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  • DILYSI Dave

    Feb. 15, 2009 6:28 p.m. DILYSI Dave UltimaDork

    Unfortunately, big tires and Civics were never mean to co-exist. That's why today's project was fender trimming. I took it for a spin with it's big tires (275/35/15), figured out what was hitting, and then went to town. I can actually get full lock, though with less than 1/4" of clearance on the inside. That may turn into rub once I've got the tires mounted on the right rims (15 x 10 instead of 15 x 8). We'll see. The place it was hitting was the top of the fender well. Makes sense, as the tire sticks past the fender and there was ~1" of room between tire and fender at the top. What I did was take the 2" space that existed front and rear, and cut the top out to match, such that the tire now has 2" of clearance all the way around. A test drive involving heavy turning, heavy braking, and even a bit of curbing where appropriate reveals no more rubbing. Woohoo.

    I will admit that taking a ziz wheel to the car is still pretty stressful, but I'm learning to embrace it.

  • Lugnut

    Feb. 15, 2009 6:34 p.m. Lugnut Reader

    Now that's exciting. Have you decided on your flares yet? Just wanted to go on record that I love exposed fasteners on flares. :)

  • DILYSI Dave

    Feb. 15, 2009 6:39 p.m. DILYSI Dave UltimaDork

    Probably not going to do flares for the time being. I may later. At some point I'd love to make a one piece front end. If that ever happens, it will be flared.

  • bamalama

    Feb. 15, 2009 6:50 p.m. bamalama Reader

    I must say, those wheels are awesome.

  • DILYSI Dave

    Feb. 15, 2009 6:55 p.m. DILYSI Dave UltimaDork

    I like them too, but they are going to be relegated to rear-only before long. I'm converting the front to a wide-5 setup (yes, like circle track cars) so that I can run affordable yet light weight 15 x 10's.

    At some point, the rear may also go to wide-5, as the appeal of magnesium hubs may be more than I can resist.

  • gamby

    Feb. 15, 2009 6:57 p.m. gamby UberDork

    There is a Northeast SM champ/contender who fabbed up widebody fenders for his EG. (point of interest)

    Those wheels are kinda hot w/ teh low-offset think that's going on in the Honda scene. They look good, no doubt.

    Flares will make your EF look really sweet, though.

    If you were a JDM whore: http://www.honda-tech.com/showthread.php?p=37306591

  • DILYSI Dave

    Feb. 15, 2009 7:01 p.m. DILYSI Dave UltimaDork

    Yeah, I know that EG well. Unfortunately, the owner bought an S2K and the car is for sale, so I won't be able to race it in the foreseeable future.

    Also - while those flares aren't bad, holy crap are they expensive.

  • minimac

    Feb. 15, 2009 7:05 p.m. minimac Dork

    Nice job and looks good but no gloves or safety glasses? Shame on you Dave, I thought you knew better!

  • DILYSI Dave

    Feb. 15, 2009 7:14 p.m. DILYSI Dave UltimaDork

    minimac wrote:

    Nice job and looks good but no gloves or safety glasses? Shame on you Dave, I thought you knew better!

    1. I am wearing safety glasses.
    2. Using gloves with power tools are a good way to turn what would be a flesh wound into broken or missing fingers. Bad idea.
  • MadScientistMatt

    Feb. 15, 2009 7:40 p.m. MadScientistMatt HalfDork

    Circle track wide-5 wheels on a Civic? That's something I've never heard of being tried before. Is it going to be some kind of adapter holding them on, or will that be accompanying something crazier like Buell style inside-out brakes?

  • DILYSI Dave

    Feb. 15, 2009 7:42 p.m. DILYSI Dave UltimaDork

    MadScientistMatt wrote:

    Circle track wide-5 wheels on a Civic? That's something I've never heard of being tried before. Is it going to be some kind of adapter holding them on, or will that be accompanying something crazier like Buell style inside-out brakes?

    Simple lug adapter for the time being. The inside out brakes come later.

  • PHeller

    Feb. 15, 2009 7:55 p.m. PHeller Reader

    Could that wide-5 setup be done on other cars? What do you think the cheapest a swap could be?

  • DILYSI Dave

    Feb. 15, 2009 8:15 p.m. DILYSI Dave UltimaDork

    PHeller wrote:

    Could that wide-5 setup be done on other cars? What do you think the cheapest a swap could be?

    I'm a dealer for Real Racing Wheels. If the setup works as well as I think it will, I will be figuring out the specs for other cars.

    It is ~$250 - $300 / corner for the adapter and the first wheel. After that, the wheels are ~$150 each. For the first set of wheel, it's a little cheaper than a set of custom wheels. Once the adapter is bought though, it gets way cheaper for spares, rains, etc.

  • PHeller

    Feb. 15, 2009 8:34 p.m. PHeller Reader

    But you could essentially run stock wheels and superlight wides as well?

    I don't have that kind of money either way, but considering that even the lightest 16x10s are easily over $1000 in the 4x114.3 of the 240SX, paying that much for really light wheels would be worth it.

    I think.

  • DILYSI Dave

    Feb. 15, 2009 11:09 p.m. DILYSI Dave UltimaDork

    PHeller wrote:

    But you could essentially run stock wheels and superlight wides as well?

    Yep.

  • Feb. 16, 2009 12:18 a.m. 04_Rabbit_Man New Reader

    You need some of like this! that will make you even faster!

  • John Brown

    Feb. 16, 2009 9:08 a.m. John Brown MegaDork

    Nice

  • David S. Wallens

    Feb. 20, 2009 9:57 p.m. David S. Wallens Editorial Director

    John Brown wrote:

    Nice

    +1

  • Goldmember

    Feb. 20, 2009 10:10 p.m. Goldmember New Reader

    Very cool indeed. As a fellow SM EF enthusiast, I am very curious how well the wides work out.

  • problemaddict

    Feb. 21, 2009 4:09 p.m. problemaddict Reader

    sorta OT, is circle track wide5 the same as early VW wide5?

  • DILYSI Dave

    Feb. 21, 2009 4:19 p.m. DILYSI Dave UltimaDork

    problemaddict wrote:

    sorta OT, is circle track wide5 the same as early VW wide5?

    Nope. VW is 5 x 205mm IIRC,and Circle track is 5 x 10.75".

  • gamby

    Feb. 21, 2009 5:07 p.m. gamby UberDork

    DILYSI Dave wrote:

    I like them too, but they are going to be relegated to rear-only before long. I'm converting the front to a wide-5 setup (yes, like circle track cars) so that I can run affordable yet light weight 15 x 10's.

    At some point, the rear may also go to wide-5, as the appeal of magnesium hubs may be more than I can resist.

    So whaddaya do--get a 4x100 center for it???

    That must look badass when it's set up--although I can imagine steering is heavy as hell with that tire width.

  • DILYSI Dave

    Feb. 21, 2009 5:18 p.m. DILYSI Dave UltimaDork

    gamby wrote:

    DILYSI Dave wrote:

    I like them too, but they are going to be relegated to rear-only before long. I'm converting the front to a wide-5 setup (yes, like circle track cars) so that I can run affordable yet light weight 15 x 10's.

    At some point, the rear may also go to wide-5, as the appeal of magnesium hubs may be more than I can resist.

    So whaddaya do--get a 4x100 center for it???

    That must look badass when it's set up--although I can imagine steering is heavy as hell with that tire width.

    Yeah - 4 x100 to Wide 5 adapter. I'll take pics once they arrive.

    And yeah - the steering is ridiculous. I need to get me an electric PS pump from an MR2 and install the PS rack I pulled from junk car, anticipating that it would be hard.

  • fifty

    Feb. 21, 2009 8:30 p.m. fifty New Reader

    Add me to the small car / big tire list! On the subject of which I'll soon be following Dave and cutting up the fenders.

    What's a good source for a universal fender that doesn't cost the earth or look like stir fried ass?

  • blaze86vic

    Feb. 21, 2009 9:38 p.m. blaze86vic Reader

    I've yet to test em at an auto-x, but too am I following trend.

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