Konig Helium + Falken RT-615s installed (Pics!)

[schleppy]

205/50/15 Falken RT-615, 15x6.5 Konig Heliums 40mm offset, aluminum hub-centric rings from Discount Tire, Autozone "tuner" locking lugs. THE OEM LUGS DO NOT FIT IN THESE WHEELS. I annoyingly discovered that when I first tried to put them on :mad:

http://lh6.ggpht.com/__g6ALm8TukU/SfG-1eGj99I/AAAAAAAADA8/16INlOakypE/s400/IMG_2064.JPG

More pics:
http://picasaweb.google.com/schleppy/2009Yaris#

I love the look of the combo, but now I realize how badly the car needs to be lowered a little bit. Oh well, in due time.

The tires are definitely a lot stickier, but still have that "break in squirm". On the highway with the steering wheel centered they seem to float a little. I'm sure that will go away in the first 100 miles or so. Also, I know the tires are asymmetrical, but they also look like they're directional. On each side of the car the outermost treads are "pointing" in different directions, even though both sides have the "outside" label facing out. The tires don't have any directional arrows on them. Any ideas?

Also, can anyone recommend a good F/R tire pressure? Falken told me I should run 31 psi all around, 33 psi for highway driving. Those numbers seem really low to me. I've heard autoxers running 38 front, 40ish rear.

If anyone has any questions fire away!

[33OH]

Autozone "tuner" locking lugs. THE OEM LUGS DO NOT FIT IN THESE WHEELS. I annoyingly discovered that when I first tried to put them on :mad:


FYI - It's not uncommon for aftermarket wheels to require longer, narrower, "tuner lugs".

Looks good though!

[ChinoCharles]

$$$$$$$

[Mavix]

I ran these same tires at a race school this last weekend. Those pressures are pretty low but it's also what I was told to run on the tires and it worked really well. Azenis have pretty stiff sidewalls which is why I was told the lower pressures are safe in this tire for track use. I run them a bit higher when im just driving on the street.

[schleppy]

FYI - It's not uncommon for aftermarket wheels to require longer, narrower, "tuner lugs".

Looks good though!

Thanks!

And yeah, I should have known better. On wheels this tiny the big ass acorn lugs rarely fit. I was so close to ordering lugs last week but I thought I could get away with it. Thankfully Autozone had what I needed.

[ChinoCharles]

VERY nice.

[eTiMaGo]

yeah those "tuner" lugs have tapered ends, and most aftermarket wheels have a matching taper at the bottom of the lug hole, so the lugs will help to align the wheel perfectly...

[Mobius1]

looks good. Coincidentally i just ordered those same rims today from JLB for my meteorite. One of the best bang for the buck rims I have found

[BLAZINBLUEVITZ]

i found this and am now unsure about purchase.
http://www.yarisworld.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-2328.html

[Gideon]

i found this and am now unsure about purchase.
http://www.yarisworld.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-2328.html

Eh, when I was looking to pick up some Heliums, I looked up breakage because I was worried as well, but it seems there are very few posts online about failures, and several members here have ran them without issue.

Even so, I do enjoy having the real wheels instead. :biggrin:

[justjesus]

Air pressure is also different when the tires are cold or warm (or hot). Air pressure increases with heat.

I used to want this exact combo. It's cool. Nice color choice for your red yaris

[schleppy]

I too read about the Helium failures, but I'm not going to worry about it. They happened a while ago, and there are TONS of Miata guys that have been running wheel happily for a long time.

Thanks for the positive words all!

[devinlamothe]

OK if I can run Helium's on the roads we have up here (as in the roads are literally disintegrating into dust and holes everywhere) I'm sure they will be good unless you run a really thin tire.

Great looking rims btw, I have the same ones! :biggrin:

[CtrlAltDefeat]

Also, I know the tires are asymmetrical, but they also look like they're directional. On each side of the car the outermost treads are "pointing" in different directions, even though both sides have the "outside" label facing out. The tires don't have any directional arrows on them. Any ideas?

err that's rather bizarre... looking at the tread pattern it seems like you would have grip differences in the rain between both sides...

[CtrlAltDefeat]

oh yeah and a question: What are hub-centric rings?

[schleppy]

Hub-centric rings are rings you put in the back side of an aftermarket wheel that make it sit snugly on your cars hubs. This helps prevent vibration from an ill-seated wheel. They are CHEAP and worth it (don't buy plastic ones either, get aluminum ones).

[schleppy]

err that's rather bizarre... looking at the tread pattern it seems like you would have grip differences in the rain between both sides...

That's what I thought, but fellow RT-615 owners said that's the way it is. I'll call Falken on Monday and ask.

[CtrlAltDefeat]

Hub-centric rings are rings you put in the back side of an aftermarket wheel that make it sit snugly on your cars hubs. This helps prevent vibration from an ill-seated wheel. They are CHEAP and worth it (don't buy plastic ones either, get aluminum ones).

ahh interesting... one more question, I'm interested in this same setup, possibly. How much did the who set cost?

[schleppy]

Wheels were about $350 shipped from BuyWheelsToday's ebay store (the price of them is going up though)

Tires were $364ish shipped from discounttire.com (these guys are awesome).

Both had very fast shipping.