Who Drives on 13" Wheels in 2015?

[IndyIan]

I loved the 205/60R13 Sumitomo's I had for the Neon, they offered a good combination of grip and ride.
For a little car like a Mirage or Fit, they would be great I think, as they still have the wide tire for ultimate grip, but also have the side wall height to help them ride better.
For normal driving and autocrss, the brakes were fine in the Neon, but for a track day on even a small track, I needed to get some high performance pads that worked with higher temperatures.

 

[DoubleWasp]

I'm thinking the big wheel haters haven't driven a vehicle with them lately. I just upgraded the wheels/tires on my Roadmaster from 15s to 18s, and the difference in handling, ride quality, traction, and all is tremendous. And the wheel/tire combo is lighter than the old aluminum 15s.

Braking on cars today is faster and shorter than ever. Handling limits are higher than ever. Ride quality is amazing.

If the world is suffering from bigger wheels and tires, I can't see how.

 

[SteveSRT8]

The only vehicles that are suffering from big wheels and tires are the ones not designed with them in mind.

In both cars and trucks I have watched them get nothing but better each time the tires and wheels got bigger. The entire performance envelope is affected positively...

 

[IndyIan]

I wouldn't say I hate big wheels, I'm just not sold that most cars need them for regular driving duties. Plus for those of us who deal with snow, the lack of sidewall compliance doesn't help with winter driving at all. Also the mall crawler SUV's are further hampered for any off road driving with short sidewall tires.
And then the tires and rims cost a lot more for some reason?
Sure, if your car has the hp and chassis for huge low profile tires, then running smaller rims probably isn't a good idea except perhaps at the strip.
Here's a little article I found on what happens to an average car. http://www.caranddriver.com/features/effects-of-upsized-wheels-and-tires-tested

 

[DoubleWasp]

I don't know what kind of tires you've been seeing on SUVs, but my LTX MS2's could care less that there is snow on the ground, even wrapped on 20" wheels. Never have that problem here, but when I've been up north, it didn't challenge me any more than any quality snow tire I have ever used.

The results of the article are greatly exacerbated by the fact that the ASA GT1 is a ridiculously heavy wheel. Their 18" wheels weigh almost twice what a quality aftermarket 18" wheel weighs.

As I said, my 18s on my Roadie weigh less than the stock 15" aluminum wheels.

 

[Rand]

Originally Posted By: DoubleWasp
I don't know what kind of tires you've been seeing on SUVs, but my LTX MS2's could care less that there is snow on the ground, even wrapped on 20" wheels. Never have that problem here, but when I've been up north, it didn't challenge me any more than any quality snow tire I have ever used.

The results of the article are greatly exacerbated by the fact that the ASA GT1 is a ridiculously heavy wheel. Their 18" wheels weigh almost twice what a quality aftermarket 18" wheel weighs.

As I said, my 18s on my Roadie weigh less than the stock 15" aluminum wheels.





I think hes more talking about say... a hyundai elantra touring with 19's vs 15's (base model)

than a SUV

 

[DoubleWasp]

OK, granted, but I remember winter wheel/tire swaps for winter being popular well before economy cars cracked the 17" barrier, if for the simple practical fact that it's preferable for some to have a separate set of wheels and tire for winter, than it is to swap summer rubber off wheels and mount winter rubber, just to swap back again.

Historically, a touring/sport package rarely promises winter performance, so this tried and true method still works today.

For those who don't want to be bothered, they can simply leave the check box for optional wheels unchecked.

Regardless, even with the ridiculously heavy wheels used in the article, grip was up with the larger packages, and braking was reduced with the larger packages.

Even on a lowly base Golf, a person seeking better road holding and traction through larger wheels and tires will get what they are seeking. Worst case, it's a tradeoff. With proper equipment, it's a success.

 

[Bamaro]

Originally Posted By: DoubleWasp
I'm thinking the big wheel haters haven't driven a vehicle with them lately. I just upgraded the wheels/tires on my Roadmaster from 15s to 18s, and the difference in handling, ride quality, traction, and all is tremendous. And the wheel/tire combo is lighter than the old aluminum 15s.

Braking on cars today is faster and shorter than ever. Handling limits are higher than ever. Ride quality is amazing.

If the world is suffering from bigger wheels and tires, I can't see how.


Big enough for you?

 

[SwampSurvivor]

I know I can fit 13s on the front of the Cherokee ...

 

[IndyIan]

Originally Posted By: DoubleWasp
OK, granted, but I remember winter wheel/tire swaps for winter being popular well before economy cars cracked the 17" barrier, if for the simple practical fact that it's preferable for some to have a separate set of wheels and tire for winter, than it is to swap summer rubber off wheels and mount winter rubber, just to swap back again.

Historically, a touring/sport package rarely promises winter performance, so this tried and true method still works today.

For those who don't want to be bothered, they can simply leave the check box for optional wheels unchecked.

Regardless, even with the ridiculously heavy wheels used in the article, grip was up with the larger packages, and braking was reduced with the larger packages.

Even on a lowly base Golf, a person seeking better road holding and traction through larger wheels and tires will get what they are seeking. Worst case, it's a tradeoff. With proper equipment, it's a success.

I guess for my Focus, the stock wheels are 15"x6 @15.2lbs, so if I wanted more performance for autocross I'd probably just go buy a set of new 205/55R15 high performance tires for $350 and be done...
If I started up sizing, even to 16's, I've got to spend $600+ for a set of wheels to get ones that are lighter than stock, or spend even more to get rims that make up for the tires extra weight as they get bigger. Then I have to get the tires which are probably a bit more expensive. So for $1000-1200 I could get a bit more performance than a simple tire upgrade, but probably suffer a bit more road noise as well, which I have enough of already.
So in my case atleast, slapping some 17's on there isn't a no brainer...

 

[Jarlaxle]

Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
The only vehicles that are suffering from big wheels and tires are the ones not designed with them in mind.

In both cars and trucks I have watched them get nothing but better each time the tires and wheels got bigger. The entire performance envelope is affected positively...


...right up until you hit a big pothole, the 45-series tire explodes, and the cool 18" alloy wheel shatters into pieces!

 

[hattaresguy]

Manufactures are moving to a larger wheel and tire combo because brakes are so much larger than before.

Prices seem to be roughly the same as well, I priced out 17's and 20's when I was shopping around for a Ram and tire prices were not all that much different.

F1 runs small wheels to limit brake size.

 

[Jetronic]

Originally Posted By: SubLGT
Anyone one know of model year 2014 or 2015 cars, sold in the US market, that come with 13" wheels?


Mirage maybe? the sedan version (attrage, not available in the us) definitely comes with 13"

 

[Jarlaxle]

I think they have 14s here.

 

[MCompact]

Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle


...right up until you hit a big pothole, the 45-series tire explodes, and the cool 18" alloy wheel shatters into pieces!


Hmmm; my MS3 has been wearing 45 series tires on 18" wheels for the 152,000 miles I've owned it. I'm certain my wheels have "shattered into pieces" multiple times, but I'm just not mechanically sensitive enough to notice it.

 

[silvercivicsi]

Originally Posted By: MCompact
Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle


...right up until you hit a big pothole, the 45-series tire explodes, and the cool 18" alloy wheel shatters into pieces!


Hmmm; my MS3 has been wearing 45 series tires on 18" wheels for the 152,000 miles I've owned it. I'm certain my wheels have "shattered into pieces" multiple times, but I'm just not mechanically sensitive enough to notice it.


My civic and MR2 both are wearing 45 series tires on 17" wheels and they get daily driven. Never even have had a flat on my civic in the 90,000+ miles I've driven it.

Sure they ride a little harsher than the 55 series on my odyssey but the tires aren't exploding and wheels shattering into fragments every time I hit a small hole or bump.

 

[Jarlaxle]

Originally Posted By: MCompact
Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle


...right up until you hit a big pothole, the 45-series tire explodes, and the cool 18" alloy wheel shatters into pieces!


Hmmm; my MS3 has been wearing 45 series tires on 18" wheels for the 152,000 miles I've owned it. I'm certain my wheels have "shattered into pieces" multiple times, but I'm just not mechanically sensitive enough to notice it.


You do not live in the Northeast, where roads are coated in thousands of tons of salt and gouged to pieces by snowplows.

 

[MCompact]

Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle

You do not live in the Northeast, where roads are coated in thousands of tons of salt and gouged to pieces by snowplows.


Neither does SteveSRT8, yet you warned him of that unavoidable calamity...

 

[SteveSRT8]

Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
The only vehicles that are suffering from big wheels and tires are the ones not designed with them in mind.

In both cars and trucks I have watched them get nothing but better each time the tires and wheels got bigger. The entire performance envelope is affected positively...


...right up until you hit a big pothole, the 45-series tire explodes, and the cool 18" alloy wheel shatters into pieces!


I was coming around TIA one day with 4 relatives and all their luggage in the 300C. At 70 mph we hit a pothole that was at least a foot deep! No damage of any kind.

My wife managed to bend one very slightly on a curb, but in well over 100k miles we have never had a flat or a real problem as the result of any impacts or mishaps. I only noticed the bent rim upon careful inspection, the car had no issues with any noise or vibrations.

Tires are 275/35's on 20 X 9 factory alloys...

 

[Jarlaxle]

You're in Florida, dude. Unless you have driven in this area, words cannot describe just how BAD the roads get after a hard winter. My wife lost a wheel and tire (275/40R17) on her GN a few years ago...there was a 4' wide, 12" long piece of pavement at an expansion joint that was just GONE. Hit it with the RF...tire split instantly, wheel had a chunk the size of a golf ball missing.

Local tire shops did a booming business replacing damaged tires all winter!