i have a 2k2 with stock se rims. i may put on 18" chrome. i know it will slow me down but by how much approximately? the wheels i believe weigh 34 lbs each not including tires. now i know they are heavy, but look at the 6th gen maxima with stock 18's and its heavier curb weight; it a tad slower than a 5th gen 3.5 but the difference is not that much. what im trying to say is people always say how much slower a car will be with heavier rims, but look at the 6th gen with bigger and heavier rims. if i throw on the 18's i wanted i figure i'll be as fast as a 6th gen with the 18's. if im completely wrong help me change my mind and keep my stock rims.

 

It depends on what is more important to you: looks or performance/ride quality.

Based on my past experience with wheel and tire weight, I will NEVER go to a heavier wheel/tire combo for looks. Yes, it is that important (to me anyways!)

BTW, 34 lbs per wheel is outrageously heavy. Look for something HALF that weight!

 

i cant. its either buy my friends used lexani amethist rims or keep the 17's. i just dont feel like buying pilot a/s for the 17's. but if you thnk about it, the 6th gen runs for example .3 slower in the 1/4 mile. ( its a guess). if i put on the 18" chrome would my performance lose about .3 also? the 6th gen also weighs more but will the omre unsprung weight of the chrome vs. the stock 18's on a 6th gen make my car even slower than a 6th gen?

 

For every pound increase in rim weight is like adding 8 lbs of dead weight to the car. Lets say your stock rims weigh 20lbs, then you looking at a 14lb increase at each corner. Thats 448lbs.

Those rims will kill you performance. Sorry there is no way around it.

Also, why are you so worried about the 6th gen?

 

Don't forget 18" rubber could weigh another 1-3lbs more per corner. That's another 32lbs-96lbs to add.

You want to know how much slower? Get 3, 180lbs friends to go for a ride with you. That's the difference.

After you mount those 18" chromes pile those same 3 friends in and show off how your 4300lb car drives

 

The 6th gen can make up for it by the "roughly" 20hp difference at the flywheel.

Put the 2k2's rims on it and it'll probably be faster than a 2k2.

 

right. im not concerned with the 6th gen, its the fact that im trying to prove that wheel weight does not affect performance as much as people make it seem. now if in fact the 2k4 does have 20 more hp, then im wrong. but i was assuming that it doesnt because we all know about nissan and hp ratings. im saying the fact that bigger rims only affect it maybe .3 in the 1.4 mile is not a big deal. because even if the 6th gen has 20 more hp, much of that will be negated due to the whale-like weight of it. either way, im sticking with the 17's and throwing on pilot a/s. but i just dont see how the 18" rims are as bad as having 3 of my friends in it all the time.

 

It's hard to compare a 6th gen with the 5th gen in the case you presented. There's multiple factors that makes the 6th gen perform the way it does inspite of having 18" rims - better gearing (e.g. i'm assuming you have an auto), CD and again the theoretical +20hp.

But as far as just the wheels go, heavier rims might give you better traction from a complete stop but it provides more drag and friction once in speed.

You're not only dealing with more contact between the tires and the road, but a lot of unsprung weight.

Having 4 - 18" rims that, say, weight 40lbs. more is like having 320lbs. of dead weight (thus the notion, have 3 friends - skinny friends in this case :P)

 

Btw, either way a .3s difference in the quarter is still a significant amount IMHO - people buy intakes and replace their exhaust systems to gain that extra power and edge when hitting the track.

Some people keep adding horsepower while others take weight out of their vehicles - to a certain extent they both provide the same result at the track.

 

right. i figured the 5 speed auto helps make up for it. im just speaking from igonorance because ive never raced with a heavier wheel tire combo on a car at the track. hell ive never been to the track so .3 to me is nothing but i know 1/4 racers its life and death. im just gonna not bling bling and stick with good pilots because these blowtenzas are downright terrible especially at 20k. my dad said he can get me the tires $169 installed too, which is a steal in my book.

 

Heavier wheels to me feels like the Maxima on a hot summer day - it just feels sluggish.

I agree with you on the Potenza's though - i'm pushin 30k on it right now and really need to replace it. The A/S is too pricey for me, but at $169 that's definitely a deal - too bad there's no place like that around here

Come to think of it, 17" for 17" - at the price the Potenza's are i'm better off selling the OEM wheels and getting aftermarket rims+tires. In most cases i actually come out ahead just because there are better (And cheaper!) options for tires that are in-spec.

 

Wheel weight does affect performance, there is no way around it. I for one have gone to the track with a heavy wheel and tire combo(52lbs) and a light one (30lbs). It's a night and day difference.

 

thats exactly why i wanted to get the 18's but i can get the a/s at such a good price so its all good. yeah my max even with the 17's on now in the summer is no fun unless at night.

 

6th gen is alittle more powerful so it does not make as big as a differerence( i know by 10 ponies).