What's the weight difference between the 20" factory rims and the 18" police rims?

[CCXVI]

Going from the tires for the 20's to the tires for the 18's is a 14# increase, and I'm curious how much more the steel wheels weigh, or if it's less because they're smaller.

 

[xFallenxCripplex]

Just by feel I think they are about the same
But I did find weights of some tires and found that every inch is about a pound difference

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[Poppa Diezal]

I wonder it I'm not racing it and just want a smooth ride if going to the PI wheels would be better. Even other alloy wheels 19' would be weight reduction and more cushion.
Anyone try that?

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[CCXVI]

That's part of why I'm doing it. More sidewall always means a softer ride, and often it'll be better at a drag strip because the sidewall can flex instead of the tire spinning, but it'll be less responsive handling wise.

 

[CCXVI]

Just by feel I think they are about the same
But I did find weights of some tires and found that every inch is about a pound difference

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You can find the exact weight of a tire from the manufacturer. My current tires are 30#, and the new ones are 44# a piece. If the manufacturer website doesn't list them, tirerack always does.

 

[Lostneye]

I haven't weighed them but a few people have said the stock 20s are over 30lbs each. My 20x9.5 TSWs are 26.5 lbs each. The tires weight a little more as I went to 275s but still a net reduction I would guess the PI wheels being steel are not much lighter. Differences in unsprung and rotational weight are said to make a difference but I haven't noticed a difference.

 

[Johnbigdog]

That's part of why I'm doing it. More sidewall always means a softer ride, and often it'll be better at a drag strip because the sidewall can flex instead of the tire spinning, but it'll be less responsive handling wise.

Yes, I will agree there is a noticable ride difference between my 18 inch snow and the factory flowers. Much less road feel with the 18s.

 

[xFallenxCripplex]

You can find the exact weight of a tire from the manufacturer. My current tires are 30#, and the new ones are 44# a piece. If the manufacturer website doesn't list them, tirerack always does.

Tire rack does not always. i still had to hunt thru but it was easier going thru tire rack. Since even same brands did not list all weights.

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[PaulTAutoX]

Going from the tires for the 20's to the tires for the 18's is a 14# increase, and I'm curious how much more the steel wheels weigh, or if it's less because they're smaller.

With similar construction and tire width, you almost always gain weight with larger diameter wheels. You have to be careful because often the larger wheels are also wider and with wider tires, so that adds even more. Going from steel to aluminum at the same size usually saves weight, but again look at widths. And run flats weigh more than the similar tire non-run flat.

Depending on who you believe, saving wheel+tire weight is the same per pound as saving three to ten pounds of weight off of the rest of the car, since there's rotating mass to be accelerated in addition to the basic poundage. Then times 4 for all wheels. Lighter wheels will also be easier to control by the shocks and will give a better ride and/or better ability to keep the tire on the ground, depending on whether the shocks are changed.

The cars with 20's, I don't understand how they don't get dented rims all of the time. The sidewalls are so short it blows my mind. I had a pothole take out two tires a while back. Police rims aren't 20's because the looks do not matter and the resistance to puncture and tire replacement cost are better over the car lifetime.

Going to a higher performance tire, no matter rim size, will keep you in the hunt, though that will also result in worse ride quality and maybe force you to have a set of snows, since the stickiest max- or extreme-performance class tires aren't able to function in freezing temps (actually can break down in low temperatures).

 

[rubydist]

You can find the exact weight of a tire from the manufacturer. My current tires are 30#, and the new ones are 44# a piece. If the manufacturer website doesn't list them, tirerack always does.

44 pounds for the tire is stupid. a 275/35-20 should be in the 27-30 range. a 44 pound tire will bounce all over the road on that car. if that weight is accurate, you will not be a happy camper.

 

[CCXVI]

44 pounds for the tire is stupid. a 275/35-20 should be in the 27-30 range. a 44 pound tire will bounce all over the road on that car. if that weight is accurate, you will not be a happy camper.

I think you misread, 44# is for the new tire. It's LT255/55R18. I work in tire manufacturing, I've got the tire side figured out, the wheels are the only part I was curious about. I just read that you can fit a 17" wheel though, so if that's true that'd be far better.

 

[Lostneye]

I think you misread, 44# is for the new tire. It's LT255/55R18. I work in tire manufacturing, I've got the tire side figured out, the wheels are the only part I was curious about. I just read that you can fit a 17" wheel though, so if that's true that'd be far better.

That is still quite heavy for that size. I'm guessing a true Light Truck tire based on the size listing you provided might be the issue. My 275/40R20s are listed as 31lbs and a quick search at tire rack shows most 255/55R18s around that 30lb range. You will feel that.

 

[CCXVI]

I guess I'm just used to tires being heavy, 44 doesn't sound like a lot to me. The tires I just put on my truck are 87# each. I did order a 17" steelie to see if I can fit it.

 

[dinojc86]

Yes, I will agree there is a noticable ride difference between my 18 inch snow and the factory flowers. Much less road feel with the 18s.

I was thinking a moving to a set of PI 18" rims, from the 20" stock SHO /PP.
Is there anything I need to know?
Thanks for any advice.

 

[Johnbigdog]

I was thinking a moving to a set of PI 18" rims, from the 20" stock SHO /PP.
Is there anything I need to know?
Thanks for any advice.

The rim's clear the shock/brakes with no problem. Keep in mind how wide the 18 in tires are you put on the wheel. The wider the tire, the less room you will have. That distance is shared left and right. If you go 1 inch wider than stock, this is shared by a half inch left and right.

To get an idea of what sizes are comparable to stock so your speedometer is not afected I found https://tiresize.com/comparison/ very helpful. I chose 255/55/18

I bought factory tpms sensors from rock auto, and a tpms 19 tool from the dealership to program the new sensors on my 16 p.p. There is a write up on this within the forum.

I bought the factory lug nuts for steel wheels so the hub caps would fit. They are not two pieces like the factory ones and apeard to have a different cone for the aluminum rims.

There are quite a few write ups on this forum that should answer any questions you have.

 

[Lostneye]

That distance is shared left and right. If you go 1 inch wider than stock, this is shared by a half inch left and right.

Assuming the offset is the same on both sets of wheels. The flowers are 20x8 ET39, I do not know the size/offset on the factory 18" steelies.

 

[Johnbigdog]

Assuming the offset is the same on both sets of wheels. The flowers are 20x8 ET39, I do not know the size/offset on the factory 18" steelies.

Detroitwheelandtire.com

 

[CCXVI]

Since the thread was resurrected, I found 17's that fit.

 

[RubySHO]

The rim's clear the shock/brakes with no problem. Keep in mind how wide the 18 in tires are you put on the wheel. The wider the tire, the less room you will have. That distance is shared left and right. If you go 1 inch wider than stock, this is shared by a half inch left and right.

To get an idea of what sizes are comparable to stock so your speedometer is not afected I found https://tiresize.com/comparison/ very helpful. I chose 255/55/18

I bought factory tpms sensors from rock auto, and a tpms 19 tool from the dealership to program the new sensors on my 16 p.p. There is a write up on this within the forum.

I bought the factory lug nuts for steel wheels so the hub caps would fit. They are not two pieces like the factory ones and apeard to have a different cone for the aluminum rims.

There are quite a few write ups on this forum that should answer any questions you have.

Do you know if you need to buy different lugnuts, even if you do not plan to use the PI center caps?

 

[SHO-moco]

Factory 20" rim with a 255/45ZR20 tire (62 pound 5 oz) next to an Explorer interceptor rim with a 255/55R18 tire (69 pound 6 oz) including center cap. The 20 has a decent quality all season, the 18 just has a budget friendly all season. Road feel and hard cornering are reduced with the 18's. Ride comfort and overall daily driver enjoyment on typical pothole ridden poorly paved roads is 100% better with the 18's.