14's or upgrade wheel size?

[Integra-GSi]

I just bought a DC4 Integra GSi, so I'm just wondering what peoples thoughts are on this. Obviously, with a 14" wheel you can maintain better acceleration. It seems blasphemous in one sense that these things still run 14's, I was kinda shocked. The car at the moment has Bridgestone Turanzas on it in 195/60/14s.

I know I can get Michelin Pilot SP3, good tyres that handle well if I go up to 15" wheels in something like a 195/55/15 to keep the stock rolling diameter, but you lose the novelty of running 14's...

I could also buy a set of 14" alloys for next to nothing, but then your tyre choice is kind of limited in terms of performance tyre options.

So where does one sit with this.... I wonder from experience have people persevered with 14's or have you seen the light of running a bigger wheel on your car to get an upgrade in tyre choices.

[DreadAngel]

I think for a DC2/4 better to go with a minimum of 15" for some rigidity down there.

15s also gives you more options in terms of wheels and rubber

[Integra-GSi]

That's where I am headed towards, I just don't seem to think there are a lot of reasonable performance 14" tyres these days. Realistically 15's are it, and any half decent 15" alloy is going to be lighter than a 14" steel wheel. The novelty of keeping the stock 14" diameter is outweighed by the sanity of tire choices on a 15" wheel.

[u mad?]

15 and you're lauffing
cheap wheel cheap tires
lots of wheel choices lots of tire choices

[Integra-GSi]

Yup 15's so many many floating around in 4x100s in that size at about a +40 offset. Most of them well south of $500 for genuine Japanese brands, on every forum in this country. Now to decide what I want....

I guess something around 15x7 wouldn't be to wide to affect the track.

[Johnie]

Upgrade to dc2 vti-r fat fives or vti-r blades
I currently have blades on my dc2 sitting under bc br coilovers

[Integra-GSi]

It's an option, but there's plenty out there, wheels are really something you can use to personalise your car a bit. I guess there's the other side of keeping things looking stock.

[dougie_504]

15 or 17 IMO.

15" for cheapness

[Integra-GSi]

Yeah I'm over 17's had them on all my other cars... I want a different look. I also don't want to make the ride any more harsh than what it is.

[corsa59]

14" wheels do NOT mean better acceleration, the overall diameter of the wheel and tyre determines this. Using the Miata Tyre Size Calculator, a 195/60 R14 tyre has a diameter of 589.6mm. Go up to a 15" wheel, and use a 195/50 R15 tyre, diameter will be 576.0mm or 12.6mm smaller, ever so slightly better acceleration, and better grip, without the discomfort of lower profile 16 or 17" wheels and tyres. 195/55 R15s are 595.5mm so they would also work, with a slight opposite effect, less acceleration, better fuel economy. But only ever so slightly.

BTW the law in just about every state says you can go 15mm bigger or 26mm smaller diameter, so that is well legal. Vic is 15 and 15mm.

I use 195/50 R15s in RE001s and they are quite grippy. I also have a set of 215/40 R16s on JDM ITR wheels with Yoko S-Drives, they are VERY grippy, but a harsh ride, and hard to get hold of, and expensive!

[Integra-GSi]

I perhaps didn't word that right, if I put 14's on with lower profile tyres I could increase the acceleration of the car... If I didn't give a stuff about putting my speedo out. That's not what I'm doing anyway, so, yes I understand what you're saying. Anyway, I've bought a set of lightweight 15s which I'm going to run 195/55s on the stock size wheels are 195/60/14s.

I live in Queensland, so the rule is 2" bigger than a factory fitted option in wheel size and then thats provided it doesn't throw out the speedo, so for legal purposes on an Integra the largest wheel you can run is actually a 17.

going to a lighter weight wheel while keeping is going to provide me with a, negligible all be it, performance gain while keeping the ride height the same with 55s, there will also be a negligible increase in suspension travel and ride softness as I'm going to be running 7" width wheels at +35 offset completely legal being 1" wider than a factory fitted option 7" vs. 6. There again any gains in travel could be offset by running tyres with a 5mm lower profile, but I'll be gaining more track so it's a win, win situation no matter which way you think about it.

I had thoughts for a while about running 14s with rubber band tyres then I realised like I do with a lot of things I think about after the fact that it was a stupid idea that's where the nonsense comes in about 14's.

[corsa59]

You are right, the rule is 2" (50mm) bigger diameter for the wheels, but only the wheels, the OVERALL diameter of the wheel and tyre must still be no more than plus 15mm or minus 26mm.

The 2" increase in wheel rim size applies to the tyre placard in your car door well. If the placard only lists 14" wheels, you can only go to 16s, if the placard lists 15" wheels, you can go to 17s. To be honest, I don't know if the standard GSi models have a tyre placard that lists 14s and 15s, or just 14s.

So you might need to buy a new tyre placard from Honda for the ITR, which does list 15" wheels.

Speaking from experience, the miniscle gain in acceleration from a smaller diameter tyre is not worth the discomfort of the ride. Stick to 15's, cheap tyres, a good range (I run Re001s) look good with 7" rims and 35 offset. I would go 195/50 or 205/50 R15s myself.

Besides, good luck finding rubber band tyres for 14" rims, the lowest you used to be able to get is 195/45 and they are out of stock now. Looks like the world is preventing you from making yet another stupid decision