Can anyone tell me what is better for traction.... (1) smaller rims vs. larger rims (for example 16's vs. 19's) (2) low profile vs. a little higher profile tire. I am thinking about getting larger rims (19's) for my 6mt sedan, but I am running nitrous and already am having traction issues. If I am more concerned with traction over the look/size of the rim, should I stay with the 17's. I know the 19's will be wider and that should give more grip, but I wanted to know how the rim size affects traction.

Thanks.

 

the Size of the rim wont really effect traction it will effect handeling. The higher the profile the better the tire will hande. The bigger wheels just look better. if u want more traction get a wider tire. like 285 or 295 or bigger. good luck man

 

Shorter rims with a high profile tire will provide better traction than a taller rim with low profile tires. The additional sidewall area is used to dampen the force during launch.

You should be able to find some wider 17 inch rims that will fit the sedan and accomodate wider tires.

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It's not so much the diameter of the rim itself but the diameter of the entire wheel, i.e. with tire mounted. If you upsize the rim but compensate on the tire width and profile to ensure the total diameter is the same as stock (so as not to throw the speedo off), there will be little gain in traction. Unless you substantially increased the tire width... this would beget a larger contact area and increase your traction.

I also agree with juiced, in that a higher profile tire would compress slightly more during launch to create a larget contact patch... hence greater traction.

It seems to make sense, but what do I know... I don't race....


<font color=red>chinee</font color=red>
03.5 G35s

 

Check into 235/50/17 tires. They will fit on the factory rims but provide close to 1 inch of additional treadwidth.

Also, tirerack has a wide selection of 17x8 wheels to choose from. Then take a look at 255/45/17 tires for an additional 2 inches of treadwidth.


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what kind of performance? straight line racing or circuit? for twisties I prefer low profile tires. You get more response from low profile and really feel the road. If you have big o donut tires with high walls then it makes you feel like your on a flying carpet and dont' really feel the road. For drag racing big side walls are ok I guess, since you don't take turns anyways.

BS G35C 6spd navi/aero/prem

 

stock tire 215/55/17, diameter: 26.3, width 8.5, sidewall height 4.7, revolutions per second: 767

the tire you recommended is 255/45/17 which requires a rim upgrade to a 8" rim and gives the following, diameter: 26, width: 10, sidewall height: 4.5, RPMs: 775

How about 245/50/17, diameter: 26.6, width 9.6, sidewall height 4.8, RPM: 757 only about 1/2 inch less, but I can use the same rims and be pretty close to within appx. 1% of the stock revolutions. What do you think?

 

So you want to use the factory rims and go with a 245/50/17?

I personally would not go up in tire diameter; I would go smaller, hence my suggestions. Most 245/50s are actually 26.8 tall, but if you have a set that is 26.6 in mind, you may be happy with the purchase.

It also appears that you are using section width as opposed to tread width. Make sure you know what the tread width is going to be.

Lastly, make sure you get a tire with a compound designed for your usage. For example, a Michelin Pilot Sport AS, while it could be wider, would not perform as well as a Michelin Pilot Sport.

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Hmmm... how would I find out the tread width? From what I read, it differs based on the rim width. The websites for the tires I am considereing don;t list tread widths.

The reason I am going for the 225/55/17 is because I want to put on either Bridgestone S-O3 PP, Goodyear F1 GS-D3, or BFG g-Force T/A KDW-2. Since, I got the 6mt sedan with higher profile tires than the coupe, it has been difficult to find a good performance tire that will be close. The Michelin Pilot Sport AS (All Season) comes close, but the regular Pilot Sport doesn't.

I was able to find the Goodyears (mentioned above) in the 225/55/17. It's either that, change rims, which I'd rather not do, or go with the stock Goodyear Eagle GS-D's that came with the car. They were not bad, but wore away fast 16,000 miles. The Goodyears I want to buy offer superior performance and tread wear.

 

225/55/17? Where did that come from? You said 245/50/17 last time; did you change your mind? Again, this is a taller tire, which I would stay away from, but it's your car.

Check out tirerack.com; they list tread widths based on cetain wheel sizes for the majority of their tires. You don't have to buy from them, but their site provides a decent reference point.

In 225/55/17 you can get Pole Positions, Dunlop SP Sport 2000E, Bridgestone Turanza ER33, Goodyear F1s, and many others. I would limit my choices to those tires I actually named above. Please note that if you want gretaer traction, you will sacrifice tread wear. Your factory tires, if they came wider, would be a good choice for traction.

ZEX wet kit 140 WHP
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Denso iridium 2 steps
Z tube, Amsoil filter
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BFG Drag Radials 265/40/18
12.85 @ 108.5