So I've got new 04 and I've been trying to figure out if I should consider a tire/wheel change sometime. Other than for looks is there a real performance gain? Wider tires will give you better traction but can cause over/understeer depending upon the ratio from stock. Also while bigger rims will provide some better steering response, the question is how much. Basically it wouldn't surprise me if the wheels were as highly tuned as the rest of the car meaning, that not using OEM will have very little impact and may cost you performance! Opinions? Thanks!

 

Generally, there is a performance decrease when switching to non-OEM wheels, primarily due to weight. Assuming you go to a larger/wider wheel, they will probably be heavier than stock. Your engine torque has to rotate that mass, so a larger/heavier wheel will result in slower acceleration (in theory...I don't know at what point it becomes really noticeable). The problem is exascerbated if the wheel is of larger diameter than stock, since (generally) the weight is distributed farther from the hub. This also makes the rotational inertia of the wheel larger, resulting in decreased acceleration. Of course, if you manage to find wheels/tires that are lighter than stock (and there are a few out there), you will see a performance gain.

There are other issues than just weight to think about (you touched on a couple), but I think this is the one with the most impact on performance.

 

That is not true. There are a number wheels that will actually reduce unsprung weight. The SSR Comp is only 15 lbs. in the 18". You will get better lateral stability with lower profile tires. There will be less tire to roll over in corners. If done correctly you can improve performance. I would say if you are not going to track the car you probably won't be able to tell the difference in feel of a few pounds plus or minus in unsprung weight.
If I can help let me know.
Thank you

Jim 877-522-8473-364

 

Not to worry, Jim...notice I mentioned your point in my previous post also .

 

I've never been one to believe that any car that rolls out of the factory comes out perfectly tuned. Well perfectly tuned--maybe for the masses, but not for most people's driving styles.

I'd recommend going out and doing a track day before you make any decisions on what to mod. This will expose the limits YOU find....and then fix the thing that bothers you the most (brakes fade too much, not enough power, not enough grip, too much oversteer, too much understeer). That way you fix the part of the car most broken and the part of the car you stress out the most.

I think with rims/tires, though, it's pretty hard to make a mistake unless you go with cheap tires or ridiculously cheap rims. And now that the 04s rims have gained some weight, replacing them with lighter rims is even easier.

 

Bigger is not better. You normally have plus 1, 2 or 3. that mean your current is a 17", plus one will move you to 18", plus 2 is 19" and plus 3 is 20".

the better they are the worse they will do in rain and snow.

But bigger is does look better