Uber newbie (16s)

[peehs]

Yeah, I am really new to Accords. I picked up a 1991 Accord Wagon on Saturday AM. It has a buttload of miles (that would be a metric buttload...) but is running really strong (I do know cars, just not this one...). The tires are bald and the steelies that it comes with just aren't going to work. As I can get 205/55-16's for free (dealership friends - a half used MXV4 is still a good tire for my broke ass) I am looking at a set of 16" wheels.

Fairly straightforward to this point. I am aware of the 2% +/- circumference difference and am thinking that shouldn't be of major concern. There is quite a bit of fender left to fill. I also realize that a 205/50 would be ideal but I can get the 55's for free so... Moving along, I am questioning the rim types. I was hoping to be able to go with a stock Honda wheel in a 16" with the proper lug config, but that would be a pipe dream. It doesn't appear that there are any that would fit the 4x114.3 pattern that I need (correct?).

I am therefore looking for an aftermarket. I do have beef with the "universal" sizing that fits 4x100 as well as 4x114.3. Without a center cover they look, well, ghetto at best. Not really my cup of tea. I am also interested in looking at weight as ultimately, performance will become an issue and I dont really look forward to having to replace the wheels again in the future. Buy the right parts once and don't do it again and all that. But like I mentioned, I am trying to save a buck or two as well. Any pointers on a direction to look?

So there you go. I have been looking through Ebay and not come up on anything. Oh great guru's of the fourth gen Accord, help me! I also would like to know if anyone has pointers on places for parts in general. I would like to replace my timing belt (and the water pump at the same time, saves time, que no?). I don't know the current status, but broken timing belt equals on very unhappy motor. I would rather change it myself and know what kind of condition it is in.

-c

[Maple50175]

I can't help you with your question but im glad you made it here! Where are you located? And for once a newbie can type right and not use slang. Congrats.

Yes timming belt and waterpump should be replaced at same time. Save you time and money

[starchland]

nice pickup, you shuold throw up some pics sometime as there is a special place here for wagons... how many km on it?

http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html check out that thread it will help you decide on what tire to go with. To my knowledge there is no 16" honda oem rim readily available. A 16" inch lightweight will do the trick, try looking up the company Rota on Ebay. They make decent replica rims, which many of the members here including myself have had success with. A 16 in light weight rim will only transfer a small percent of the rim weight outwards as to not affect perferformance greatly, Still if you can get a 15. im running the 16 in w/ out center cap, and i dont think it looks too bad at all.

[ACC0RD22]

stock wheel thread
http://www.cb7tuner.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=6030
no sizes or anything listed . . . but Im sure you could find something you like.

[peehs]

I am actually from Sacramento, CA. I will get some pics posted up as soon as possible. Thanks for all of the help guys!

[peehs]

16 by what?

Just a quick question. I am looking at the 16's as mentioned previously. I realize that that 16x6.5 is closer to the stock width. Would I be able to fit 16x7's without too much difficulty. Also, I am having a bit of difficulty nailing down what the stock offset is. I really would like to not screw with the stock geometry. Well at least not right now. I have plenty of time to mess things up later... ;-)

-c

[starchland]

16x7 is fine. Your gonna want a performace rim 16" which is +1 which will make the sidewall on your tire smaller=better for cornering, and generally the offset is 40 which makes the track a little wider, again for cornering and looks too.

[mondojackal]

the biggest that you can reasonably go is 18x7.5...and you are nowhere close to that...so dont worry about it..you can fit a 16x7 easily...stick with an offset between +40 and +45 and you will be good...
i am running 18x7.5 with a +42mm offset...and it works really well...no complaints here!

[deckeda]

Welcome, peehs. There are several (well, maybe not several but more than a few?) 16" rims in the 4X114.3 you want.

The '97-'99 Acura CL rims are all 16" I think. A few of them aren't ugly ... Anything else is going to be aftermarket becuase all the Honda 16s are 5-lug.

Although I have zero budget for this, I'm also "looking" for 16" rims. So I often run eBay searches for "honda 16" "acura 16" etc. in the wheels section.

You have to wade through a lot of junk but if you are patient you'll come across something interesting. One rim I really really like is no longer there but the buyer still has them --- but you must do the search under Mitsubishi instead. Apparently he gave up on Honda buyers and now is trying Mitsu buyers.

A related way to shop is to run searches for cars that take the same bolt pattern, like some Sentras or the 240SX for example.

If you come across something in the proper bolt pattern (sometimes instead referred to as "4X4.5") for another make of front-drive car chances are it'll work. Stick with a 45 offset or very close and you'll be good.

An alternative would be to gather the parts necessary to swap over to 5-lug and have that whole universe open to you.

Since you have a wagon I think your front rotors are bigger than the coupes and sedans, so that might mean getting first-gen Odyssey rotors, knuckles, calipers etc. Search, don't quote me on that. Be aware most of the 5-lug conversions talked about here concern some first-gen CL or whatever because the rotor size is the same as CB7 coupes and sedans.

You could do a typical CL rotor swap but your rotors would then be smaller than what you have now, is what I'm cautioning.

But basically, you'd then be able to use any rim from any Odyssey (99-present are 16") last-gen Prelude, I guess any S2000, any 98-present V6 Accord and later 4cyl (OK, some aren't 16), any Element , Pilot, MDX, TL and CL from a few years back etc. etc. --- just not Ridgeline and new RL; those are a new bolt pattern.