Almost ready to pull the trigger on a new wheel/tire combo, and will most likely go with light weight 17 x 8 inch wheels (SSR Comps). Any brake clearance issues with these wheels or other 17's , and what would the recommended tire width be (245/45/17 looks like it's pretty close to the same diameter as stock, but maybe a slightly smaller diameter will change gearing, and acceleration, for the better). I keep thinking that the wheels will look kind of small compared to the 18's, but performance is more important to me than beauty or bling. Not that the RX-8 could ever be ugly. :D

 

I'm pretty sure the SSR Comps are OK - Brian Goodwin at http://www.good-win-racing.com is using those wheels. Warning, though, not all 17" wheels do clear the front calipers.

I'm also a fan of 17" wheels on the RX-8 - I run the 17" Konig Holes for winter wheels, and the winter wheel/tire combination is 6 lbs lighter per corner than the OEM wheels! The car feels lighter, quicker, more responsive with the lighter wheels/tires. If I were to replace the 18" OEM (summer) wheels, I'd definitely go for light 17s. (There are a couple of prior discussions about the advantages of 17" wheels on the forum as well).

Regards,
Gordon

 

Me too. If and when I replace my factory wheels, I plan to go with light weight 17s.