Aspire swap - junkyard wheels/tires - no power

[danwheeler]

Finally got my front-end converted over to Aspire stuff and also brought home some 13" wheels I found laying around the junkyard Aspire. (175/70/13)

Previously I was running 13x6 Aero race wheels with Sumitomo HTR-200s. (185/60/13) Great combo and no reduction of power compared to stock wheels and tires. Only problem was vibration due to the Aero wheels not being hub-centric.

Now that I have the junkyard wheels which look quite a bit bigger than the sumitomos I'm having trouble getting up hills in 5th which never happened before. I'm still at work so haven't had a chance to compare weight but does anyone know what the stock aspire steel wheels weigh? are they unusually heavy?

I was hoping I could get away with using stock steelies w/ hi performance tires but now i'm not so sure. I dont understand why they would be so much different than the Aero/Sumitomo combo. is it the tires or the wheels? something must be heavier causing my power problems. Or could it be gearing due to increased tire diameter?

open to any suggestions or thoughts. I'm on the lookout for some stock CRX wheels. I thought I read these were 7lbs?

thanks,
dan

[FB71]

CRX HF wheels are 9lbs each. Non HF civic wheels are 11-12lbs each.

However, it's definately the diameter that is causing your issues.

[FestYboy]

taller tire = reduction in percieved gear ratio pluss a taller tire is harder to get rotating.

[danwheeler]

thanks, makes sense. so if i were to go to a light 14" wheel with same overall diameter as stock i should be OK then? (besides the bumpy ride from a super low profile tire)

What is an HF wheel? and where can i find them?

[danwheeler]

actually i guess what i should do first is remove the tire from the junkyard wheel and weigh the wheel. if it's not excessively heavy i'll just use those wheels and go to a 175/50/13. thats even smaller than stock. i wonder how that would handle and feel?

[Silv3rBull3t]

People have them and love them. Personally I have Sumitomo 185/60/13's on my VX Civic Wheels and I love the size. They are just about brand new but I am moving onto an R Compound for my street tires so they are now up for sale. PM me if interested. -Kyle

[Mike McKown]

It is not the weight of the wheel that is causing your problem, it's the diameter of the wheel/tire combo changing your gear ratio. If you can't pull a hill in fifth gear, take it down a notch on the shifter or go back to stock diameter tires.

The weight of the wheel would only affect acceleration/deceleration.

thanks, makes sense. so if i were to go to a light 14" wheel with same overall diameter as stock i should be OK then? (besides the bumpy ride from a super low profile tire)

What is an HF wheel? and where can i find them?