Where are the best deals for wheels?

[Chogokin]

The times are pretty negligible?

 

[Blindeye_03]

He said the article he was thinking of was different. But it's no denying that lighter wheels are better in every way. Just make sure your tires don't bridge the gap back to the weight you had before.

 

[GTIfan99]

I'm not saying light wheels don't matter. I'm saying that if the wheels is super light and has some deflection, it may not be as fast around a race course or autocross course than a stiffer and heavier wheel. The wheels they used were from Enkie and RPF1's were the lightest, but not the fastest. The fastest wheel was a few pounds heavier and stiffer. The extra weight in the spoke design puts it closer to the rotational axis, which makes it not as significant. To demonstrate tape 5lbs weights to a broom handle at each end. Hold in the middle and spin in. Now remove those weights and add 12lbs to the broom stick in the center. Now spin it. Same exact principle.

Wheels deflect just like tires do, only to a lesser extent. You wouldn't buy a tire with a soft sidewall just because it's lighter than a tire with a stiffer sidewall. Again, same principle.

 

[goodvibes]

I certainly felt no difference whatsoever in daily driving with stock vs 19lb aftermarket wheels, and literally felt no difference in driving at the track between stock vs aftermarket wheels outside of the expected benefits of having a wider/stickier tire on aftermarket wheels. I believe in freedom, it’s your money. You’ll be happy with a set of wheels you like, regardless of weight. Enjoy!

This, especially when rotating mass increases as you move away from center and the tires usually weigh more than the wheels do anyway. In theory a lighter wheel will track undulations a hair better and a heavier one will ride a hair better but in a wheel tire package, the overall weight difference is usually about 5% for a decent vs high end wheel with tire combo and 10% vs OEM. I just bought some pretty cast 17X8 et45 20lb wheels from Tire Rack for $480 on clearance. Will run 245/45 so plenty of sidewall to protect the rim. Had I gone super low profile etc I may have been a bit more concerned whether cast or not.

 

[goodvibes]

He said the article he was thinking of was different. But it's no denying that lighter wheels are better in every way. Just make sure your tires don't bridge the gap back to the weight you had before.

I agree we should look for lighter when other aspects are equal but they aren't better in 'every' way. Strength could be less if similar construction and heavier wheels actually ride better because the extra weight is less easily deflected by road imperfections. The tire takes up that slack instead of moving the suspension as much. It's a very minor difference... but so are the handling implication of a light wheels unless you're tracking for that last .1 in lap times.

That Miata article does show benefit, as it should, but they were talking about a 12lb per corner difference, not 2-3lb.

 

[GTIfan99]

This, especially when rotating mass increases as you move away from center and the tires usually weigh more than the wheels do anyway. In theory a lighter wheel will track undulations a hair better and a heavier one will ride a hair better but in a wheel tire package, the overall weight difference is usually about 5% for a decent vs high end wheel with tire combo and 10% vs OEM. I just bought some pretty cast 17X8 et45 20lb wheels from Tire Rack for $480 on clearance. Will run 245/45 so plenty of sidewall to protect the rim. Had I gone super low profile etc I may have been a bit more concerned whether cast or not.

245/45 is overdoing the sidewall a little, don't you think? I run 245/40 17 on track and 225/45 17 on street. No issues for either as far as not having enough sidewall. And at 24.7 circumference, the 245/40 improves overall gearing a little bit.

 

[Parabola]

I would suggest 235/45-17 instead 245.

 

[Blindeye_03]

I'm not saying light wheels don't matter. I'm saying that if the wheels is super light and has some deflection, it may not be as fast around a race course or autocross course than a stiffer and heavier wheel. The wheels they used were from Enkie and RPF1's were the lightest, but not the fastest. The fastest wheel was a few pounds heavier and stiffer. The extra weight in the spoke design puts it closer to the rotational axis, which makes it not as significant. To demonstrate tape 5lbs weights to a broom handle at each end. Hold in the middle and spin in. Now remove those weights and add 12lbs to the broom stick in the center. Now spin it. Same exact principle.

Wheels deflect just like tires do, only to a lesser extent. You wouldn't buy a tire with a soft sidewall just because it's lighter than a tire with a stiffer sidewall. Again, same principle.

I'd really like to read this article you saw in print. Not because I dont believe you but because its the first time I have ever heard of it and I'd like to see what they had to say.

 

[GTIfan99]

I'd really like to read this article you saw in print. Not because I dont believe you but because its the first time I have ever heard of it and I'd like to see what they had to say.

I wish I had it, too. But IIRC, if was RPF1, PF01, and some heavy cast wheels. The RPF1 and Heavy wheel where close time wise and the PF01 was quicker, even though heavier than RPF1. They looked at the spoke design and theorized that the thicker and wider spokes of the PF01 were stiffer and the RPF1 was deflecting. The only reason I even remember the article is because I was buying wheels at the time and ordered the RPF1 like everyone else on the planet. After I read the article, I switched my order to PF01's. I obviously didn't run out and buy a heavy wheel though. lol. Again, IIRC, they were using a bigger car, a 3 series or something along those lines. On an NA Miata, I doubt wheel deflection would be much of an issue either way, but on a 3200 lbs fwd car like the GTI on 200TW tires, I don't think you can ignore it.

 

[goodvibes]

245/45 is overdoing the sidewall a little, don't you think? I run 245/40 17 on track and 225/45 17 on street. No issues for either as far as not having enough sidewall. And at 24.7 circumference, the 245/40 improves overall gearing a little bit.

I have a lowered alltrack. Same height sidewall and wheel diameter as stock. Smaller throws off the speedo. I don't race and have a JB4 so I'm OK.

 

[GTIfan99]

I have a lowered alltrack. Same height sidewall and wheel diameter as stock. Smaller throws off the speedo. I don't race and have a JB4 so I'm OK.

Makes sense. I was thinking GTI.

 

[DiscusInferno]

All depends... do you mind messing with hubcentric rings and likely needing different bolts? I dealt with that before, and decided not to deal with it again, even if it means paying more for wheels.

You also get the occasional thread on new aftermarket wheels vibrating even using the supplied rings.

 

[jimlloyd40]

I'm not saying light wheels don't matter. I'm saying that if the wheels is super light and has some deflection, it may not be as fast around a race course or autocross course than a stiffer and heavier wheel. The wheels they used were from Enkie and RPF1's were the lightest, but not the fastest. The fastest wheel was a few pounds heavier and stiffer. The extra weight in the spoke design puts it closer to the rotational axis, which makes it not as significant. To demonstrate tape 5lbs weights to a broom handle at each end. Hold in the middle and spin in. Now remove those weights and add 12lbs to the broom stick in the center. Now spin it. Same exact principle.

Wheels deflect just like tires do, only to a lesser extent. You wouldn't buy a tire with a soft sidewall just because it's lighter than a tire with a stiffer sidewall. Again, same principle.

The results from that link don't verify your statement. Just the opposite.

 

[jimlloyd40]

I have a lowered alltrack. Same height sidewall and wheel diameter as stock. Smaller throws off the speedo. I don't race and have a JB4 so I'm OK.

Little confused by your statement. Are you saying that your speedo is off even though you have the same height sidewall and wheel diameter. If that's what your saying then with the same height of tire and wheel your speedo should be the same regardless of lowering. If that's not what you meant then disregard.

 

[DiscusInferno]

Little confused by your statement. Are you saying that your speedo is off even though you have the same height sidewall and wheel diameter. If that's what your saying then with the same height of tire and wheel your speedo should be the same regardless of lowering. If that's not what you meant then disregard.

The math doesn't add up.

205/55 = 112.75mm sidewall
245/45= 110.25 mm sidewall

The speed will be reading faster with 245/45

 

[jimlloyd40]

The math doesn't add up.

205/55 = 112.75mm sidewall
245/45= 110.25 mm sidewall

The speed will be reading faster with 245/45

The person whom I responded to with the post you quoted didn't say what size of tires he was using. But it's the overall height of the wheel/tire that matters.