Tyres for my '95 7 spoke NSX rims

[Dutchy]

I have searched here and also on Prime but didn't find the final answer.

I need 4 new tyres for my recently purchased '95 16 en 17inch rims. Going to have them refurbished and paint then in Pewter Grey Metallic. (gun metal)

The standard tyre size are

1994-1997 Front 215/45ZR16 - diameter 23.6 inches - 854 rev per mile
1994-1997 Rear 245/40ZR17 - diameter 24.7 inches - 816 rev per mile

I want Falken 452's, they have some good reviews and not too pricey. The rear tyres are available but the fronts in that size aren't. The closest size available is 225/45R16 wich is slightly wider. Is this going to be a problem. going slightly wider? If so wich brand tyres do you reccomend that do have the exact sizes

I would love to hear your thoughts on this.

Thnx
Jean-Paul

[Silver Surfer]

Hi Jean-Paul

I have Falken 452 on my NSX but run 225s at the front and 265s on the rear....no problem.

SS

[nobby]

11301

this is the recent refurb on my 7 spoke wheels ... prior to tyre being installed it looked like above pic, and went from above to this

11302

you can see the difference the tyre makes to the overall colour of the wheel. Bit of a shock and not expecting it to go as dark, but very happy with the outcome and craps all over the terrible lashed on black job the previous owner had done to the car. :D so be careful when picking your colour cause when tyre goes on it has the effect of above.

when there is nice sunshine like we have been having the wheels take on the metallic finish they have and do brighten ... but its needs to be very sunny indeed

this was a custom colour that i worked with the company that refurbed my wheels. full process including powder coating etc :cool:

i run b'stone potenza's RE050's on my car btw ... find them a great all rounder

[Nick Graves]

Stones or Advan AD08s.

I cannot see the benefit of changing from OEM sizes; it can throw the geometry out & a wider tyre without a wider rim never works properly.

[markc]

I cannot see the benefit of changing from OEM sizes; it can throw the geometry out & a wider tyre without a wider rim never works properly.

Too sweeping a statement Nick, going up one size width on a rim width that can easily handle it is rarely a problem. I don't believe this will have any effect on geometry but the higher sidewall might effect ride/handling however even this no more so that a different tyre (model/manufacturer). Having said that I don't like the aesthetics of the wider 225x45x16 on the front of the NSX, too "balloon'y" :)

We have to remember that tyre tech has come on massively since the OE fit Yoko, B'stone, Dunlop's and in truth no modern tyre will specifically suit the old NSX however whatever modern rubber you fit will likely work as well if not better than the originals.

Cheers

Mark

[Dutchy]

Well I went with the Falken 452's 225/45R16 en 255/40R17. Making the front a bit wider and the rear the same amount..these sizes offer a much bigger assortment of tyres and with them reasonable prices.

I assume it won't be a huge difference but I am sure the techs have looked in to the right tyre size when the car was developed. I am very curious in what way the handling might change though.

@nobby
I wanted to go as close too an oem color as possible...didnt figure out yet if this actually really is the oem color though. You are right about the darkness of the tyre... good thing is I won't see the rims without tyres...perhaps better hehe.

Thnx for the input guys.... much appreciated.

[Dutchy]

Did anyone lower the car a bit after swapping from 15/16 to 16/17 ?

[Nick Graves]

Too sweeping a statement Nick, going up one size width on a rim width that can easily handle it is rarely a problem. I don't believe this will have any effect on geometry but the higher sidewall might effect ride/handling however even this no more so that a different tyre (model/manufacturer). Having said that I don't like the aesthetics of the wider 225x45x16 on the front of the NSX, too "balloon'y" :)

We have to remember that tyre tech has come on massively since the OE fit Yoko, B'stone, Dunlop's and in truth no modern tyre will specifically suit the old NSX however whatever modern rubber you fit will likely work as well if not better than the originals.

Cheers

Mark

I've never been impressed by the results; invariably feels too 'balloony' too.

I know the 'Euro' look is a bit pikey, but a wider rim invariably benefits transient responses.

Hondas suit tyres with very stiff sidewalls; many modern tyres will produce unsatisfactory results. Hence I'd personally prefer an expensive, stiff tyre in the correct size, rather than a cheaper, bigger tyre. I've experienced that mistake before.

[markc]

I've never been impressed by the results; invariably feels too 'balloony' too.

I'm afraid I'm a sucker for aestetics and while tyre pressure (higher) will likely sort the feel out, you can't fix the look.


I know the 'Euro' look is a bit pikey, but a wider rim invariably benefits transient responses.

Which is probably why the NSX wheel front width progressed from 6.5" (15") to 7" (16" and 17") over the years while at the the same time the tyre profile lowed from 50 to 45 to 40. Remember that the actual suspension didn't change save for the springs getting a touch firmer with dampers tuned to match. The ever wider rear wheels/tyres should in theory have made the car more and more understeery so potentially an even wider front would help this.


Hondas suit tyres with very stiff sidewalls; many modern tyres will produce unsatisfactory results. Hence I'd personally prefer an expensive, stiff tyre in the correct size, rather than a cheaper, bigger tyre. I've experienced that mistake before.

Do most modern tyres have soft sidewalls? Do only expensive ones have stiff sidewalls? I'd have thought that the load index has some effect on the sidewall stiffness i.e. higher load index = stiffer sidewall? I know lots of NSX'ers like the Goodyear F1 GSD's for their sidewall stiffness.

As said above I'm a sucker for looks, even with tyres, so the AD08's are a no go for me. Hopefully by the the next time I need rubber there will be a few more options.

Cheers

Mark

[havoc]

My 2p to the general topic:-
- The RE040s on the front aren't as good as the RE050s on the rear, generating an understeery balance for that particular combination. I'm tempted to go up 10mm wide at the front next time round, esp. if I can get a better tyre than the 040!
- Ultimate grip isn't the aim, really - precision, predictability and 'fun/enjoyment' should be more important IMHO - the NSX already has ample grip for any road situation.
- Agree with Nick that Hondas seem tuned for stiff sidewalls...I've had several different Hondas and none have got on with squishy tyres.
- Modern wheel/tyre combinations tend to be ultra-low-profile for performance applications, so sidewall stiffness is less relevant - a 40-profile tyre will have less 'give' in the sidewall regardless than a 50- or 55-profile. I'd go so far as to say that on an 18"/40-profile (for example - wife's MkV GTi) I'd rather something absorbing than stiff...might have prevented that pothole puncture on an almost-new £140 tyre!!!
- Re: "Euro look" - I'd rather a tyre which sat a couple of mm proud of the rim - much as we're all good drivers, a wheel/kerb interface isn't impossible and a tyre is a lot more forgiving than an alloy rim... But equally I'd prefer a square shoulder than a 'balloon look' tyre.

[Nick Graves]

The Goodyears aren't too bad in terms of sidewall stiffness, but I think the Stones still have the edge.

I've increased the front pressure of the Advans recently, in order to overcome the initial understeer thing. But I think that's down to a lot of caster & walking suspension, rather than the tyrewalls, as such.

I'll try the Mugen GPs one day, to find out what the Euro-look on those wide front rims actually does for the turn-in! I'll have to check the RR first, in case it throws the geo. out too far. It did quite a bit on the S2000 over the 16"s, surprisingly.

The Mugens are slightly kerbed (well, dirt-banked) from our narrow lanes and tankers. So I've accepted Kaz' JDM-mentality that it just means a properly-driven car!