Well guys, i know its been a on going battle over which tire and rim combination would be better for acceleration times from either a start or a roll.

I just started physics class this semester and after class i talked to the teacher about setting up some kind of experiment to see which tire/rim combination would be the best performance set up for our car. So we will be setting this experiment up soon and i will be reporting back with the results.

Before i post the results i want to here what everyone thinks.

-sean

 

19's 19's so much nicer but will see wich is better soon

 

The 17" wheel will be better for acceleration. bet on it.

 

this is a reason why i decided against upgrading my rims... the other day that i was looking at my dads rim on the rear it had the specs and his rear 20x10 chrome rim weighed 38lbs and most rims of this kind weigh about the same... im sure axis, stern, tsw, and other similar brands that make cast rims weigh about the same.

Now consider this stock rear 19" rim (the heavy one) weighs 22lb (correct me if im wrong) so 38-22 = 16 x 4 (4 rims) = 64lb x 4 (rotational weight) = 256lb. By gettings rims like this ur adding 256lb to ur car... its like having an extra heavy person inside ur car all the time, not to mention the weight ur already adding by being in the car alone.

I dont know the specs for the stock 18's or 17's but im assuming the 19's would still be lighter considering the fact that they're rays forged rims.

 

it depends on weight if the overall diameter is the same for any givin setup. 19's with thinner tires or 18s and 17's with thicker tires. Now if you go and make the diameter different with any giving size then that should make a difference aswell as if weight was different. should be interested, I would love to see how those 20'' TE37 would perform

 

just take a look see for yourself. get a bucket, fill it up with water and swing around the bucket and adjust the length. the farther bucket the more force you have to exert to get it started, as well as maintain it. the shorter the distance, the lesser the effort. hard to explain, but the closer the mass is towards the center...the easier it is to move.

So for rims, 19s carry more volume outward...and as speed greatly increases...it virtually becomes heavier (like the bucket of water). tires are a nother factor. balgh...i give up.

 

and if u can get 16"...even better

 

haha..15x10 weld pro stars! hoosier slicks for drag racing.
or 17x10 fn01rc all around w/goodyear gscs or hoosier R6 dot race tires for roadracing. Light weight rims, and light weight tires...FTW!

Both just suck at real world conditions though.

 

I believe the 17's still have the same rolling diameter...so acceleration shouldn't change; re gear ratio.

Rick

 

Thats what we are taking into factor. Keeping the same diameter, which one will be faster. 17 with stock size tires, 18 with stock tires, or 19, with tires to match the same diameter as the 17" and 18" rims.

-sean

 

I would think the lightist combo would be best ..14-15-16-17-18-19-20-21 i would not think would make a difference untill traction and sideload came into play............but hey school was a long time ago for me...[new math]

 

With rolling diameter and gearing the same, I think the two deciding factors will be rolling resistance and inertia. Computing (or finding out) the polar moment of inertia for each wheel will tell you how hard it is to get moving. Rolling resistance will of course be a greater factor on the smaller wheels where you need a taller tire to match the rolling diameter. Inertia will be a greater factor in the bigger wheels. Interesting experiment.

 

Why not the 19" OEM with stock tire size. Are they different from the 18" OEM overall size with tires? I never paid much attention since I knew I was getting a manual and it automatically came with the 19" setup.

 

You also have to factor in tire weight. Diff tires weigh diff. Also tires in diff sizes weigh diff. ie.. same tire model in 17", 18" and 19" will weigh diff.

 

I believe that the 19" rim with the stock tires has a larger diameter than the OEM 18" and OEM 17" we could even throw in a OEM 19" to compare as well. Usually people upgrade from OEM 17s or 18s to aftermarket 19" rims. The OEM 19" rim is already made by rays so it is already a lightweight wheel...thats why im not comparing it....but we can try!

-sean