phalerider

Ok, I have had "Lucy" for about 8 months now and I'm in love. Theres a few bugs to work out but its nothing I cant manage. One thing that has been a constant is tires and rims. Tires are a buy-weekly thing I accept that. But the destroyed rim thing gets time consuming and expensive. I started with the 4 lug (single pot) spaghetti strainer wheels, and now I have 5 lugs (4 pot). Aside from the 4 to 5 lug swap most where destroyed learning the road, the car and touge. No friggin lights on that road. I'm an older guy with a sense of practicality so after trashing rim # 12. I took my now also trashed hub and found which wheels at the yard shared FC bolt pattern. The best candidate was Dodge. The dodge diplomat bolted up and had a positive offset that put stock mazda wheels to shame, Pic included. the car handles like it should now with the additional offset. And yes I know that some of you KNOW IT ALL already, so I'm happy you knew THAT already. I knew it also but I don't live with my mommy and I have bills, So it had to wait. Now, They are ugly in the daytime kinda like my ex. But at night on the mountain my car and the wheels disappear from legal vision, which I kinda like. Everybody that see's the car says the same thing with a split look of love and hate in there eyes. "Yeah they are ugly but they are deep as hell". Not to mention I cant bend them. I hit the curb in my driveway every time, its like theres a magnet in the curb. And by the way I'm a driver not a RX7 collector and I plan on beating this car like a cheap *****. Sorry RX7 purist I love the car but I'm in it for a speed fix and as long as I have a 13B and theres a cheap FC body somewhere I'm gonna run it. Also for the "know it alls" cause i know your itching to pound those keyboards like a 12 yr old with his first playboy. Think back to your first couple of cars, where they perfect? Where you perfect? this is my second touge car and my first track drift car. Or are you as a "Know it all" still on your first car and your not pushing hard enough to break stuff.

This issue puts me at a cross roads. My first track day is coming up and I see everybody puts donuts on anyway.

1. Suggest a way to make em prettier, I thought hub caps but no. I was gonna paint the rim red, I dont know give me an Idea. Please

2. At $8 a wheel and the frequent use they get is it worth dumping 3 large into rims that will get trashed. I run a 13 mile road 3 times a week and track duty is coming. And anyone that says they a so good that they never trash a wheel probly needs to push harder. but I understand not wanting to destroy expensive rims. Thats what this thread is about and probly why nascar runs a stamp steel wheel, it puts more money where it counts.

3. Should I go the Vain route and limit my fun time because I'm afraid of scuffing my pretty wheels. Thats if i decide to go "Pretty".

Thanks in advance.
And sorry to the forum police but I type like I talk and I expect the same in return. kind of like we struck up a conversation at a car show. I'm not here to present facts for you to try and shoot holes in logic and waist every bodies time. I give respect as long as its given, I feed back to a state trooper on the side of the road and state officials in court. So please be civil.



************************************

dhays

iTrader: (1)

Not sure what you are really asking here. The first part of your post makes it pretty plain that you have little regard for any opinions that may be put forward if they happen to be counter to your underlying premise, which seems to be function over looks.

I can certainly understand you not wanting to put a lot of money into rims if you make a regular habit of running into things with them. I certainly was not happy when my son curbed one of my new rims for my FD. I'm not sure I understand why or how you tend to trash rims, but then I'm sure you probably can't fathom how I could drive an RX-7 and NOT regularly trash rims.

But you did ask.... sort of...

1) Rattle can the rims that you have. It is cheap and you can swap colors every time you put on another junkyard rim. Heck, you can even have rims of multiple colors much like Joseph's coat.

2) Given your premise, I would say "no" it isn't worth putting a lot of money into rims. The only caveat would be if you really wanted improved performance in certain situations and wanted to get lighter weight rims. It comes back to how important unsprung weight is to you.

3) Again, I'd say "no". You obviously have a certain amount of disdain for those who drive cautiously enough to not damage the vehicle and I'm guessing that you are definitely not into "pretty".

Another alternative if you decide that you'd rather not always be driving around on ugly rims is to pick up some relatively inexpensive rims that aren't ugly, throw some decent all season tires on them, and use those for "normal" driving. When you are going to carve some turns in the mountains or take it to the track, you could spend the 15 minutes swapping tires. From your perspective though, that sounds like a waste of time and effort.

I'd suggest go with the rattle can solution and have some fun with the color.

unicorn_squad

you're an idiot. if you drove on the track instead of the 'touge' you wouldn't break so many wheels. street racing is ******* retarded and you obviously haven't learned anything from it if you crash so much.
so, no, don't spend money on wheels. you obviously don't care at all about what your car looks like, so spending money on something thats pretty much only for looks would be a complete waste. and either way your car is still going to look like ****.

zenofspeed

iTrader: (1)

If I hit the curb every time I left my own driveway, I'd talk to someone about getting on some sort of medication. ..

Seriously though, why bother?

They seem the match the condition of the body and, like you said, you're going to trash them anyway.

F1blueRx7

iTrader: (5)

I'd suggest you go to a local SCCA or NASA event and ask any driver why they use the rims they use. Try not to mention anything about "touging up the local public roads" they'll probably laugh at you or ask you to leave. Real racing is done on a track.

Jaiyurai

iTrader: (30)

You're a driver and not an RX7 collector?

I don't know many "drivers" that hit things and trash as many wheels as you do.

For better advice, stay away from track days/events because if you're crashing and hitting things so much, you'll hit someone else's car or ruin the whole day for everyone else.

magus2222

iTrader: (22)

1st rule, learn how to drive. ****, im only 20 and i dont trash wheels..........i just total my car........lesson learned.

peace

90FC

edit: nvm

phalerider

I'm at work so I can't individually answer everybody. But thank you all. And yes it was a tough question to ask of myself and even harder to put into text form. So for the folks that read between the lines and gave intelligent answers, thank you again. I guess I will eventually get a "show-ish" wheel and to futher **** off the kids I settled on a set of 16" daytons. Being old rocks, white belts and dress socks! Anyway the ugly rims are very lite. I guess old habits never die, its easier to hide a flat black car from a pursuing officer than it is the hide a hot pink and blue number with flashing neon lights and chrome rims.

And for the unintelligent and angry answers. Anger is a gift. If you've actually seen a real race car up close, not the Home depot parking lot display race car or the full sponser drift Z33. but the average joe privateer runner, you'd know what a real drivers car looks like. But it sounds as if the "Angry answer" folks have never been to a paddock any way. Unfortunately there is a line between show car and race car and you CANNOT have them both. its not my rule, that's universal. I opt for function first. Lately Daddy is picking up the tab for most kids cars which is a large part of the problem nowadays. But those guys and there cars come and go. Besides that's what racing vynils are for. Oh, never heard of them? Yes, real paint hasn't been used at the track since the 60's. I guess that brings me to my next point. Yeah your kinda right Angry forum reply guy. I haven't learned my lesson. But roots is roots and I came up around a bunch of back wood Rednecks in hollowed out Chevy G-Bodies w/ 500hp v8's. so in a way its kinda in my blood. So yeah on any given wednesday at 4am you could find me on our locals.

Until last friday, a bunch of kids came up in a HUGE group. Bad. So, I signed up for the D-Day with my ugly car.

And I'm sorry but ANY real race will tell u "If it aint broke u aint pushing it" or in my case trying new ideas and lines. So thanks again all for taking time to reply.

Josh18_2k

iTrader: (3)

no idea what this guy is talking about ^

but i tend to agree that yes, driving aggressively will lead to broken parts, but not broken wheels.. you should never break a wheel. if you do, you're doing something wrong. if you break wheels on public roads, you are endangering others. just because a road appears empty doesnt mean it is. unless you have the other end closed off, you never know when someone could show up. joggers dont have headlights.

phantom works

iTrader: (3)

You've got to be kidding, do you not read your post after you write it. You sound like an idiot.
I've been to many race's of all sorts of racing disciplines and I've been in the paddock area . I've never seen a piece of crap like yours in the garage. Privateers from D1 drifting to NASA, SCCA , Nascar, Rolex gt cars etc... all make the best race cars possible as well as presentable. even Time Attack cars and Auto-X guys have cars that look great and are built with function in mind. You my friend are talking out your *** the only place you see cars as beat up as your's are local drift days and bomber class events and figure 8 racing . Even the local drift day kids don't run junkyard wheels.
You are not a driver if you can't get in your drive way without hitting the curb or are trashing your car at the Touge run, your just a hack with no common sense. Take it to the race track and learn how to drive.
That bullshit about remember your 1st couple of cars blah blah blah ....and roots is roots and your a redneck etc..... you are not running moonshine (or maybe you are) your drifting and driving fast down a canyon road and there is a reason why guys are running a nicer wheel. Its better performance and handling, maybe with a nice set of used wheels and better tires you wouldn't wreck as much.

Jaiyurai

iTrader: (30)

Well, ****. I guess working on Formula1, LOLA, RSRs, and GTPs doesn't qualify me as knowing what a "REAL" race car is. Yeah, true I'm not on the paddock everyday, but my security gate card says "Infineon Raceway ID card" on it. blah blah blah.. I know nothing.. I'm just an "angry answer" folk...

I think you should change your SN to "Fail Driver". I agree that if you are driving the car reasonably hard, things will break or need replacement eventually. But breaking wheels on public roads? Give me a break. That's driver error. And have you seen Formula1 cars in person? I have. I see them everyday. And they're completely spotless, from top to bottom. And I'm sure they're raced pretty damn hard too.

phalerider

I love anger, you guys catch feelings pretty fast. At any rate those are old shots I've since done fenders another coat of flat/satin, Interior, side exit exhaust, Hood etc. Never said I was a redneck, Just grew up around them. Hey Roger Rutt, WHHHUUU HUUUU!!! Miss you man, fat ***.

It was a practical delima really. I mentioned the "large crew that came up the other nite". It kinda scared me to see so many young faces. I'm a dedicated driver and established at work with benifits. These kids my have the potential to go on to do good stuff. A bad turn can end all of that for one of them. So like I said, I'm gonna give track a try.

The black car, black wheels and big pipe have always been sort of a trade mark. Except for the one white 80 corolla. But a switch to a day driver negates the flat black paint.

Idiot, No. A little stupid or crazy sure. But the voices in my head only speak Spanish so I have no Idea what they are tellin me to do. (A joke for the overly serious)

Hack, No. I have to much fun doing what I do.

Again, Thank you for the constructive answers. and the guys that talked to me like they knew me...........

phalerider

Sorry, tough guy. A rim serves 2 purposes.
1. hold the tire
2. Offer proper placing for the tire

A rim has only two requirements
1. Light weight
2. strong

The rest is all gravy.

Broken rims came from testing setups and getting to know a car I've never drivin before. I'm used to carolla's with a really narrow "track". After "the wreck" in a S12 and loosing all the money i just put in it..... I Bought a 86 FC3s base model 4 lug 14 inch wheel that sat under a tree with the sunroof open for a LONG time. But I had $400 a week left on my bus pass. So its a combo of out of practice (10 years), repair neglect, and learning repair on VERY unique car.

So, I apologize to all the experts "phantom works" for not being a D1 expert the first day I turned the key. Yeah, I broke a few things fenders, track bars, and junk yard rims. But Considering the enormous amout of man hours and and the general learning curve. I've done very well.

phalerider

"Driver Error" yes, I never said it wasnt my fault. I got wide once. The second time I believe It was mechanical failure, a track bar I forgot to re-torque after shake downs.

Thats 4 trashed rims, eight replaced in total. Bought em four at a time.

but I'm glad to hear your a infinion big shot, I creamed in my pants when you said "gate pass" . You had me at "top to bottom". Not that theres anything wrong with that.

90FC

I realize you like to talk about yourself alot, and that you are an attenion *****. That is the only reason why you made this thread.

With that said, people shouldn't respond in this thread anymore, because all its doing is feeding this something in side of you.

You seem to have all the answers anyways.

phantom works

iTrader: (3)

[QUOTE=phalerider;8188576]Sorry, tough guy. A rim serves 2 purposes.
1. hold the tire
2. Offer proper placing for the tire

A rim has only two requirements
1. Light weight
2. strong

Man you really are dumb, wheel width and off set with good tires are huge piece of the puzzle in making a car handle, and if you had ever been to a track and rode in a properly set up car you'd know this.
I've never seen a race car set-up for any form of racing with skinny junkyard wheels and tires
btw your steel wheels serve neither one of your "requirements" they bend easily and are not light weight in comparison to a strong forged aluminum wheel .

sleeepyhead

the fc3s doesn't have a track bar...the front is a mcpherson strut with a lower A arm and the rear is a semi trailing arm with toe links. So just wondering, wtf did you break multiple times?

jdmsuper7

iTrader: (1)

This thread delivers.

I wish I could be there when you show your mAd tyt3 toGue skillz to those know nothings at the track.

Josh18_2k

iTrader: (3)

yah i'm still curious to know how you managed to break all 4 wheels, twice.

phalerider

[QUOTE=phantom works;8188838]You are either very young or you didn't pay attention in suspention and steering class. I run a 205/50/15, not skinny & 8 lbs not heavy. No they arent the JDM stuff that you get suckered into. but they provide sufficent get in relationship to the amout of HP.

oh, I'm sorry u weren't aware that there is a HP to tread foot print ratio. My bad.

And u really need to pay attention "2. proper placement of tire = offset & width". look again at the pics. Wheel assembly passes the wheel well lip. I'll admit I was confused also. that whole nite I kept asking myself, Pretty or Functional?

Functional means more money and time spent on a new motor and suspension. You know what pretty means.

Metalurgist note: Steel trumps aluminium in strength.

Yes, aluiminum is prettier but, when was the last time you a bent stock rim? Now compare that to the last time you saw a bent aftermarket alum rim. 9 times out of 10 the aftermarket rim is a wrap where as OEM rims my be reuseable. not saying I want stock rims but its the truth. In the 30+ years that these rims have been rolling, I mount a set of lower profiles and they still roll true. Again I fight for these perticular wheels cause they work. the car isn't skittish anymore & holds a turn either grip or sideways. this was never true with the stock wheel or the aftermarkts I could afford.

phalerider

You gotta read sling shot. I only broke the rears on two occaisions. that equals for rims, not all at the same session. I am a little vain so each time I replaced all 4 wheels that equals eight. the other guys blew it out of purpotion cause counting was an issue. 12 replaced out of that 4 trashed.

12 rims if you count the stock 4 lugs replaced in the 5 lug conversion. Not destroyed just didn't fit anymore.

phalerider

Every car has a "Track bar" or traction bar. maby not an extreme one like you'd see on a drag nova but some form. an "a-arm" is only the aluminun combo of a trailing arm and a traction bar.

I call it a track bar but it likely has another name. Sorry. its the arm with two ball joints that extends from the rear subframe by the diff to the rear outter axel knuckle.

I found out twice that that bends when you nail a curb. And it bends right along with the rim.

phalerider

Never said I was the best meat ball. Been doing it this car for eight months

phalerider

See this is what I dont understand about internet fourms. I started using them about 2006, the norm asking advice tips and suggestion etc. But its the same thing every time. With out fail 5 things happen. the Know it all replys like i insulted his mamma, the know nothing replys like he does actually know it all, The tough guy make a threat because hes insecure about the size of his *****, and the one person does actull try. And any problem is immediately believed to be fake.

Am I missing something? are web fourms only for certain clicks? Are the forums more of a private network thing and I stepped into a private site? I mean If this site is only for you guys I will step off no problem. I've made mistakes before so its no problem if this is a private site.

If you read my orig post you'll see that theres no threats, no boasts of being the best, no Bragging about my car or what I've done. BUt, still 90 percent of the replys accuse me of those very things.

I chalk some of that up to the 16 to 26 demographic of the site. But come on, If you saw me at the track would you talk to me like that? Probly not, we probly have a nice chat then move on.

For example at a show this weekend I talked smack to a good friend and her Honda before she could see who said it. a guy in a Honda next to her chimed in, but in a nice way. Later on he blew a alternator bearing and had to pull it but didn't know how. He got the bolts loose but couldn't get it out. He didnt know that you feed honda alternators along the fire wall to the passenger side then out. I offered help, he accepted we shook hands and went our separate ways.

Why cant web forums be like that? Like real life.

I'm out. Mike