Crager Soft 8's steel wheels on a 1995 Caprice 9C1 VS aluminum wheels?

[B'klyn9C1]

On my 1995 Chevy Caprice 9C1 I am currently running 18" x 9.5" Corvette C5 wheel with adapters from the old Rustic Racing with 275/70-18 Continental Conti-Extreme DWS tires mounted. But I am also running a very stiff pro-touring type suspension with 700 lbs Moog front springs and 166 lbs rear Moog springs with a 2 inch drop from stock 9C1 stock ride height. My shocks are the Bilsteins 24-011044 for the front and 24-009294 for the rear(aka the 1104 and 0929 combo) .

My wheel and tire combo gets beat up a lot by the potholed and crater filled New York City streets!! Three times I have had to get my used C5 wheels fixed (with welding and rebalancing) at over $125 a pop. And buy three new tires from Tire Rack and over $200 a pop. This has got to stop!!!!

So I am seriously thinking of going to a 17" wheel to gain some sidewall height and wheel strength and not to mention some ride comfort. Not to mention I want to get away from using the wheel adapters. I don't think there is a big difference in steering response between a 275/40-18 tire versus a 285/40-17 tire anyway but I could be wrong.

Is there a difference in handling with the added weight of the steel wheels versus the stock Impala SS aluminum 17" x 8.5" wheel and 255/50-17 tire combo???

Pros and Cons anyone???

[camrat68]

The stock Impala SS wheels weigh more than you think. I'll see if I can weigh one of my spares as well as one of my N97's for comparison. The C5 wheels should be lighter than the SS wheels I would think.

Jim

[camrat68]

According to my precision measuring device (bathoom scale).......

17x8.5" Impala SS rim without cap is 28lbs
15x7" 9C1 rims with cap and no trim ring is 25lbs
15x8" Suburban rim with cap and no trim ring is 27lbs
15x7" Suburban rim with cap and no trim ring is 25lbs
15x6" 2wd truck rim without cap and no trim ring is 23lbs

Cragar lists the shipping weight of the 39788 5on5 Soft 8 at 38lbs.


I was wrong, sorry.

I also see on the "other" forum that you're running a big brake kit. You might not be able to get away with anything smaller than 18's.

Jim

[rustomatic]

Steel wheels rule--there are many reasons why they still hang around after 50-60 years of use. Alloy wheels have already demonstrated their durability factors to you. I have 15x8 Soft 8s (on my Falcon), and knucklehead that I am, I have three vehicles that have steel wheels (1963, 2006, and 2012). I will not put alloy wheels on a car--the only ones that I'd trust for daily usage are Alcoas, because they've been tested safely over millions of miles by 18-wheelers. Perhaps I'm just kind of wrong in this way...

[B'klyn9C1]

According to my precision measuring device (bathoom scale).......

Cragar lists the shipping weight of the 39788 5on5 Soft 8 at 38lbs.

I was wrong, sorry.

I also see on the "other" forum that you're running a big brake kit. You might not be able to get away with anything smaller than 18's.

Jim

38 LBS !!! Oh Well. But you got to admit those Soft 8's has got to be one of the baddest looking wheel be it steel or aluminum. And no I am not running a big brake as yet. Just 12" two piece KORE3's right now. But I definitely want upgrade to a six piston 14" set to help to stop the beast.