How much of a difference does it really make? Where is the point at which too light is not feasible for a daily driver subjected to pot-holes and other road hazards?

 

Any wheel can be subjected to bends and cracks no matter what pothole or road hazards you hit.

But when I switched from 17lb 16s to 13lb 15s I noticed a huge difference even if I went from a better geared 215/40x16" to a 205/50x15" which is closer to stock diameter.

Any weight you take off your driveline, braking, and suspension components wil make the car respond quicker. Going from 17s to 15s was also a huge difference.

 

Wow, so you actually went up to 17s and then back down to 15s? I'm fairly new to this board, but I've already noticed your opinion appears to be one of the more respected, so here's my next question:

If I'm not planning on autocrossing and I just want to have better than average performance and handling... where does that leave me? (oh and I want some phat wheels to get all that) hehe Does that mean I should stay away from 17s? I have been looking at all 17s so far...

 

The size of the rim doesnt matter if you have sh!tty tires. They are what actually make contact with the pavement.

 

I understand that, it's kind of a given... I just have heard a few horror stories about guys dropping 2Gs on new wheels and tires and then two weeks later having to order wheel to replace the one that bent when they hit a pot-hole.

It's been my understanding that lighter is better for performance, but the lighter you go the more susceptible to damage your wheel becomes. I guess I was kind of hoping someone would have some knowledge or experience to tell me where the balance point is between the two...

 

No, spending $5000 on wheels or $500 on wheels will make no difference in how weak they are. Now there are some wheels that are not street legal - like Panasports - use for competition purposes only. But if you are not a defensive driver you will always hit potholes. I avoid anything I can even when on 15s or in my wife's stock Protege 5. You cannot take an chances with any road hazards or potholes.

The best compromise are 16s. They are lighter (in most cases) than 17s, but look better and 15s don't look as good Only problem with 16s is that it is impossible to find "good performance" tires that fit on Civics.

I went from 17s to 15s cause I'm becoming more performance oriented than looks. Heck I just sold my shift knob, 2 12" subwoofers, indiglo gauges, and a bunch of other show stuff. I'll admit though the 17s looked great.

 

OK, so it sounds like I'm gonna be alright to go with 17s. I too try to avoid hitting ANYTHING thats not smooth pavement.

Is there somewhere to find a good comparison for what tire to put on the wheels I get? Or maybe someone wants to recommend a tire?

I doubt I will be spending more than a few nights at the track, so I don't need Ultra-High Performance Tires that I'll have to sell a kidney to buy. However, I do want a relatively sticky tire that doesn't totally suck for mileage.

Does such a tire exist or am I asking for too much?

 

go to http://www.tirerack.com for comparisons.

I recommend (for 17s): Kumho 712s. Fairly inexpensive, good treadwear, and good grip. not good in snow though.

 

Thanks again... you rock!

 

if you are going for performance stay away from 17's. bigger the wheels the more it takes to rotate it.

17's are just too big for the little civic's to spin and still have decent pick up.

if i were you, i'd look into 15's light weight 15's. smaller and lighter. more performance out of them. to me 15's look perfectly fine.