Speed Racer

Stock 18" vs. Kazera KZ-V 17"

Wing

Looks good!

canzoomer

I went with Core Rcing wheels in 7"x17" and Nokian Hakka WR all season/winter tires in 225/45/17 H

Cost of the wheels are a real deal at $130 each (Canadian, about $100 US) Tires were $231 Canadian each ( about $170 US)

Clearances are good.
Went with a 38mm offset.
Going from 50mm offset and 8" wheels you need to reduce offset by about 12mm to maintain the same wheel centre offset.
So 38mm is the correct offset for a 7" wide wheel.
Lots of room behind the wheels and to the brake calipers.

Picture 1:

canzoomer

Picture 2:

canzoomer

Picture 3:

canzoomer

Picture 4 (last one):

Gord96BRG

Those are nice looking wheels, canzoomer!

(Yours too, Speed Racer)

Sharky

Nice wheels Canzoomer. Which retailer did you go with? If I can get those wheels for $130 each I'll order them too no question. Thanks. S.

canzoomer

KAL Tire.

Product code is S216770138H5BH

Regular price $155, RX-8 group buy price $130

http://www.kaltire.com/

Sharky

Thanks canzoomer. I'll try to get the same deal from them. I didn't find any retailers in Toronto but I assume they'll deliver here.

canzoomer

I guess they will ship..

Want me to check for you?

canzoomer

I talked with the guy i dealt with at the local KAL Tire in Edmonton.
The regular price of these wheels, (Core Racing S216) is $159

They will honour a group buy price of $130 if I organize it and we make one purchase.

Other stores may or may not honour that, depending on how they feel about it.

They will ship in Canada.

One can contact the Edmonton, store at 780-451-5417 and speak to Orest

Hope this helps!

Sharky

Thanks for the info canzoomer. I went to their web site and emailed them asking if I could get the same deal shipped to me. The answer was, and I quote: "Our business is all conducted out of our retail locations. Nearest to you is Thunder Bay. I'm afraid that we are too far from you to satisfy your purchasing needs."

I guess the concept of shipping is foreign to them! My search continues. I'll probably go with Talon Tire but damn I like those Core Racing wheels you've got!

canzoomer

I talked to the Edmonton store and they said they have no problems with shipping.
Each store is independantly managed I would guess..

780-451-5417
Ask for Orest

Gord96BRG

My winter wheels and tires have arrived! 17" Konig Holes (graphite w/polished rim), and Toyo Garit HT 215/55-17. Picture 1:

Gord96BRG

Set courtesy www.tiretrends.com - ask for Bob, mention Gord from Calgary sent you!

Picture 2:

Gord96BRG

Bonus result: the 17" Holes/Garit HT combo weighs 35.2 lbs - the OEM 18"/RE-040 combo weighs 41.2 lbs! These are 6 lbs lighter per corner.

Picture 3 - clearance is tight at front caliper, but it does clear!:

Speed Racer

Gord,
Nice job with the Konig Holes. I think that they look great on your car.

Sharky

Gord,

The wheels look great! Have you noticed any difference in handling with the lighter wheels? How is the road noise and cornering grip on those tires? I'm about to order the same tires so wondering if you're impressed with them so far. Thx. S.

Gord96BRG

The ride with the lighter wheels/tires does seem smoother. It's too early to tell how the cornering will be - they're still slick with the mould release compound (need to be broken in a few hundred km). Right now they feel pretty squirrely! Noise is pretty low - slightly noisier than the summer tires perhaps, but no howl like some winter tires!

Regards,
Gordon

Literatii

Is there any further comment on the 38mm vs 45mm offset?

Canada

Remember tomorrow Oct. 31 is the last day to order & get the group discount on the FRD06 or FRD30 winter weels from Talon Tire. For details see my post of Oct 13 in the Talon Tire thread:

https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.p...5&pagenumber=3

StealthTL

iTrader: (1)

Gord, Gord,......fantastic wheels, but you gotta do SOMETHING with those butt-ugly calipers!

Contrasting them with that deep dark wheel trim just makes them look......egregious. Sorry, storng words, but it had to be said!

Come on Gord, silver, grey, even a coat of heat-radiant matt black?

Come to the 'rice' side, Luke.....


S

canzoomer

One thing to consider:
If you are going from an 8" wide summer wheel to a 7" wide winter wheel, then the wheel width is 25mm smaller.

Therefore the centre of the tire is 12mm different.

This means that with a 7" wide winter wheel you need a 38mm offset instead of a 50.

Gord96BRG

:p I know, I know, I was seriously considering doing them up in gloss black when I mounted the winter wheels.

But - I don't have clearance between the caliper and winter wheels for a coat of paint! Seriously! On the left side wheels, they mounted some stick-on weights at exactly the point of minimum clearance, and the weights rubbed ever so slightly against the caliper. I wore off a mm or two from one-third the width of the stick-on weights in the first 10 km drive or so. I'll have to get the weights moved inboard an inch or so to get clearance for the coat of paint. Maybe next summer. :D

Regards,
Gordon