!7" wheels all around
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: May 2011
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From: Boiling Springs Pennsylvania
Oldtimer
!7" wheels all around
I have noticed some comments on 17" wheels on all 4 corners. Besides the tires being cheaper, can anyone tell me what are the positive and negative aspects of this sized wheel? In order to maintain stagger, you would need to shoe the wheels with 225/45/17 and 255/45/17 (at least by my calculations). Is it even worth pursuing this for a possible alternative?
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 43,084
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From: Raleigh / Rolesville NC
lighter weight is the biggest reason. faster acceleration and quicker braking.
except you tires are too small
Must guys run big and wide, 17x315/35 square all four
Or 17x315/35 rear and 17x285/35 front
except you tires are too small
Must guys run big and wide, 17x315/35 square all four
Or 17x315/35 rear and 17x285/35 front
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 578
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From: Boiling Springs Pennsylvania
Oldtimer
OK; but my tire calculator says that there is only .75" height difference so stagger would be less than stock. So if you go with 17's, you get the pluses that you indicated, but you also get screwed up speedo, odometer, and the traction and handling electronics. Since I don't plan to track my car, I think I'm not going that route. Thanks for the insight.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 6,528
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From: South Dakota
Another set of sizes could be 285/40/17 (26" dia.) rear and 255/40/17 (25" dia.) front. This is similar to the 1" factory C5 stagger so no problems with AH/TC.
The size difference from the stock 275/40/18 (26.7" dia.) will result in a 2.5% difference in speedometer reading. With the 285/40/17 rear tires when your speedometer reads 60 mph you will actually be doing 58.5 mph.
Although it is not what I would recommend I tried it with a couple of sets of C4 wheels and tires that I had and it drove OK. Note that not all 17" wheels will clear the front brakes. (The '93 to '96 do not clear, and I suspect the '91 and '92 don't either, but I didn't try them.)
My '99 with '90 wheels.
The size difference from the stock 275/40/18 (26.7" dia.) will result in a 2.5% difference in speedometer reading. With the 285/40/17 rear tires when your speedometer reads 60 mph you will actually be doing 58.5 mph.
Although it is not what I would recommend I tried it with a couple of sets of C4 wheels and tires that I had and it drove OK. Note that not all 17" wheels will clear the front brakes. (The '93 to '96 do not clear, and I suspect the '91 and '92 don't either, but I didn't try them.)
My '99 with '90 wheels.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 578
Likes: 1
From: Boiling Springs Pennsylvania
Oldtimer
Another set of sizes could be 285/40/17 (26" dia.) rear and 255/40/17 (25" dia.) front. This is similar to the 1" factory C5 stagger so no problems with AH/TC.
The size difference from the stock 275/40/18 (26.7" dia.) will result in a 2.5% difference in speedometer reading. With the 285/40/17 rear tires when your speedometer reads 60 mph you will actually be doing 58.5 mph.
Although it is not what I would recommend I tried it with a couple of sets of C4 wheels and tires that I had and it drove OK. Note that not all 17" wheels will clear the front brakes. (The '93 to '96 do not clear, and I suspect the '91 and '92 don't either, but I didn't try them.)
My '99 with '90 wheels.
The size difference from the stock 275/40/18 (26.7" dia.) will result in a 2.5% difference in speedometer reading. With the 285/40/17 rear tires when your speedometer reads 60 mph you will actually be doing 58.5 mph.
Although it is not what I would recommend I tried it with a couple of sets of C4 wheels and tires that I had and it drove OK. Note that not all 17" wheels will clear the front brakes. (The '93 to '96 do not clear, and I suspect the '91 and '92 don't either, but I didn't try them.)
My '99 with '90 wheels.
