Why not 17inch wheels

[GB.]

Please forgive my ignorance as my background is in bikes and I`m learning about tuning cars, I`ve sorted my suspension out and struggling to understand why a wheel and tyre of the same overall diameter with a shallower/stiffer sidewall and a bigger footprint doesn`t improve the handling, could some one please explain as more performance cars seem to have very low profile tyres on larger diameter rims?

 

[IntermaN]

All I know that 17 inch wheels on a pre EP chassis will rub when cornering hard. I think that Honda wouldn't spend all their money on their R&D finding out what size wheels will perform best on their chassis, that is why I think that the EK9 has 15" wheels.

 

[blinx9900]

All I know that 17 inch wheels on a pre EP chassis will rub when cornering hard. I think that Honda wouldn't spend all their money on their R&D finding out what size wheels will perform best on their chassis, that is why I think that the EK9 has 15" wheels.

Please stop with that "If Honda made it that way for a reason" nonsense, If your going to use that logic which assumes Honda maximized everything from the factory you shouldn't modify your car AT ALL, you should leave it the way Honda made it.

Truth is Honda has a lot of other things to worry about than just raw performance, things like warrenty/mpg/emissisons/profit/sales/marketing/etc...

Please forgive my ignorance as my background is in bikes and I`m learning about tuning cars, I`ve sorted my suspension out and struggling to understand why a wheel and tyre of the same overall diameter with a shallower/stiffer sidewall and a bigger footprint doesn`t improve the handling, could some one please explain as more performance cars seem to have very low profile tyres on larger diameter rims?

Who told you it wont handle better? If done correctly (offset, weight, width, etc) it absolutely will handle better! IIRC Hasport Integra ran 17x9 wheels, user timmiblc also has 17" wheels on his racecar, 17x9 iirc.

 

[GB.]

Who told you it wont handle better? If done correctly (offset, weight, width, etc) it absolutely will handle better! IIRC Hasport Integra ran 17x9 wheels, user timmiblc also has 17" wheels on his racecar, 17x9 iirc.

Ok, what offset and width would I need on my EK4 VTI? The tyre size I have in mind is 205/40 this seems to be a size which has a decent selection of tyre choice?

 

[GB.]

No info on offset then

 

[E-EK4]

although honda did a brilliant job on the ek9 like blinx says they certainly didnt make it for jus one person possibly the reason it was so succesful was its ability to out perform most other n/a cars on power/weight yet still did good mpg and was practical along wid price etc.. but the reason the ek9 had 15s was not that they were best why do u think they have dulled down the k20 from the factory etc ant cause its quicker cause its more user friendly an i guess attracts a wider varitly of customers?? all i kno is mine had 17s on wen imported an my m8 who had it has had 10 honda's said it handled AMAZING didnt bottom out once but the arches rolled coilovers set up to weight of car and they were 205/17/35 so i doubt ud get 40 profile on as they in arches proper now i have 195/15/50 have also had 45s parada spec 2s are GOOD (dry) but its too low really handles like a house fly but hit a bump at over a buck an it turns into a jump lol my m8s H22 prelude had 15s he stuck on 17s wid 40 profile 205 handles alot better goes over a bump tat i bottom out over 80 he did a 115 wid me init honest the difference 2 inchs of ground clearence makes wel blinx was bit harsh but sounds very wise i'd listen to him ;-) good luck n why not middle in middle 16s mite be perfect wid the right set up its just a case of money i guess wel PEACE!!

 

[Ben_Andersonâ„¢]

There is nothing wrong with 17's !

I think it was ragingangle said that 17's are fine if you have the power to use them then why not !

Remeber if you have say a 450whp civic then increasing the rolling radius will give you longer gear ratio's and in turn this wil give you more top speed.

I mean if i had a 450whp civic i wouldnt want a really close gearbox like if i had a 1.6 NA civic. Id want to do 170mph !

I think some 17's look amazing like advan rg's for example. There was a guy who posted some photo's of his ek9 with 17'' advan rg's.

Personally i would have 16's for the street coz it would look great slammed on them and a set of 17's for the track as i want to build a 300+whp ek9 and i think it would be fine to increase the rolling radius.

 

[rvm]

17s are ok, I just installed 17" inch wheels with a friend on his 97 ek9; with a 30 mm spacers to use full slicks in next race..

As said on this thread, 17 inchs are ok if you have the power to make all use of them.

I've seen with my mechanic that 17" inch wheels (on a ek/ej civic) deteriorates with time (and a lot of mileage) the axles, oh well, if this happens, just change them..

 

[E-EK4]

I just thought i'd wack a pic of my car on 17's n 15's!

 

[Vtec6000]

Please stop with that "If Honda made it that way for a reason" nonsense, If your going to use that logic which assumes Honda maximized everything from the factory you shouldn't modify your car AT ALL, you should leave it the way Honda made it.

Truth is Honda has a lot of other things to worry about than just raw performance, things like warrenty/mpg/emissisons/profit/sales/marketing/etc...


Well said.

 

[Captain EK9]

Makes the cars slower