HKMax

I appreciate if you can help me decide on what to get or give me any comment on your experience with these wheels.

Wheel #1:
ASA IS6


Wheel #2:
ASA KA3


Wheel #3:
Motegi MR12


Thanks for your help.

noflash

Wheel #3:
Motegi MR12


Thanks for your help. [/B][/QUOTE]

GOOD QUESTION

I have the MR12 gunmetal and they were a PIA to get working. The center hole of the wheel is just not deep enough to fit over the rotor caps of the rear wheels. I found this out after two days of driving and suddenly getting terrible vibrations over 45mph. Motegi appologized for recommending them and offered to take them back. I really wanted to keep them and my shop thought of wheel spacers. FREAKIN MIRACLE!! Fit flush and rode just as smooth as my OE 15" wheels. So make a note of that:

MR12s must have wheel spacers.

After all that I am truly enjoying the ride w/ Potenza RE950s, no regrets.

MaxRPM

iTrader: (1)

1 then 3 don't like 2. What size are you getting? I have to pick up my new rims in the next day or two. I got 18x8.5 Konig Imagines

HKMax

I myself am leaning toward 12 (or 6 x 12) spoke style. noflash, what is your wheel size? One not so good thing about Motegi is that it is not being sold at tirerack. So if I opted to motegi I will have to go to pepboys or something to get them - double work

Anybody with #2 wheels?

noflash

17X7.5 w/ 235/45-17

Got a very good price $108/wheel. Cheapest I saw on the web was at 1010tires.com - $128.99. Also, like that they are subtle. I worry less about getting attention of hoodlems and police. Knock on wood.

How's that double work? Doesn't Pep mount and balance?

HKMax

I was going to get the tires from Tirerack (Kumho Ecsta). If I get tires and wheels from tirerack I get everything. I open the box mount the wheels on the car I am set. If I don't get wheels from tirerack I will have to go to pepboys with the tires and buy wheels and let them mount. I will probably have to pay for valve stems, mounting and balancing. I haven't checked with pepboys, but I am pretty sure since I am not buying whole package from them. It's not really double double work, but there is one more step invovled. What can I say I am lazy

CIRCO

iTrader: (1)

GOOD QUESTION

I have the MR12 gunmetal and they were a PIA to get working. The center hole of the wheel is just not deep enough to fit over the rotor caps of the rear wheels. I found this out after two days of driving and suddenly getting terrible vibrations over 45mph. Motegi appologized for recommending them and offered to take them back. I really wanted to keep them and my shop thought of wheel spacers. FREAKIN MIRACLE!! Fit flush and rode just as smooth as my OE 15" wheels. So make a note of that:

MR12s must have wheel spacers.

After all that I am truly enjoying the ride w/ Potenza RE950s, no regrets.
[/B][/QUOTE]


Could you describe that vibrations that you experienced? I just put on the Moda R6's and granted one of my center rings is damaged, but over a certain speed there is like very slight, sort of hopping action going on. Let me know?

HKMax

Yes, do tell. Since I am leaning most toward Montegi MR12. I want to get things right the first time.

On the side note: is it just me or noflash's car look a but floaty. Maybe it's beacuse of the color of the wheels and the lighting.

noflash

The vibration was steady and jiggly. Was exactly due to the fact that the rear wheels weren't sitting flush on the mount.
Wheels spacers increased the depth of the center hole of the wheel and allowed the wheels to sit completely flush, thus taking care of the vibration.

The ride is smooth and controlled. I recommend the MR12.

PS Here is a better pic. "Floaty" - yes. Maxspeeds are in the mail and should correct.

HKMax

That looks much better!

Galo

not much better than stock...
Look good -but no performance/ride improvement

noflash

You must be outcho damn mind! 22lbs isn't light, but it's definitely average. And I went from 205/65-15s to 235/45-17s. You think I didn't gain any performance improvement? Sheeeeet...

Galo

acceleration nor ride....weight reductions on the wheels reduce rotational inertia which improve acceleration and braking and unsprung weight reductions result in ride comfort improvements...with your setup u have definitely gained cornering but sacrificed in acceleration & ride comfort
Not out of mind -been at this (cars) for a looooooong time -since 1974.

THEKNITE

iTrader: (1)

I wouldn't put those wheels on my classy Maxima. I think they'd look good on a Civic. No hard feelings, just my opinion.
peace

HKMax

22.5 lbs for 17 inch wheel is quite okay (I think stock one is around 24lbs). To get performance wheels like SSR, BBS, and Volk you have to pay arm and a leg. Who has $300 to $500 lying around to buy just one rim? And, I don't know where you get the idea that you get comfort with lighter wheels I don't think he lost anything. He just gained cornering.

And I think these look quite classy in their own merit. True, Motegi looks a little bit cheaper than others. I don't know what you consider to be "classy" wheels, but I think these wheels are in the same class as Maxima. No matter how you look at it Maxima is a Nissan, not BMW or Audi.

Dave B

Yes, lighter weight wheels make for a better ride. Think about it for a second. When a heavier wheel hits a bump, it takes longer for the wheel to return. The heavier wheel also transmits more harshness when it hits that bump. It's the effects of unsprung weight. Why do you think auto makers have gone to great lengths making lightweight forged and alumnium suspension components. It's not for strength, instead it's to remove unsprung weight which improves handling and ride.

All three wheels pictured above are relatively heavy. If you've got the 17" OEM setup then these wheels will most likely rival the OEM weights. If you've got the OEM 16s and you're going to these 17s, then your ride, acceleration, braking, and such will get worse (slightly). If I had choice of these rims, I'd definately go with the ASA IS6. The rim is classy, has a timeless style, and will look relatively bigger than the other two 17s due to the design of the spokes to lip.

Dave

Galo

'springing/cushioning' components of every car...the suspension itself (shocks, springs, etc) and the tires -which have their own inherent 'flex/cushioning' as well. Some tires feel softer than others -or vice-versa- because the tires themselves absorb some of the impact when going over a bump -particularly the short, sharp bumps (ie, expansion strips) that are so small and sharp they dont cause a deflection in the suspension..just a deflection in the tire.

Unsprung weight -the portion of the car's weight below the shocks/springs...suspension control arms, brakes, wheels and tires- is cushioned by just the tires themselves. Thus, anything you can do to reduce inertia of those assembiles to movement will lessen the amount of deflection the tires need to achieve to absorb a small, sharp bump. Put another way, if we can speed the ability of the suspension itself to absorb a bump ( by reducing the assemblies inertia) versus just the tires's ability to absorb a bump, we will achieve a smoother ride and better handling over bumps- because now it's not only the tires that are reacting to bumps but also the suspension. True, this happens in a small way...but everything helps

This is one of the fundamental reasons why live rear axles ride poorer than independent rear suspensions...the live axle has oodles of unsprung weight from the differential, axle housing, etc etc whereas the IRS just the halfshafts, suspension arms, etc. Over bumps, the difference is very, very noticeable.

For wheels I went with SSR integrals. Not cheap but at 17 lbs wheels they are roughly 7 to 8 lbs lighter than OEM wheels. When my rotors finally go kaput I will install the near-to-be-ready Wilwood brake kit from fastbrakes.com because between calipers and rotors the Wilwood kit is 10 lbs lighter PER WHEEL, again, looking for maximum unsprung weight reduction.

Any questions?

HKMax

Ride comfort is very relative term - something you can't measure whereas handling is. It could be subjective, but it is usually measured by g's. Your statement

doesn't mean that the ride is more comfortable than others. It seems that your statement only goes one direstion. Your statement would be true if the wheel were to hit a pot hole. If the heavier wheel hits a bump it will be quicker to return to its original position since it is heavier (gravity). It isn't important which way it works. It is just simply not the case where lighter wheels produce more comfortable ride. This is done by suspension, not wheels.

Automakers try to use lighter compinents because they want to produce nimble cars, not because it is beneficial to the ride comfort. Think about it, which will handle better Civic? or Maxima? Now I know I am comparing apples and oranges, but this illustrates the lighter cars handle better. And heavier cars ride better. This is sort of an "illusion", but heavier cars have safer and better rider quality feeling to them.

Well, back to the point. I totally agree with you on the wheel. I would like to get wheel #1. I looks good and I think is better quality than Motegi.

noflash

You took the words right out of my mouth. I spent just over a grand for wheels a potenzas. Why spend twice that if I don't need too? I've got a 5-speed and it gets to 60 in under 7 seconds - I am not complaining.

The ride is really not much more harsh that with stock.

And I HOPE someone isn't equating Chrome with "classy". That's not what you mean is it, guy? These aren't ghetto or ricey. Go look at some tuned hondas again and tell me that's what my car looks like.

HKMax

To be honest, some well tuned hondas look better and perform better than some maximas.

Yea, I also hope that classy doesn't mean chrome.

THEKNITE

iTrader: (1)

Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but of course i did not mean chrome when i said classy, even tho they make my Max distinctly apart from others. Silver would make a world of difference, when looking at noflashes black rims.
HK, I know Maxs don't even compare to BMWs, but i truly don't feel any less than Audis. And the way my car looks and performs, i'll park next to any BMW and still get looks.
No hard feelings guys, i know you guys focus mainly on performance.
Good luck and enjoy.
peace

noflash

Yes, diff'nt strokes... I actually liked the silver MR12 as well, but went with gunmetal b/c I haven't seen them on ANY other cars in Omaha. I don't know if the picture does justice they are not black, more of a dark, glossy grey. True about the BMWs as well, but she's still the closest thing to a 5-series I can afford right now.