View Full Version : Which is more important? Lighter wheel, or wider contact patch?
I have 19x8.5" one piece forged wheels on the front of my car with pilot sports 255/35/19's. The tires really arent' all that wide, about the same as a 245/40/17. I was kinda dissapointed when they were mounted on teh wheel, however they fit the wheel perfectly.
The wheel is pretty damn light, especially for its size, my rear wheels are 19x10 with a 295/35/19 and those are pretty heavy(a lot due to the tire which is pretty big and tall)
So my question is if I went to a 9 or 9.5" wheel up front with a wider tire assuming everything else stays the same, would it presumably handle/brake worse or better?
Probably not a cut and paste answer. My front wheels are pretty damn light, especially for a 19" wheel, but wider meats on teh front would be oooh so much better looking.
chicane67
09-25-2005, 06:25 PM
A wider tire and wheel (ideally any larger area, longer or wider in aspect) = more surface to load and gains an increase in traction, weather it be acceleration, deceleration or lateral loading.
A lighter wheel and tire package = requires less energy to move, weather it be acceleration, deceleration or in an axial movement.
Weight vs. size will always be your trade off....... its almost one or the other. You can however have both, but here comes the next part of the equation...... the cost.
If it were me, Id go the route of larger contact patch. The contact patch gains you both an increase in handling and braking capability. I guess I just look at it, simply stated..... you gotta have rotor to stop. The tire stops the chassis, not the brakes. Fit the wheel and tire package around the brake you use because in terms of rotor weight. Density, mass and surface area are your friends when dealing with heat and the management of just that.
Now, in terms of sprung and unsprung weight..... lighter in most cases is better for handling. But in the case of your chassis and its total weight involved, an increase in traction would be the winner IMHO.
chicane67
09-25-2005, 06:29 PM
Why does a wheel and tire question get put into the suspension fourm ??
That is the question.
TonyL
09-25-2005, 07:21 PM
To get the right eyes on it.
(told ya so Yody... LOL)
CarlC
09-25-2005, 07:33 PM
I agree with Tom. More tire.
David Pozzi
09-25-2005, 08:48 PM
I vote for wider tire, the front is heavier than the rear and more tire would help braking and turn-in.
I'll move this to the wheel and tire section and leave a redirect to it here.
yeah, makes sense because of having the BBC and a heavy second gen. Well its not any decision I need to make now, just for future reference. What got me thinking was the weight difference between the front and rear wheels.
sinned
09-25-2005, 09:12 PM
How about both? Is there any reason 19" are required (brake clearance), I didn't think so? Why not go back to 17" with a 265 or 275? That way you still get the contact patch without the extra 2" of inertia weight to deal with. Running a pair of 17" Kinesis or maybe some Jongbloed (I highly recommend if your wallet can handle the initial expense/continued upkeep) will result in less unsprung weight, less inertia weight and the same contact patch with enough room for your C5 brakes.
yes the reason the 19's are required is because i neede the brake clearance and need a wheel that fills up the wheelwell, but for the most part because they look sooo cool(doesn't that just make you twitch?) Also I am not going to buy a whole new set of rims. I happen to have 2 extra 19 CCW wheels and figured i could do something with them....eventually. I think my front wheels are only 22ilbs, probably lighter than your 17" centerlines
chicane67
09-25-2005, 10:32 PM
19"s..... gimme a break. You did it for the blingyness of the 19" factor..... you dont have to lie to kick it. Brake clearence and filling the wheel well..... :slap: what'eva. E-Bay will help you out on this one.........
I fit 13" rotors into 16" wheels, ten years ago and 14" rotors into 17" wheels......... so what is this about you having to run 19's again..... ???
sinned
09-26-2005, 04:59 AM
yes the reason the 19's are required is because i neede the brake clearance and need a wheel that fills up the wheelwell You are running C5 fronts, they clear 17's with no problems
but for the most part because they look sooo cool(doesn't that just make you twitch?)
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif
I think my front wheels are only 22ilbs, probably lighter than your 17" centerlinesActually my 17X9.5 Centerlines are only ~18lbs.
CAMAROBOY69
09-26-2005, 05:04 AM
Another vote for wider tire.
chicane67
09-26-2005, 08:38 AM
Look..... its Yody on the right !!!!!!!!!! The Prince of Bling !!!!!!!!!!
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif
thats pretty funny, somebody should post the picture of Dennis with his shirt off and dirt all over his face, from spinning out into the dirt at buttonwillow, looked like a white pig rolling through the dirt!!! and lets not talk about tom.......looks like sasquatch on meth!!!!!!!!!! LOL. I already said the biggest reason for the 19's is the way they look. My previous 17" centerlines wouldn't fit over the brakes, so I bought new wheels, I personally like my 19's and could care less what people with bondo el caminos that can't stay on the track and over the hill bench racers with a camaro that was running like 10 years ago think. hahhaah finally I can supresse the boring Yody! bout the only 2 people on this site that won't get all bent out of shape!!
Travis B
09-26-2005, 09:23 AM
I personally like the 19's......we have 17's on our trailer! lol
uh oh another wheel size debate!!
chicane67
09-26-2005, 09:51 AM
Wow....... it'll be ten years ago this next month......
But at least I have a real job, a new house that is being built..... and two degrees already. And to think, I didnt go into debt doing any of it, not to mention that everything on the chassis is paid for. Now hows your financing again there spoon fed boy ??
wow, you've accomplished a lot! well I havne't worked for a year, oh by the way I don't owe anything on my car either! payed for it all myself with cash, the only way
rocketrod
09-26-2005, 12:13 PM
I vote for wider tires
sinned
09-26-2005, 04:15 PM
thats pretty funny, somebody should post the picture of Dennis with his shirt off and dirt all over his face, from spinning out into the dirt at buttonwillow, looked like a white pig rolling through the dirt!!! and lets not talk about tom.......looks like sasquatch on meth!!!!!!!!!! LOL. I already said the biggest reason for the 19's is the way they look. My previous 17" centerlines wouldn't fit over the brakes, so I bought new wheels, I personally like my 19's and could care less what people with bondo el caminos that can't stay on the track and over the hill bench racers with a camaro that was running like 10 years ago think. hahhaah finally I can supresse the boring Yody! bout the only 2 people on this site that won't get all bent out of shape!!
I am sooo reporting this post to the powers that be!!!! Put you back in the corner for a time-out.
NOT, hahahaha
I pretty much disregard smack talk form posers that don't even have a car worthy of the track yet. :lmao:
derekf
09-26-2005, 05:05 PM
Cody, remember that Dennis isn't the only one here with a "bondo el camino".
You'll need to be more specific if you're targeting your bashing :)
sinned
09-26-2005, 07:04 PM
I'd also like to defend the Bondo statement...although it had many coats at one time she currently has less than a gallon total on the whole car. How much filler is under that pretty blue paint toadster?
Back to the topic at hand, are you really looking for advise or to just shoot down all the great ideas presented to you?
no, looking for advise. But you obviously know, that I know that smaller lighter wheels would be marginally better "on the track" we both know that I am not about to go buy differnet wheels right now. Also I didn't say that you were wrong, and if I did, well then my bad. Just wondering with my given wheel, would it be better to keep it as is with a light weight wheel with less contact, or a heavier wheel with more. BTW you mention "great idea(s)" that i shot down, but the only idea I shot down was yours?? My toadster(lol) has a decent amount, but I never went around declaring it the bondo boat......A gallon!!....thats it! funny stuff, I think threads like this should show that people can talk mess to others without getting all bent out of shape! I guess its a california thing.
sinned
09-26-2005, 07:44 PM
OK, what about not buying a whole new set? What if you just went to 18's on the fronts with a 265/35 and sold the 19's on ebay...you would probably get more than you paid for them anyways the way ebay has been lately.
Gallon is prior to blocking...ask Frank how much filler gets used in a common complete strip job these days using all OE panels.
well, that is a possibility, they are making my wheels in an 18" now which is what i wanted originally. However I don't see there being that much of a difference. But a possibility. To be perfectly honest I don't really have any plans of changing anything right now, but it was picking my brain and for future reference i was curious. BTW I know all about filler, it ain't as bad as people think, but a gallon is a lot lol
harshman
09-27-2005, 06:16 AM
I say keep the wheels and lighten the rotors. Heck, what do you think about 50 more ½” holes drilled in ‘em should do it? I mean you got the 19” bling now send them over the top with the Swiss Cheese rotors. :moon:
Steve1968LS2
09-27-2005, 08:17 AM
How about a smaller wheel with stickier tires..
Harshman, if you were trying to jump in on the fun, your gonna have to come with somehting better than that, wasn't really very funny
harshman
09-27-2005, 09:03 AM
just tossin' some lovin' around. :fart:
Blown353
09-27-2005, 11:25 AM
Actually Cody, I believe you could step up to 26" rotors if you changed over to some 30" spinners, preferably gold/chrome wires. You *might* need to roll the fender lips for clearance though. I bet Denny would even volunteer to pick up your new bling in his Elky for you, and I'll chip in to buy some dingleballs to decorate your windshield trim.
:hah:
I like look of the 19's on your car, but personally I'd step down to 18s at some point; not just for less weight, but because given the crappy roads over in your area I can almost guarantee you'll bend a 19 sooner or later. Heck, you might even bend an 18. I had to dodge a LOT of big potholes when I was over there last weekend.
your right roads suck here, however my 17's dented like no other. they had 255's also. One wheel was so bad that they couldn't even get the tire to seal. So I am not too convined an 18" would be better. In fact I am not going to change the wheel size. 19" it is. no ifs ands or butts! What I would consider is going with a wider wheel down the road.
jeffandre
09-27-2005, 12:30 PM
Cody,
The backspacing is probably too severe but you are welcome to try my 19x10's (7.25" backspacing) anytime. Just let me know,
MarkM66
09-28-2005, 11:54 AM
BTW I know all about filler, it ain't as bad as people think, but a gallon is a lot lol
He said BEFORE sanding. So what remains is anybodys guess.
Using a gallon or more on a car is NOT alot. Having that much on a car, well of course is. If it takes 10 gallons for someone to get it right, then that's what it takes. Totally irrelevant to what actually remains on the car.
who cares? we were just poking fun, whenever I have used filler it usually gets about 90% of it sanded off anyway
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