Alloys/Tyre advice

[Dicks86 0]

Think of getting 18" alloys for my gt86. Obviously standard is 17". What profile of tyres are people running on 18" alloys or should i stick to stock 17"??

Thanks in advance

[Church 209]

Some say that 18" look better. Some - that 17" look good enough. It's very subjective thing. Some may even prefer meaty looks of 16" or 15" :).

For practical/performance reasons for all around wheel or as summer wheel i'd stick to 17", which seems nice compromise between steering sharpness/handling/tire price/wheel weight/BBK clearance/comfort/wheel protection/good performance tire offering. As bonus - you already have one 17" set as stock "for free"

16" .. will clear less aftermarket brake options, less sharp steering, not all good performance tires available in size, but even cheaper tires/more comfort/better wheel protection .. in short this would be my choice for winter wheels, if one has separate wheel set for winter.

18" .. not different enough handling/performance/looks wise from 17" to change to them imho. Something might be slightly better, something slightly worse. Subjective thing.

19" and up, now drawbacks start to become big enough to make these undesirable unless one is into posing looks for which one is willing to sacrifice a lot of function.

[MartinT 514]

I went to wider 17" and I'm glad as the ride/handling balance is just right.

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[Daninplymouth 61]

I'm in the same boat and rather than start a new topic i thought id jump in here for opinions if you dont mind. I have decided on the wheels i want TSW nurburgring, just stuck on 17s or 18s both are 8" wide and ET35.

If going for a wider tyre on the 17's 225/45 this would have a taller side wall than standard? does this impact the handling much? and would i be right in thinking if you get XL load tyres these have stiffer sidewalls? On the 18's i would get 225/40. 

My question for anyone is, what is the difference with the lighter 17s with the bigger tyre vs the heavier 18s with lower profile tyres? or am i not going to really notice much of a difference on the road? i like the odd spirited drive and am planning a trip to the ring and the odd trackday as in the future.

thanks 

 

[Church 209]

225/45R17 on x8" wheels with same type of tires will have rather similar handling. 225 is ok to use even on stock x7", bet there might be a bit more sidewall flex. On x8 it's fine.

As for which profile height .. better go for 225/45. Simply because it's one of VERY common tire sizing, tires in which often cost 15-20% less then eg. 215/45R17.

Difference of 17 vs 18 is not that big. Differences between tire models chosen will impact feel much more then this slight size change. But as you plan trackdays .. i suggest stay at 17" .. again, for cheaper tire price :). Tires & brake pads wear fast on track. So why pay more if one can rather spend that money for even more trackdays? If you'll ever start drifting, even more so.

[Lauren 2259]

I run a 17x8" wheel with stock tyre sizes. I tried 225/45/17 but found the sidewall a bit floppy which impacted on the agility of the car. Lighter wheels mean better acceleration, better braking and better response. Smaller wheels are lighter. Also there are lots of options and variance with regard to wheel weight. If you are an enthusiastic driver I'd say you're going to notice a lighter wheel. If you are more orientated by looks then you will notice less. It depends upon how much you worry about such things. Forged wheels are the lightest of all but are more expensive. Really, the lighter the better.

[Church 209]

Lauren: are you sure on floppy sidewall attributed to tire size only? Not by chance to different tire model with softer sidewalls? Sidewall is just 5% higher, and if anything, 225 on 8" is slightly more stretched, then 215 on (stock) 7" wide wheels.

[Dicks86 0]

Thank you all!! 

[MartinT 514]

I'm on 225/45 17x8 Falken Azenis FK510 on a lowered car and the handling is amazingly precise while the ride quality is firm but still comfortable.

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[Church 209]

Dicks86: at the end though all that we wrote - are just our choices that we did and by what reasoning we justified that to ourselves. It's your car, your money and it's only you who is deciding what you like/wish best .

[Paul 442]

27 minutes ago, Church said:

Dicks86: at the end though all that we wrote - are just our choices that we did and by what reasoning we justified that to ourselves. It's your car, your money and it's only you who is deciding what you like/wish best .

^ This.

I run 18x8.5 Rotas with 225/40/18 tyres. I know people have their opinions on reps, on widths, on rim sizes, I don't really care! My wheels have taken some serious punishment, been refurbed a few times, yet haven't let me down. I don't find the ride too hard on 18's, and there's better grip with the wider wheels.

[MartinT 514]

21 minutes ago, Paul said:

I run 18x8.5 Rotas

Which ones?  I have a set of Rota Blitz.

[Paul 442]

1 minute ago, MartinT said:

Which ones?  I have a set of Rota Blitz.

Grids, matte black ones. 

[Varelco 211]

Like it's been said it's all down to personal taste. 

 

Don't forget the GT86 also comes with 18s 'as standard' on certain versions