Wider wheels effect on active handling
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 110
Likes: 0
From: Austin TX
Wider wheels effect on active handling
I am a fan of the active handling feature for my daily driving activities.
Essentially I have a 08 C6 Z51, and I am worried that if I mess with the widths of the wheels that it will throw off the computers control of the car with active handling. I know that tire diameter plays a roll in this, but that would seem to be more related to traction control. As far as the car locking its brakes individually to compensate for excessive yaw versus steering input, would 1 inch wider wheels with wider tires effect the yaw control feature negatively.
Do wider tire/wheel setups with identical tire diameters affect active handling negatively?
Essentially I have a 08 C6 Z51, and I am worried that if I mess with the widths of the wheels that it will throw off the computers control of the car with active handling. I know that tire diameter plays a roll in this, but that would seem to be more related to traction control. As far as the car locking its brakes individually to compensate for excessive yaw versus steering input, would 1 inch wider wheels with wider tires effect the yaw control feature negatively.
Do wider tire/wheel setups with identical tire diameters affect active handling negatively?
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 10,924
Likes: 854
From: Daytona Beach FL
I am a fan of the active handling feature for my daily driving activities.
Essentially I have a 08 C6 Z51, and I am worried that if I mess with the widths of the wheels that it will throw off the computers control of the car with active handling. I know that tire diameter plays a roll in this, but that would seem to be more related to traction control. As far as the car locking its brakes individually to compensate for excessive yaw versus steering input, would 1 inch wider wheels with wider tires effect the yaw control feature negatively.
Do wider tire/wheel setups with identical tire diameters affect active handling negatively?
Essentially I have a 08 C6 Z51, and I am worried that if I mess with the widths of the wheels that it will throw off the computers control of the car with active handling. I know that tire diameter plays a roll in this, but that would seem to be more related to traction control. As far as the car locking its brakes individually to compensate for excessive yaw versus steering input, would 1 inch wider wheels with wider tires effect the yaw control feature negatively.
Do wider tire/wheel setups with identical tire diameters affect active handling negatively?
I don't have any experience with running wider wheels on any of the C6s I've owned, however I have run larger diameter tires (345 profile on the rear of the Z06) with no problems at all.
As you said, the AH has steering angle sensors and a yaw rate sensor to see if the car is rotating more/faster than your steering inputs are calling for, and the wider wheels shouldn't do anything at all to those calculations.
Hopefully somebody that has run wider wheels will chime in, but I bet their experience will be that they don't create any AH problems. If so, you an always go into Comp mode or turn AH off completely - but like you said, I'm an advocate of AH full on for my street driving.
Bob
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 6,149
Likes: 11
From: Greater Detroit Metro MI, when I'm not travelling.
Actually, tires with different diameters are mostly going to affect the ABS and shouldn't create any issues with TC or AH, but I don't think just putting on wider wheels will even be noticed by any of the sensors, and I don't think any of the systems will do anything different at all.
I don't have any experience with running wider wheels on any of the C6s I've owned, however I have run larger diameter tires (345 profile on the rear of the Z06) with no problems at all.
I don't have any experience with running wider wheels on any of the C6s I've owned, however I have run larger diameter tires (345 profile on the rear of the Z06) with no problems at all.
Running WIDER tires or wheels is perfectly fine. All the car knows and cares about is how fast the rear wheels are turning as compared to the front ones; any size is fine so long as the overall diameters stay within 3% of the stock ones.
I personally run 265/35R18F, 305/35R18R, and it is fine.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 10,924
Likes: 854
From: Daytona Beach FL
345 is not a profile, it is a width, and running larger or smaller diameter tires will make it impossible or the car's traction control system to work; it will think your tires are continuously slipping and there will be continuous errors and intervention from the system.
Running WIDER tires or wheels is perfectly fine. All the car knows and cares about is how fast the rear wheels are turning as compared to the front ones; any size is fine so long as the overall diameters stay within 3% of the stock ones.
I personally run 265/35R18F, 305/35R18R, and it is fine.
Running WIDER tires or wheels is perfectly fine. All the car knows and cares about is how fast the rear wheels are turning as compared to the front ones; any size is fine so long as the overall diameters stay within 3% of the stock ones.
I personally run 265/35R18F, 305/35R18R, and it is fine.
Both my OE and aftermarket tires are 30 profile.
The OE GY Supercar F1 EMT 325/30-19 tires are 26.7 inches in diameter, and my Michelin PS ZP 345/30-19 tires are 27.4 inches in diameter.
The 345 tires have a 12.2 inch tread width, compared to the 11.6 inch tread width of the stock 325 tires.
That makes the Michelins about 2.6% greater in diameter than the Goodyears. I have no problems with TC, AH, or ABS from the wider tread width and larger diameter tires.
I agree with you that the wider wheels shouldn't cause any problems.
Bob
Tech Contributor
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 41,058
Likes: 9,820
From: Charlotte, NC (formerly Endicott, NY)
Wider tires will not affect the Active Handling. Different diameters don't affect it either. Active Handling uses the steering, yaw and lateral G sensors to determine if the car is responding properly to a steering input and applies a single brake or a combination of single brake applications to yaw the car in the direction the steering is turned. A change in the ratio between front and rear tire diameters will affect traction control as the system uses the wheel speeds to determine when the rear tires are spinning to fast.
Bill
Bill
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 31,088
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St. Jude Donor '08 thru '13
I run widened OEM wheels on my C6, with a 325mm rear tire.
There are absolutely no issues with the wider wheel. They've been on the car for over 20,000 miles, and have been raced, with no problems.
It handles better, and most of all.................................look s cooler.
DO IT!!!
There are absolutely no issues with the wider wheel. They've been on the car for over 20,000 miles, and have been raced, with no problems.
It handles better, and most of all.................................look s cooler.
DO IT!!!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 3,307
Likes: 111
From: Tucson AZ
I also ran widened OEM wheels on my C6 coupe. 1" wider in front and 1 1/2" wider in the rear. They have no effect on active handling.
As someone else said, you can also change tire sizes as long as the front to rear diameter differential remains within limits.
As someone else said, you can also change tire sizes as long as the front to rear diameter differential remains within limits.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 2,802
Likes: 38
From: A galaxy far, far away...
St. Jude Donor '12 thru '26
PL, you posted a thread a while back about widening your wheels, those the wheels you still running? You ran those sizes before & after widening correct? IIRC you changed wheels since widening?
Who widened them for ya? Ballpark $$$?
Who widened them for ya? Ballpark $$$?
I run widened OEM wheels on my C6, with a 325mm rear tire.
There are absolutely no issues with the wider wheel. They've been on the car for over 20,000 miles, and have been raced, with no problems.
It handles better, and most of all.................................look s cooler.
DO IT!!!
There are absolutely no issues with the wider wheel. They've been on the car for over 20,000 miles, and have been raced, with no problems.
It handles better, and most of all.................................look s cooler.
DO IT!!!
Who widened them for ya? Ballpark $$$?
Racer
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 399
Likes: 1
From: Jasper, GA
St. Jude Donor '10
Darkside,
This may help you out, it is a really good calculator. Helped me out when I went 18s all the way around on my C5.
http://www.1010tires.com/TireSizeCalculator.asp
Hope this helps.
Mike C sends
This may help you out, it is a really good calculator. Helped me out when I went 18s all the way around on my C5.
http://www.1010tires.com/TireSizeCalculator.asp
Hope this helps.
Mike C sends
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,009
Likes: 33
From: Orlando Fl
A couple weeks ago, I bought new tires and I went with stock (275's) Invos' up front with the 345's out back and I get the Engine Drag Control Active message in the DIC. It is annoying so I am going back to the 325's b/c I don't like this message. Some people think it's no big deal, but it bothers me.
Racer
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 399
Likes: 1
From: Jasper, GA
St. Jude Donor '10
If memory serves me right, the front to rear tire diameter difference can be no more than 1" or you will have DIC problems and possibly traction control problems. Don't quote me on the 1", but I think that is right. C'mon experts. Thanks.
Mike C sends
M
ike C sends
Racer
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 399
Likes: 1
From: Jasper, GA
St. Jude Donor '10
Ok, more than a 1/2" difference fron and rear, and again, I'm thinking no more than 1" front and rear tire diameter difference. I have 285/30 18s on the front and 315/30 18s on the rear of my C5. No DIC alerts and drives fine, no rubbing at all, but my wheel offset keeps me out of trouble. I imagine you C6ers have a lot more room for the rubber than my C5.
Mike C sends
Mike C sends
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 6,149
Likes: 11
From: Greater Detroit Metro MI, when I'm not travelling.
The rear tires are 1" taller than the fronts, by design. Deviating over +- 3% from that will render traction control and engine drag control useless.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 6,149
Likes: 11
From: Greater Detroit Metro MI, when I'm not travelling.
I have ran through 4 sets of tires with that combo; it works GREAT and I have not changed wheels since. In fact I put about 30,000 miles on that combo!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 3,307
Likes: 111
From: Tucson AZ
Who widened them for ya? Ballpark $$$?
I also had my wheels widened at Weldcraft in Plymouth, MI. The fronts were $200 each and the rears were $250 each plus shipping. The wheels balance with almost no weight and are as straight or straighter than the originals. Talk to James.
http://www.weldcraftwheels.com/
Weldcraft Wheels
15091 Northville Rd.
Plymouth, Mi 48170
Phone: (734) 420-2211
james@weldcraftwheels.com
I also had my wheels widened at Weldcraft in Plymouth, MI. The fronts were $200 each and the rears were $250 each plus shipping. The wheels balance with almost no weight and are as straight or straighter than the originals. Talk to James.
http://www.weldcraftwheels.com/
Weldcraft Wheels
15091 Northville Rd.
Plymouth, Mi 48170
Phone: (734) 420-2211
james@weldcraftwheels.com
Last edited by Vito.A; Feb 1, 2010 at 04:31 PM.
