Just put on my brand new 18" wheels with 235/40 tires and my car so slow now!!! Before I had 16" wheels with 225/50 tires. Did anyone notice this change too? I was expecting some decrease in performance due to the weight and size, but the difference is pretty dramatic!

BTW, 16" wheels & tires weighted 18lbs (wheels), 25lbs (tires) and 18" are 20lbs (wheels), 26lbs (tires) for a total weight increase of only 3lbs per wheel.

jhlee

 

I suggest you actually put the wheel/tire on the scale to see what it weighs. You spend massive $$ for 18s that weigh 20lbs?

It also depends where the most of the weight is also.

 

I know I didn't notice a huge difference. If anything I like it a heck of a lot better.

 

It would seem that only an increase of 12 pounds would not slow you down all that much. Sure it is not just mental?

SuDZ

 

but how does it handle?

 

yes, unsprung weight is bad. I do notice a difference too, but it's not that bad.

 

Like someone said before it's all in your head. I sure there is a difference but not that bad

 

This is why all my rims (4 diff pairs) are 16's.

There is a larger diameter rim, it will slow down acceleration but improve your top end speed. (Its a fact)

SCC has dynoed a car with 15's vs 16's vs 17's about a year back. Every inch you increase, you drop about 2~3FWHP.

 

i am a rice boy.. i rather looks over performance.. i would rather be rolling on 19's than to be rolling on 16's.. but i guess you have to make up for the AUTO thing

 

I know your rice.

Liek Sprint said, it all depends if you want speed or looks. 17" are a good compromise for both.

Damn those annoying autos!

 

We know this. You powder-coated your wheels. (right back atcha). But you have 17"s so we know you care somewhat.
-Cyrus

 

19's or bust.. **** that small wheel ****... i rather roll looking pretty with a body kit and 19's than some titeass small wheels.. and i will still smoke half of you fools with 15/16/17's

 

WRONG!!! i would never buy 17's in my life..

 

100 happy are you?

 

and you know it..

 

So your little Rudolph () wheels are 18"? Funny, I always though they were 17".
-Cyrus

 

you see how big them ****'s are? .. well they do look kinda small to me.. thats why i am getting 19's next..

 

If you're going to get 19"s, why not just go 20"s? The extra what - 20 lbs isn't going to hurt that much more, and no matter what size tire you get on your 19"s, the car is going to be jacked up a little, so why not just spare the extra inch for the word "DUBS". Come on Sprinty...20s, 20s, 20s, 20s...they'll fill up all that nasty fendergap REALLY well too...
-Cyrus

 

And very proud to be apart of it too.

 

you call this jacked up?

 

Compared to the exact same car with 18"s it has to be. You can't get a 19" tire that will run the same diameter as 18"s (or atleast 18"s for the Maxima). I get your point, Steve has a very low car, but he has a full coilover-setup and body kit. When you pull up to a '97-'99 Max with Sprints and 15"-18" wheels and notice yours is just a PINCH higher, then you'll see. But until then it'll still be a hot car, right Sprinty?
-Cyrus

 

well, my car is definitely slower! so, i guess next step mods has to be toward a lighter brake setup. does anyone know the stock rotor's weight? if i replaced it with cross-drilled rotors (all 4), how much weight would i be taking off? i would stop at the rotors since new calipers are way too pricy...any insight into this subject?

jhlee

 

uh huh

 

semi trucks, that is.
But it's not about the weight of the rim, but how the weight is distrubuted throughout the rim.
More weight on the outside of the rim = more rotational mass to turn the wheel which = slower acceleration and lower top speed regardless of the diameter but better handling...in some ways.
But it's all about the looks, right?

 

Vyrus prior to me going up to a 245 I did some research with the tire companies bcuz of the gap issue, so I wanted 19's as well but when I compared the 19 inch tire with a 18 inch tire overall diameter was the same exact thing (245/40 18 = 245/35 19). So I went up to a 245 to get a couple of MM's on height, just cause I went from a 235 to 245 didnt just mean I was going to gain width I was also going to gain maybe 2 or 3 MM in tire height as well. Dont believe me go to the Nitto website and it will break down the specs on the tire sizes tire diameter, height weight and so on, I even called the tirerack to verify that.

 

Rotational mass even if they were both the same size rim and one weighed more it wouldnt make that much of a difference but with two different size rims and you went bigger your talking rotational mass, check it out here.
http://www.howstuffworks.com/

Bruce

 

ahhhhhh SkiMax's car. Such a tight ride if I don't say so myself.

 

Back to the original post:

The reason why because 18" slowed down the car "dramatically" is because 4th gen has no torque???


Correct me if I am wrong!

 

No im pretty sure we have plenty of tourque, matter of fact i can chrip with my 18's in third and do a clean burn out up in to second with 18's so if thats no tourque im not sure what is.

Bruce

 

I use to run a set of 47lb 17s (tire/wheel). Now I run lightweight 16s that weigh in at 38lbs total. The wheels alone were good for .2 seconds and a gain of almost 1mph. Larger rims suffer from higher rotational mass. That's a fact. Unsprung weight makes things even worse. I much prefer the performance and ride of smalelr and light rims. Large rims look good, but that's all they do good.

As for chirping 3rd, I use to be able to do that all the time. The reason is the larger rims run lower profile tires which change the contact patch dramatically. The contact patch is wide and skinny which means it's good for lateral g's and handling. The taller and narrower tires (215/55 or 215/60 or 205/65) are better for straight line because the contact patch is long and narrow. More rubber is going forward. Now all I get is a chirp into 2nd. With the 17s, it was downright spin. The spinning is cool for showing off, but it only makes you slower.


Dave