Whats the deal with different size rims front/rear?

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Apr 20, 2004 | 06:32 PM

#31

krispy

Registered User

Joined: Nov 2002

Posts: 272

From: GPW, MI

Quote:

Originally posted by DropZ
Smaller wheels up front make turning easier/better. Don't ask me why, ask in the suspension forum.

smaller wheel= lower weight + weight of the wheel not as far from the center= lower inertia

thats what i can think of off hand

Apr 20, 2004 | 07:58 PM

#32

chevy_cowboy

Registered User

Joined: Jul 2003

Posts: 57

From: Southern IL

Quote:

Originally posted by DropZ
Smaller wheels up front make turning easier/better. Don't ask me why, ask in the suspension forum.

True, but if these folks were worried about handling they wouldn't have put 19" wheels with rubberband tires on their car in the first place.

the stock 16" wheels would turn better, and actually have some rubber on them to absorb bumps.

Apr 21, 2004 | 12:18 AM

#33

Lucas Black

Registered User

Joined: Dec 2000

Posts: 198

From: houston, tx.

Quote:

Originally posted by Xride
tell me what has more side wall, 275 40 or 315 35.... or what about a 215 45

the series means NOTHING without the width of the tire.

A smaller sidewall is stiffer, and for the corners thats what you want

Most cars that come with the 2 different sized wheels have the same amount of sidewall on the fronts as the rear, so the rear tire is taller too.
the rears are generally wider too.

actually, wouldn't a car with diff. sized wheels front/back want tires that would create the same overall diameter?

so like for guys that have 17x9's and 17x11's run a wider tire in the rear that has a lower series tire so that the overall diamter is the same.

and like vette wheels, with the 17's up front and 18's in the rear, aren't they overall the same diameter, or am i wrong here? i'm pretty sure the rear wheels run a smaller series tire than in the front to work with the diff. sized wheels.

so like, running a 17x9.5 would require a 275/40/17
and running a 18x9.5 would take a 275/35/18 to get the same overall diameter.

i would think, for the most part, that a cars' wheels would have the same overall diameter all the way around so as not to worry about the front wheels rotating at a diff. rate than the rears. i'm pretty sure bmw's computer protects against the front wheels spinning at a rate that is much different than the rear wheels....

May 6, 2004 | 10:06 PM

#34

buzzfiend

Registered User

Joined: May 2004

Posts: 1

I happen to run 2 differnt size tires , 17x9s in the front and 18x10's in the back. I bought them like this because i bought my wheels from a vette owener that sold his vette. I run 245/45YR-17 Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3 for my fronts and 2 285/35YR-18 for tires and that keeps the wheel diameter pretty even so i dont suffer from wheel hop. I figure I didnt mind doing this because these wheels would have otherwise been out of my price range (HRE 547s). I ended up having a side benifit it seems to have leveled out my car a little more. http://community.webshots.com/album/119802102kpasGn
The front of the car seems to on par with the sideskirts, before the front sat higher and it didnt line up making it look like the front ground effects were missing or just misdone. I had the chrome 16's that came with my prior to the HRE wheels. I had problems with speed bumps then and scraping or bottoming out, now the car sits a bit higher and i dont have speed bump issues. Im glad i bought the wheels for more than just 1 reason but from added benfits i did not expect. I cant really say the handling has changed she still drives fantastic but the tires seem to help in ride quality that i did notice. Much smoother than the stock goodyear f1's.

2002 petwer trans am convertible