Best Choice - 16's Or 17's

[Chris32]

Thought I'd run this past everyone and get some feedback

Here is my dilemma -

ATM I am running Buddy Club 16x7.5" rims all round with 225/50/16 rubber. My suspension is currently mega low, 308mm from wheel centre to guard

I have purchased the Bilstien R32 Group Buy suspension package Sydneykid organised, and will be setting the car up as follows -

Currently it has -

Solid rose jointed castor rods, running 7 degrees castor

Whiteline front camber bushes, 1.5 degrees neg on the front

HICAS lock kit

Aluminium cradle bushes

Rear camber is 1.1 degrees, I think there are offst bushes in the back

Addind to this and replacing the jap coilovers I have now will be the Whiteline suspension

I will be setting this up to have a ride height of approx 350mm, as per reccomendations

Now I need to work out what rims to keep.

Running the 16" Buddy Club P1's with 225's and rock hard suspension, the car feels okay, the extra flex in the tyres is equaled out by the rock hard suspension, so it gives the impression of good handling. I have had it on the track once with this combination, and it felt quite good

I also have a set of 17x8 front and 17x9 rear Sparco rims in the shed

I am trying to work out which will be better overall, as the new suspension will be allot softer than the current suspension, and I am worried the car is going to feel like crap with the sidewall flex of the 16's plus the softer suspension

What do you guys reckon, keeping in mind the softer suspension on the way for it?

The car is my daily driver, so it will be driven with road tyres all the time and see the odd track day

Thanks, Chris

Edited October 12, 2005 by Chris32

[Beer Baron]

what kind of power is it putting out?

if you don't have any traction problems with the 16s, then i say use them. but the 17s would probably be a better option.

[Chris32]

what kind of power is it putting out?

if you don't have any traction problems with the 16s, then i say use them. but the 17s would probably be a better option.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

just on 200rwkw at the moment

Straight line it gets good grip, 1st is okay, bit of wheelspin

I would run 235/45/17 all round if I used the 17's, I have found with the lower profile, they have less straight line grip, but feel better around corners

Cornering is my main concern, especially as I want to do a few track days soon

[predator]

my car is similar-ish ..

I'd just go the 17's so you can run with wider width tyres.. 255's on the rear (imo 235 is too narrow for 17's.. going on my old r33). Esp. if you have 9" rears! I know i want 17's purely for this reason (don't care too much about style).. as I am just on the stockers.

I am thinking with proper sway bars any tyre flex would become more prominent.

[Chris32]

my car is similar-ish ..

I'd just go the 17's so you can run with wider width tyres.. 255's on the rear (imo 235 is too narrow for 17's.. going on my old r33). Esp. if you have 9" rears! I know i want 17's purely for this reason (don't care too much about style).. as I am just on the stockers.

I am thinking with proper sway bars any tyre flex would become more prominent.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah, I think all-round the 17's offer a good compromise

I have had 255's on the rear, to be honest the grip was pretty shithouse, lots of flex while cornering, more to do with the tyres than anything. Plus, 235's on a 9" rim are a nice fit, less sidewall flex. I can then run 235's all round and swap them for better wear, might even go 225 or 215 on the front, I prefer a streched fittament for handlings sake. 255's are dearer too

[Bl4cK32]

Chris, i have bilsteins in the car now, and when you rode in it last at your place. My height is approx 350mm from centre to wheel arch (ive just rechecked it recently) I have 225 50 16 rims (8.5 rear / 7.5 front wide) its not a harsh ride, like coilovers, but not as soft as std sus. About as hard as you would want i say. My car had been tuned to about 200 rwkw when you rode in it too, so that may give you some feel on what its like with the 16's.

Personally im hoping to go 17 x 8 and 17x 9 on the rear, later down the track.

[Chris32]

Yeah, your car did feel quite good, and had a reasonable amount of grip, even though it was pretty wet

If I can sell my 16's, I will keep the 17's or even sell my 17's and get differant rims all together

[GTsauRus]

hi ive got sparco 8x17f 9x17r so to get close rolling diameter f 235/45R17 643mm r 255/40R17 636mm 7mm difference offset f32 r38

tein coilovers

no bump steer

precise steering

great in the wet

hard ride okay for cruising or short sqirt but wears you out on a long trip.

had 18x9.5 22offset all round but was bump steering and engineer wouldnt pass them anywayz

i like the way the 17s daily drive had no track work yet.

[Bl4cK32]

Id actually like to know for myself, given two sets of tyres (same compound) on the 2 different size rims - one 16" with 225x50x16 the other one with 235x45x17 which one would be a better overall choice for a street car, with an odd track day?

Anyone know if rim size makes any difference at all?

[MerlinTheHapyPig]

personally, i'd run the 17x9 and 17x8 combination.

Sydneykid would be a good person to ask, as he has a lot of experience, but I think I remember him mentioning that they use 17's most of the time.

sidewall flex is not really what you are after, let the suspension do that for you. It just adds an element of unpredictability.

I can only really speak from a drift point of view, but i remember running 15's for a while with massive sidewalls (just when i was learning to drift and didn't want to worry about hitting gutters..), and compared to nice wide 17's with low-profile tyres, it was really bad.

my r32 came from japan with 17x8 and 17x9's, and they feel about right. I've used many different combinations, (16x8, 16x7, 17x7/8, 18x9/10 etc.) and I like the 17's the best.

Perhaps wait until the suspension kit arrives, try both combinations out and see how you go.

[Chris32]

Leaning more towards the 17" combo, mainly because I will get less sidewall flex than a 16" running 225/50/16

17" tyres aren't as dear as they used to be either

I will wait until I get the new shocks and springs in before I make up my mind. My 17's need a bit of touching up though, they are well used and I don't like the colour anymore! If I could find some Buddy Club P1's, 17x8 and 17x9, I'd buy them in a flash!

[MerlinTheHapyPig]

zac used to be a dealer for buddy club and could get P1's new fairly cheap, though i just checked his site today, and he doesn't have prices anymore. Try contacting him.

He has a sponsor section on the forum or check out http://www.slidewizeimports.com/

[MerlinTheHapyPig]

http://page2.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/b59439749

http://page.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/79950466

http://page.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/81547231

http://page13.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/r20220262

http://page6.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/f37817951

just did a quick search on yahoo auctions, if you are interested in bidding on some from japan, let me know I can arrange it.

Most of the above are around 50,000 - 75,000 yen

which is about $1,200-$1,650 for a set for good quality 2nd hand

[Chris32]

Thanks mate, I will get in touch with him and see what he can do

[Chris32]

http://page2.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/b59439749

http://page.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/79950466

http://page.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/81547231

http://page13.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/r20220262

http://page6.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/f37817951

just did a quick search on yahoo auctions,  if you are interested in bidding on some from japan, let me know I can arrange it.

Most of the above are around  50,000 - 75,000 yen

which is about $1,200-$1,650 for a set for good quality 2nd hand

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah, some of those look awesome!

these ones would be perfect! -http://page.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/79950466

He wouldn't trade a set of 16x7.5" P1's and a set of 17x7 17x9 Sparco's + cash would he? I'd love these rims, they are exactly what I am after!

[MerlinTheHapyPig]

pm sent...