Lightweight Wheels

I'd have thought they'd be at least as strong, if not stronger considering the abuse they'd have to put up with. I doubt you'll notice much difference on a road car like a KA but if it's less unspring weight you're after then it'll be worth looking at the tyres, they're probably heavier than the wheels. Changing to ACB10's will save you a lot of weight and give you a lot more grip too, just be very very careful in the wet.

Usually (at least on bikes) race wheels are lighter, just as strong but more brittle. You can put a ding in a road rim as they are softer, like from hitting a pot hole at speed say, where race wheels get there strength from harder alloys and shatter or crack. Old crashed race bike wheels look ok as you drag em from the skip, but if you tap them with a lump of wood the generally dont ring but vibrate! Because somewhere they have failed.

Yes, but they might only be stronger in some ways and not others.

You'd be surprised at the difference. Drive a Ka with 6J 15s on it and it feels lethargic compared to Kermy, sitting on 5.5J 13s.

The 6J 13" CXRs are 4.5 kg. His Falken ZE502 tyres in a 185/60 size are going to weigh less than 7.7 kg, the weight of the ZE502 205/60s.

ACB10s... aren't they near-slick tyres?

Hmm, nothing definitive except they are not really general purpose tyres, heh. I commute using the Ka and it has a habit of raining for seven months of the year. *it's grim up north* :)

Yup; that's why they're replaced. I'll have some advantage in that I'll be using 185/60 tyres, so that big fat profile will help matters.

Hmmm.

Ah wimp we had hail in the last month and I'm still looking at a set of Mitch Pilot Sport Cups or Toyo R888s depending on the price I can get them for.

mate has Toyo's R888's on his 380bhp MR2 turbo and there sticky as sticky gets! except in the wet :)

Surely not. Maybe a BS certification thing?

The R888s would be superb in the dry, but it's not always dry.

Now if I could swap the wheels that morning depending on the forecast it would be great, but I'm not doing this because (a) it's not possible given our street's camber and (b) I'm too lazy for this.

We put between 20 and 30,000 miles onto the odometer a year. I like my front tyres to have their time on the car measured in months and not weeks. ;) On the front, these Falken ZE502s are wearing at the rate of around 1mm per 6,000 miles.

That's equivalent to what 3 - 4 sets of R888s. ;)

Maybe two to three with the way I drive! :-)

Gran Turismo 4 does have some uses...

They're much nicer than the CXR:

If anybody is remotely interested, that little green Ka of mine has nearly

I have a set of grooved semi slicks on a spare set of rims. Occasionally I put them on for a giggle. Good fun in the dry. Great fun in the wet.

Fraser