[s-cars] Wheel/tire performance - how different between wheel sizes?

[LL - NY]

You CAN use a 16 x 7.5 with a 205/55-16 snow. Seems acceptable by
all of the tires I checked out this winter. It IS the widest rim that'll work
with a 205 FWIW. 

LL - NY


On Fri, 18 Mar 2005 21:26:03 -0800 (PST), lee at wheelman.com
<lee at wheelman.com> wrote:
> Mike writes:
> 
> > I'd like a little re-assurance I'm doing the right thing here.
> > I'm
> > about to get my '93 5 spoke 16x8's refinished.  Before I do, any
> > opinions about the relative performance of a high-end low profile
> > tire
> > in a 16" size vs. a 17" or 18" tire?  I doubt it's that big of a
> > difference, certainly not enough to warrant switching to bigger
> > wheels
> > considering the roads I have to drive on around here (NH).
> 
> I ran a set of 245/45 16" Toyo TS-1s on the 16x8 wheels. Then I
> switched to the same tire in a 255/40 17" size on a set of 17x8
> wheels.
> 
> Yes, there's a difference. The 16" wheels gave a bit of a fat,
> floaty ride in comparison to the 17"s. Not bad, per se...but the
> 17"s were clearly superior. The Toyos ride great, so there was
> little to no degradation in ride quality, but the handling got
> better.
> 
> Better enough that the soft rear became obvious and I had to
> install the HSRB. That solved the rear problem.
> 
> This was on a car with Eibachs and Bilsteins, btw.
> 
> Oh, and also, your 16x8" wheels are too wide for snow tire use,
> particularly in NH. you want a 16x7 wheel with 205/55 16" snow
> tires. Anything wider and your snow traction will go downhill.
> 
> Lee
> 
> 
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