Gram Light 57F Pros look sweet and the 18x8 +37 and 18x9 +47 works well. From whom did you get them and at what price? PM me if you don't want to publish the number on the forum.

 

damen: if you are an iForged dealer or know a reputable one, please PM me. I'm looking for 18x8 +38 and 18x9 +48... something like that.

--Steve

 

I would definitely go with iforged wheels. Sinced they make the wheels custom for your car, you can get fitments to ensure the correct look. They take into account if you have big brake kits, if your car is lowered, size lip you can achieve with your car, if you want to run a staggered set-up, etc...



186251-myG-10.jpg

 

What about Gram lights 57S in 18x7.5 +48 in the front and 18x8.5 +40 in the rear. You could run 225s front and 255 rear.

2003 Brilliant Silver Sedan 6MT

 

tedtf, I might end up doing something like that because I'm having a hard time finding a 18x9" wheel with a large enough offset (i.e. +47 or higher) to stay under the fender. However, I would much prefer 265/40/18 over 255/40/18 for reasons of both wheel height and width.

I checked on GramLight 57F-Pro wheels and there are two problems... First of all they weigh about 3 pounds more than the other Volk wheels and second that particular wheel is in the process of being transition to Roja rather than Rays/Volk. So, nobody has it in stock and nobody can get it yet.

In the meantime, I continue to look for a 5- or 6-spoke wheel with a lip that comes in 18x9 +48 or so.

--Steve

 

ok, just make sure you consider a smaller wheel diameter, say 17x8 OZ superleggera's? They are light (around 17 lbs), and the reduced wheel diameter and bigger sidewall height would allow you to get 255/45's on (same amount of width as you can with a 18x8.5" wheel).

By the way 255/45/17 is only 1.1 % off of the stock speedo reading

If you are looking for the best launches a little extra sidewall helps alot. If you want cornering then stay with the 18" wheels

But on the good side the OZ's and either Dunlop SP9000 or Goodyear F1 GS D3's as a wheel tire package can be had for under 2000.00 thru tirerack. That probably gives you enough money to buy drag radials and a set of 15x10 aluminum drag rims as well.

In short a 17x8 with a 255/45/17 tire (available in +35 and +40 offset I believe) all the way around would look good, put more rubber to the road, be sufficient for your SC, help manage understeer better than a staggered setup, cost much less (around 280.00 less total (price of 1 drag radial and 1 rim)), and save you THIRTY TWO POUNDS over your current setup. You go the whichever way you want but that is my opinion. Ride quality will probably be better with a 255/45/17 than a 35 series tire of any width .

Sean


Better Life thru Chemistry
Black on Black 03.5 Sedan 6MT - Custom Catback, Custom Intake Tube, HyperGround Kit

 

Who did you speak to about the Gram Lights? I just ordered 19x8 and 19x8.5's with no problems. They will be here in April. I ordered at the end of January. Unless the 18" wheels are different than the 19's, I don't think that info is correct.

'03.5 Brilliant Silver AT Sedan, Premium, Aero Kit/Package, Sport, Winter, Stillen Air Box, Z pipe, Clear Corners, Alum. Pedals, Polk Tweeters, Clifford RSX 3.5, Gram Light 57F Pro's (on the way!)

 

khsonic03: I spoke to Mike at the place you referred me to. He said the Gram Light 57F pro only was being transitioned out. He couldn't give me an ETA or anything and they had nothing in stock in my desired offsets in 18".

--Steve

 

Wow, I guess you were right. I called up Mike today, and he said that I just made the cutoff for the Gram Lights I ordered. I guess they decided this on the first of Feb. ( I ordered like Jan. 28th) I guess that's good, unless I have problems with the wheels. I would go with the SF Challenges if that's the case. I'll check the offsets when I get a chance.

'03.5 Brilliant Silver AT Sedan, Premium, Aero Kit/Package, Sport, Winter, Stillen Air Box, Z pipe, Clear Corners, Alum. Pedals, Polk Tweeters, Clifford RSX 3.5, Gram Light 57F Pro's (on the way!)

 

hey steve,
here's my advice: keep what ya got, put the $ into your IRA account and it'll grow to 3 trillion dollars by the time you retire. It'd be 4 trillion if you didn't give me the $20, but ya gotta spend money to make money, right? :-)

I shouldn't talk. I got a set of the Racing Harts CP-F Tuned 19's coming for my coupe. http://www.my350z.com/forum/showthre...threadid=54078

19x9 and 19x10.5 weighing only 19 and 20 lbs. I don't think they make one a set for the sedan though.


Do I get the $20? :-)
<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small"><EM>Edited by al503 on 02/11/04 10:49 AM.</EM></FONT></P>