7.5*16 or 7*17?

[riceviking]

Hi guys!
There's not to much activity around here these days, hopefully it's because you're all out driving your cars with the windows down, and not 'cause you're in prison for speeding

It looks as though i'm getting some money back from the goverment, 'cause I paid to much tax! That's a pleasant surprise!
I hope to use this money on my car. 35mm H&R springs and rims/tyres. But I'm having trouble choosing, I want a compromise in looks, comfort and road grip, and think that 7.5*16 with 215/40/17 tyres will give comfort and a hell of a road grip due to their width. Am I right or wrong? I could go for 7*17 for looks, but it'll be a very bumpy ride, and probably rub like hell if I got people in the back. I think it'll look good with 35mm lovering and 7.5*16 to! Any opinions? I know Goosse got 16s on his similar shape civic, so it sure can look good

[AccordCE8]

Originally posted by riceviking
Hi guys!
There's not to much activity around here these days, hopefully it's because you're all out driving your cars with the windows down, and not 'cause you're in prison for speeding

It looks as though i'm getting some money back from the goverment, 'cause I paid to much tax! That's a pleasant surprise!
I hope to use this money on my car. 35mm H&R springs and rims/tyres. But I'm having trouble choosing, I want a compromise in looks, comfort and road grip, and think that 7.5*16 with 215/40/17 tyres will give comfort and a hell of a road grip due to their width. Am I right or wrong? I could go for 7*17 for looks, but it'll be a very bumpy ride, and probably rub like hell if I got people in the back. I think it'll look good with 35mm lovering and 7.5*16 to! Any opinions? I know Goosse got 16s on his similar shape civic, so it sure can look good

17" tires on 16" rims isn't a good idea imo... your road grip will be zero

I don't know what looks nice... 16 " is always good, but maybe 17" will look too large on a civic, I don't know.
Don't expect more grip from 'more width' ... when cornering it will help when your tires are standing 'more outside' , but bigger (more width) tires won't give you more gripp, because of the larger contact area the pressure on the tires/road will become less...

[riceviking]

17" tires on 16" rims isn't a good idea imo... your road grip will be zero

whoops, the typing troll is visiting, sorry! but you obviously got the idea

So you think 205/40 will give the best road grip? I think it'll look good with 16's but if it's slammed 17s are really good

[Goosse]

Both 16" and 17" will look good on a civic, expecially when you slam it. If you want to go for looks, choose the 17" (IMO it looks a little bit better then the 16"). On the other hand, a friend of mine has the exact same rims as me, but only in 17", and he could really feel his car getting a lot slower (which I didn't feel with my car). He also didn't lower his car, so it looks like a 4x4.

I wouldn't go to wide with the tyres/rims. A good size for a civic is a 7x16 (or 17)" with a 42 offset. With this you will have no rubbing problems, not even when you drop it for -7/-8cm. Altough you could get away with a different offset (mine's a 38) without rubbing (if you don't go to low). If you choose for a 7.5" wide, you should try to find a 45 offset. 205/45 tyres on a 16" would do fine. Again, if you go for a bigger tyre (215 or something), it could be you loose top speed. (I reach my top speed in 4th gear ~ 185 kmh, when I shift in 5th my speed drops to 160, acording to the Honda dealer this is because of my tyre wide of 205. For a 1.4 the optional (maximum) tyre size would be 195 (but again, I only feel this on top speed).

[Kohhal]

Goosse pretty much said it all except don't get a 7.5" wheel on a civic, it's much too wide and you'll have a lot of trouble rubbing, go with the 7" rim, either 16/17" depending on which you prefer, looks or performance. I have 17s and although they look great if I was buying new rims I'd get 16s, they're the best compromise between looks and performance, IMO

[riceviking]

thanx for good advice guys! I sooooo want 17s, but i do absolutely not want to loose acceleration, it's slow enough already...And I guess 16s will have at least SOME comfort left in them..If I lower it 40mm on 16" there shouldnt be to much visible arch space right? Maybe 45mm? I don't want my car to look 4*4 anyways
Goosse: I know you told me before that you're car is photoshopped slammed in the pics in your sig, but I cant remember how much it really is lowered? Do you have any arch space? Do you have any pics of your car thats NOT photoshopped? I would really like to see it..

[VTEC1600]

I've 17" x 7J rims with an ET 40 and tyre 205/40 ZR 17 and they don't rub at all. The handling is very nice and the lost performance is hardly noticeable. I have dropped it 40 mm, and the gap in the fenders is as good as gone. So i really don't regret my choice. My advise buy yourself some decent 17" wheels with the right ET (maybe even ET42) and you will not end up with rubbing probs.

[Goosse]

Originally posted by riceviking
Goosse: I know you told me before that you're car is photoshopped slammed in the pics in your sig, but I cant remember how much it really is lowered? Do you have any arch space? Do you have any pics of your car thats NOT photoshopped? I would really like to see it..

I bought my springs from Spax, and they told me they lower the car 5 cm. But after seeing other cars that were dropped 4 cm, I think my car is even higher. At the back I can put 1 finger between my wheels and the arch, in front it's almost 2 fingers .

If you're going to put on 17" the complete diameter of the rim/tyre combo (205/40) will be 1 to 2 cm bigger then with a 16" 205/45. So with a 17" you'll have less space between arch en rim.

pics
http://www.goosse.streetracing.org/photo.html

[Goosse]

Just to give you a little idea

17"



16"





BTW: if you order springs, make sure they are for your car (the 1.4). I think they gave me the VTi ones, that's why my front side is a bit higher (lighter engine)

[Goosse]

BTW: maarten, is that a Renault lip under your car, or the Honda one.

[VTEC1600]

Damn, i know i have to be deeply ashamed now, but it is a lip of a Renault Espace. Just because my brother had it underneath his beemer before and he went for an M3 bumper so the lip was useless. So i decided to use it after all, and i've to say it doesn't look that bad either.
To bad you can't see the effect well on the pics.

[civic_1.6_16v]

Originally posted by VTEC1600
Damn, i know i have to be deeply ashamed now, but it is a lip of a Renault Espace. Just because my brother had it underneath his beemer before and he went for an M3 bumper so the lip was useless. So i decided to use it after all.

Are there more lips that fit a Civic of other car brands
I heard that a Laguna lip also fitted a Accord
Are there any other carbrand lips that will fit a 4th gen Civic
If there are it will help me look for one
To find a original 4th gen lip is impossible, even my local Honda dealer cannot get a new lip for it.

[Goosse]

Originally posted by civic_1.6_16v


Are there more lips that fit a Civic of other car brands
I heard that a Laguna lip also fitted a Accord
Are there any other carbrand lips that will fit a 4th gen Civic
If there are it will help me look for one
To find a original 4th gen lip is impossible, even my local Honda dealer cannot get a new lip for it.

Well, the renault lip is a very popular lip that fits on most cars. I've already seen them on a CRX, Ibiza,... so they will probably fit your car. You can always do like I did, go to a junk yard and fit every lip they have over there untill you'll find one that fits. I found that for my car an accord lip would fit...

[civic_1.6_16v]

Originally posted by Goosse


Well, the renault lip is a very popular lip that fits on most cars. I've already seen them on a CRX, Ibiza,... so they will probably fit your car. You can always do like I did, go to a junk yard and fit every lip they have over there untill you'll find one that fits. I found that for my car an accord lip would fit...

OK thanks for the info
I think I'll be going to the junk yard then this weekend

[riceviking]

Thanks for alot of great answers! (and I think I have to check into the splitter situation myself).

In norway we have this law that you cant change the width of your track (??) with more than 12mm. And the rims I want, Mille Miglia EVO:



only come in 17" with a (not 100% sure, don't have the catalogue) ET37 offset. The Civic is originally 45 right? so what about 3mm spacers making them a ET40? Or have I completely misunderstood this? What do you think about the rims, got a real good price on them! But have to know wether or not it'll work first.. :sun: