24OZ Posted September 2, 2007 Share Posted September 2, 2007 Guys I checked the archives but couldn't find anyone discussing potential problems in fitting 17" diameter wheels to a 240Z. I read only one post on Zcar.com which said that the wheels could cause increased chassis stress. Some of the roads near me are not that great and I don't really want a harsh bumpy ride which will shake the hell out of the chassis. (If I do go for them, they come with zero back spacing, and I'll go for 7" wide as I don't want to extend my arches.) I'd appreciate comments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aziza z Posted September 2, 2007 Share Posted September 2, 2007 i have 17 x 7.5 and i have no problems at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pop N Wood Posted September 2, 2007 Share Posted September 2, 2007 Bigger wheels are usually heavier and are usually run with a lower profile tire. It is the lack of a tire sidewall that will make the ride harder and be harder on the chassis. Heavier wheels are bad for performance in many different ways. But beyond that concentrate on the tires. Your shocks and suspension come into play here. So a low profile tire with stiff shocks and springs will make the car less street friendly, regardless of wheel diameter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted September 3, 2007 Share Posted September 3, 2007 Keep the overall tire diameter under 25". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted September 3, 2007 Share Posted September 3, 2007 Increased rotating mass is the big drawback, meaning slower acceleration and slower braking. The wheels will probably raise your car slightly, and then you'll want to lower the car down so that it "looks right" and you don't have a big gap between the fender and the tire. So then you end up with a car with very little available suspension travel. What's the solution? Stiffer springs and appropriately damped struts, which means a stiffer ride. Now your front end geometry is all F'ed up, and you might find yourself adding bumpsteer spacers or redrilling holes in the crossmember to fix this problem. If this all sounds like a reasonable amount of hassle, then go for it. Then again, there are lots of guys who just slap on the 17s or 18's, cut the springs, and run on the bumpstops all the time and don't know the difference... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cal Poly Zmanaustin Posted September 3, 2007 Share Posted September 3, 2007 there are lots of guys who just slap on the 17s or 18's, cut the springs, and run on the bumpstops all the time and don't know the difference... That is pretty scary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustinOlson Posted September 3, 2007 Share Posted September 3, 2007 A picture that's got me thinking. Very quick AutoX car. Its running 18X11 front and 18X12.5 rear. Honestly I think he would be just as fast on 15X10 plus he could get away with cheaper struts because his unsprung weight would be reduced. I think both large and small diameter wheels can be fast. Its just that the large diameter wheels will cost you more overall to make the system go fast. You have to maintain a low overall tire diameter to keep the CG low. So as wheel diameter increases, sidewall height decreases. This is more taxing on the suspension as it has to aborb more and more of the bumps in the road since there isn't much tire to help out. JohnC could explain it better. I'm just rewriting what I've read. Take it for what its worth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
streeteg Posted September 4, 2007 Share Posted September 4, 2007 i cant tell if that car is mean as hell or ugly as expletive. Prob both. I got 17s and the ride isnt that bad---although i think i have a blown strut--- so we will see... replacements on the way Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted September 4, 2007 Share Posted September 4, 2007 Jason's SM 240SX is mean and fast as hell and is for sale (you can get it for $16K - http://tinyurl.com/23ully). The wheel/tire combination he's running was designed and built before Hoosier announced their 275-15s. I don't know if Jason would have run the 275s even if they were available back when the car was built. Regarding wheel/tire OD: there's a lot of discussion of this issue for our cars on this site, although the discussion is usually a side item in a thread about wheels and tires or ride height. I don't have time right now to post much, but a overall diameter of 22.5 to 24.5" is the sweet spot for a 240Z. Anything more or less requires changes to the suspension to correct roll centers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Montezuma Posted September 4, 2007 Share Posted September 4, 2007 So what is the widest 16" that can fit on a S30 with overfenders? Especially in the front without rubbing on turns. I think 16x8 on the front and 16x10 on the back is the largest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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