...or any one else with rim knowledge.

I did some looking and I can get the 3rd Gen RX7 R1 rims, ~13.8lbs. 16x8, silver finish for ~100ea.

The bolt pattern is 5 on 114.3mm, I think this will fit the max?

The offset is 50 mm. Will this work with a 8" wide rim on the Maxima? Or will I need spacers, H&R makes 15mm spacers, is this what I need? How much do they weigh, 1.5lbs?

Centerbore is 67.06 mm, I guess this is ok?

Thanks for your help!

 

Offset is too large... will rub to death on the struts... the bore is a bit too large too i think... Maximas are something like 56.1 or 57.1. The bolt patter is the same though.

-Shing

 

I think Maximas use a 66.1mm bore, which means you'd need a very thin centering ring to slip over your axle hub. You might be even be okay without it...or you could come up with something yourself to fill in the space (only 0.5mm around the hub - barely anything). Like Shing said, the offset is too much also...you want to be ~40mm...so you'd need a 15mm spacer (~0.6 in). The bolt pattern is perfect.

Definitely go with the H&R (http://www.chip-tuning.com/usa/products/springs/wheelspacers.html) or Troutman (http://germanpartsusa.com/wst.html)
wheel spacers. Don't worry about the weight of these spacers. The weight is concentrated near the axis, so there's little Moment of Inertia added. It's negligle (be like adding maybe 0.25-0.5 lb to the weight of each wheel).

I'd definitely be interested in pictures of your car with the RX7 wheels on if you decide to go that route.

[Edited by Keven97SE on 11-16-2000 at 11:10 AM]

 

Why not just use the 300z na rims. Also 16x8? And fairly light but probably not as light as the Mazda ones. But hub bore is perfect and no spacers needed.

But for ref, Remmington and I use Mustang 17x8 rims w/ the hub bore slightly larger. You have to be carefull when you mount the lugnuts. Just make sure the lugs are nice and centered when tightening them. I haven't had any problems so far.

 

Cool, thanks guys, If I can get them cheep I'll go for it.

 

Got some RX7 R1 rims, 13.8lbs each off of E-bay for $305!!! So the project is in motion. The H&R spacers will be ~$160 (carparts.com less 33%). So thats $465 for 16x8 rims, $116 per rim/w spacer. Now thats a good deal, if you dont mind the Mazda center caps! LOL

I just need to decide on tire size. With the spacers the total rim offset will be 35mm. I am leaning toward 245/45-16 I want to maintain as close to the 95se daimeter as possible so it will help acceleration. BUT I dont want the wheels and tires to look too small with the whole fender gap issue the Max has. My car isn't lowerd yet, but it will be in less than 6 months.

Here are some comparissons I did, the diameters are based on profile not actual tires so they will be different in the real world from tire to tire but do represent a good look at the issue.

Tire Size.....Height.....Diam.....Revs per 1/4mile.....%Diff from 95-96se
215/60/15.....20.07......63.02..........251.32.........10 0.00% (95-96SE)
215/60/16.....21.07......66.16..........239.39.........10 4.98% (97-99SE)
225/50/16.....20.42......64.13..........246.99.........10 1.75%
245/45/16.....20.34......63.85..........248.07.........10 1.31%

Since the 95-96se's are faster some of the quickness must be contributed to the lower gearing with smaller tires. Thats why I want to stay at a lower size.

Will 245/45/16 on a 16x8 rim fit a 4th gen with 35mm offset?

[Edited by MardiGrasMax on 11-19-2000 at 03:35 PM]

 

Use 215/55 size tires. 225/50s will be too short and too heavy. 215/60s will be too tall and narrow. My 16X7.5 Kosei K1s with 215/55 Yokohama Avid V4s look extremely meaty and wide. I don't know what the offest is exactly, but my wheels come straight flush with the fenders. It looks great. Those RX7 wheels will look small until you get some springs. BTW, 95/96 SEs have the same exact tire diameter as the 97+ Maximas.

Dave

 

Like Dave said, the stock 97-up 16"ers run 215-55-16's, the same overall diameter as 95-96 205-60-15's (well, within a couple 0.1's of a %).

I personally would stick with 225-50's. They'll fit the rims *perfectly*, with absolutely no bulge. Go with 245's, and although the bulge might be less than 225's on the stock 16's, for example, it'll still be more than it should be. Your turn-in will become mushy and at-limit traction will feel numb.

The fact that you'll be using an 8" wheel will really increase your ultimate grip. Going from 225s to 245s will give only a minor increase in ultimate grip (if at all), but will significantly change the feel (in a bad way).

 

225/50 will be too short. I seriously looked into 225/50s for my K1s, but I found out they would be .5-.7" shorter than the 215/55s. Ultra low profile tires look cool, but if you're only going to 16s, you need some of that tire to make up the difference in height. 225/50s will make your gaps look huge. I know a 215/55 doesn't sound really aggressive looking, but when you've got a wide rim like a 7.5-8.0, the tire looks much better and the contact patch is fully used. 225/50s will also be heavier due to a stiffer sidewall and more sectional rubber.

My rational was this. Why use a 225/50 when my goal was to reduce weight to the fullest all the while trying to get the best performance? The Maxima is a light a sedan and doesn't need nor can it use a really wide tire.

Dave

 

I'm running 225-50's right now. They're not that much shorter than stock. They're less than 2% shorter...~0.4". My speedo reads 2 mph high at 85 mph. It's not that much shorter. Probably similar to running worn 215-55s (maybe not quite, but similar).

215's will be too narrow for an 8" wide rim. I've seen the stock RX7 setup with 225's, and the tires are just perfectly flush with the wheels...no bulge. Go with 215's, and the rims will protrude out past the tire. Not only looks dorky, but handling will suffer as well (car will want to roll onto the sidewall more easily).

225-55's would also work, but now you're talking about a taller tire.

With the stock tires, you can do I think something like 96/7 mph in 3rd gear (@ redline). If your trap speeds are above that, you'll benefit from 225-55's due to being able to stay in 3rd thru the 1/4. If your trap speeds are below that (say 94/5), then 50's would be the better tire because of quicker acceleration.

My only point is that 225 is the perfect section width for an 8" rim. Nothing against 215-55's, but for an 8" rim, they're too skinny.

 

Thanks Guys!!!

Yokohama doesnt recomend 215's on 8" rims. So I must go with the 225 or 245.

Kev, why will the 245's numb? What 225's are you runing now? (sp8000 duh i should a looked) How do you like them? What other tires have you used and how do they compare?

 

I love the SP8Ks. Wear isn't fantastic...I'll be lucky to get 25K out of them...but performance is awesome. Great grip in dry and wet, great response, quiet, etc. Very good aggressive street tire. Cheap, too. I used Pirelli P7000 Supersports before...sucked in comparison. Not that great mileage out of them, either. I hear the Bridgestone RE730s (I think that's them - the RE71 replacements) are really good also. Handle like the old RE71s (great!) with pretty decent tread life. Might be worth a look. Kumho Ecstas have had good feedback also - great handling. No idea on wear, though. Forget about the much higher priced tires ($150-up) - the RE730s, SP8000s, Kumhos all are a better value in terms of the little handling they give up while being wayyy cheaper.

My point with 245's is just that I think you'll have a similar problem as I have with 225's on the stock 6.5"-wide 16's. At-limit grip seems kinda numb...like the bulging sidewall is causing some squirmy-ness. On the highway, there's a little bit of numbness too. It's like the tire is picking it's own line, different from the steering/wheel input. The more you match the rim to the tire width, the more "connected" the tire will be with steering...the wheel has more control over the tire (and the wheel is ultimately connected to the steering wheel). There's less tendency for the tire to do "it's own thing". Plus, by putting a really wide tire on skinny rim, you're really not gaining much in ultimate lateral grip. The rim width is ultimately the leverage that's used to maintain grip, with the added tire width past the wheel just "hanging out there". There's probably benefit in terms of straight-line traction (wide tire on skinny rim), but you're gonna be driving the car a lot more than racing it, so pick a tire size that will give you the more driving satisfaction...best steering response/feel/etc. I like the way the wide 225 tires look on my car, but I'm seriously considering going back to 215-55's just to get that feel back.

[Edited by Keven97SE on 11-20-2000 at 11:46 AM]

 

Actually Keven, 245 or 235 seems like the proper size for a 8" rim. Mustang GT come w/ an 8" rim and 245-45 as standard. They don't buldge out at all. My 235-45 are just even to maybe just a tad thin IMHO. But my tires have the curb protectors on them. I think 225's would leave no protection for the rim.

<img src=http://216.39.145.169/jeff/18.jpg>

 

Hmmm...looking at you Mustang wheels, I'd have to agree with you...but looking at the RX7s I've seen, 225's were *perfect* on their stock wheels. Maybe they're not quite 8" wide and your GT wheels are a little over? Maybe the stock RX7 tires are a little wider? Maybe your tires are a little narrow? Tire sizes are nominal...still some variation from tire to tire (significant). Just the fact that RX7s came with 225s stock tells me that it's the optimum size for that rim.

 

Hmmm....the Tirerack says you can safely fit a Yokohama 215/55 on a rim as wide as a 8". My 16s are 7.5" wide. I don't think an extra .5" in rim width is going to make much difference. My 215s aren't stretched at all and I've got plenty of "bulge" and my curb protectors on the tires are still a ways out from the rim. The tread isn't fully "expanded" either. It seemed that the 225/50s would work really well on my K1s, but they were gonna be much shorter than the recommended height when I called around and checked out specs. My 215s are just as wide as my 235/45s on my Team Loco 17s (~9").

A 225 will work, but be aware it will be much shorter and when the tire wears then you'll almost 1" shorter than stock. Go find a RX-7 or go to thier site and ask what the overall diameter of the 225/50 is. I'd bet it's close to 24.6" with new tires where as the Max needs about 25.3". Also, a 225/50 will weigh about 2+lbs more than a 215/55. Rubber isn't light. My Yoko 215s weigh 22lbs and the same model Yokos in a 225s weighed 24 lbs.

Dave

 

Rim protectors... I hade some Dunlop D40M2 that had a little extra rubber around the edg of the rim, that is a good feature to look for. Thanks Jeff

I have been visiting all the major tire manufactures websites and contacting them by e-mail to put together a listing of specs so I can make an acurate, all be it a little ****, decision.

I bet tire rack did say that to you Dave, Yokohamatire.com indicates that the 215's are not recomended for a 8" width, at 100mph I'll go with Yokahama.

So far the 225/50 16's range is

Diam
24.8-25.2
Weight
22.29-24.7lbs
Cost
77-216$

Light and stickey being more expensive, but I did save a few bucks on the rims.

As far as offset, I think the K1' are +42, with the spacers the RX7's will be +35, I hope I dont need to have the spacers milled down 5mm. The 8" rimis a little wide and I dont want the tires to rub on the fender lip.

I'll get the rims first and do a test fitment with no tires or spacer so I can get the correct parts and tires.

 

Hmm good points. 300z na's also use 225-50 I think onl their 16x8. It's only 10mm I guess. Maybe it's becuase the GT rims have a "bead" on the outer lip and some others don't? "shrug"

 

The 300ZX front or NA rims are 16x7.5, while RX-7 are 16x8.
FYI, these superlight RX7 rims are supposedly hollow inside to get that great weight. Bottom line, they may be fragile.
Mazda later switched to a heavier (filled) rim that weighed 16lbs.

Does anyone know if the RX7 rims will clear the 300zx calipers?

Also, where can you get such a thin hubcentric ring? It's been the only thing stopping me from buying a set of these rims.

With 50mm offset, why a 15mm spacer instead of 10mm?

Finally, while Mazda and Nissan both shipped 225 width tires on their rims, I've seen 245s on 8in rims. Doable? Worthwhile?

any help appreciated!

 

I am going to try with out the hub centric rings, if you torque dowm the lugs correctly you shouldnt have a problem.

I test fit the RX7 rims the other day and even with the 50mm offset I think they will clear with 225/50/16's. If so it will look BADASS!!!!

Why 15mm, b/c all I could find was 5mm & 15mm. But I might not need them. My tires 225/50/16 Dunlop SP5k's should be here tomorow, if not then Monday. I'll let you know how they fit.

The only draw back is that unless you use a 15mm spacer the center caps wont work! Oh well, ALL GO AND JUST A LITTLE SHOW!!!

 

I'd stick with the optimal tire size, ie 225. With 245's, the tire will bulge from the wheel just like 225's on the stock 16x6.5 Max SE wheels, and you'll have mushy turn-in response.

Make the tire match the wheel for optimal handling feel.

The only reason why I went 225's on my stock wheels is because I need as much traction as possible (straight line). That's the only thing a "bulging" tire will improve.

 

So I should have them put on this week end!!!

And I will try to install the used Eibcah springs too!!!

Wooohoooo What a weekend!!!!

 

HEh..I'm bringing this post back from the past. Mardi, tell me more info what you ended up doing with your rx7 rims/tires.

Anton

 

NOT worth it.
you might as well get the NA Z rims and you wont need spacers.
and those are cheap too.

but i dunno about the weight difference.

 

Hey MardiGrasMax, any pictures with the RX-7 rims mounted?

Thx.

 

http://imagehost.auctionwatch.com/pr...rdiGrasMax.jpg

http://imagehost.auctionwatch.com/pr...tumas/SX7R.JPG

 

Thanks man!

Dig those siver RX rims, they look nice.

 

They fit fine in the front with stock brakes. Theirs no room for any kind of big brake kit because the rims sit so far in with their offset. In the back you need cheep metal spacers to clear the center hub, not the H$R. I went with 225/50's and they clear all around, except for when I cut the wheel really tight I get a little rubbing. Oh and the center caps dont fit either.

 

Did you go with 93/94 rims that are 13.8 pounds or the heavier 95 version?

 

I got the 15# version. I paid $360 shipped from e-bay.

 

what size are those tires? the profile looks kinda big. is that pic after the eibach install?

 

Do some investigation on the rims. The 13.8 lb rims have major problems cracking. They are known as the "brittle" rims and are not strong enough to take any type of hard use without cracking on the back sides of the spokes. Several people have broken the centers out of the wheels. There was a second version of the wheel that was 16.0 lbs. They are heavily reinforced on back side of the rim where the spokes meet the outer rim. From the front both wheels look identical. From the back, the extra material is quite noticeable. The "brittle" rims are most common on manual transmission cars. Mazda switched wheel manufacturers after finding out about the problem.

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/aw-cg...item=593048762

 

The ones on ebay are the fragile ones.