Wheel upgrade pros-cons

[itwonder]

It's time for tires. Two of my slicers have bead leaks, so next installation will involve trying bead sealant, or finding replacements, or resurfacing...which got me to thinking about a set of aftermarket wheels. I'd be looking for a noticeable handling upgrade, but maintaining a good ride (this is a daily driver) if it's going to be worth doing it. Nothing radical. So these are the alternatives:

1. Stay with slicers, 215/60R16 tires
2. Aftermarket 16 x 7"or 7.5" wheels, 225/55R16 tires
3. Aftermarket 17 x 7 or 7.5" wheels, 225/50R17 tires

I like the idea of 17" wheels but have reservations about the wheels typically weighing 2-6 lbs. more than slicers, and the tires 2 lbs. more than 16's. I expect that there would be a big handling improvement compared to 60 series tires on 16's but is it worth the weight impact, and what about ride?

I'm pretty much set on Michelin Pilot Exalto's for 16 inch wheels. But they don't come in the 17" size, so thinking Michelin Pilot Sport A/S or Yokohama Avid EnVigor if I go 17's.

In wheels, I'm looking at American Racing: Alert, Estrella; Borbet CA, LS, TS; Elbrus 104. All from Tire Rack. Didn't see anything I liked at Discount Tire.

The last thing I want is any freaking vibration or clearance problems.

I'd appreciate the advice and counsel from those of you who have done wheel upgrades. I did a search and of course there is lot's of information, but a lot of it is also getting to be a bit dated in terms of what's on the market.

 

[K-Dawg]

Unless you need 17" wheels for brake fitment, I'd go with the widest 16" wheel you can find. I'd also recomend going with a 225/55/16 tire on a 7" or wider wheel, because you can get that size in a performance summer tire. Going from the all-season to summer tire on a wide wheel will be your biggest performance improvement.

Don't forget Team Dynamics. IMO, American Racing is rice.

 

[SHO Continental]

#3, 17x7 or 7.5(+)

I've found tires for 17s aren't much more expensive and are sometimes cheaper than for 16s.

 

[itwonder]

Good ideas; keep 'em coming guys!

I should ad that I need to stay with all season tires because we do get some snow here.

Where is a good place to buy Team Dynamics wheels?

 

[lowc]

i run 18s and i havent had any issues with handling or finding tires for them.and they are lighter than the slicers.im not sure on the width of them ill go out and check in a little while and report back.
oh and im running enkies heres a pic of them on my 92 although i must say they look much better on the 95
http://s736.photobucket.com/albums/...?action=view&current=2010NESHOswapmeet123.jpg

 

[frosho]

I should ad that I need to stay with all season tires because we do get some snow here.

Have you considered keeping two separate sets of wheels/tires for the different seasons? I started using two different sets last year (all slicers), one dedicated to the snowy months and one for everything else. I'm very happy with that decision, as I now get the best of both worlds. I was surprised by how much better the winter tires are in the snow than the all-seasons were. You just don't know until you try it. I don't think I'll ever go back to all-seasons, unless they're for a beater.

If you were to go that route, the slicers would make excellent winter wheels (since they're relatively narrow) and then you could get some upsized wheels for the warmer months and wrap them in performance rubber. Plus, that way your nice new wheels wouldn't be exposed to the salt/sand/other crap they put on the roads in the winter.

My $0.02.

 

[SeanMc]

Unless you go with 20s that weigh 30lbs/wheel. There really isn't a con to running a up to a 17x8.

 

[Rubix]

Whatever wheel you end up with, you should consider Goodyear Eagle GTs and Dunlop Direzza DZ101s. Both are a great tire and are fairly middle of the road as far as price. I just put 225/55/16 Eagle GTs on a set of '97 wheels I have and I LOVE them; quieter than the Fuzions that were on there, perform well (better then Fuzions), have a good warranty, and the tires just look good from all angles (this is always important to me).

 

[jedhead]

I went with OZ Racing Superleggra 17X8 wheels and Yokohama 235/45ZR-17 ES100. The combo weighs 1 lbs less than the stock slicers tires did. Handling and braking were greatly improved. Team Dynamics have low wheel weights too.

Bob

 

[32MTX]

i wish I never got 17's
sure they look better and all....... but the tire cost is calling me....

I drive hard so my tires don't last more then about 10-20k miles. If you want a good riding tire like a Michelin, it costs A LOT more when you step up to something like a 225-50-17 compared to a 215-60-16. It might even be in the area of 50 bucks a tire or more, and thats at my wholesaler cost. When u factor in you need 4 of them, thats 200 bucks extra. If you had a lot of money this wouldn't really bother you, but besides for a select few on here, if you had a lot of money you wouldn't be driving a SHO.


some of those team dynamic wheels will fit over the 13" cobra brakes with a 16" diameter, get something like that as wide as possible, and then I'd say its worthy of a wheel upgrade. Thats what I SHOULD have done. Another thing to think about is wheel replacement. Slicers are a dime a dozen. I got two wheels that aren't PERFECT in roundness(thats not even bringing up the finish), and if I wanted to replace them, the cheapest ones I've ever seen on ebay were 165 a piece, USED......

 

[Eric VerValin]

You would cry harder with 18's. Can't seem to find a decent set for under a grand.

 

[itwonder]

Doe anyone know of a good place to buy Team Dynamics wheels? They do look nice, but limited information is on the web.

Y, I'm not considering anything bigger than 17" because the tire prices get crazy. I don't need that on a daily driver.

 

[Jh8990]

Does anyone know of a good place to buy Team Dynamics wheels? They do look nice, but limited information is on the web.

Y, I'm not considering anything bigger than 17" because the tire prices get crazy. I don't need that on a daily driver.

http://www.shonutperformance.com/

and also have you considered enkie edr9's in gloss black? I can't post the ebay link here but this is what they look like.

btw I have a 92 black/black as well, and this is the Rim I going to go with after the winter

 

[SeanMc]

I'm running a TD PR1.2 with Falken FK452 245/45/17s. They are about 650 installed, and so far, I've been extremely happy with them.

 

[SHOstopper1992]

I was looking at getting the FK-452's Cause alot of people around here who do autox and other racing events are running these tires...

Also Look at the picture... they just look aggressive.

 

[lowc]

You would cry harder with 18's. Can't seem to find a decent set for under a grand.

yea i will agree few years back when i put on the toyo proxy 4s i paid a little under 800 for 4

 

[JATO]

This is my 2006 with American Racing Mavericks in 17x7.5 with 225/75 ZR 17s. I don't think they're rice at all and I get a lot of complements from people for them.

 

[32MTX]

800, damn

my last set of 235-45-17's cost me 225 bucks.........

I could get michelins for less then what you paid

 

[rbruso]

and also have you considered enkie edr9's in gloss black? I can't post the ebay link here but this is what they look like.

This listing on ebay is the only listing I have found anywhere for edr9's for the 5x108 pattern. By any chance, did you contact the seller and confirm that one of the bolt patterns is really ours?

Even the Enkei site doesn't list 5x108 for the rim, but they also only list one pattern and it's clearly a dual pattern wheel. Very weird.

It's a nice looking wheel, just wondering if anyone had already confirmed it really exists.

 

[Jh8990]

This listing on ebay is the only listing I have found anywhere for edr9's for the 5x108 pattern. By any chance, did you contact the seller and confirm that one of the bolt patterns is really ours?

Even the Enkei site doesn't list 5x108 for the rim, but they also only list one pattern and it's clearly a dual pattern wheel. Very weird.

It's a nice looking wheel, just wondering if anyone had already confirmed it really exists.

I will be ordering these rims when it gets closer to christmas time so I could confirm then. however all these rims are, are gloss painted black versions of the enkei cdr9's which Ive seen and know personally a few SHO's running them. so I know they do make them in our bolt pattern.

and you can't say that it is not one sexy looking wheel.