STR 513 15x8

[bondo]

I think I finally made my decision

http://www.ebay.com/itm/STR-RACING-503-WHEELS-15X7-5-4X100-RIMS-ET-10MM-GLOSS-BLACK-/110897027976?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item19d1fa5b88&vxp=mtr

If these rims are 15x7.5 with a 10mm offset they would stick out the same a 15x8 with a 25mm offset right? well at least close

[Advancedynamix]

I think I finally made my decision

http://www.ebay.com/itm/STR-RACING-503-WHEELS-15X7-5-4X100-RIMS-ET-10MM-GLOSS-BLACK-/110897027976?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item19d1fa5b88&vxp=mtr

If these rims are 15x7.5 with a 10mm offset they would stick out the same a 15x8 with a 25mm offset right? well at least close

No, that's not how it works. You run less offset with more width to allow space between the wheel and suspension. If your going with a narrower wheel you'll want more offset. 7.5" wide wheels would be good with a 28mm offset, and -3 degrees camber. It's better though if you get a 35mm offset and adjust with spacers. You can't add offset without a machine shop, but you can subtract it.

[Advancedynamix]

Don't try to control body roll with Spring rate. 120lb in the rear is still very firm, control the body roll with shock length. I suggest using KYB gas adjust shocks for a mk1 vw you'll have to modify the lower mount a bit, but they have firm valving and a much shorter length than Festiva shocks the 1 7/8 coilover sleeves slide right onto them. They work great with 120lb springs.
I suggest you read through my suspension thread, I explain a lot about spring rates and shock length my car easily outhandles supercars while still being comfortable on the street.

[Die-Laughing]

Advancedynamix, You sure sound like you know what you're talking about. I have wheel, tire & suspension money burning a hole in my pocket. I'm looking to put something together in the near future. I'll have to read through some of your stuff before I pull the trigger.

I'm going for an aggressive street fitment. I want the suspension geared towards the street & visual appearance first but, not a total fail on the track. It should be fairly comfortable but, not too soft.

I've been looking a lot at 14" wheels in 114.3 so, I can run them on the car now and then do Capri brakes later and keep the same wheel setup.

I'm not sure If I'm going to have to run fender flares or not yet. I'd like to keep the offset on the low side to keep the wheel/tire out of the suspension and then fine tune my "aggresiveness" with spacer & camber. I am a Machinist and I still feel like this is the way to pull it off, as you said.

I'm starting to confuse myself. Eh.. I just want to get it right the first time.

[Advancedynamix]

Advancedynamix, You sure sound like you know what you're talking about. I have wheel, tire & suspension money burning a hole in my pocket. I'm looking to put something together in the near future. I'll have to read through some of your stuff before I pull the trigger.

I'm going for an aggressive street fitment. I want the suspension geared towards the street & visual appearance first but, not a total fail on the track. It should be fairly comfortable but, not too soft.

I've been looking a lot at 14" wheels in 114.3 so, I can run them on the car now and then do Capri brakes later and keep the same wheel setup.

I'm not sure If I'm going to have to run fender flares or not yet. I'd like to keep the offset on the low side to keep the wheel/tire out of the suspension and then fine tune my "aggresiveness" with spacer & camber. I am a Machinist and I still feel like this is the way to pull it off, as you said.

I'm starting to confuse myself. Eh.. I just want to get it right the first time.

Feel free to PM me any time. I learn new stuff every day, and love to help fellow enthusiasts get the most from their cars. I'm still trying to dial in the perfect setup for stock engine/tranny cars. Though my original spring and shock settings are a huge improvement over stock, the spring rates are too stiff to be optimal on a stock festiva, so i am currently doing most of my testing on a stock 89 4 speed. I always try to tune my suspension to absorb bumps well at a variety of speeds, since fast is a relative term. I never have understood why most "tuner" setups opt to disable the suspension in favor of a rigid chassis. I find it hard to drive fast while being beat up by the track. This being said, my track setup is usually very street friendly. In the case of the Festiva, the stock suspension is so horribly off the mark, it's very easy to improve everything without a sacrifice in comfort.

[bondo]

I found some and there rota rbs! what you think?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/15X8-ROTA-RB-WHEELS-4X100-RIMS-ET35MM-FITS-4-LUG-MIATA-VW-GOLF-JETTA-CABRIOLET-/350487087082?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item519aa887ea&vxp=mtr

[Safety Guy]

I realize those Rotas are 8" wide, but 16.5# still sounds a bit heavy to me. My plans for 15" would involve a wheel no wider than 7" and preferably 6.5" to mount 195/45s on.

I try to keep my combined wheel/tire weight under 30# at each corner. Tires in that size will run at least 18#, so wheel weight needs to be under 13# and preferably under 12#, IMO.

(Some day I'll probably be checking out Konig Lightnings or Heliums in 15 X 6.5" size for my purposes.)

Karl

[deathrace2000]

With what you're going for, the width and offset the RB seem optimal to me. If the +35 is too weak you can ad a little spacer.

[sketchman]

People seem pretty nonchalant about wheel weights in general. The guy at diamond racing wheels even told me it's not really of any concern on a street car.

All about looks. But if the OP does happen to care, I have some of the 14" Konig Lightnings(11.8lbs) that Karl mentioned, and am very satisfied with them. In a 15" the Konig Feathers would be my choice.

If it is just about the look, maybe you should look into some racing steelies. Many offsets(actually backspacing with those) available and nice and WIDE.

[sketchman]

You got me looking at some 13" Bassetts now with some 155/70s to go with them. "A plague on both your houses!"



Also you should check this website out to see how different stretches will look before you do it.

http://tyrestretch.com/

[bondo]

Yeah I dont mind if there that heavy I mean its not that bad, and everyone with a turboed BP complains about traction problems so wouldnt getting a heavier bigger tire/wheel combo be better?

[bondo]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ROTA-RB-RIMS-GUNMETAL-15x7-35-4x100-CIVIC-INTEGRA-MIATA-MINI-JETTA-4-WHEELS-/271211543147?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3f2577ba6b&vxp=mtr

Found these 15x7 with 35mm offset and there cheap

[sketchman]

^No intention of dissing your choices, or anyone else.

But I can't imagine a heavier wheel/tire combo is the best way to get more grip. More weight takes more power to move. So you'd be adding power with a boosted BP and then robbing it with the wheels/tires. Why couldn't you just move the spool up if it's that big a deal, or fit a dual butterfly progressive throttle body or something. But then I have no experience with swapped Festivas either. Most on here know better than me when it comes to making a Festiva grip.

[Advancedynamix]

I know several drivers who prefer heavier wheels. I could go either way depending on the car and the track. My team dynamics wheels (13x7) are 10lbs and only 20 lbs with my 7" slicks mounted. That's about as light as you can get without going with a forged magnesium wheel. I wouldn't say they are drastically better than my 28lb13x5.5 konig/r comp setup. They stick better and roll over much less, but that is due to the extra width and the bias ply slicks

[sketchman]

I guess when you have enough power it becomes less of an issue. My 60hp doesn't like the 14s as well as it did the 12s.