Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 38

Thread: Enkei 15x8 +28 or 949 Racing 15x9 +36 any thoughts?

  1. #1
    3,000 rpm - starting to feel the power mx54life's Avatar
    Drives
    1999 10th AE
    Location
    Northern Cali
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Posts
    938
    Thanks Given
    65
    Thanked 438 Times in 226 Posts

    Enkei 15x8 +28 or 949 Racing 15x9 +36 any thoughts?

    I have decided that I will finish my 95 LE red interior project so now I would have to buy a new set of rims for this baby. I can't make up my mind between these two gorgeous rims but only one set has the wifey's blessing...........handling wise would the Enkei be better? What is both will be wrapped with 225/45/15? I have read that 15x9 +36 is just good for the tracks. Any thought guys?

  2. #2
    5,000 rpm - there be torque here! The Driver's Avatar
    Drives
    1996 Montego Blue Leather Package + 5 Speed = Torsen II
    Location
    Lakewood (Green Mountain), CO.
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Posts
    3,369
    Thanks Given
    933
    Thanked 483 Times in 283 Posts
    If you are not gonna track, 15X9 is overkill. I've heard that even 15X8's love to follow "road tracks". That has to get old real fast. I'm happy with my 15X7's but I'll probably get the 6UL's 15X7.5, some time in 2016.
    96 Montego, replacing a 95M... I miss: My running peeps in Tampa, running barefoot @ Clearwater Beach and First Choice BBQ, in Brandon. In So Cal I miss: The Malibu Canyons, CA 33 and In & Out Burgers ! I'm from Tampa, if I was from Tampa Bay, I'd be a fish!

  3. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to The Driver For This Useful Post:

    Agent☣Orange (01-22-2015),Phatmiata (01-21-2015)

  4. #3
    Ninja Messiah kung fu jesus's Avatar
    Drives
    1999 White
    Location
    Atlanta, GA
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Posts
    15,852
    Thanks Given
    2,791
    Thanked 7,202 Times in 3,433 Posts
    225s you should go with the 15x9s. If you go 205, 15x8.

  5. The Following User Says Thank You to kung fu jesus For This Useful Post:

    Phatmiata (01-21-2015)

  6. #4
    Admin / Pit Boss / Miataholic Phatmiata's Avatar
    Drives
    Kirin the '93LE Roadster #1073
    Location
    NEW Tampa > OLD Tampa
    Join Date
    Apr 1994
    Posts
    33,605
    Thanks Given
    13,678
    Thanked 9,518 Times in 4,641 Posts
    Happy wife = Happy life

  7. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Phatmiata For This Useful Post:

    Slampen (01-22-2015),The Driver (01-22-2015)

  8. #5
    3,000 rpm - starting to feel the power mx54life's Avatar
    Drives
    1999 10th AE
    Location
    Northern Cali
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Posts
    938
    Thanks Given
    65
    Thanked 438 Times in 226 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by Phatmiata View Post
    Happy wife = Happy life

    You said that right. sir. She gets everything she needs and I get what I want lol.

  9. The Following User Says Thank You to mx54life For This Useful Post:

    The Driver (01-22-2015)

  10. #6
    Individual-1 ☚ ☻ ☛ Agent☣Orange's Avatar
    Location
    🍊SWFL🏝
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Posts
    21,590
    Thanks Given
    4,764
    Thanked 4,319 Times in 2,544 Posts
    I had 225s on 15x9s on a daily and honestly, I'd have gone back to 205s on 7.5" if someone would have been willing to trade.


    No todo que es oro brilla.

  11. #7
    3,000 rpm - starting to feel the power mx54life's Avatar
    Drives
    1999 10th AE
    Location
    Northern Cali
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Posts
    938
    Thanks Given
    65
    Thanked 438 Times in 226 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by AgentOrange View Post
    I had 225s on 15x9s on a daily and honestly, I'd have gone back to 205s on 7.5" if someone would have been willing to trade.
    What would be the challenge of a 225's as a daily? Is handling a sacrifice with wide tires?

  12. #8
    Individual-1 ☚ ☻ ☛ Agent☣Orange's Avatar
    Location
    🍊SWFL🏝
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Posts
    21,590
    Thanks Given
    4,764
    Thanked 4,319 Times in 2,544 Posts
    For a DD, handling was good but the whole car rode rough even on soft 225 R1Rs. The fronts required shaved caliper banjo bolts to mount and then I had to use 5MM spacers just to roll. Even then, the wheel would rub on the stock spring perch. Nothing like metal to metal every time I backed out or turned full lock. For a track car, no problem but for a DD, just annoying.


    No todo que es oro brilla.

  13. #9
    3,000 rpm - starting to feel the power mx54life's Avatar
    Drives
    1999 10th AE
    Location
    Northern Cali
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Posts
    938
    Thanks Given
    65
    Thanked 438 Times in 226 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by AgentOrange View Post
    For a DD, handling was good but the whole car rode rough even on soft 225 R1Rs. The fronts required shaved caliper banjo bolts to mount and then I had to use 5MM spacers just to roll. Even then, the wheel would rub on the stock spring perch. Nothing like metal to metal every time I backed out or turned full lock. For a track car, no problem but for a DD, just annoying.
    Wow that is good to know. So you think with a coilover this rubbing problem will be resolve as the springs are narrower? But with this info it looks like Enkei 15x8 would be the logical choice. Thanks.

  14. #10
    Ninja Messiah kung fu jesus's Avatar
    Drives
    1999 White
    Location
    Atlanta, GA
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Posts
    15,852
    Thanks Given
    2,791
    Thanked 7,202 Times in 3,433 Posts
    I ran 225/45-15 on 7.5" wheels.

    Just a few additional thoughts on your choices...

    The 225 adds a LOT of additional lateral grip, but that sizing is limited and prone to running out of stock. The 205 is a far more widely available size. On an 8" wheel, most 205s sit square on the wheel, a few look a tad stretched, but depends on the manufacturer and if the tire has a rim protector. Not all 205 width tires are the same size, as you probably already know.

    Another interesting bit on the 205 vs 225 sizing is you have to consider the contact patch. These patches are basically oval. Oval have a long and short axis. The long axis is across the width of the tire, the short is parallel to the direction the car is headed. With a wider tire, the contact patch oval is wider, but the short axis is even shorter than a narrower tire. Where this becomes important is when water or rain is involved. I found in the rare occasion that I drove on my 225's while living in SOCAL that it rained, the car was far more likely to hydroplane than on the narrower tires. My 225s were RS3s, the other tires (195/60-14) were Falken 615Ks.

    Also, what you gain in lateral grip on a 225, you lose in feel or agility, even slip angles. This is a subjective portion of the decision, but to me, with the 225s, they were great when I wanted shear grip, but the steering felt much heavier and the slip angles were changed beyond what I preferred. It was sort of boring, not as lively.

    I think that for the additional grip a 225 may add, a stickier 205 can achieve, can be found more readily, and the steering still feels like a Miata. To that end, a 195 or 185 is a hoot under similar circumstances, but it just requires a bit more work and attention.

  15. The Following 5 Users Say Thank You to kung fu jesus For This Useful Post:

    Benbrg (02-18-2015),etikoner (01-22-2015),Phatmiata (01-22-2015),speedypenguin (01-22-2015),The Driver (01-22-2015)

  16. #11
    3,000 rpm - starting to feel the power freedomgli's Avatar
    Drives
    1991 Miata
    Location
    Oak Hill, VA
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Posts
    2,065
    Thanks Given
    346
    Thanked 1,068 Times in 433 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by kung fu jesus View Post
    To that end, a 195 or 185 is a hoot under similar circumstances, but it just requires a bit more work and attention.
    This. Right now I run extreme performance summer tires 205/50R15 on a 7" rim and it's got plenty enough grip for the street. In fact, I'm seriously contemplating dropping down to a 6.5" rim and running 195/50R15 tires to liven up the feeling some more. Keep in mind my car is naturally aspirated and built to be super fun on twisty mountain roads with just the occasional track day thrown in. I don't time trial and I don't care about setting the fastest lap times by working within the rules of a given racing class to maximize performance. If I didn't want big brakes to for the occasional track day then I'd probably be running 185/60R14 on a 14x6 rim if we could only get decent 14" tires here in the USA.

  17. #12
    Ninja Messiah kung fu jesus's Avatar
    Drives
    1999 White
    Location
    Atlanta, GA
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Posts
    15,852
    Thanks Given
    2,791
    Thanked 7,202 Times in 3,433 Posts
    Well, I ran 14x6.5" wheels for years and loved it. Yes, tire selection is limited, but not impossible. Falken 615k, Star Specs, among others are out there. I never really understood the need for big brakes on these cars, the 1.8 brakes are very good on the NA6 and have never considered them an issues at the tracks or running canyons. To their own I suppose.

  18. The Following User Says Thank You to kung fu jesus For This Useful Post:

    etikoner (01-22-2015)

  19. #13
    3,000 rpm - starting to feel the power freedomgli's Avatar
    Drives
    1991 Miata
    Location
    Oak Hill, VA
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Posts
    2,065
    Thanks Given
    346
    Thanked 1,068 Times in 433 Posts
    For me, going BBK is mostly about weight savings, brake pedal feel, ease of maintenance (no sliders to lubricate) and easy pad changes.

  20. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to freedomgli For This Useful Post:

    Pfunk (01-23-2015),The Driver (01-22-2015)

  21. #14
    2,000 rpm - light wheelspin, no bog here!
    Drives
    2002 SE Ti
    Location
    Talent, OR
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Posts
    159
    Thanks Given
    27
    Thanked 48 Times in 20 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by mx54life View Post
    I have decided that I will finish my 95 LE red interior project so now I would have to buy a new set of rims for this baby. I can't make up my mind between these two gorgeous rims but only one set has the wifey's blessing...........handling wise would the Enkei be better? What is both will be wrapped with 225/45/15? I have read that 15x9 +36 is just good for the tracks. Any thought guys?
    In conjunction with... ???

    I know your question was meant with good intentions; however, it takes the sum of all parts to truly answer this question. And sure, I guess I could search out every aspect of your car and every thread you've ever posted in or started but that isn't the point. You started a new thread and this thread deserves to be an independent entity.

    Again. In conjunction with...

    Quote Originally Posted by The Driver View Post
    If you are not gonna track, 15X9 is overkill. I've heard that even 15X8's love to follow "road tracks". That has to get old real fast. I'm happy with my 15X7's but I'll probably get the 6UL's 15X7.5, some time in 2016.
    Wrong, as per usual.

    Following 'road tracks' has more to do with the alignment than the tires.

    And an alignment is done at a tuner shop, not a drive through. And the owner of the car has a say in how the car is aligned IN CONJUCTION WITH... ???

    Quote Originally Posted by kung fu jesus View Post
    225s you should go with the 15x9s. If you go 205, 15x8.
    As always, wrong. And compounding the problem, you are a self-proclaimed expert that can't orate a complete sentence without needing to repeat some, if not most, of it.

    225/45/15s on a 15x8 -
    15228613975_c6cc5cd54b_c.jpg

    Quote Originally Posted by AgentOrange View Post
    I had 225s on 15x9s on a daily and honestly, I'd have gone back to 205s on 7.5" if someone would have been willing to trade.
    In conjunction with... ???

    Quote Originally Posted by mx54life View Post
    What would be the challenge of a 225's as a daily? Is handling a sacrifice with wide tires?
    In conjunction with... ???

    Quote Originally Posted by AgentOrange View Post
    For a DD, handling was good but the whole car rode rough even on soft 225 R1Rs. The fronts required shaved caliper banjo bolts to mount and then I had to use 5MM spacers just to roll. Even then, the wheel would rub on the stock spring perch. Nothing like metal to metal every time I backed out or turned full lock. For a track car, no problem but for a DD, just annoying.
    In conjunction with... ???

    Quote Originally Posted by mx54life View Post
    Wow that is good to know. So you think with a coilover this rubbing problem will be resolve as the springs are narrower? But with this info it looks like Enkei 15x8 would be the logical choice. Thanks.
    In conjunction with... ???

    Quote Originally Posted by kung fu jesus View Post
    I ran 225/45-15 on 7.5" wheels.

    Just a few additional thoughts on your choices...

    The 225 adds a LOT of additional lateral grip, but that sizing is limited and prone to running out of stock. The 205 is a far more widely available size. On an 8" wheel, most 205s sit square on the wheel, a few look a tad stretched, but depends on the manufacturer and if the tire has a rim protector. Not all 205 width tires are the same size, as you probably already know.

    Another interesting bit on the 205 vs 225 sizing is you have to consider the contact patch. These patches are basically oval. Oval have a long and short axis. The long axis is across the width of the tire, the short is parallel to the direction the car is headed. With a wider tire, the contact patch oval is wider, but the short axis is even shorter than a narrower tire. Where this becomes important is when water or rain is involved. I found in the rare occasion that I drove on my 225's while living in SOCAL that it rained, the car was far more likely to hydroplane than on the narrower tires. My 225s were RS3s, the other tires (195/60-14) were Falken 615Ks.

    Also, what you gain in lateral grip on a 225, you lose in feel or agility, even slip angles. This is a subjective portion of the decision, but to me, with the 225s, they were great when I wanted shear grip, but the steering felt much heavier and the slip angles were changed beyond what I preferred. It was sort of boring, not as lively.

    I think that for the additional grip a 225 may add, a stickier 205 can achieve, can be found more readily, and the steering still feels like a Miata. To that end, a 195 or 185 is a hoot under similar circumstances, but it just requires a bit more work and attention.
    You should really stop talking as you have failed to regurgitate information you heard into information you orate whereby someone trying to hear you can actual understand you.

    And again, in conjunction with... ???

    Quote Originally Posted by freedomgli View Post
    This. Right now I run extreme performance summer tires 205/50R15 on a 7" rim and it's got plenty enough grip for the street. In fact, I'm seriously contemplating dropping down to a 6.5" rim and running 195/50R15 tires to liven up the feeling some more. Keep in mind my car is naturally aspirated and built to be super fun on twisty mountain roads with just the occasional track day thrown in. I don't time trial and I don't care about setting the fastest lap times by working within the rules of a given racing class to maximize performance. If I didn't want big brakes to for the occasional track day then I'd probably be running 185/60R14 on a 14x6 rim if we could only get decent 14" tires here in the USA.
    Subjective and in conjunction with... ???

    Quote Originally Posted by kung fu jesus View Post
    Well, I ran 14x6.5" wheels for years and loved it. Yes, tire selection is limited, but not impossible. Falken 615k, Star Specs, among others are out there. I never really understood the need for big brakes on these cars, the 1.8 brakes are very good on the NA6 and have never considered them an issues at the tracks or running canyons. To their own I suppose.
    Statement REMOVED.

    Quote Originally Posted by freedomgli View Post
    For me, going BBK is mostly about weight savings, brake pedal feel, ease of maintenance (no sliders to lubricate) and easy pad changes.
    The only post here worth quoting for truth.

    Back to the OP's original question...

    In conjunction with?

    I have a stock powered '02 SE which came with the OEM sport brakes. I have the 15x8 Enkei's wrapped in 225/45/15 R-S3s with SS brake lines. The rear sway bar is factory and the front is from Flyin' Miata. Flyin' Miata end links on all four corners. I don't have any additional bracing, etc. When I bought the car it came with a HD double-hoop "roll bar" which would've been a deal breaker on most days; however, the price was too good to pass up. Power steering is still functional and I am using the OEM steering wheel.

    The tires 'thump' a bit on cold Oregon mornings but only until they come to temp. Almost all of the roads in Oregon are tar paved vs. a heavy concrete mixture found in places like Texas. Given the restrictions on semi's, most of the "ruts" are in the far right lane.

    I had the car professionally corner balanced and aligned by a well renowned shop in Portland, OR. There are three basic alignments with infinite slight adjustments in-between. In simplified terms, street, semi-track, and track. I went with the middle alignment specs which gives incredible driver feel and feedback without being just limited to track pleasure.

    Of course an alignment is subjective! Just like a quarterback selecting his balls for a game is; however, I can tell you that on certain roads at certain times (temp and humidity) there is a bit of road pull. And I love it! It doesn't offend the senses and gives the car an incredible feel.

    Personally, I wouldn't, and haven't, run anything but 225/45/15 R-S3s on either 15x8 or 15x9 wheels. That said, it is for a variety of factors. Primarily because of what I've run them in conjunction with.

    Never underestimate the power of a prepositional phrase.
    Last edited by The Driver; 01-23-2015 at 02:32 PM. Reason: Name calling.

  22. #15
    Admin / Pit Boss / Miataholic Phatmiata's Avatar
    Drives
    Kirin the '93LE Roadster #1073
    Location
    NEW Tampa > OLD Tampa
    Join Date
    Apr 1994
    Posts
    33,605
    Thanks Given
    13,678
    Thanked 9,518 Times in 4,641 Posts
    I see some good points but I see a LOT more personal jabs here

    Everyone will have their own opinions on sizing, but please lets be cordial to each other, no need for name calling.

  23. The Following User Says Thank You to Phatmiata For This Useful Post:

    Greasemonkey2000 (07-11-2015)

Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •