Autocross and Wheel question

[Joeyy]

What is required for autocross and how bad will I suck with my stock wheels and tires? Is next Sunday a race day and anyone have an opinion on Rota wheels? Thanks for any ideas.

[MikeK]

Autocross is next saturday at Lovelock. The next (and last) weekend at stead is the first weekend of October. Full schedule here ... look for all the "solo 2" events,

The stock WRX wheels and tyres are bad for going fast ... but great for learning on. I did several events on those last year, no problems at all. You just need to pump them up a few psi over normal pressures to stop the sidewalls rolling over during hard cornering. Lots of us have electric pumps so you can pump them up at the event.

[Dean]

What Mike said. I'd guess about 40PSI and bring a guage so you can check them between runs.

Rotas are OK, I also have a set of very light 17"s you might be interested in if you get serious next season.

[Kevin M]

Rotas are perfectly fine for people who aren't looking for every last bit of speed within their class rules. I've had some, pretty much everyone else around here has too. Dean's wheels are very light though, and as cheap as any Rota you'll find. Plus, we like to "keep it in the family" around here with regards to wheels.

[Joeyy]

Thanks for the info. How about a helmet? Will a bowl hair cut work?

[MikeK]

The SCCA has some loaner helmets you can use for free.

[M3n2c3]

Dean, what model/color Rotas are you talking about? I may be interested in the near future if Joeyy doesn't call dibs.

[Nick Koan]

Originally Posted by M3n2c3

Dean, what model/color Rotas are you talking about? I may be interested in the near future if Joeyy doesn't call dibs.

I don't think Dean is talking about Rotas, but his Nippon Racing Lightstars

[M3n2c3]

Originally Posted by nKoan

I don't think Dean is talking about Rotas, but his Nippon Racing Lightstars

Hm, I must have misread his phrasing. Wow, those are very thin!

[Dean]

Originally Posted by M3n2c3

Hm, I must have misread his phrasing. Wow, those are very thin!

They look thin,but we had a big long discussion on this back when I giot them. The actually have a greater cross sectional area in the spokes than the Rota SubZeros I have.

They are thicker at the rear of the spoke than at the face of the wheel, and they are fairly deep spokes. the cenetrs are also very strong because the spoke extends all he way to the center bore instead of stopping at outside the bolt circle like most wheels.

They would still be on my car if they fit over my Stoptechs.

[M3n2c3]

Gotcha. I couldn't see the depth in the official site's image, but that makes sense. What color?

I'm not trying to hijack the thread, but this remains mostly on-topic: anyone have any opinions to share on Rota vs. Enkei? I'm looking at the Rota Tarmac and Enkei RS7 in particular.

[Dean]

Originally Posted by M3n2c3

Gotcha. I couldn't see the depth in the official site's image, but that makes sense. What color?

I'm not trying to hijack the thread, but this remains mostly on-topic: anyone have any opinions to share on Rota vs. Enkei? I'm looking at the Rota Tarmac and Enkei RS7 in particular.

Silver See pictures below. I think last I said was $300 incl a set of spline drive lug nuts...

I like Enkie and own 2 sets. one set of RP-F1 race weels for my Subaru, and one set of RP-01 race wheels for my Stealth. light and strong. Gary Sheehan ran both the RP-F1 and Rota SubZeros on his race car, so I would not question the durability of at least those models. The RP-F1s are about the lightest sub $1000/set wheels for the Subarus in a 17x8 that fit over the Stoptechs and STI Brembos. I also own 5 Rota SubZeros as well. One of them is bent though... I blame it on the thin spokes, or Mike E. running into something he won't fess up to. :-)

[M3n2c3]

Hmmm. . .

[Kevin M]

Don't forget the RE070s or Hankooks or Falken RT615s.

[Dean]

Originally Posted by M3n2c3

Hmmm. . .

I think they look good, but I am biased.

[MikeSTI]

put an inch and a half drop and it will look even better!!!!

[M3n2c3]

Originally Posted by Dean

I think they look good, but I am biased.

I think they're starting to grow on me. What about the depth and bolt pattern?

Originally Posted by MikeSTI

put an inch and a half drop and it will look even better!!!!

I intend to, very soon.

[sperry]

Originally Posted by M3n2c3

I think they're starting to grow on me. What about the depth and bolt pattern?


I intend to, very soon.

Buy my coilovers!

http://www.seccs.org/forums/showthread.php?t=3539

[M3n2c3]

Originally Posted by sperry

Buy my coilovers!

http://www.seccs.org/forums/showthread.php?t=3539

Then I can bounce my way to every thursday meet! Yay!

[Kevin M]

You'll hate that a lot less the first time you hit the track or autocross. Why do you think it took Scott so long to replace them in the first place? And for what he's asking, you could have more comfortable setups, but you couldn't get a faster one. Although maybe Dean could. He makes DSM owners wonder how he manages to spend so little to go fast.

[Dean]

Originally Posted by M3n2c3

I think they're starting to grow on me. What about the depth and bolt pattern?

They are 5x100 7.5" wide. If I recall correctly, they are ET 48 and under 16 pounds. I can throw one on a bathroom scale if you want.

[SlickNick112]

Dean, what is the offset?

[Dean]

Originally Posted by SlickNick112

Dean, what is the offset?

Sorry, ET = Offset.

Originally Posted by Dean

If I recall correctly, they are ET 48

I'll check them tonight if I remember though.

[Nick Koan]

Now, I've seen this before and I've come to accept the fact that ET == offset...

but, does anyone know the reason why that is? Just curious.

[Dean]

ET = einpress tief

Rim Markings
Wheels are made with markings, usually on the rim, the meanings of some of which are fairly obvious, some less so. Consider a wheel marked "15x7J ET38." We should all know that 15 is the diameter, in inches, of the surface the tire's bead rests on, while 7 is the width, or the distance between the flanges that support the bead as air pressure forces it outward along the axis of the spindle. The J is not obvious, but is simple once you know: It simply refers to the shape of that flange, easier to understand if you imagine a steel wheel on which the lip is rolled over like a J. "ET" may or may not be present. It is an abbreviation of einpress tief, German that translates literally as "pushed in depth," or offset. The 38 is the offset measured in mm.