Wheel, Wheel Size Pros/Cons Options

[Skate4mindgame]

What size wheels do you think you get the best performance out of?

What are some of your opinions?

[Digndoug]

I dont have wheels, but I would say 16"x7 .. Im sticking with the stock gt ones, but I would like to have the new gts ones.. there 16" .. I think to much more, your looking at to much of a rotating mass, and to thin of a tire.

[Nemises]

If you plan on racing I wouldnt go any bigger than 17's

[Hamster666]

I got 16" on, just got them from my friend, they feels great, with 205/50/16 tires perelli P7000 on, gribs good, but alittle bit noisy...

This post has been edited by Hamster666: Oct 16, 2004 - 11:21 PM

[97GTinKC]

Its not the wheel size as much as it is the overall wheel/tire weight and overall height, stock tire diameter is 23.90 for the 205/55-15. stock GT wheels are approx 17lb.
An 18" wheel with a 35 series tire CAN be the same height and weight as a stock 15" GT wheel - depends on brands, so it wouldnt make any performance difference unless it is lighter overall, (other than whatever traction differences there are in the tread) look for the lightest wheel and tire for performance.
If the wheels and tires you get are taller than stock combo, you will lose some acceleration performance. or if the combo is heavier, you also lose some performance and handling/ride quality. (more UNsprung weight = more work for the struts, more weight to dampen)
if they dont list the weight, I'd take my scales up and weigh them b4 purchase. Some of these aftermarket wheels and cheaper tires are REALLY heavy, check the specs on both,,,

[ConeTrouble]

[recycle]

but with performance as the main thing.... a 14'' rim will spin till 2morrow

[Consynx]

yea, but with 14" you can't big a big brake kit in there
w/e the stock GT4 wheel size is is what you have to have i believe, and it just barely squeezes in there

[Timeless6gcelica]

What about the fact that the more rim you have the stiffer the handling is going to be. The less rubber you have will give you better handling because rubber flexes but aluminum does not.

[Hanyo]

What about the fact that the more rim you have the stiffer the handling is going to be.  The less rubber you have will give you better handling because rubber flexes but aluminum does not.
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exactly.. the tire wall will affect perforance. the narrower the tire wall, the less flex on a turn.. a tall tire wall will give you comfortable ride, but you will have bad handling.

so for the best performance... 14 inch light rim with a narrow tire wall.

[Bigmeanbulldog55]

As far as the big break kit, with a 14 inch and low profile, there will be less rotating mass so the brakes will work better. A drilled and slotted rotter with metal pads should give you all the stopping power for racing you'd nead. There's no way your going to take this thing to max as far as performance. And if your looking for something that would good and perform well, stick with the stock 15 inch. It's what I did. I just put really nice tires on and got the metal pads. Works great.

[Bigmeanbulldog55]

for something that would look good and perform well*

[97GTinKC]

QUOTE (97GTinKC @ Oct 18, 2004 - 6:27 PM)
An 18" wheel with a 35 series tire CAN be the same height and weight as a stock 15" GT wheel - depends on brands, so it wouldnt make any performance difference unless it is lighter overall


Not entirely true. A larger diameter wheel will have more of its mass farther out from the center of the wheel, thereby making the car work harder to rotate it, even given the same weight as a smaller diameter.

The best performance gain will be seen with the lightest wheel in the smallest diameter that will fit over your brakes. This is probably going to be a 14". Run whatever tire fits your application best, speedo error be damned."
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I knew someone would point this out, however, I think you would be hard pressed to measure the difference in the real world. the tread area of the tire (assuming you dont change overall diameter) will be the same approximate mass regardless of rim/sidewall dimensions, and I would bet any weight gain in the larger rim diameter would be offset by less sidewall weight in the tire, after all, an 18x7" rim will have an added rim area of approx a 9.4"x7" hunk of aluminum + 3" longer spokes when compared to a stock 15"x7". the sidewall area is a considerably larger chunk of rubber area which shrinks considerably on a 35 series 18" tire, again, it all depends on the particular wheel and tire design, if you pick one with really fat, heavy spokes along with a heavy tire, you could hurt perf.

All of the above assumes you are staying with the stock tire outer diameter, Along with weight considerations taller tires will hurt acceleration performance while shorter will increase perf. / you are effectively changing final drive ratios. ie: 1 turn of engine moves car x amount of distance, it will take more power to move it the farther distance per revolution on a taller tire. OK, I'm done, my head is starting to hurt thinking thru all this.