Effect of wheel size on different aspects of the car

[cbauch]

Hi,I tried searching for something like this, but all any of the posts talk about is whether the ride is rougher or not.I am purchasing a new 2009 Vibe GT. I live in Rochester, NY so we get a good amount of snow for at least 3-5 months of the year. Not only that, because they salt the roads, there is always a lot of potholes and construction (to repair or repave roads). I was thinking there are three ways I could handle this wheel and tire wise for my new car.1. I could purchase a set of snow tires and some steel wheels. This makes sense because is would protect my brakes and alloy wheels from the salt and corrosion in winter. It would also give me much better traction in the ice and snow through the winter.2. I could replace the wheels altogether with some 16 alloys and a good all season tire. Then I could sell my 18 inch wheels and tires. This would be the cheapest way to go, but then I would have to clean the wheels and brakes more often in the winter to prevent corrosion.3. I could buy a set of winter wheels and tires, then wait for the summer tires to wear out. For the cost of (or not much more than) new 18 inch tires, I could buy a set of 16 inch alloy wheels and tires and sell the 18 inch wheels. This would let me have the winter tires and then cheaper tire replacement down the road.Besides asking what the consensus on genvibe is, I was wondering about performance and safety of the 16 vs 17 vs 18 inch wheels and tires. Specifically, in addition to the expense of replacement (and faster wear), the larger wheels would be a rougher ride (though slightly more responsive). Also, in an area with a lot of construction and pot holes, it would be easier to accidentally dent a wheel due to the smaller sidewalls. Are these assumptions correct? Would I be giving up anything besides some responsiveness and road feedback by going with 16 inch alloy wheels? Other posts only really focused on ride quality.

[shemp]

IMHO the GT is a bit rough riding on Michigan roads (some of which are carpet-bombed) You are right about the larger wheel being more prone to damage as well. I'm looking to pick up some steelies for winter, because A) the 45 series tires are not cheap (having a set of winters will put less miles on the summers) and B) the 45 series tires will be terrible in the winter.I do like the look of the 18's, but I'm not a huge fan of the styling of the car in general, so I haven't ruled out swapping the 18" wheels for a smaller set of alloys to use year round.The performace different between 18" and 16" is mostly perceived. Max cornering G's will not be reduced much with a higher profile tire, but the handling won't feel as crisp.Hope this helps.

[ClunkClunk]

I'd be curious to know how much the various tire/wheel combinations weigh, as variations in unsprung weight can affect handling and performance greatly.

[shemp]

That's a great point. Unsprung weight has a significant effect in ride and handling. Weights of alloy wheels very greatly, but I would guess a larger wheel/lower profile tire would generally be lighter than a smaller wheel/taller tire.

[prathman]

Unless you're auto-crossing or similar, the slight handling benefits of larger wheels are unlikely to matter. Smaller wheels with correspondingly larger tire sidewalls do definitely give a more comfortable ride and are also less susceptible to damage. If you don't care about the visual style of the larger wheels, then I'd recommend the smaller size all year. I think you're overestimating how much the hubcaps and steel wheel design protect the brakes in the winter. The brakes are fully exposed from the inside of the wheel and will still get salt water on them no matter which wheels you have.

[cbauch]

I did a quick comparison of a tire and wheel combo one tirerack.com. i found a tire and wheel where they were offered in the sizes (so as to avoid mixing up different designs or materials).For the 215/45R18 tires with 18 x 7.5 wheels: 22 lbs + 23.5 lbs = 45.5 lbsFor the 225/55R16 tires (~.51 percent difference in tire diameter) with 16 x 7 wheels: 25 lbs + 20 lbs = 45 lbsThis was with the first combo I could find which included: Enkei Performance EM5 wheels and Kumho Ecsta SPT tiresHalf a pound difference out of about 45 pounds probably wouldn't make that much of a difference. Was interesting to think about though.

[cbauch]

True, I probably am, but not having the alloys out at all in the winter would protect them from corrosion. However, maybe not any more than a good coat of wax and somewhat regular washing. And the entire undercarriage should probably be washed regularly in the winter anyhow.

[cbauch]

What about a taller tire? At 205/55R18 there is the Yokohama AVID TRZ which I have on my Corolla and really like. Then I wouldn't need to replace the wheels, and I wouldn't need winter tires.They are 6 percent taller though, well above that 3 percent limit. Would they fit? Would they potentially damage my brakes or anything else?

[Sublimewind]

I'm sorry, I didn't read the whole thread, BUT, I used to live in Buffalo... BUY snow tires... it's the best thing you'll do in the winter besides make babies... lol... I always say, the worst snow tire will be BETTER than the BEST A/S or performance tire in the snow... PEROID... I can't even imagine getting stuck in some snow with summer tires on... That used to happen to me at least once a year in Buffalo, when I still lived there, I was on AWD to(Subaru)... there is nothing like taking an incredibly copident AWD vehical, and turing it into a sled for an hour or more..... spooky...

[shemp]

I'll second that. I got some Michellin Arctic Alpins for my GTI, and they made an unbelievable difference. They do wear out fast on dry pavement though.

[cbauch]

While I don't doubt that a dedicated winter tire would perform the best in the snow and ice, I've found that a good all-season can be quite capable in the winter (I've been using Yokohama AVID TRZs on my Corolla). And since either way I'm going to be getting another set of tires (either winter or replacements for the stock with better winter performance), I was figuring it would save a lot of money to just get a good all-season on a smaller rim. I just wish there were more options in the 17 inch size (using TireRacks survey results to see normal and winter performance).

[Sublimewind]

In the long run, winter specific tire will cost you LESS... consider you only use the winters half the time and the summers half the time... Whiles a good A/S tire IS capable, the biggest issue it the rubber compound freezes in the cold... a winter tire compound doesn't.. the harder the rubber, the easier it is to become a "sled" on the snow... Winter tires have many more cuts in them as well, each cut creates a "biting" edge to dig into the snow... more the better... So, i'm just passing the info, if I lived there still, I wouldn't consider anything different, I know how the highway gets along with the surface streets...