15" Alloys vs 17"

norbie · Post by **norbie** » Wed Aug 30, 2006 10:33 pm

Advantages / Disadvantages of each?

I'm looking to get car lowered 40mm, and don't think it will look much different with my current 15" wheels.

daewoomofo · Post by **daewoomofo** » Wed Aug 30, 2006 10:54 pm

actually it will look different. mine was lowered 1.2 inches and it looks totaly different (stock 14" steelies). the 17"s will prolly be heavier, so your acceleration will suffer. also if you hit a pothole your more likley to damage your wheel due to the fact that you will have lower profile tires. also your ride will be harder. but the bigger wheels will look good and the handeling will improve with them

TheGreatAndPowerfulOz · Wed Aug 30, 2006 11:56 pm

17" wheels = slower acceleration and lower top speed
15" wheels = better acceleration and higher top speed
13" wheels = better than both

Click the link in my signature to see what my Lanos looks like lowered almost 2" and with 15" wheels.

Cliff

daewoomofo · Post by **daewoomofo** » Thu Aug 31, 2006 12:01 am

TheGreatAndPowerfulOz wrote: 13" wheels = better than both

why not get some 12"s from a geo metro and have even better! lol jk

norbie · Post by **norbie** » Thu Aug 31, 2006 12:10 am

Looks like I'll keep the 15s then.

I don't like the gaps in between the wheels and wheelwells and the lowering kit I've found lowers by 40mm. I don't want to get it lowered and find there is still a big gap!

Nubira2.2 · Post by **Nubira2.2** » Thu Aug 31, 2006 12:11 am

get lightweight 15's and some 205/50 tires :P

DomWoo · Post by **DomWoo** » Thu Aug 31, 2006 1:08 am

i say get some 40" wheels.. hell with 17"s they arnt big enough

daewoomofo · Post by **daewoomofo** » Thu Aug 31, 2006 1:14 am

hey Oz, i only lowered my lanos 1.2 inches and it looks lower than yours. which springs did you use? eibach, inetrax?

before (notice the wheel gap)

after (less wheel gap)
your woo looks like it has alot more wheel gap than mine, yours looks WAY better but for some reason mine looks lower,

wolfhound · Post by **wolfhound** » Thu Aug 31, 2006 6:25 am

I had the STD springs retempered 20mm lower then I chucked the fibreglass install in the boot - which seamed to lower it another 10mm or so.

With the 15" TSW Zenons & 195/50 tyres I had no tyre rub, as soon as I stuck on the 17" TSW freeze and Yoki Parada tyres I had major tyre rub with one passenger in the back (my son and he only weighs 42kgs x that by 2.20462 for pounds) however it was only when hitting major bumps on the motorway at speeds, ripps the hell out of the rear tyres.

I think the probelm is the offsett of the rims, they came of a Mk1 Golf, so maybe not quite right for the Woo.

I am putting on some gas shocks this Saturday to hopefully stiffen up the rear, might also resort to "rolling" the arches.

Séan

MMamdouh · Post by **MMamdouh** » Thu Aug 31, 2006 9:53 am

the rim size thing is basicly a compromize between acceleration and top speed bit versus braking and cornering bit

bigger rim and lower profile will add to the braking, cornering and overall handling of the car, smaller rims will be good for acceleration and top speed but the handling is going to be "wooly" if you know what i mean.

personally i have went from 13" to 14" rims and from 175/70/13 to 185/60/14 tires and all of the above does apply... what made it worse is that i got 14" OEM stell wheels off a nubira - financiall issues - so they are heavy as hell, i gained 1kgm per wheel due to this upgrade and it did affect the top speed and acceleration.

i have felt the weight of alloy 15" rims with 195/50/15 tires and it is almost as heavy as my old OEM 13" and 175/70/13 tires so i recon the best setup for a lanos would be a light weight 15" rim and 195/50/15 tire... it won't ruin your top speed or acceleration and it will look very nice on the car and if i love the handling enhancment i got form the 14" rim and 185/60/14 then i am sure the 15" 195/50/15 won't let you down.

i think JohnnyC did that upgrade recenty and he is thrilled.

MMamdouh

norbie · Post by **norbie** » Thu Aug 31, 2006 10:02 am

I've currently 15" alloys with 195/45/15 tyres on.

MMamdouh · Post by **MMamdouh** » Thu Aug 31, 2006 10:06 am

your odometer is a bit off then huh?

MMamdouh

norbie · Post by **norbie** » Thu Aug 31, 2006 10:08 am

I have no idea, is it?

Speedo seems to be correct.

MMamdouh · Post by **MMamdouh** » Thu Aug 31, 2006 10:13 am

it is not...

under your current setup, doing 70MPH on the speedo means you are actually doing 67.72MPH... you are 3.25% off because of the smaller tire you are using.

MMamdouh

MMamdouh · Post by **MMamdouh** » Thu Aug 31, 2006 10:26 am

actually i got a software that calculates all that stuff so... knock yourself out guys:

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=ENU0SGO1

MMamdouh