 Does Size Matter?, a wheel question |
|
|
|
Porsche, and the Porsche crest are registered trademarks of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG.
This site is not affiliated with Porsche in any way. Its only purpose is to provide an online forum for car enthusiasts. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners. |
|
|
| PORobinSCHE |
  Jun 10 2007, 12:11 PM
Post
#1
|
|
Member  Group: Members Posts: 421 Joined: 22-July 06 From: Orlando,Fl Member No.: 6,484  |
hello all, i want to get new wheels for my project. is there an advantage going to a 16 or 17 inch wheel,versus a stock 15"?
thanks Robin |
   |
 
|
  |
Replies(1 - 9)
| So.Cal.914 |
Jun 10 2007, 12:15 PM
Post
#2
|
|
"...And it has a front trunk too." Group: Members Posts: 6,588 Joined: 15-February 04 From: Low Desert, CA./ Hills of N.J. Member No.: 1,658 Region Association: None |
Other than looks there is a better selection of tires available for the larger Dia.
rims. |
|
|
|
| JPB |
Jun 10 2007, 12:17 PM
Post
#3
|
|
The Crimson Rocket smiles in your general direction. Group: Members Posts: 2,927 Joined: 12-November 05 From: Tapmahamock, Va. Member No.: 5,107 |
More rim less taya goooood. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer.gif)
|
|
|
|
| scotty b |
Jun 10 2007, 06:24 PM
Post
#4
|
|
rust free you say ? Group: Members Posts: 16,375 Joined: 7-January 05 From: richmond, Va. Member No.: 3,419 Region Association: None |
larger wheel = less sidewall on tire = less tire flex = faster lap times (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif)
|
|
|
|
| bondo |
Jun 10 2007, 06:32 PM
Post
#5
|
|
Practicing my perpendicular parking Group: Members Posts: 4,277 Joined: 19-April 03 From: Los Osos, CA Member No.: 587 Region Association: Central California |
Bigger wheels = capacity for bigger brakes too.
|
|
|
|
| Joe Ricard |
Jun 10 2007, 06:58 PM
Post
#6
|
|
CUMONIWANNARACEU Group: Members Posts: 6,811 Joined: 5-January 03 From: Gautier, MS Member No.: 92 |
Agreed on all reasons above.
16" by 10" wide should give you all the tire you can use. However 15 x 10 allows you to runthe new Hoosier 275/35-15 or Hoosier 22 x 9.5 x 15 R25 FA slick. |
|
|
|
| BMXerror |
Jun 10 2007, 07:12 PM
Post
#7
|
|
Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1,705 Joined: 8-April 06 From: Hesperia Ca Member No.: 5,842 |
QUOTE(scotty b @ Jun 10 2007, 05:24 PM)  larger wheel = less sidewall on tire = less tire flex = faster lap times (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif) Not necessarily. Have you seen the size of the sidewalls on F1 cars? Huge. Less sidewall = less cusioning effect from the tire = less time of tire/pavement contact in the bumpy stuff. You have to weigh it for your intended use. It's a balance, just like everything else in engineering. Dispite what the pimps think, bigger isn't necessarily better. Mark D. |
|
|
|
| customstarr |
Jun 10 2007, 08:05 PM
Post
#8
|
|
King of the Nighttime World Group: Members Posts: 116 Joined: 13-February 07 From: Waterford, Michigan - Home of Waterford Hills Road Racing Member No.: 7,531 |
From my own scientific studies, I have found that 15" wheels have one huge advantage over the larger diameter wheels that you spoke of...
tons more cashes left in your pocketbook. |
|
|
|
| 914nerd |
Jun 10 2007, 11:44 PM
Post
#9
|
|
Who you callin' a "Member"? Group: Members Posts: 416 Joined: 18-July 06 From: Los Alamos, NM Member No.: 6,461 |
You can't forget that you have to take into account the difference in the rotational inertia of the smaller wheel & tire vs. the larger one
After all, more weight at a greater radius on a rotating object can make a significant difference in the acceleration & braking of the car Just another view (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) *insert nerdy smiley here* Charles |
|
|
|
| Dave_Darling |
Jun 11 2007, 10:01 AM
Post
#10
|
|
914 Idiot Group: Members Posts: 15,204 Joined: 9-January 03 From: Silicon Valley / Kailua-Kona Member No.: 121 Region Association: Northern California 
|
A few points--
1: You can put tires with short side-walls on smaller diameter rims. There's nothing preventing you from doing that but the annoyance factor of running higher RPMs on the freeway. I ran 195/50-15s for quite a few years on my car, and those have short sidewalls. (And Clay's wife Betty's car had 195/45s or /40s for a while!) 2: Tires with taller sidewalls tend to weigh more than tires with shorter sidewalls. IF you keep the overall diameter the same, the weight distribution of the wheel/tire combo may actually be a little more central with a larger wheel and shorter tire. I have seen some research that supports this notion (someone I know weighed a few tires and wheels and did some back-of-a-napkin number crunching) but nothing definitive.... The two biggest factors, to me: The larger rim sizes have a greater variety of decent rubber to choose from; and they leave you more room for big brakes if you need those. And lots of people like the look, of course. --DD |
|
|
|
|
1 User(s) are reading this topic (1 Guests and 0 Anonymous Users)
0 Members:
|
Lo-Fi Version | Time is now: 14th July 2025 - 09:03 PM |
Invision Power Board
v9.1.4 © 2025 IPS, Inc.