Some thoughts on lighter wheels and LRR tires

[Matt Timion]

A few months ago I spent $250 on a set of Civic HX Rims to eventually go on my civic. They weigh a total of 11.75 pounds each, which is really light.

Now I've also been pricing out tires to go on these things and it looks like a good LRR tire will cost anywhere from $60-$100 each. Add to that the price of mounting the tire combined with the fact that LRR tires get worse handling in snow and rain AND seem to have a shorter life span and I begin wondering if I am just better off sticking with my stock tires.

Right now I have a $250 pile of metal in my garage, and I'm looking at anywhere between $200 and $400 to put rubber on them. The goal, of course, is to squeeze out an additional 1 or 2 mpg. At the rate I drive it would take me years to make up the difference. Literally years. I am also thinking that the reduced handling is a real issue here in Utah where it snows 4 months out of the year and rains off and on the rest of the time (more rain than California at least). Is the extra money worth the reduced safety?

I'm beginning to consider selling my HX rims and putting the money toward my Honda n600. I could buy an apolstry set with that money and get the interior looking all beautiful again. I could also use that money to sandblast and powdercoat the rims and get new tires for my n600 as well.

I'm very open to thoughts and ideas from you guys on this. It just seems that dumping this much money on tires is a bit much.

[Compaq888]

Put the stock tires on the HX rims. You're still losing weight and the engine will have to work less to spin those wheels.

Use the tire money to fix the n600. That way you have both worlds.

Do the generator, wind diffuser, the HX tires, some engine tuning and I'm sure you'll achieve 60mpg.

[Matt Timion]

Originally Posted by Compaq888

Put the stock tires on the HX rims. You're still losing weight and the engine will have to work less to spin those wheels.

Use the tire money to fix the n600. That way you have both worlds.

Do the generator, wind diffuser, the HX tires, some engine tuning and I'm sure you'll achieve 60mpg.

in theory I could do this, but the problem is that the stock tires are 165x75R13 (I think) and I'd be putting 185x60R14 on the HX rims. The HX rims are taller (which is why I want to run 60's instead of 75) and wider, another thing that probably won't help with the fuel economy.

I'm considering waiting until a set of Civic VX rims become available. They are 13 inch rims and I'm sure are the same size as my stock tires. I might be able to get them at a good price or maybe even get a set with the tires still on.

[Compaq888]

I thought the new civic had 15". I even have the brochure, they 15"

[Matt Timion]

Originally Posted by Compaq888

I thought the new civic had 15". I even have the brochure, they 15"

Who said anything about the new Civic? I have rims from the Civic HX which is a late 90's vehicle.

[Compaq888]

oh

[GasSavers_DaX]

MAN - wish I still had my VX wheels, I'd trade you for those HX's!

[Matt Timion]

Originally Posted by DaX

MAN - wish I still had my VX wheels, I'd trade you for those HX's!

Be on the lookout then. hopefully I can get them with tires still on them... it's a long shot but I've seen it on ebay before.

[Matt Timion]

I just found a guy on honda-tech who has VX rims with tires in San Diego. He said he might want to trade for 14 or 15 inch. I emailed him and hopefully he'll want to trade for my HX rims. I might be in Socal this week for a day (work stuff) and I might be able to meet this guy half way. I wonder how airport security will like me bringing a duffle bag with tires in it?

[MetroMPG]

you could get optional 13 in alloys on the last gen metro, and i've been fishing around for info about them recently. but it's hard to find, since so few people ordered them (i only saw one set of alloys in a year of looking for a metro/firefly).

i wish i could have used my vx rims (couldnt - different bolt pattern from the firefly). my steel wheels weigh 14 lbs (and then there's hubcaps). the vx rims are just over 9 lbs. i could have reduced rotating mass 20+ lbs...

that's incredibly light.

i even took them to a machinist i know to see if he would cut my car's bolt pattern into the vx rims, rotated by 45 degrees (so i'd have 8 holes). but he said there wasn't enough metal to do it. the vx rims are so optimized, the backside is "scooped" out wherever metal isn't needed.

ended up selling my vx set, and i probably let them go too cheap. so, enjoy your vx rims guys. i'm envious.