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What effect does wheel width have on handling?


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Hey guys,

 

Just as it says what happens to your handling as you go through sizes and widths of wheels?

 

Currently running stock 18 inch GT wheels but looking at some nice JR21s from Tarmac. They are very different at 19 x 9.5 / 11, so will look great but not sure what will happen to the handling.

 

Any pointers /past experience welcome our also any handy links to read up on the subject would be great.

 

It's a daily driver so want to be sure it looks good but doesn't become less fun to drive.

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You'll find the car will stop slower, accelerate slower, and feel heavier through corners due to the extra unsprung weight. You'll also likely have a harsher ride due to the thinner sidewalls, along with the extra weight. However, you will have more grip and let's face it, they look better!

 

Totally your call, and Stevo's last line says it best.

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Everyone has an their own opinion obviously but....

 

With my old 2003 Nissan 350Z I went from the standard 18" Rays alloys (225/45/18 front & 245/45/18 rear) to 19" Rotas (245/35/19 & 275/35/19) ~ I felt the handling was improved as far as traction "off the line" and stability at higher speeds through corners was concerned.

 

As Dan mentions though I know due to the weight differences of my old alloys/tyres versus my new alloys/tyres realistically the car should be accelerating slower & braking slower but honestly it must have been so minor as I really didn't feel the difference in that respect.

Maybe I'd have noticed it being 0.5 seconds slower to 60mph if I'd had it timed on a drag strip or something but in real world driving (A-B, social, domestic & pleasure) it just really didn't make that big a difference at all imo.

 

Forget the "18's for go & 19's for show" rubbish imho and simply put what you like the look of on your own car ~ as long as it's round it will always go. ;)

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As Dan mentions though I know due to the weight differences of my old alloys/tyres versus my new alloy/tyres realistically the car should be accelerating slower & braking slower but honestly it must have been so minor as I really didn't feel the difference in that respect.

Maybe I'd have noticed it being 0.5 seconds slower to 60mph if I'd had it timed on a drag strip or something but in real world driving (A-B, social, domestic & pleasure) it just really didn't make that big a difference at all imo.

 

Forget the "18's for go & 19's for show" rubbish imho and simply put what you like the look of on your own car ~ as long as it's round it will always go. ;)

 

I agree mostly, what fractional amounts you "may" theoretically loose on braking and acceleration and I am talking probably 100's of a second at best you will make up in increased grip levels from wider tyres and certainly not noticeable on the road. The 350 on track though does feel vastly better on 18's, mostly when it comes to quick direction changes and steering input and for that reason alone i would prefer them on track. Whether out and out pace between the 2 vastly different I would be surprised with us average drivers :)

Edited by Jetpilot
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I agree mostly, what fractional amounts you "may" theoretically loose on braking and acceleration and I am talking probably 100's of a second at best you will make up in increased grip levels from wider tyres and certainly not noticeable on the road.

You're right, maybe it's only 100ths you lose, but it's VERY noticeable in terms of feel. Everything feels heavier and clunkier, and at low speeds like you find on the roads is where you notice it the most. Heavier wheels just make the car feel lumpier and more weighty, which isn't a trait I'd want. Even the difference between Rays and OEM 18s was huge, when swapping between the two.

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I agree mostly, what fractional amounts you "may" theoretically loose on braking and acceleration and I am talking probably 100's of a second at best you will make up in increased grip levels from wider tyres and certainly not noticeable on the road.

You're right, maybe it's only 100ths you lose, but it's VERY noticeable in terms of feel. Everything feels heavier and clunkier, and at low speeds like you find on the roads is where you notice it the most. Heavier wheels just make the car feel lumpier and more weighty, which isn't a trait I'd want. Even the difference between Rays and OEM 18s was huge, when swapping between the two.

 

Must stop agreeing with Ekona .......... I ran my 350 on 4 different sets of wheels and my 200Sx on more like 10 and hes right, it is noticeable, particularly on the front end, more than 100ths of a second anyway. If youre only focused on performance then the smallest, lightest wheels is the only way forward,.

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Haha probably wouldn't feel much different with 439 horses under you GM!

Well when I changed my alloys from 18's to 19's the Zed actually had a dyno'd 294Bhp, ...make of that what you will, but yeah alloy wheel size doesn't make too much difference in a straight line imo when you've over 400Bhp pushing you down the road. :thumbs:

 

I agree mostly, what fractional amounts you "may" theoretically loose on braking and acceleration and I am talking probably 100's of a second at best you will make up in increased grip levels from wider tyres and certainly not noticeable on the road. The 350 on track though does feel vastly better on 18's, mostly when it comes to quick direction changes and steering input and for that reason alone i would prefer them on track. Whether out and out pace between the 2 vastly different I would be surprised with us average drivers :)

Fair points. ;)

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I used to run 265/10 and then 255/10 on the front of mine and it handled like a dream, I wouldnt want to go much wider though. 19x9.5 will be fine :)

I agree mostly, what fractional amounts you "may" theoretically loose on braking and acceleration and I am talking probably 100's of a second at best you will make up in increased grip levels from wider tyres and certainly not noticeable on the road.

You're right, maybe it's only 100ths you lose, but it's VERY noticeable in terms of feel. Everything feels heavier and clunkier, and at low speeds like you find on the roads is where you notice it the most. Heavier wheels just make the car feel lumpier and more weighty, which isn't a trait I'd want. Even the difference between Rays and OEM 18s was huge, when swapping between the two.

 

Must stop agreeing with Ekona .......... I ran my 350 on 4 different sets of wheels and my 200Sx on more like 10 and hes right, it is noticeable, particularly on the front end, more than 100ths of a second anyway. If youre only focused on performance then the smallest, lightest wheels is the only way forward,.

 

Hmm now I'm a bit confused... So it will be slower around corners, but you'll have more grip, but it will feel less responsive but handle well still? :unsure:

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Generally speaking, more rubber on the ground will give you more outright grip, but the extra unsprung weight will make the car less responsive and will hurt the ability to control the wheels over bumpy surfaces.

It's not possible to predict whether it will make you faster or slower without back to back tests of the specific set ups in question around specific cicuits, so I'm not sure why people are trying to do so. It will also depend somewhat on driver preference / driving style.

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