Heavy cheap wheels for daily driving/drifting

[youngmanvr4]

First I've made a couple wheel threads but cant get want I want to know. I've done so much searching its not even funny. So now I got that out of the way.

I have a 90 240 with steelies and well...we all know steelies are bluh. So I found 3 wheels I like it 4 lug that will fit. Also as a side note these wheels will be used for daily driving and drifting.

First are the common but nice looking 5zigens FN01R-C in a custom size.. (17x9 +20 all around). These would fit the best. But I dont have the money for these with tires.

Second are Gram Lights 57C's in 17x7 +22. These would fit pretty good but not as wide as the FN's. These cost more then the FN's too. So I dont have the money for them right not either.

Third are SportMax 962 wheels, they specs are 17X9 Offset +35 25.2 lbs ea. Offset: +35mm on 17X9.0. So they're 25 lbs each. They are cheap wheels. In my opinion they look the best.

Common sence says light wheels DUH. But will I have a problem drifting with the heavy wheels. The nice thing about them is if you bend a rim then its cheap to replace. Whats your opinion? Just the cheap best looking heavy wheels, or save alittle more and get the common good looking light wheels?

[lrb_2000]

Why not buy the SportMax's and when you feel like drifting, slap on the steelies.. why ruin the Sportmax's drifting? ... anyways, I would imagine it will be hard to drift with them, well, depending on the power you're putting down.. considering they're 9" wide, you'll probably running pretty wide tires, and it will be hard to lose traction..

[AmoebAssassin]

I have gram lights 57C in 17x7.5, and my buddy ha a staggered 17x7.5 front and 17x9 rear, so they are available in wider fitments than 7J

And they look damn good if i may add

[nismofly]

I would imagine it will be hard to drift with them, well, depending on the power you're putting down.. considering they're 9" wide, you'll probably running pretty wide tires, and it will be hard to lose traction..

width has very little to do with traction

my vote is for gram lights, because they look the best, and just run steelies drifting

or you could get a set of teardrops or 7 spokes for drifting

[youngmanvr4]

I have gram lights 57C in 17x7.5, and my buddy ha a staggered 17x7.5 front and 17x9 rear, so they are available in wider fitments than 7J

And they look damn good if i may add

Do your wheels are what makes me like 57C's

How much did you pay for them and where at?

You said your buddy had 17x 7.5 and 17x9 in 57C's? Is that in 4 lug also or what? They make 57C's in 17x7.5 in +22 +30 +40 in 4 lug and you can get 17x8.5 in +40 in 4 lug. Other the that I didn't know they made anything other then that. http://www.gramlights.com/wheels/57c/index.htm

*Edit*What I could do is I found some Enkei 16" for $300 with tires. My mom and dad will buy them for my for christmas. Then when I get my pollatnation money from Cali ($10,000 or so) then I'll get some 57C's. Then I'll use the Enkei's for drifting. Does that sound like the best plan of action?

Would 57C's in 17x7.5 +30 in front and 17x8.5 +40 in rear look good? Or would that offset look odd? And fitment?

[nismofly]

his buddy probably has 5 lug

[youngmanvr4]

One thing though, I know 5 pounds per wheel makes a differace but 17x9 FNs are 20 lbs and 17x9 sportmax's are 25 lbs. Thats 5 pounds. So does that make them really that much worse. Lug nuts make a differance too.

Now what about FN's in 18x9.5. I know drifters that run that size. Anyone want to guess what they weight? 23. Arn't FN's "Light" wheels. But yet everyone says SportMax are heavy? I'm not saying that 23 or 25 are light nor heavy. I'm just pointing something out. Now I know the 18x9.5 are 1 inch bigger and 0.5 inchs wider then the 17x9 SportMax but you place FN's under light wheels and SportMax's under heavy? I've always said SportMax's are heavy and all but now I sit down and compare them to other I've changed my mind alittle.

[nismofly]

well the lightest common wheels are like ssr comps and volk ce28n's, and in a 17x8 theyre like 12 or 13 lbs., so its really a minute difference with a big impact

[drifter_for_life06]

i wanna get some gramlights and use my 7spokes for drifting

[youngmanvr4]

so its really a minute difference with a big impact

What do you mean by this?

[drifter_for_life06]

i tihnk he means its an obvious difference that takes a minute to decide on and it makes a big impact?

[youngmanvr4]

Got ya. Well as I said in another post.

"Well we all know that saving 500 pounds from your car can help alot. But with wheel weight savings how much does a 31% weight saving really save. Such as tuning, braking, total weight of car, ect. Do you get a 31% increase on performance? Whats the percentage of increase do you get with a 19 pound wheel as to 25? Is it that much to really make a differance? Every bit helps yes, but let say with engines, you add a Intake. It gets you 5 hp. Does that 5 hp really make a differance? Well it might alittle but not enough to make a differance. Now what if that intake gained you 25 hp. Then you would get that intake becuase it made a bigger differance right? Over all what I'm trying to say or even ask what percentage of performance to you gain (or keep moreless) with lighter wheels? Are 25 pounds wheels like that 5 hp intake or the 25 hp intake. Now for all out drifter (track only car) then yea get some light forged wheels. But for the learning/not D1 drifters does it make that much of a differance?

For us that want a nice 4 lug wheel can we sacrifice alittle performance to look nice? Is to worth it? "

[drifter_for_life06]

if you like prose over performance, then yes it is worth it......its all up to you in the end, everyone on here can say dont get a heavy wheel.

but tahts their own opinion, if the wheels you have your heart set on are heavier then another one, then so be it

[youngmanvr4]

I wish I had 5 lug lol.

The things I'm weighting are:

Light wheel, cost more, not as good looking IMO. (not saying 57C's and FN's arn't good looking...just not as good as SportMax). Heavy wheels, cost less, good looking IMO.

I'm just trying to find the best of opinion for my situation. And with that I'm asking question about the "true" performance of heavy wheels.

[BlackFlag_s13]

The wheels make a big difference because its UNSPRUNG weight...

Take a look at these (4-Lug): zer...age=2

[nismofly]

what i meant was the difference may only seem like a few pounds, because it is...but those few pounds can have a huge impact overall on performance

who cares if they gain a minute amount of horsepower, its the effect on unsprung weight that counts

[youngmanvr4]

Ok...I think I understand. I need to get my Suspension bible out and read up alittle.

As I stated before but didn't get any replys. So I'm going to say it again.What I could do is I found some Enkei 16" for $300 with tires. My mom and dad will buy them for my for christmas. Then when I get my pollatnation money from Cali ($10,000 or so) then I'll get some 57C's. Then I'll use the Enkei's for drifting. Does that sound like the best plan of action?

Would 57C's in 17x7.5 +30 in front and 17x8.5 +40 in rear look good? Or would that offset look odd? And fitment?

[574-240sx]

When you start running heavy wide wheels in the front for drifting may people run into steering rack problems. Also 5 lug conversion only cost me about $500 total, maybe a little less. Don't take this the wrong way but you aren't a hardcore drifter so just run some stock 4 lugs until you have the cash to upgrade. I drifted my car 2 years before I went to Z brakes and 5 lug. I even ran 4 lug when I had a KA-T. 5 lug wheels and light weight wheels don't make you drift better they just give you an slight mostly un noticeable advantage. Also take a look at formula D most of those guys don't run insanly light wheels. But seriously wheels are the last thing to buy when you get into drifting. Its suspension, seat, and time behind the wheel. Most people do for power then go from there. You also have to take into concideration too when choosing offsets and widths how low the car will be and how much camber you will be running, and do you have the right spoke design to clear big brakes if you are running big breaks, and if the offsets will clear your coilovers because some coilovers are wider than others. Some of this didn't come out right and some of this doesn't make sense to some and I really don't care.

[nismofly]

if you get 4 lug 57c's get 17 x 7.5 +22 all around

and what kind of enkeis? a lot of times they dont have 240 friendly offsets

[youngmanvr4]

When you start running heavy wide wheels in the front for drifting may people run into steering rack problems. Also 5 lug conversion only cost me about $500 total, maybe a little less. Don't take this the wrong way but you aren't a hardcore drifter so just run some stock 4 lugs until you have the cash to upgrade. I drifted my car 2 years before I went to Z brakes and 5 lug. I even ran 4 lug when I had a KA-T. 5 lug wheels and light weight wheels don't make you drift better they just give you an slight mostly un noticeable advantage. Also take a look at formula D most of those guys don't run insanly light wheels. But seriously wheels are the last thing to buy when you get into drifting. Its suspension, seat, and time behind the wheel. Most people do for power then go from there. You also have to take into concideration too when choosing offsets and widths how low the car will be and how much camber you will be running, and do you have the right spoke design to clear big brakes if you are running big breaks, and if the offsets will clear your coilovers because some coilovers are wider than others. Some of this didn't come out right and some of this doesn't make sense to some and I really don't care.

There we go...thats what I'm talking about lol. Yea I'm not going to get 5 lug til way later. Couple year from now. Or more. Til now I want a nice 4 lug wheel for street that can be drifted on if wanted. But I want some sorta nice wheel. Like the ones we've been talking about. Now since I'm not a hardcore drifter like you said (I dont take offence to that btw) could I get some SportMax's for street and drifting til I get better this way I have a nice looking wheel to drive with? I guess I see it as since I'm not a hardcore drifter how much of a differance will heavy wheels have on me? I wouldn't think right now at my level that it would make a differance.

If I do get 57C's I will get +22 with out question. Already had that answered lol.

The Enkei's are 16" RP01's. Thats the only thing they look like. They're on a lowered s13 and look sweet. I'm not sure but I think it would be 16x7 and I think +35 or +38. But I'm not 100% sure.

[574-240sx]

Get some cheap FNs then. They are bandwagon and they are cheap with some decent offset available. Should be easy to sell when the time comes. You might also want to look into Rota too. Their knock off rims are becoming decent with some decent off sets available for some select rims.

[youngmanvr4]

With the FN's SPL make 17x9 +20. But they dont make it in silver. I like silver the best. So, should I get some of the standard 17x8 +35 FN's in silver all around or just bite it and get some 17x9 +20 in like bronze or something all around? What about be best for clearance, performance, fitment and what one can I run a non streched tire on?

[AmoebAssassin]

Correction...

GramLights were only made in half sizes. I have a full around 17x7.5J +30 set, and my friend has the same as mine in the front and 17x8.5J offset unknown in the back.

I got them for 860 shipped w/ new Hankook HRII tires off of eBay.

As said above, the +30 is a little sunken but for the price i can't argue. If you're buying new go 17x7.5J +22 front and rear, or if you want staggered go with 17x8.5J +40 rear

[nismofly]

if you get the fn's in 17x8 +35 run 215/45/17 all around

as seen here:

[biggie]

the 17x8 +35s will be close on coilovers depending on tire probably. Might just need a 5mm spacer. That's what I was seeing when I had a set, just never put tires on them.

[nismofly]

which is why i said 215s instead of 225s, Smith runs 215s and clears coilovers, thats his car sitting on gr-6's remember

[drifter_for_life06]

yea his clears em AFAIK

looks great too

id want 215 just to be sure, and not run into any problems with teh 225

[nismofly]

ill probably run 225s when i get the 17x8 +25 i want

[Lil_JV]

As said above, the +30 is a little sunken but for the price i can't argue. If you're buying new go 17x7.5J +22 front and rear, or if you want staggered go with 17x8.5J +40 rear

+40? For what, a S2K? Don't be a ***** and go 17x9.5 +22 rear and 17x8.5 +30 front.

JV.

[youngmanvr4]

I just got word that SPL might get some FN's in 17x9 +20 in silver on the next shipment. If they do forsure then I'm without question going to get some of them. Otherwise I'd either get 57C's or bronze FN's in 17x9. I dont think it would look to bad. But I like the silver better. So we will see what happens. I think I'm going to go ahead and get the Enkei RP-01's that way I'll have RP-01's for drifting and FN's for street and drifting. Just think, If I burn the FN's up I can just put the RP-01's. I could just keep the FN's on the front then I'd have 6 wheels to burn up . I think that would be the smartest plan for now.

Also if I do get the 17x9 +20 I'm pretty sure I'm going to get 235/45/17's. I hear alot of people say that size is awesome on them and I might not have to do any fender modification from what they say.