Tire and rim weights

[samwichse]

You want really lightweight 4" rims, get the OEM Honda Insight spare rim... it's aluminum alloy, aero, and weighs almost nothing.

Even better? It's BRIGHT YELLOW.

2000 Honda Insight Spare Tire Wheel 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 | eBay

[Ecky]

Originally Posted by Baltothewolf

For 14" I would definitely go either HX rims or Insight rims. I believe that a HX rim with a new RE92 on it is less than 20lbs. Insight rim is like .75-1.25lbs heavier.

Best info I can find is that 14" HX rims are ~11.5lbs, and 13" VX rims are ~9.75lbs.

Most claim Insight wheels are ~11lbs, but they have the advantage of not needing smooth wheel covers. MetroMPG weighed some Insight rims and tires and came up with ~9lbs for the rims alone, but his scale was uncalibrated. However, I've seen several reports of Insight wheel + tires weighing in at approximately 22lbs, and officially, RE92's weigh 13lbs, which agrees with MetroMPG's measurements.

Eli over on InsightCentral made this spreadsheet with rim weights:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...CNKaoIED#gid=0

[BlueFoot]

I was looking at rims for my car and the lightest ones I found were Enkei Racing RPF1's. 9.5 lbs.

http://www.tirerack.com/wheels/Wheel...9&autoModClar=

[Chrysler kid]

Originally Posted by BlueFoot

I was looking at rims for my car and the lightest ones I found were Enkei Racing RPF1's. 9.5 lbs.

http://www.tirerack.com/wheels/Wheel...9&autoModClar=

Yeah or you could save $800 and just buy the factory enkei civic vx/hx wheels.

You will need to run a spacer and slightly smooth over your brake caliper but the hx wheels will fit the fit

[samwichse]

Originally Posted by Chrysler kid

Yes but acceleration in general is not a linear aspect, those hills you drive up on the highway are now going to take twice the effort to climb, so what you see in benefit from coasting may quickly turn into loss from trying to stay at speed up hills

This is not correct.

[BlueFoot]

Originally Posted by Chrysler kid

Yeah or you could save $800 and just buy the factory enkei civic vx/hx wheels.

You will need to run a spacer and slightly smooth over your brake caliper but the hx wheels will fit the fit

Yeah, the RPF1's are pretty pricy. Aren't the vx/hx wheels 14"? Those RFP1's are 15. The fit is already geared terribly low. Smaller wheels would make it worse.

[BabyDiesel]

I was looking at the Insight rims, both the stock alloys and spares. They are asking a high prices for them though, when the one I have cost only $20 a piece, and 1 came with the car One thing I stall at is running a 5" wide tire on a 5.5" rim. It seems to me like the tread would already be in a position to wear more on the outside. This would be magnified with the RE92s.

Great info in that spreadsheet, Ecky! Thanks a bunch

Chrysler Kid, I would love to run the VX wheels, but they are 13s. Which means less tire selection, and not Re92s.

Samwichse, can you explain why Chrysler Kid is incorrect in his posting that acceleration is not linear?

I had an idea on the way home last night. Being in the classic truck world for a while, I have seen people take the stock 15x8 steel wheels and add on to them to make them 15x10 and even 15x12. To put this in the Eco-perspective, why not take my Aluminum MX-3 wheels and have them modified skinnier, to 14x4 or so? I know aluminum can be welded and know welders who might could make this happen.

Thoughts?

[BabyDiesel]

Originally Posted by BlueFoot

Yeah, the RPF1's are pretty pricy. Aren't the vx/hx wheels 14"? Those RFP1's are 15. The fit is already geared terribly low. Smaller wheels would make it worse.

Vx wheels are 13, hx wheels are 14s

Wheels have nothing to do with gearing. That is determined from the overall tire size. If you decrease the aspect ratio proportionally to increasing wheel size, then your gearing is left close to the same.

[Chrysler kid]

Originally Posted by samwichse

This is not correct.

yes it is.

[BabyDiesel]

I found this doing a quick Google search: Narrow your rims!. I am going to contact these guys and get a quote on how much it will be to take 1.5" off of my MX-3 alloy wheels. I expect it to be cheaper than getting a set of Insight spares or RPF1's.