Kahn RS-R Alloy Wheels - Made for Smart

[bmx43]

Originally Posted by Throwdown

I see a lot of people who buy wheels 2-3" larger than the stock setup and that creates problems. A larger wheel is heavier and has more weight further away from the center of the wheel, thus adding a LOT of unsprung rotational mass. As a result the car goes much slower, and gets much worse gas mileage. The most I ever increase on my cars is 1". This allowed for a smaller sidewall and therefor less flex around corner. I always offset that 1" however by getting a much lighter wheel. If the RPF1 was available for this car that would be the only wheel I'd buy.

Btw Regina, nice color. That's the same setup I chose

yea, that math sounds great, but in reality it doesn't really happen though as long as you adhere to the basic principles of plus sizing. bigger wheel means smaller profile on the tire. if you keep the OD of the wheel close to the OEM size, it will be just fine. trust me, i've purchased aftermarket wheels on every car I own and they are ALL plus size and i've never had a problem with slower acceleration of larger mass.

[Throwdown]

Originally Posted by bmx43

yea, that math sounds great, but in reality it doesn't really happen though as long as you adhere to the basic principles of plus sizing. bigger wheel means smaller profile on the tire. if you keep the OD of the wheel close to the OEM size, it will be just fine. trust me, i've purchased aftermarket wheels on every car I own and they are ALL plus size and i've never had a problem with slower acceleration of larger mass.

The weight and weight distribution are the biggest factors. You haven't noticed a problem with acceleration gains because you most likely don't do track driving. For a DD situation none of this even matters. You can get a different wheel with a larger size and keep the OD the same as it was, but if it's a heavier wheel then you're still adding more unsprung weight as well as putting that weight further away from the center. When you're trying to get the best time you possibly can then a few pounds makes a big different, specially when it comes to unsprung rotational mass. I drive tracks all the time so I guess I'm pretty anal about that sort of thing, but like I said if you have no intention of driving on a track then none of it really matters.

[SmartPassion]

Tracking the smart in stock form should be a very interesting experience.

[Throwdown]

I plan to track it at least once, that's how I get a feel for the vehicle. Then the mods come My smart will be primarily for show, but I am addicted to grip driving so I can see myself adding some better tires and some suspension upgrades.

[tomasp77]

These kahn wheels are looking really good. I would also prefer at leat a +1 in size but for the price and fitment I may have to jump on these.

[joker]

you can get some similar looking wheels from tirerack.com

[sunnyokanagan]

Regina, those Kahns ROCK! With 6.5J you can go up a few widths too. I like the aero styling!

Will you share where you found them?

Bil

[strongpointjk]

Guys, what do you think to the new KAHN RSL 17?

Project Kahn - Creating a Masterpiece | Range Rover : Landrover : Aston Martin : Bentley : BMW : Jaguar : Ferrari : Mercedes : Rolls Royce

[hoov23]

I am looking for a set of RS-R wheels for my 450 smart. RS-L won't fit properly, and I don't really want to go to a 16" or 17" wheel. I'm having trouble finding information about buying this wheel, does anyone know of a current seller of the Kahn RSR or does anyone have a set they want to sell? Thanks.
hoov23 (at) yahoo_com