I do not want to lose any performance at all when I put a new set of wheels (so chrome 22" are out ) on the car for summer and use my current wheels for the winter tires im going to be needing before winter.

Does anybody have any verifiable evidence of improvements to the quarter mile and 0-60 times due to going from factory wheels and tires to lightweight performance wheels and tires?

I knwo the 6th gen has the heaviest rims ever put on a maxima, so I would imagine there has to be some measurable difference...Seat of the pants gains and actual verified gains are welcome.

 

1 pound off the drivetrain= 8 pounds of static weight or so.

I belive the factory 18s weight 27 pounds each, and 55 lbs each with the tires.

By comparaision my sawblades (15s) weight 19 lbs and 38 lbs with tires, yet they accelerate better than lightweight 17s or 16s because the weight is closer to the center. What I mean by that, is that 17s weighting as much as your 18s would accelerate faster.

I would go with lightweight 17s and slightly smaller tires for more aggressive gearing. SSR comps 17" weight 13.5 lbs each, I think 35 lbs with tires. That would be a whopping 40 pounds off the drivetrain. You do the math. Best mod ever for a 6th gen IMO

 

I have the 15" sawblades on my 95SE, 5-speed, and am still running the OEM Goodyear Eagle RSAs which I believe are 21lbs. What tire are you running to be only 19lbs? I need new tires in about 5K miles and am vacillating between Yokohama Avid H4S (21lbs) and BF Goodrich Traction TAs (25lbs). Snow and ice are not a consideration for me, but rain is. However, both tires are better than what I've got in any weather condition and I haven't driven off the road yet.

I am reluctant to increase the unsprung weight on the car. Sorry to ***** your thread, but if you were sticking with the sawblades and wanted a good all-season tire, what would you buy given the limited choice with these wheels?

Thanks

 

I have Yokohama Avid T4 All-season 215/60/R15

They were good enough to pull a 2.12 60 foot so traction is pretty good as they are pretty wide. The downside is that they are rated for only 118 mph.

 

According to tirerack.com the T4s are 22lbs, not 19, compared to 21lbs for the H4S. I would opt for the V4S but they aren't available for the 15" sawblades. If someone were giving you a choice of free tires what would you choose for mild winter conditions, H4S or Traction TAs in H-rating which are 4 lbs heavier.

 

Well I have 245/45/18 Goodyear Eagle F1's with only 4,000mi on them. They have not even been rotated yet..and I plan to keep these tires rather than going with a cheaper set..or paying an extra thousand dollars for a new set of them in 17" form. Basically I dont want to waste what I got, as they are summer only they will last me years to come at this rate. So my wheels are 27Lbs...I think the lightest 18x7.5 rims are around 15-20 lbs...so I could still lose 40lbs or so.

Im still wondering about performance benifits...keeping diameter equal.

 

I run 47lb 17" combo's on street, 34lb 16" combo's for autox, and 28lb 15" slicks for drag. It's easy to compare as I drive somewhere on the 17" then switch. The seat of your pants feeling is like having a full car of people vs empty. If the look is acceptable I'd suggest 17" too for summer.

 

What kind of wheels do you run at the dragstrip?

 

I would choose true winter tires, at least where I live. I never ran all-season tires during the winter.

 

Thanks. Well, I guess I'm asking the wrong person. We don't get snow on the Coast of BC that stays for more than a day or two, other than in the local mountains, and some winters we don't get any snow at all as I'm at sea level. I don't drive the car to Whistler or into the Interior where there is more snow and in 11 winters it's been driven in snow probably less than 11 times all in. So all-seasons work for me.