Anyone have a set of Black or Gold 5x100 17x8 RPF1s I can mock up?

[rory_a]

Or pics of Black or Gold, Bronze, etc. RPF1s on WRB hawkeye wagons? I've been searching, and finding absolutely nothing.

Would like to know how RPF1s would look on my car. Not really interested in Silver, but if I could put them on the car I could Photoshop colors.

Basically just planning to pick up a set this winter in prep for next spring, and want to know if Black's the only way to go. Silver would look nice, but I've never been happy with Silver/bright wheels on cars.


(your car does look sweet Kevin, I'm a fan, but want something different, ya know?)


If anyone's got a set they don't need and might sell, well, let me know that as well



Also, when it's time, should I go for 235/40 or 245/40 Star Specs??? Seems the general concensus on Nasioc and ClubWRX is the 235 offers slightly lower gearing, as well as easier fitment on wagons. Apparently the 1cm size increase isn't a factor for traction as much as the gearing advantage. Would just like personal, local input on that if anyone's tried both.

[k-dogg39]

Originally Posted by rory_a

(your car does look sweet Kevin, I'm a fan, but want something different, ya know?)

I wanted the black ones, but I got a good deal on the silver ones that I couldn't pass up.

[rory_a]

I've been scouring for a good deal. Best I've come up with are a couple sets of Bronze for about $800 + shipping, each with at least one wheel with a "scratch", a set of golds that sold in a few hours, and a bunch of several-page threads that seem still active, but the note of "Sold" is burried two thirds of the way down the second to last page.




"I'm going to buy an exclusive version of a readily available wheel, then curb it within a couple months, allowing me to sell my thousand dollar set of wheels for nearly as much as they were new - they've been "proven" on the track, afterall." Apparently the "good/excellent condition used parts are generally worth about/no-more-than half as much as new" rule doesn't apply to wheels????



Seriously, I'd be better off overpaying for a new set blindly, never looking for a decent deal, than buying a set of used RPFs as far as I can tell.

[cody]

I run 245/40/17 Starspecs on 17X8's but they are a +48 offset instead of +45 like the RPF1's so my tires are 3mm closer to center than they would be on RPF1's. I can tell you that I was insanely more competitive this year than any year before. I'm sure that it's mostly me improving as a driver, but a big part of it has to be the new wheels and tires. I ran 225/45/17 RE01R's on lightish 16.8Lb 17X7.5" wheels prior to this year.

I think you'd be better off improving grip than torque, personally, so I'd go with the 245's for sure. I have no torque with my 2L but that doesn't seem to be hurting me.

[sperry]

Originally Posted by cody

I run 245/40/17 Starspecs on 17X8's but they are a +48 offset instead of +45 like the RPF1's so my tires are 3mm closer to center than they would be on RPF1's. I can tell you that I was insanely more competitive this year than any year before. I'm sure that it's mostly me improving as a driver, but a big part of it has to be the new wheels and tires. I ran 225/45/17 RE01R's on lightish 16.8Lb 17X7.5" wheels prior to this year.

I think you'd be better off improving grip than torque, personally, so I'd go with the 245's for sure. I have no torque with my 2L but that doesn't seem to be hurting me.

It's not just a matter of torque, the gearing advantage isn't going to make a huge improvement in torque at the wheels... it's more a matter of moving the powerband of the motor in relation to the corner speeds.

Smaller wheels on a 5MT mean you likely have a chance of being in boost mid-corner when you get back on the throttle rather than being off boost. So the actual peak torque isn't really different, but the car is much faster around the course.

And on the contrary, an STi with the closer ratio 6MT may do better with larger tires. Even though you give up torque, it means both 1st and 2nd gears run to a higher mph before you need to shift... which ends up being far more useful than the torque you give up due to the gear disadvantage.

Just food for thought.

Oh, and I would bet you're right about it being driver experience more than anything that helped you this season Cody. But 245 is quite a bit more contact patch over 225. That's 10% more rubber on the road!

[cody]

Originally Posted by sperry

It's not just a matter of torque, the gearing advantage isn't going to make a huge improvement in torque at the wheels... it's more a matter of moving the powerband of the motor in relation to the corner speeds.

Smaller wheels on a 5MT mean you likely have a chance of being in boost mid-corner when you get back on the throttle rather than being off boost. So the actual peak torque isn't really different, but the car is much faster around the course.

And on the contrary, an STi with the closer ratio 6MT may do better with larger tires. Even though you give up torque, it means both 1st and 2nd gears run to a higher mph before you need to shift... which ends up being far more useful than the torque you give up due to the gear disadvantage.

Just food for thought.

Oh, and I would bet you're right about it being driver experience more than anything that helped you this season Cody. But 245 is quite a bit more contact patch over 225. That's 10% more rubber on the road!

Food for thought point taken. I still would tend to think that grip is more important though. Trust me, I know how detrimental lag can be, but grip will allow you to take that corner faster which also reduces lag...

[rory_a]

Originally Posted by sperry

It's not just a matter of torque, the gearing advantage isn't going to make a huge improvement in torque at the wheels... it's more a matter of moving the powerband of the motor in relation to the corner speeds.

This is the concept I was seeing over and over again in the comparison - the difference in grip is negligible at this power level over 225 wide, and being at a better point in the power band out of the corner far outweighing the added grip from the slightly larger contact patch.


I know more than anything I have to improve the driver most. That aside, I'd like to have a set up that will enable me to progress and have fun. No rush on tires, but planning to use the Rotas for winters, and looking at RPF1s, and thinking I will need new tires mid-summer. Just want to know how much I need to roll/pull

[cody]

Originally Posted by rory_a

This is the concept I was seeing over and over again in the comparison - the difference in grip is negligible at this power level over 225 wide, and being at a better point in the power band out of the corner far outweighing the added grip from the slightly larger contact patch.


I know more than anything I have to improve the driver most. That aside, I'd like to have a set up that will enable me to progress and have fun. No rush on tires, but planning to use the Rotas for winters, and looking at RPF1s, and thinking I will need new tires mid-summer. Just want to know how much I need to roll/pull

I think your discounting the extra grip you'd get from going wider more than you should. And you do understand that coming out of the corner faster (due to more grip) is a better way to get your RPM's up than running shorter tires, right? I'm not saying that I'm necessarily right or wrong with regard to which tire size is best in this example, but just wanted to make sure you understand that principal.

Also, wider/taller tires could have an effect on your ability to get the alignment specs/parts you want so the 235's may be a safer bet.

[rory_a]

Well, I've been considering 17x8.5 or 17x9 wheels, so safer hasn't really been one of my top priorities


I just thought I'd ask for opinions - it seems a lot of people over on Nasioc and ClubWRX are running the 235s, but I know most out here are running the 245s, and wondered if there was a reason - as in someone had a set, hated them, and everyone followed suit to the 245 Star Specs.

I'm a sheep. Baaah. 245s it is.


But seriously Cody - you think I need to worry about exit speed here? Come on man, I'm much more worried about accelerating after my slow ass turns Hopefully some suspension and tires will solve that


I was complaining about understeer on my setup - stock suspension with the 225 RE070s on the Rotas, now I'm trying to squeeze every last mile out of the junk Kooks (at least I think that's what they are) on the stockers as they're sooo fun to hammer into a turn at hard steer and let it just go straight it's a sight. Not to mention the power on oversteer I get out of it. Balding all seasons FTL.

[szucchet]

i got black rpf1 that will be coming of in a month ill prob have them in tahoe the only problem is they are mounted with 255s

[sybir]

And I have gold RPF1's with 235/40's, but they're 18x8's.....

You're still welcome to check them out or bolt one or two on if you're ever down in the Sac area. Guys around here will testify tot he fact that if a wheel fits a Subaru, it's probably in (or has been through) my garage.

[rory_a]

Originally Posted by szucchet

i got black rpf1 that will be coming of in a month ill prob have them in tahoe the only problem is they are mounted with 255s

Pretty sure the 255s won't clear the wagon's fenders - at least not yet....

[rory_a]

Originally Posted by sybir

And I have gold RPF1's with 235/40's, but they're 18x8's.....

You're still welcome to check them out or bolt one or two on if you're ever down in the Sac area. Guys around here will testify tot he fact that if a wheel fits a Subaru, it's probably in (or has been through) my garage.

I'd likely just end up drooling all over your 18x8s - want a set sooo bad. Just can't spring for tires as well, and I have the 17s ready to go.

I'm pretty sure a blue wagon on gold RPF1 18s would be the shit. I know there's a white wagon on silver 18s and it's the cleanest I've ever seen.

[sybir]

My buddy had 18x8 RPF1's in gold on his 04 wagon, it looked awesome. I'll see if I can find some pictures. You already have a set of black wheels - the Enkei gold is gorgeous.

[GusGus91]

That's super sexy ^^ I love both your subies..

[rory_a]

Yeah after seeing a few cars on 18s, I have a feeling I'm going to have to go that direction. I'd sacrifice a bit of speed on the auto-x track for daily driving looks, I'm simply that materialistic

[sybir]

I'm a ricer, and I'm ok with that.

[rory_a]

I'm much ricier than I'd like to let on.... I'm currently thinking 18x8 Rota SVNs in bronze or hyper black or the chromish color..... Or 18x8 RPF1s if sticker sales pick up soon.