Ownership Verified: Lancer of DOOM!

[ninjacoco]

I hate the toll roads because all the other roads go ignored, and not enough people want to use the tolls way out in BFE to actually alleviate any of our traffic. Plus, some are super dumb. There's no way in hell tiny Tyler needed a toll loop. But, uh, crony capitalism to the rescue or whatever, I guess. (I, on the other hand, wouldn't mind paying more taxes for functional, non-car-destroying infrastructure.)

Even if I stick to 18s, though, the upside is getting a wheel that's easier to find and less expensive to replace than the stock Lancer wheels. There's not enough 50+-sidewall tires in the really fun summer categories, so meh. I think—as this car mostly either has fun or sits—I'm leaning towards getting the 18s. 225/45/18 has pretty much whatever I'd want for the car and I know it won't rub or have any weirdo effects on handling.

 

[prizrak]

Get 18s just make sure they are of the more expensive forged variety so they can take a hit w/o getting destroyed.

 

[CraigB]

Steelies! Really though, I know they are heavy, but can take an impact better than aluminum.

 

[narf]

Steel wheels don't need to be heavier than cast aluminium wheels... you get a lot lower thickness requirements for the same strength, often more than making up for the increased density of steel.

 

[prizrak]

Steel wheels don't need to be heavier than cast aluminium wheels... you get a lot lower thickness requirements for the same strength, often more than making up for the increased density of steel.

Pretty sure they are heavier than alloys BUT steelies don't typically come in large diameter so they might actually be lighter.

 

[GRtak]

Unless you are buying a really high end aluminum wheel that is designed for track use, a steel wheel will tend to be the same wight or lighter. The aluminum wheels tend to be designed to be thicker to make up for the lack of springiness of aluminum when compared to steel.

 

[prizrak]

AR767 - 15x8 - 28lbs - https://www.amazon.com/American-Racing-AR767-Gloss-Black/dp/B000CILUKY
AR924 - 20x9 - 23.3lbs - https://www.tirerack.com/wheels/Whe...Coupe&autoYear=2012&autoModClar=Brembo+Brakes

In fact the absolute using my Mustang to look for wheels on Tire Rack, the heaviest I can find in OE diameter 19x8.5 is 30lbs.

 

[WDWBen]

Our track wheels for the GT3 are the Alleggereta HLTs in 18". They've been really solid and a hell of deal for what you get and what they cost. My understanding is that in production they just cycle through the various colors over time, so availability of the different colors is completely time dependent. I just bought black because I was too impatient to wait for orange to roll back around in the rotation.

Had Superleggertas on my Subaru; highly recommend the even lighter version. Just be sure to get an insanely bright color.

 

[Spectre]

I hate the toll roads because all the other roads go ignored, and not enough people want to use the tolls way out in BFE to actually alleviate any of our traffic. Plus, some are super dumb. There's no way in hell tiny Tyler needed a toll loop. But, uh, crony capitalism to the rescue or whatever, I guess. (I, on the other hand, wouldn't mind paying more taxes for functional, non-car-destroying infrastructure.)

Even if I stick to 18s, though, the upside is getting a wheel that's easier to find and less expensive to replace than the stock Lancer wheels. There's not enough 50+-sidewall tires in the really fun summer categories, so meh. I think—as this car mostly either has fun or sits—I'm leaning towards getting the 18s. 225/45/18 has pretty much whatever I'd want for the car and I know it won't rub or have any weirdo effects on handling.

The ugly truth: The toll roads are not causing other roads to be ignored. They aren't taking money out of the state budget or resources away from road maintenance departments - the toll roads are privately run, privately funded and privately maintained. The fact that the other roads are being ignored is the responsibility of the government - federal, state or local - that has decided to not repair the roads. Austin thought it was a great idea to spend a whole bunch of transportation money on some bicycle trails and some *really* expensive bicycle bridges instead of fixing the crap streets, for example.

https://www.mystatesman.com/news/tra...sPNCRLZFC1fJK/

https://www.mystatesman.com/news/loc...aNUnQKZhsKxwN/

Y'know, $14 million could fill an awful lot of potholes. Asphalt is (relatively) cheap. https://sealmaster.net/faq/much-cost-fix-pothole/

Typical cost to repair potholes is approximately $35 to $50 per pothole. There may be an initial mobilization cost of about $100 to $150 to bring trucks and crew out to the repair site. Size of potholes as well as materials used can also affect the repair cost. Potholes are typically filled with either cold-patch or hot asphalt (blacktop) material.

At least 70000 potholes, to be precise, using the worst case scenario from above.

One thing to remember - if you hit a pothole that causes damage, you can prove it was caused by it and it's one that has been reported to the city at least a few days prior, the city can be held legally and financially responsible for the damage. Few people know this and therefore the city has little financial interest in quickly repairing potholes.

Even if I stick to 18s, though, the upside is getting a wheel that's easier to find and less expensive to replace than the stock Lancer wheels. There's not enough 50+-sidewall tires in the really fun summer categories, so meh. I think—as this car mostly either has fun or sits—I'm leaning towards getting the 18s. 225/45/18 has pretty much whatever I'd want for the car and I know it won't rub or have any weirdo effects on handling.

I think this is a mistake - and there seems to be quite a few 50R17 tires in the appropriate Max Performance + ratings...

 

[GRtak]

AR767 - 15x8 - 28lbs - https://www.amazon.com/American-Racing-AR767-Gloss-Black/dp/B000CILUKY
AR924 - 20x9 - 23.3lbs - https://www.tirerack.com/wheels/Whe...Coupe&autoYear=2012&autoModClar=Brembo+Brakes

In fact the absolute using my Mustang to look for wheels on Tire Rack, the heaviest I can find in OE diameter 19x8.5 is 30lbs.

Yes, comparing a set of steel wheels against aluminum wheels that are about 2.5 times more is a fair comparison and in no way puts those more expensive wheels into a performance category...

 

[Spectre]

Texas has also notoriously not increased any gas taxes which help pay for roads since 1991 because "taxes are evil" and people are apparently happier voluntarily driving on toll roads and then complaining about that. On the plus side, the toll roads are nearly non-policed speed-wise and are in generally great condition.

Multiple reasons for that, chief among which is that taxpayers are very unhappy with TxDOT's historic inefficiency and waste, not to mention many cases of corruption. They aren't willing to pay more until they see the corruption eliminated, waste reduced and efficiency jacked up. TxDOT has been dragging their heels on that for years and years. If TxDOT could prove it was spending tax money well (instead of on multimillion dollar bicycle trails and "scenic walkways" next to major limited access highways - said trails/paths that have exactly four users in a 12 hour period) the taxpayers might give them more money.

Another issue is that the Feds have been shorting Texas it's interstate maintenance money for most of the last decade and denying funding for much needed highway construction/expansion; instead the Feds sent billions to things like California's High Speed Rail To Nowhere and other such projects that have little to nothing to do with roads. Toll roads have been one way around that.

Related: http://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blo...roads-on-roads

Fixing the broken transportation system means fixing the broken process through which the government funds and spends transportation money. Instead of rushing to raise the gasoline tax, states should first make sure funds are actually being spent on transportation infrastructure.

For example, in New York, a 2014 government report discovered only 22 percent of the state’s “Dedicated Highway and Bridge Trust Fund” was actually “dedicated” to highways and bridges. Instead of filling in potholes, the report said, 88 percent of New York’s gas-tax revenue was used for “state operations” and “debt service,” things intended to be funded through general revenue.

At the federal level, up to 25 percent of taxpayer funds collected from excise taxes on fuel purchases and stored in the federal Highway Trust Fund is used for purposes other than building highways and bridges.

Ensuring highway funds are actually used for highways would be equivalent to a 25 percent boost in funding, and it could be done without raising taxes on consumers by a single cent.

 

[prizrak]

Yes, comparing a set of steel wheels against aluminum wheels that are about 2.5 times more is a fair comparison and in no way puts those more expensive wheels into a performance category...

Typical GRtak response, you have different facts to back up your assertion then use them. If you don't then you are wrong accept it and move on.

But lets play your game
16x6.5 Camry Alloy - 25lbs - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N3MRDP5..._t1_B00VXFCNII
16x6.5 Camry Steelie - 23.4lbs - https://www.amazon.com/Toyota-Camry-...mry+wheel+rims

Sure the alloy is a bit heavier but hardly a significant difference.

And just for fun here is a cheap small wheel that is clearly not some sort of a high performance https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003BYQU38..._t5_B00VXFCNII - 18lbs

 

[GRtak]

Why should I go to the effort of proving myself right when I can get you to do it for me?


Things have shifted a bit since aluminum has become more common for car wheels, but, composite wheels wheels will replace aluminum at some point. The composite wheels will have some unique drawbacks too.

 

[prizrak]

Why should I go to the effort of proving myself right when I can get you to do it for me?


Things have shifted a bit since aluminum has become more common for car wheels, but, composite wheels wheels will replace aluminum at some point. The composite wheels will have some unique drawbacks too.

It's customary to back up one's assertions. Also none of them are pure aluminum anyway it's always an alloy.

 

[Spectre]

Why should I go to the effort of proving myself right when I can get you to do it for me?


Things have shifted a bit since aluminum has become more common for car wheels, but, composite wheels wheels will replace aluminum at some point. The composite wheels will have some unique drawbacks too.

It's going to be a very long time before that happens. Metal wheels bend and distort when they get hit in a way that exceeds their strength modulus. Composites shatter into powder and broomstraw. They also don't like brake heat much.

 

[GRtak]

Regenerative Braking does not produce as much heat as standard brakes. There are also new blends of composites that improve the flexibility of the final product.

 

[prizrak]

I suspect we'll see twheels become more prevalent before composite wheels. I seriously doubt that composites will ever be as easy and cheap as metal.

 

[GRtak]

I would like to point out that composite wheels are already an option on several cars. They are even standard on a few high end models.

 

[Spectre]

I would like to point out that composite wheels are already an option on several cars. They are even standard on a few high end models.

Yes, I know. There have been motorcycles coming with them for a while from the factory. There have also been some utterly spectacular failures of these wheels in the last few years. Not least of which were some high profile factory racers whose wheels came apart on them in high visibility WSB or GP events. MotoGP and WSB have accordingly banned CF/composite wheels.

Composite wheels may eventually be ready for prime time, but that day is some ways off. The epoxy science isn't there yet.

 

[prizrak]

I would like to point out that composite wheels are already an option on several cars. They are even standard on a few high end models.

And carbon fiber body panels have been around for decades and are standard on many exotics, yet they are very far from mainstream.