LE28Ns and ToyoT1Rs on black MS6

[ferdinand]

Volk Racing LE28N 18X7.5 50 offset with 225/45/18 T1Rs. Its probably going to snow now that I've put them on. I know the car needs to be lowered...

Wheels and tires were around 9 pounds lighter than the stock wheels and blizzacks (39 vs 48). The mazdaspeed center caps fit so I replaced the Volk center caps with them.

[Chilledboost]

are you selling your factory rims?

[ferdinand]

are you selling your factory rims?
No, I use them for my winter set-up.

[jflo]

wow where'd you get those mazdaspeed center caps ?

[ferdinand]

wow where'd you get those mazdaspeed center caps ?
They are a regular mazdaspeed accessory...you should be able to get them from your local mazda dealer - check around for online Mazda sites and you should be able to save some money.

edit: I PM'd you the link where I bought the center caps.

[ChopstickHero]

nice wheels

[ferdinand]

nice wheels
Thanks

[L8R]

Sweet!

[SeoulSurvivr]

That looks so good.

[seanmcsean]

tasty :)

[JOS3]

very clean. it just needs to be lowered

[ferdinand]

very clean. it just needs to be lowered
I agree. I'll update the pics when the springs get here and get installed...(probably about a month).

[Antoine]

Damn it!...I can't stop looking...The black looks great...nice rims...looking forward to see the stance after lowering :D

[dj petey]

I like the choice of colour and wheel, however there is a more ideal tire size to keep overall diameter consistent for speedo accuracy and effective gearing.

Stock 215/45/18 has OD of 25.6". your selection of 225/45/18 has OD of 25.9" which is delta of .3". Acceptable variance is less than .2" so better option would have been 235/40/18 with OD of 25.4". You could get even closer with 245/40/18 with OD of 25.7" but then rim selection and offset become tricky to avoid rubbing.

Given the high offset of the MS6 i'd recommend the 235/40/18 with a width 18 x 8.5 rim ET 45-50. But always test fit any wheel and tire combo before buying to be safe. just my $.02.

[ferdinand]

I like the choice of colour and wheel, however there is a more ideal tire size to keep overall diameter consistent for speedo accuracy and effective gearing.

Stock 215/45/18 has OD of 25.6". your selection of 225/45/18 has OD of 25.9" which is delta of .3". Acceptable variance is less than .2" so better option would have been 235/40/18 with OD of 25.4". You could get even closer with 245/40/18 with OD of 25.7" but then rim selection and offset become tricky to avoid rubbing.

Given the high offset of the MS6 i'd recommend the 235/40/18 with a width 18 x 8.5 rim ET 45-50. But always test fit any wheel and tire combo before buying to be safe. just my $.02.

235/40/18 needs an 8" wide wheel. Since these wheels are 7.5" wide, I opted for 225/45/18 (this is also the recommended tire size according to tirerack). I also didn't want to roll the fenders, so I tried to find the closest offset to stock. If this wheel came in 18X8 with the same offset, I would be rolling on 235/40/18s as i had a set sitting in the shed.

[dj petey]

i hear ya. finding a wheel with the proper fitment that suits your style is going to be the hardest thing for this vehicle. let us know if there are any clearance issues once you've dropped it.

[ferdinand]

As promised, updated pics w/ the AutoExe springs. I have only driven on the springs back home from the shop so no in-depth review re: handling characteristics yet. I can say that the ride is a bit more firm..hardly noticeable. The drop is moderate - just what I wanted w/ front dropped a bit more than the rears. The MS6 already has a slight rake w/ the back a bit higher and the AutoExe springs seem to do the same...maybe a bit more. I'll give more driving impressions as I get more miles on the set-up.

[ferdinand]

few more pics...

[mountjonas]

that looks perfect.

[ferdinand]

that looks perfect.
Thanks, I was hoping the drop wouldn't be too much - this was about what I was looking for. We'll see if it settles any.

[ssinstaller]

Can you check the clearance between the front tire and front suspension. I want to get the CE28N's but I'm trying to find out if I can get the 18x8.5 to fit.

[Rainman]

Ferdinand,

How much did the AutoExe springs run?

R

[ferdinand]

Ferdinand,

How much did the AutoExe springs run?

R
This much....:eek:
http://corksport.com/store/category/5ium/ate-suspension.html

[Rainman]

This much....:eek:
http://corksport.com/store/category/5ium/ate-suspension.html
Damn! I'll need to hear more feedback from you about ride quality, handling, and settling before I make that investment brother!

R

[ferdinand]

Can you check the clearance between the front tire and front suspension. I want to get the CE28N's but I'm trying to find out if I can get the 18x8.5 to fit.
I'll try to post a pic later, but there is about one index finger (width) of clearance between the tire and the suspension components and my wheels are 7.5 inches wide. The 18X8.5 ce28ns also have an offset of 52..so you will be 2mm closer to the suspension components w/ just the offset difference - if you factor in the extra width of the wheels, thats another 1/2 inch closer to the suspension components (1/2 of the width difference of 1 inch). I'm assuming that you want to run 235s w/ the 8.5 wide wheels so thats another 5mm (1/2 of 10mm) that will be closer to the suspension parts. the width of my index finger is about 1/2 inch. So right now I have 1/2 inch of clearance. 1/2 inch = 12.7 mm. Adding up the mm(s) closer you will be w/ the 8.5 wheels, we have +2mm (offset), +12.7mm (added wheel width), + 5 mm for 235s. Thats 19.7 mm closer in to the suspension w/ only 12.7 mm space. It might work with a 10mm spacer and then rolling the fender or might work with with 225s w/ 5 mm spacers.

Hope that made a little sense - long story short, there is not much room in there, but if you run spacers, it might be doable.

[ferdinand]

Damn! I'll need to hear more feedback from you about ride quality, handling, and settling before I make that investment brother!

R
So far so good. Car definately handles better - it feels quicker to respond and I haven't noticed any increase in understeer (there was mention that the spring ratio front/rear might induce more understeer).
I need to get an alignment as my steering wheel is cocked to the right a little now.

I like the fact that the ride is a bit more firm w/ the springs because my summer tires are 225/45 vs 215/45 stock (and what my blizzacks were) and that change to the wider tires softened up the ride some and made the car feel less responsive. The springs brought that back to how I remember the 215/45 tires felt. The ride is in no way near harsh. I've had a chance to take the car on the freeway and was concerned how it would handle certain sections of road that made the MS6 w/ the stock suspension bounce a bit - it handled those sections better than stock w/ absolutely no bounce. Its smooth as stock going over bad roads and bumps..maybe even smoother than stock. I have not rubbed yet, although the car has not been fully loaded down yet.

The steering seems to have changed - much more feedback through the wheel. The MS6 didn't have the same steering feel as some of my previous cars (R32 and STI) and had a somewhat "disconnected" feel compared to the cars mentioned. The springs helped alot in that area - car feels much more connected now. I know half of these impressions are probably placebo effect, but I am very pleased w/ the springs so far. I can't think of anything that I would consider a negative - the slightly firmer ride is the only thing that may turn some people off, but its really not that much different.

[tsunami]

nice set up man!! looks hawt!

[nate0123]

the rims are nice

(they just don't look very good on this particular car)

[Rainman]

So far so good. Car definately handles better - it feels quicker to respond and I haven't noticed any increase in understeer (there was mention that the spring ratio front/rear might induce more understeer).
I need to get an alignment as my steering wheel is cocked to the right a little now.

I like the fact that the ride is a bit more firm w/ the springs because my summer tires are 225/45 vs 215/45 stock (and what my blizzacks were) and that change to the wider tires softened up the ride some and made the car feel less responsive. The springs brought that back to how I remember the 215/45 tires felt. The ride is in no way near harsh. I've had a chance to take the car on the freeway and was concerned how it would handle certain sections of road that made the MS6 w/ the stock suspension bounce a bit - it handled those sections better than stock w/ absolutely no bounce. Its smooth as stock going over bad roads and bumps..maybe even smoother than stock. I have not rubbed yet, although the car has not been fully loaded down yet.

The steering seems to have changed - much more feedback through the wheel. The MS6 didn't have the same steering feel as some of my previous cars (R32 and STI) and had a somewhat "disconnected" feel compared to the cars mentioned. The springs helped alot in that area car feels much more connected now. I know half of these impressions are probably placebo effect, but I am very pleased w/ the springs so far. I can't think of anything that I would consider a negative - the slightly firmer ride is the only thing that may turn some people off, but its really not that much difference.


Thanks for the info brother! I'll add these to my list of things to buy this summer.

R

[warrier04]

car looks really good.

nice choices.

[ferdinand]

Thanks for the comments - much appreciated :)

[ferdinand]

the rims are nice

(they just don't look very good on this particular car)
LOL, I just now saw the last part of your post - here I thought for a week you were giving me props...I guess its a good thing that I like them on this car.

[AWD6]

235/40/18 needs an 8" wide wheel. Since these wheels are 7.5" wide, I opted for 225/45/18 (this is also the recommended tire size according to tirerack). I also didn't want to roll the fenders, so I tried to find the closest offset to stock. If this wheel came in 18X8 with the same offset, I would be rolling on 235/40/18s as i had a set sitting in the shed.



how big are the stock wheels??

[AWD6]

i meant width and offset b/c i know they are 18s

[ferdinand]

i meant width and offset b/c i know they are 18s
18X7 and I think the offset is 55 or 50 (not sure on that).

[AWD6]

aye aye captain...thanks...do you by chance know the widest and lowest profile you can fit on those stock wheels?

[ferdinand]

aye aye captain...thanks...do you by chance know the widest and lowest profile you can fit on those stock wheels?
I know some folks are running 235/40/18s on 18X8 wheels w/ 50 offset w/ no problems and they didn't have to roll the fenders either..

[ferdinand]

I know some folks are running 235/40/18s on 18X8 wheels w/ 50 offset w/ no problems and they didn't have to roll the fenders either..
Thought I would update this post now that I've had the springs on for over a month. So far, so good. It has settled probably 1/2 inch or so lower and i still have not experienced any rubbing. I haven't scraped any steep driveways yet, but I have also been very careful. Driving impressions are still the same..slightly firmer ride with improved responsiveness. The car still has some body roll, but much less than stock. I haven't felt any more understeer than w/ the stock springs. The stock shocks seem adequate w/ the springs (for now) as the ride has not degraded or become "bouncy". I am keeping an eye out for replacement shocks (wonder if the konis will work) for when the stocks do eventually wear out.

I have developed a low speed clunk coming from the rear while turning that I need to investigate further...I don't have clue right now. Here are couple of recent pics..

[Antoine]

Settled nicely...Nice stance...Do you have plans to do additional suspension mods?

How do the springs feel at high speed?

[ferdinand]

Settled nicely...Nice stance...Do you have plans to do additional suspension mods?

How do the springs feel at high speed?
Thanks, shocks are the only definite future mod so far... Car feels rock solid at high speed even on less than perfect surfaces..no bounce...more settled than with the stock springs.

[jrodhotrod]

Did you ever determine what was causing the clunk?

[ferdinand]

Did you ever determine what was causing the clunk?
Loose bolt, no more clunk- unrelated to the springs (but probably related to the install).