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#1
05-05-2008, 10:13 PM
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Good arguement for allowing larger wheels...
I'm shopping for wheels. I got this response from Tire Rack. After seeing a trend in wheel failures, I'm not sure I want to buy a used set. If I have to, I'll go with the tried-and-true 16" American Racing steel D-hole wheels. I'll have to run a heavy car anyways. If there was ever a good arguement for allowing the use of larger wheels, this would be a good one.
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#2
05-06-2008, 03:19 AM
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Peter v. Paul
Robert, the wheel topic comes up from time to time and here's my 2 cents.
In my opinion just because the Tire Rack's search engine doesn't make it easy for you to find what you want on their site, that's no reason that the American Sedan wheel rules should be changed. Giving you a greater selection of wheels at lower prices by switching to 17" (or any other size) also isn't a good enough reason. At least that's one man's opinion. As much as AS would benefit from new entries I think you'd agree that taking care of it's current membership is also important to the long term health of the class. Neither Veterans nor Newbies want a class with constantly changing rules, especially if it requires everyone to spend large amounts of money to stay competitive. I think most people would agree that lower profile tires, especially if they're wider, mounted on larger wheels would obsolete everything that people are currently using. I see 3 possible solutions: 1) Change the spec wheel size for all cars in AS to a new (larger size). I think this would be a tough sell given that it would require everyone to go out and buy one or more sets of new wheels. 2) Make the larger wheels optional while still allowing the current wheel; no penalty for cars with larger wheels. If there was no 'equalizer' for cars with larger wheels v. cars with smaller wheels then you'd have the same problem as in (1) above. Everyone who wanted to be competitive would have to buy one or more sets of new wheels. Again, cost burden to the class is too high. 3) Make the larger wheels optional while still allowing the current wheel; add penalty for cars with larger wheels. About the only thing I can think of is adding weight to cars that want to run the larger wheels because we're already at a minimum weight threshold (difficult to get the current generation of cars lighter than current minimum weights). Given that we already have weight penalties for engines, heads, and chassis, I don't think the class can stand another weight-adding option. Tire Rack is a great company and I have bought from them for many years. However, they're not the only game in town. Discount Tire, aka America's Tire, has the search engine you're looking for. See: http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/home.do (Wheel Search, By Size) You can search by wheel diameter, width, and lug pattern. Might I suggest that if you find a wheel that you like and can afford using this method then either (a) call the wheel manufacturer and ask them for any additional info (like center hole size), or (b) once you know the wheel make/model then you can shop other companies, like Tire Rack, and ask those companies for additional info if Discount Tire doesn't have the info you need. No offense, but you don't even race an AS car yet. Just wait till you've been racing one for years, have prepared your car to the then current rules, have invested tens of thousands of dollars in the current rule set, and see how receptive you are to someone new wanting to make sweeping rule changes that affect not only your wallet but the wallets of all the other racers in the class. Suggestions like changing wheel size are great if you have nothing invested, but not so great if you do. Of course I could be persuaded to 'see things your way' though......I'll give you my PayPal account number and you can deposit quite a few thousand dollars in there to cover what I've spent on custom wheels. Then I could use that money to replace my current wheels with whatever size you're suggesting that the class should adopt.  Fear not though, because if DOT race tire manufacturers like Hoosier, Kumho, Toyo, and Hankook all stop making viable race rubber in 16" sizes then as a class we'll have no choice but to change wheel sizes. Until that point I'd respectfully ask that you and others that support your want for larger wheels consider the current AS racers before being so adamant about wanting a new wheel size.
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#3
05-06-2008, 06:56 AM
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I'm not trying to stir anything up, I was just saying, that if there was a good way to argue allowing bigger wheels, that email would be a good one. I still find it hard to believe that Tire Rack, of all places, would say that they have NO 16" wheels for a Mustang. I was very disappointed when I read that. I actually felt it was just a lame excuse considering their product lines. They carry the 16" competition tires, but no wheels? Come on. I know Tire Rack isn't the only place to shop, but a fellow OK region member is a Tire Rack dealer and can get their products at cost, so I was hoping to take advantage of that.
I haven't given up by a long shot. I really want to avoid used wheels, and I even more want to avoid using the NASCAR-style d-hole steel rims. But you gotta admit...these AS cars would look bitchin-sweet with a set of 19" Fikse race wheels...  Besides...I'm too far set into the current rules to change anything now. My car budget is pretty much set. Even if bigger wheels were allowed, I ain't changing anything unless it's mandatory.
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#4
05-06-2008, 09:23 AM
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wheels
If you want steel wheels, Diamond racing wheels will make you 16x8 wheels that weight about 20# for under 150 bucks(few years ago) each with whatever backspace you want.
I've used them and they are fine. Ron
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#5
05-06-2008, 05:28 PM
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You can still get wheels for a mustang in 16x8 cheaply. Search around
a bit on this site, on Discount Tire, or call Tire Rack. A while back Andy Mcdermid posted links to pretty inexpensive new wheels that fit Mustang. I've acquired 4 full sets of wheels, some new takeoffs, some used for $900 total for all 4 sets. These were all for a Gen 4 GM, so I had to replace all my wheels from the Gen 3 due to significantly different offsets needed. Others have a fair bit of money tied up in nice racing wheels. A friend here (Jonny) said he was able to get 16x8 for his new style mustang from Tire Rack, he just had to call them and have them help with the lookup since the tire rack web-site wouldn't cut it for searching. http://www.discounttiredirect.com/di...w=8&bp=5-114.3 http://www.discounttiredirect.com/di...w=8&bp=5-114.3
__________________
Kevin Smith 1993 Firebird AS #03 Oregon Region SCCA & ICSCC
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#6
05-06-2008, 07:39 PM
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See, it's the 4x4/off road background that I have that still has me preferring steel instead of aluminum. Hit a curb, hammer the steel wheel back out. Or sell the aluminum wheel to Coca Cola for recycling. I'm exaggerating. But modern aluminum wheels look uber-sweet, and light as hell. Spinners would give me the ballast I need...  The Diamond wheels don't look bad at all... http://www.diamondracingwheels.com/RoadRaceSeries.htm
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#7
05-06-2008, 08:22 PM
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wheel colors
The silver powder coated wheels look pretty nice in person instead of Chrome. The black are nice as well, we have both. They make great wheels for rains, practice, or race and as funds allow you can break down and get some really light more expensive wheels. You do have to run 45 degree lug nuts which are cheap and easy to get from circle track vendor. However, If you run these wheels and some stock or aftermarket Al wheels, they take different lug nuts, 60 degree I think for the stock ones.
Good Luck Ron Long live 16" wheels
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#8
05-06-2008, 10:21 PM
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Wheels
In my opinion, the really sad part of this dilema is that 17" should have been made an option when the brake upgrade was introduced. If larger wheels were allowed, upgrade kits would have been considerable cheaper that you could have bought the brakes and a set of wheels for what you where paying for the brake kits alone. Jerry
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#9
05-06-2008, 10:52 PM
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and then
Then your bill for a set of hoosiers just got raised $108 for a set of 275/40/17's as opposed to a set of 275/45/16's. The guys that race alot have now increased their annual expenses by at least $500 per season and they haven't even bought the 17 inch wheels yet. Your right that the brake packages are plentiful for anything with 17's or bigger but I still think the operating costs have still been reduced by sticking with the 16 inch wheels. Your mileage may vary. My opinion is stick with what we have unless we must change due to tire availability issues. Is cheaper tires a bad thing?
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#10
05-06-2008, 11:18 PM
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YEah...tires are getting to be more like women's clothing. Less material means more money.
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