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  1. #1
    ford guy who likes ls1s.
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    balck
    99 mustang gt

    Will 18s slow me down

    im thinking about going for 17x8s to 18x9s. should these bigger wheels slow me down much?

  2. #2
    Feels so good BadBlueBird*'s Avatar
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    LeMans
    2005 Corvette 2005 GTO

    Youve got a mustang, how much slower can you go?

    They may help w/ spinning, when I had 18s on the rear I really didnt notice a difference..

  3. #3
    ford guy who likes ls1s.
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    balck
    99 mustang gt

    how much slower can i go?... well i could buy an integra or sumthin.

  4. #4
    I Fixed Da Rear jimbo98z's Avatar
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    Mystic Teal
    1998 Z28 M6

    Not at all. I know a guy with a 2001 GT that went from stock 16's to Saleen 18's and it really didn't make much of a difference in a straight line, but he already had some suspension mods to reduce wheelhop. It turns noticable better now though.

  5. #5
    Senior Member ss~zoso~ss's Avatar
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    SS: NBM, tan top
    1998-SS, 2010 Jetta TDI

    it will tho, make your spedometer read slower, so you'll have to get it recallibrated

  6. #6
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    Midnight Blue Metalic
    2000 SS

    It's not the diameter of the rim that will slow you down its the weight. If you go to an 18' rim it takes more metal to make the rim increasing the weight. You will be ok if you use a light weight rim but expect to pay a lot more cash wise. I once had TT2's on my SS and they weigh a ton, my car felt noticably slower and it showed at the track in times and trap speed. The rear would bottom out easily with such a heavy combo of a 17x11 rim and 315's. The shocks and springs couldn't keep the rear tires from flying up in the wheel wells over certain bumps. I finnally payed out the ass for a set of Fikse rims and the problems went away.

  7. #7
    ford guy who likes ls1s.
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    balck
    99 mustang gt

    uh ohh... how much did they slow u down?

  8. #8
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    Midnight Blue Metalic
    2000 SS

    It was a few MPH and a couple tenths. Also, if you don't go with a shorter sidewall on the 18" tire to keep the same diameter as your 17" wheel and tire combo this will also slow you down by effectively giving you longer gears in the rear.

  9. #9
    I Fixed Da Rear jimbo98z's Avatar
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    Mystic Teal
    1998 Z28 M6

    Honestly, it was probably the fact that you had less give in the sidewall more so than the added weight. Stock wheels are already pretty heavy, I beleive the stock 16" wheel with a tire was right around 42 lbs. Width is also what kills you on weight more so than just diameter

  10. #10
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    Midnight Blue Metalic
    2000 SS

    Honestly, it was the weight. My TT2's and my Fikse were the same sizes. Take a look at rims made specifically for racing and you will find they are extemely light. Nothing kills performance more on a vehical than rotational weight, "unsprung weight". More mass means more horse power to turn it, and more brakes to slow it. For instance, just swapping a steel drive shaft for an aluminum one without any other changes and a car will show more rear wheel horse power on a dyno. Once I got rid of the TT2's for the Fikse I regained my lost performance. The width difference between a 275 and a 315 is only 1.8 inches, not much, where as the weight difference between the stock SS 275/40/17 17x9 wheel and tire combo vs a TT2 17x 11 315/35/17 was over 20lbs per wheel.

  11. #11
    Member wabmorgan's Avatar
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    Artic White
    96 Formula Firebird

    It is the weight of the wheels that counts. BUt that will not affect your speedometer. The speedometer will only get off if you change the diamater of the tire. In other words, the height of the time must stay the same to not throw off the speedometer.

    Now, what the weight of the wheels will do will slow you down when it comes to accelertion and even dyno numbers.

    Btw, the increased rotational mass will also increase you distance for stopping. (It makes stopping distances longer!!!!!!)
    Last edited by wabmorgan; 02-17-2006 at 12:08 AM.

  12. #12
    ford guy who likes ls1s.
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    balck
    99 mustang gt

    dammit.. there 18x9s... would switching to 17x9s help much?

  13. #13
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    Crytal Red Tint Coat
    2013 SS Camaro Covertible

    Quote Originally Posted by darkgt
    dammit.. there 18x9s... would switching to 17x9s help much?
    I have Boyd Coddington Smoothie 2s, 18x9 in the rear and 17x8 in the front.

    They are actually lighter than the stock rims. I would not be two concerned about it!
    2013 Camaro SS Convertible, Whipple Supercharger, Kooks Coated 1 7/8" headers, CAI Cold air induction
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  14. #14
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    Crytal Red Tint Coat
    2013 SS Camaro Covertible

    Here you go! I also have a light weight driver. LOL


  15. #15
    ford guy who likes ls1s.
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    balck
    99 mustang gt

    the 17x9s im looking at are 23lbs. and the 18x9s are 28lbs.... would this make much of a difference between the two?

  16. #16
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    Midnight Blue Metalic
    2000 SS

    I doubt you will notice a 5 pound diff, I wouldn't be to concerned.

  17. #17
    Member wabmorgan's Avatar
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    Artic White
    96 Formula Firebird

    The bad news is it is really more like 5lb*8. (*4 for each wheel). In other words, rather than adding 5lb per wheel, you are in effect adding a total of 160lb to the car.

    So, is it the end of the world??? No. It's probally going to add about the weight of another person in the car. So, it is probally not that bad. It will have one benefit, the wider tires will grip better

  18. #18
    Member csteingraber's Avatar
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    White
    98 Trans Am

    Although i agree with you about that 5lbs more per wheel will slow the whole car down about as much as an extra passenger which is about 1/10th on the quarter mile time(which is significant). But wider tires will not help in forward traction much, more in turning traction. the forward traction is more directly improved by length of contact patch front to back and tire compound(stickyness). I want to change wheels and will probably get some bogart road racing wheels with nitto road racing tires for light wheel and tire combo and sticky tires for best lateral and forward traction. If i'm spending on wheels and tires i think it should improve the feel and performance of the car not just the looks, after all it is a lot of money for any set of wheels and tires.

  19. #19
    Member wabmorgan's Avatar
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    Artic White
    96 Formula Firebird

    Sorry... did not relize that you were concerned about 1/4 mile. Yea.... I wouldn't want a "passanger in the car" either, so to speak. I agree with you about keeping the unsprung weight down.

    What I really hate to see is some put on 20s or larger and not realize how it will effect braking!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  20. #20
    SUPREME member-oderator oneBADDz's Avatar
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    Custom Slate Blue
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    Quote Originally Posted by csteingraber
    Although i agree with you about that 5lbs more per wheel will slow the whole car down about as much as an extra passenger which is about 1/10th on the quarter mile time(which is significant). But wider tires will not help in forward traction much, more in turning traction. the forward traction is more directly improved by length of contact patch front to back and tire compound(stickyness). I want to change wheels and will probably get some bogart road racing wheels with nitto road racing tires for light wheel and tire combo and sticky tires for best lateral and forward traction. If i'm spending on wheels and tires i think it should improve the feel and performance of the car not just the looks, after all it is a lot of money for any set of wheels and tires.
    wider tires are VERY significant in forward traction

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