forced to buy wheels sooner than I'd like, need advice
 

I have a bent wheel and bad bearings that aren't covered by warranty, so I'm getting new wheels...I was going to save up money and do more research, but my hand is being forced now. I need to choose a wheel size and tire combo, but I am having trouble learning from other threads. There are so many choices and I don't know how to decide what's best for me. Sorry for all the questions, and thank you for any advice you have.

I don't have much money, so I think I'm going for RPF1's for cost/performance. Are there any other wheels out there that come close to RPF1's in price/quality/weight? I haven't found any.

For size, I wish I knew what the most popular, middle-of-the-road size is for good handling and lots of tire options, but it seems like lots of sizes are "fine". On sportbikes, you basically had one wheel and tire size for your bike, you can maaaybe go a little wider on the rear tire, but if you change much, your handling will suffer a lot. That's why when I see all these threads where people are shouting out all these different wheel sizes and saying "cool wheels dude" I'm like, how the hell am I gonna pick one...

I don't want a wide wheel and too much grip. I don't want a big diameter for looks, I just want good solid performance and hopefully be able to fit brembos in the future. Is 17x8x45 a good choice? or 17x7x42?

I was hoping to stay on the stock setup a long time and learn to drift via autocross, so I'm hoping for a wheel size that'll still be good for that, but will fit some good track tires in the future. Thanks again for reading.

if a big brake kit is a possibility in your future, the easiest way to clear them is with 18's. not all, but more often than not. there are some 17's that will clear, but it's less consistent.

for starters, your best bet is to check the pp brembo clearance thread here:
http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=135328

wheels are just as much personal styling as it is cost. first things first, narrow down the particular style you want (lip/no lip, how many spokes, color), and then start checking available options that check off those boxes.

also, be sure to run the new wheel dimensions through this:
https://www.ft86motorsports.com/wheelitfit/

it will tell you if the wheel will clear the stock suspension, or if you'd need to be on coilovers to get the wheels to fit.

Why not get an OEM single wheel from eBay Craigslist etc first. Buy something nice when you have the money and research ready.

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk

I thought about getting another OEM wheel, but I guess I'm salty about pouring any money into the stock setup. I can afford the RPF1's, so I figure if I can decide which ones, I'll be ready for the upgrade and happy with it.

17x7 since you mention autox will be CS/DS legal and you'll save a few bucks sticking with 215 tires instead of 225s

17x8 bump you to STX which is a higher prep level with well modified cars that will be tougher to keep up with without dumping a few grand more into the car. They use 17x9s with 245/40 tires typically. You can always sell them later.

Check out 949 6ULs as an alternative.

Konig has some flow formed, lightweight wheels in 17x8 +40. Great designs too. Can’t really go wrong with them. Advanti too

You could find a set of performance pack wheels pretty reasonably. TSW or apex could probably be included in your search for that fitment and price range.

Going to second the konig wheels. With a simple 3mm slip on spacer clears RR sport BBk with plenty of room

Sent from my GM1915 using Tapatalk

You know more than i do about auto-x. If he installs a bbk, and/or coilovers, doesn't that also bump him up to the next category even if he were to get 17x7 wheels?

BBk is not needed. He has PP so brembos already installed. Most autocross events have there own rules but unless he is compeating neither should matter

Sent from my GM1915 using Tapatalk

I see. I read his original post that he was looking to upgrade to brembos in the future and wanted the new wheels to clear them

Your right. I will go stand in the corner. Its way past my bedtime. But all the damn idiots shooting fireworks off best me makes it hard to fall asleep [emoji1787]

Sent from my GM1915 using Tapatalk

you are in the right mindset thinking abt enkei, or at least a similar mindset to my own. however, plot twist, wheel weight isnt as important at people think. wheel rigidity is the underdog. but if your DD, it doesnt matter either way, but id still get a quality wheel like rpf1(overran imho, but i understand why) or pf01. im on enkei ts10 18x8 fwiw.

give page three a quick read through, i started a thread a while ago talking about wheel weight, and some great info was given

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showt...=138004&page=3

https://www.ravspec.com/wp-content/u...4dceccd4_o.jpg

I missed the comment about Brembos, however at least in NorCal (not sure about Socal or Canada, depending on what CA means in his profile) local autoxers shouldn't hassle him about just Brembos in CS because they typically just add weight to the car and lighten the wallet and he'll get decimated by the ND Miatas that show up.

Hey, thanks for all the tips guys! I'm only interested in autocross to practice skills, not even worried about competing in certain classes at this point. But good to know!

I am realizing I should just get an OEM wheel for now, and save up for when I have more time/money/knowledge to make a decision. It's cool there are so many options, but also means I shouldn't make a rushed choice. Thanks again!

Does this seem like a legit deal? I have no idea if this is a decent price, or if it's a reputable seller.

https://midwestwheelandtire.com/prod...RoCQ1wQAvD_BwE

200 is about right, considering you can get a 17x9 rpf1 for 266 from vivid racing. But ur in California right? That a hot spot for these cars. I'm sure you could get a used one with a tire on it for 50 around you. Look on fb, check the cal for sale threads etc.

You might call Tirerack and ask if they have closeouts, I got two set quite cheep for my track tires. They will send with tires balanced to your door.
Mine were black with blue pin strips that matched my car color.

One more question on this--is it worth the extra $$ to get a pair of front wheels instead of just one side? The shop is telling me if I can afford it, it's always better to get a pair because different batches of wheels won't match as well, they'll be slightly different within the tolerances.

I get the idea, but do you think it would be enough to make any real difference? To me it only matters if it would affect the handling or cause wear and tear to other parts.

Unlikely to be any issues. A defective wheel being out of round is rare, not sure what else could come up that would be a concern.

Have you tried scouting local online ads?
You can score a set of OEM wheels used dirt cheap. A few hundred at most for a full set(often includes the tires too)

It'll be less expensive to buy someone's used stock wheels. I am sure someone near you has a set they are not using any more. That way if anything else stupid happens you'll have an extra wheel already on hand.

I have Niche 18x8 inch wheels and they are a very good fit. I don't know the offset off hand, but the front is perfectly flush, but back is tucked a bit and could use a 1/2 spacer but I don't wanna do that. If you are all about performance you should stay with 17s and not go bigger. However, I think 18s looks the best. The performance increase of going with a lightweight 17 inch aftermarket wheel is negligible to very minor at best in comparison to 18s. I would stay away from 19s personally as they will reduce ride quality the most, risk rubbing, and arguably look too big. Going with 18x8s lets you run a wide range of tires. I can pretty much run what I want with no risk of rubbing. In terms of looks, I wouldn't go with anything smaller than an 18x8. Also, many people run a 9 inch wide wheel but it has really been shown that a 9 inch wide wheel is completely unnecessary unless you are forced induction. A 9 inch wide wheel is really only for looks/forced induction cars and you run the risk of rubbing, especially on stock suspension and depending on the offset. I run 235-40-18 tire and as long as its a good tire it is much more grip than you really need on a stock car. Check out the wheel size calculator on here in case no one mentioned it.