The wheels were just delivered on thursday and they were mounted and balaced on friday. Volk 19x8.5+43 in the front and 19x9.5+45 in the rear. Here's some pics before and after mounting.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid84/p143fef1441060360a6010055c886c89a/faca9c87.jpg

This one you can see the diff in width from front to rear.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid84/pe6f49aa90d26a6a6adfeb072da9d080b/faca9c84.jpg

Here you can see the diff in the lip front to rear.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid84/pa3a0fa8949429a82def697992da15e11/faca9c82.jpg

Because it's been done and a bill it's good scale reference. Front.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid84/pd95402ee92e7e57c364a1732ae5e8784/faca9c99.jpg
Rear.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid84/p4ce8ee4df980ccfef9e7d11dd3d8fb53/faca97fb.jpg

Here's some pics with the wheels mounted.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid84/p8513e57eb7ddcae72cfd93fb08a389cf/faca9c8c.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid84/pcb045acb0eebf8e193efedf280df9665/faca9c94.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid84/pc47baa5241591ab42343223d60f82598/faca9c9e.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid84/p986ebde3aa4a334750ec0005ca1dc288/faca9c9f.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid84/pae3aaeb02cf74baee5c087bf6230a74f/faca9c93.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid84/p0fdd9480f1a3c9f88dfbf7e021ba4300/faca9ca0.jpg

Next step is the suspension. That should be done after SEMA. What do you guys think?:)

I know a lot of folks like that style wheel but they look too plain to me.

What are you planning for suspention?

YUMMY
love all the pics showing the lip and differences

what kinda rubber is that?

The pic from the rear is sweeeettttt:D

Looks like Falken GR Beta's, AKA FK451's from the tread pattern.

Same thing I'm running on stock rims at 245/40/18. Decent street/track tire for sure!

at least the tread looks the same as mine:

http://rx8.swankmonkey.com/images/fk451.jpg

They look sweet, im actually planning on getting those. But how do you think they'd look in 18 inch form? Because with your 19's it fills the wheelwell nicely, but barely, so im afraid 18's might appear too small. What do you guys think?

Why are you putting a wider tire in the rear?

Why are you putting in a different offset front to rear?

How much do they weigh compared to the standar 18 rims?!

Originally posted by Sputnik
Why are you putting a wider tire in the rear?

Why are you putting in a different offset front to rear?

I can probably answer a bit of that.

RWD cars with high HP usually need more rubber in the rear.

But you can get more oversteer with a wider tire in the back, but that also depends on the alignment settings.

It also looks cool!

I'd say that Huff is doing the rubber/rims right now, and they are planning, like all Vivid Cars, to up the HP by quite a bit!

hey huff looks good.. what is the plan for suspension.. are you droping the car? if you come across a set of springs with about a 1.25" drop let me know i am looking to drop the car a lil. just to cover up the wheel gap

Your right Syntrix, Falcon GR Betas 245/35/19 in the front and 285/35/19 in the rear. I opted for the larger meats in the rear for better traction and the more aggressive look. Since the car will be lowered I decided to roll the rear fenders to avoid any rubbing issues in the future. It took about 15 min a side. Let me say this now so everyone is clear; if you plan on putting 19s on and lowering the car, you'll need to do this of you'll wear a nice grove onthe side wall of the tire durring aggressive driving.

Damn those look good. Just wondering, what did you guys do about the tire pressure sensor? Any problems? Thanks!

Originally posted by syntrix
...But you can get more oversteer with a wider tire in the back, but that also depends on the alignment settings... It's the other way around. More rubber in the rear normally means more grip in the rear than the front, which produces understeer. Alignment settings will do very little to offset that.

I asked because I was wondering whether Dan was going for looks over handling performance.

---jps

i love the wheels man...woo..i gotta get some of course when i get my 8...my dad has a 350Z and it is kick ass...but i don't turn 16 til next year and hopefully will get the 8..i have money in my savings account but i need to come up with 5,000 more dollars if i want to get the car...lol...i'm probably the youngest on these forums but theres nothing wrong with that

Yup, asymmetric setups with wider wheels/tires in back mean more understeer. The Rx8 already understeers too much, so wider wheels/tires in back would only aggravate the "push". With only 238 hp on tap, really wide tires in back don't make sense since there isn't enough juice from the Renesis to turn rotate the car with the gas pedal. My FD3S makes at least 360 rwhp, and I run 255/40-17s all around with excellent results, and good rear-end rotation with the gas pedal. I wish I could find a wheel make that provides 9 to 9.5 x 18s all around for the Rx8, so I can wrap 255/40-18s all around. I'd be one happy camper :)

I dunno, 6-spoke doesn't do it for me on either the Rx8 or FD3S Rx7. Call me a purist, but the 5-spoke on the Rx8 (and Rx7) looks timeless.

Originally posted by Sputnik
It's the other way around. More rubber in the rear normally means more grip in the rear than the front, which produces understeer. Alignment settings will do very little to offset that.

I asked because I was wondering whether Dan was going for looks over handling performance.

---jps [/B]

From my driving the car with the DSC off, I feel the that the natural tendency of the car is to oversteer slightly. I don't think wider tires are a bad idea.

And since this is a project car, I am sure that power mods are on the way. I don't think there will be any trouble getting the car oversteer if the driver wants to with a quick jab at the throttle.

Worstcase, I think the handling will improve overall with wider rear tires, but even if it degrades it slightly, the more power being put down (with power mods) in the straight aways with the wider rears should overcome the difference.

Yaw power is going with wider rear tires and he is doing competition racing with 9.5" in the rears.

What you lose is the ability to rotate the tires and wider contact patch and thus slightly reduce wet weather traction.

We've had this discussion before about the differences between 245 and 225 tires (really splitting hairs) and I think similar conclusion can be made here, its not that big of a deal either way with stock HP.

However, with power mods the 275 rubber will certainly add a little more grip.

-Mr. Wigggles

Originally posted by SleepR1
I dunno, 6-spoke doesn't do it for me on either the Rx8 or FD3S Rx7. Call me a purist, but the 5-spoke on the Rx8 (and Rx7) looks timeless.

I strongly agree

Originally posted by mikeb
I strongly agree
Meeeee tooooo!

I just got a spare stock set of rims and tires ;)

Next is suspension for the track!

Well just for clarification when the wheels were about to go on I checked the weight fo the stock wheel and tire and the Volks with tire and the stock wheel was slightly heavier. And that was rear for rear. I chose wider tires in the back for more traction and the aggressive look. I grew up on muscle cars. I went with the 19s because, well..let's face it...Pimpin ain't easy, but it's nessessary.
These were never my intention to be my track wheels. I haven't picked those out yet. The track wheels will be 18s though I will keep the width and offsets the same.

As for the wheel sensors...The light will come on but not stay on. It flashes every 2-3 sec. This doesn't even hapen if your taking a short trip say about 5 miles. Then once the car is turned off, the light stays off untill about the next 5 miles and then it flashes once every 2-3 sec. And continues to do so untill the car is turned off. The light isn't that noticeable and doesn't bother me yet. It just means that it's getting a PSI reading out side the paramiters of the tire specs. That's OK 'cause I know how to read and use a tire gauge.

Originally posted by VividRacing.com
Well just for clarification when the wheels were about to go on I checked the weight fo the stock wheel and tire and the Volks with tire and the stock wheel was slightly heavier. And that was rear for rear. I chose wider tires in the back for more traction and the aggressive look. I grew up on muscle cars. I went with the 19s because, well..let's face it...Pimpin ain't easy, but it's nessessary.
These were never my intention to be my track wheels. I haven't picked those out yet. The track wheels will be 18s though I will keep the width and offsets the same.


damn... call me the green eyed monster of jealousy!!! i've been looking for those exact volks... someone wanna tell me where to find some? i heard they were mad expensive too... "Pimpin ain't easy, but it's necessary"- so true...

Originally posted by sup3rbad
damn... call me the green eyed monster of jealousy!!!
...



You are the green eyed monster of jealousy!

Did that work for ya? :D

haha sure did. now if you can only help me find those rims...

Awesome!

Those are "all business" -- right up the RX-8's "functional-style" alley. I like the 6-spoke design -- it looks more technical than a 5-spoke pattern. Also love the anthracite color.

Will be getting a set of these or, more likely, SSR Comps, but in the 18" size.

Sweet!

The stock rims look better, those are ugly.

Originally posted by VividRacing.com
As for the wheel sensors...The light will come on but not stay on. It flashes every 2-3 sec. This doesn't even hapen if your taking a short trip say about 5 miles. Then once the car is turned off, the light stays off untill about the next 5 miles and then it flashes once every 2-3 sec. And continues to do so untill the car is turned off. The light isn't that noticeable and doesn't bother me yet. It just means that it's getting a PSI reading out side the paramiters of the tire specs. That's OK 'cause I know how to read and use a tire gauge.
So, without the tire pressure sensors, the only thing that happens is a light on the dash that flashes. There is no audible alarm?

Nope, No audible alarm.

You know... when I got my Mercury Silver CE28Ns (18x7.5) they moved the sensor over to the volks. So I don't have any issues with the sensor light. Why can't they do that for the rest of the people getting new rims?

THOSE ARE SWANGIN'!!!!...i was looking at the Volk SF Challenge wheels...but I think the offset doesn't even come close to +50...they are mad expensive too....we'll see...that's probably the only mod besides tinting i'm gonna do for quite a while...until all the hype of engine "accessories" calms down....

I love the wheels, car looks great. I was wondering about the tire pressure sensor myself. How come you didn't put them in the new wheels?

Also what us the proper offset for the RX8. I have a chance to get a nice set of Volk GTN in 18's from my brothers S2000, but they are +49 offset. Will this work with, or will it Rub.
Thanks
-Drew

I don't think you'll rub though you might want to consider rolling the fenders just in case you plan to lower it or drive it agressively on a track.

i agree with the 5 spoke purists, wheels with even numberes of spokes don't look good on sports cars.