I would like to get a set of wheels that I can put some good auto-x tires on. I want to stay in STS, so wheel width is limited to 7.5" I want a lightweight wheel that isn't super-expensive either. I know on the tirerack there are some Kosei wheels that say they are 14lbs each (17x7 w/ 50 offset). If they are really that light, how come I don't see more people running them? Any other suggestions that I can get for less (much less hopefully) than a grand? Thanks?
Just find some stock RS wheels (1998~2001), or an OE SUBARU 17" wheel. Most of the SUBARU wheels are light.
True, I have thought about getting some RS wheels (cheap) but the advertised weight for the kosei's is around 14 lbs which is 2 lbs lighter than subie wheels and that would more than make up the difference in weight by going with a wider tire. Also, I kinda want a 17" wheel, but feel free to tell me that its not much of an improvement over a 16" (side wall flex, etc) I also like the rota SDX, very nice
If they will be solely for autocross use, then I recommend going with the smallest diameter you can possibly fit over your brakes. Cheaper wheels, cheaper tires, less rotating mass, less stress on wheel bearings, etc. Following that logic, you want to go as wide as you possibly can (without rubbing too bad). Since you want to be able to get as much grip as humanly possible, a 7-7.5" wheel with 225 is the right choice there. My opinion.. if they are autocross-only wheels, just get some 98-01 RS wheels that are 16x7. Cheap, decent weight, can fit a 225 tire, and you can just paint em flat black if you can't stand the look of them. But if you're looking for something to double as a daily driven summer wheel/tire combo, as well as your autocross setup, then I would just get some 17x7.5 Rotas. The K1 TS and RPF1's are both really nice wheels, with some nice weight specs on them.. but honestly.. if you're asking this kind of question - you probably won't be able to tell the difference between dropping 1-2 lbs of wheel weight on every corner No reason for spending over a grand on wheels in that scenario.
We are running 17x8.5 Enkei RPF1 and 17x9 Kosei K1 TS, and they are both light wheels. I like the Koseis better as they are wider. Call up Luke @ tirerack, and he will give you a list of options.