Better wheel/tire combo for performance?
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 1,226
Likes: 1,191
From: Maricopa, AZ
2026 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Modified
2025 C6 of the Year Winner - Modified
2025 C8 Stingray of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
St. Jude Donor '12-'13
Better wheel/tire combo for performance?
I'm tossing around the idea of downsizing from my current wheel/tire set up to reduce rolling mass.
Right now the car has chromed CCW 505A wheels, 19 x 10 in the front 19 x 11 in the rear, mounted on P-Zero Rossos, 275/30/19 front and 305/30/19 rear.
If I went down to stock C5 sizes, using a C6 Spyder reproduction 17/18 combo, how much am I helping myself?
I'm also considering an 18/19 set up, but it would still use the giant 305/30/19.
I'm trying to squeeze all the performance I can out of this thing without tearing the engine open.
Right now the car has chromed CCW 505A wheels, 19 x 10 in the front 19 x 11 in the rear, mounted on P-Zero Rossos, 275/30/19 front and 305/30/19 rear.
If I went down to stock C5 sizes, using a C6 Spyder reproduction 17/18 combo, how much am I helping myself?
I'm also considering an 18/19 set up, but it would still use the giant 305/30/19.
I'm trying to squeeze all the performance I can out of this thing without tearing the engine open.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 43,084
Likes: 33
From: Raleigh / Rolesville NC
I'm tossing around the idea of downsizing from my current wheel/tire set up to reduce rolling mass.
Right now the car has chromed CCW 505A wheels, 19 x 10 in the front 19 x 11 in the rear, mounted on P-Zero Rossos, 275/30/19 front and 305/30/19 rear.
If I went down to stock C5 sizes, using a C6 Spyder reproduction 17/18 combo, how much am I helping myself?
I'm also considering an 18/19 set up, but it would still use the giant 305/30/19.
I'm trying to squeeze all the performance I can out of this thing without tearing the engine open.
Right now the car has chromed CCW 505A wheels, 19 x 10 in the front 19 x 11 in the rear, mounted on P-Zero Rossos, 275/30/19 front and 305/30/19 rear.
If I went down to stock C5 sizes, using a C6 Spyder reproduction 17/18 combo, how much am I helping myself?
I'm also considering an 18/19 set up, but it would still use the giant 305/30/19.
I'm trying to squeeze all the performance I can out of this thing without tearing the engine open.
for "ALL" the performance you can get, consider 17" on all fours
Much lighter
For each 1 lb or rotating mass removed, is ~ 6-6.5lbs of static mass removed. Plus the further way from the center of rotation that mass is the more work to accelerate and brake.
each 100 lbs of Mass removed could be equivalent to 10 HP gained
Mass, specifically rotating mass kills performance.
That said, 18" tires are easier to get the 17" tires.
Dont go too wide, and keep the front slightly less wide then the rear.
No run flats, they add too much wt to the tire.
and sticky tires, Nittos or Toyos are very good and sticky street tires.
dont expect too much life out of them either. Maybe two years, 5000 miles if that.
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 3,956
Likes: 520
From: Da U.P.
Could that be because you went from worn out tires on stock wheels to brand new tires on bigger wheels? ET is only part of the equation, how about repeated braking distance and all forms of cornering? Did you put a higher quality tire on the bigger wheels?
Safety Car
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 4,237
Likes: 11
From: Lacombe Louisiana
Nope,basically new Bridgestones to Michelins,wider but same diameter.I am sure the C6 rpros are much heavier also,didnt make ay difference at all.Handles better in corners,but that is prob because of wider,lower profile tires.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 11,152
Likes: 890
From: South Western Ontario
The CCW505's are a very light rim. The Pzero tires are also one of the lightest tires in those sizes. I think you're looking at about 50lbs for a front wheel and 55lbs for a rear wheel. The rubber weight could go up changing from your 19/19 combo to a different factory sized 17/18 combo. The reason I'm saying different rubber is because those Pzeros don't come in the factory sizes. The "no-name" repro rims could also be heavier than those CCW's. So, that different wheel combo might not gain you anything and can easily cause a weight gain. You could enquire about the new wheel weight and look up the new tire weight and find out where they come out. .
The hard part to qualify is the inertia of the wheels. The inertia affects the amount of power required to get the wheels spinning and the amount of braking energy required to stop them from spinning. Bringing the wheel mass closer to the middle of the wheel would lower the inertia which should increase performance, even if the wheel mass was the same.
Peter
The hard part to qualify is the inertia of the wheels. The inertia affects the amount of power required to get the wheels spinning and the amount of braking energy required to stop them from spinning. Bringing the wheel mass closer to the middle of the wheel would lower the inertia which should increase performance, even if the wheel mass was the same.
Peter
Last edited by lionelhutz; Feb 28, 2012 at 01:03 PM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,047
Likes: 143
From: Bellevue Ky.
2020 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
C5 of Year Finalist (track prepared) 2019
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
