wheels question from a non-modder

hello. i'm an old duffer, 100% stock, and like it this way (not really the old duffer part, but i have no choice.)

 

the wheels on my '05 lgt look darn fine to me. makes me wonder why so many of y'all go for aftermarket whls.

 

is it because you're changing tire sizes to increase performance? just want a different look, both, neither, etc.?

 

when my lousy re92s are worn out, i'm getting different tyres, but don't plan to off my stock wheels. whaddaya all know that i don't?

 

your thoughts are welcome. thank you, eljay

five spoke wheels look good on the sedan, but the wagon looks better with a ten spoke in my opinion. Add to that the stock wheels being narrow, and you've got some good reasons to change.

performance, no. handling in conjunction with new and better tires...yes. looks..yes. the car is nice but could always look better with a new set of dubs:icon_wink . I like the stock look to only to keep it looking like a "sleeper", especially since I cart my family around in it. don't want to draw too much attention to myself.

For looks but I'm buying wheels any way for snow tires. I get an extra set of wheels to mount snow tires on. I could get the cheapest wheels for $99 each but they look like crap. So I spend a good deal more but my wheels look fantastic (IMO)

 

Here are the wheels I got:

 

Stock

http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p236/rai-zero/DSC_0254.jpg

new:

http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p236/rai-zero/DSC_0004.jpg

performance, no. handling in conjunction with new and better tires...yes.

 

So how is handling not performance

 

In some cases new wheels do help acceleration. Going with a lighter set of wheels than stock reduces unsprung weight.

I wanted to run dedicated summer and winter tires and figured why not go for 18s with summer rubber and use the stocks to get me through the winter. Looks was also a factor, but I also wanted to stay around the same weight of the stock rim and tire combo so I wouldn't have a drop in performance. I am on the stock wheels now and it has a sleeper look, just slammed, but with the 18s it just looks mean.

Besides not wanting my car to look like al the others on the lot, I also wanted a few things:

 

I needed winter wheels, which the stock wheels handle just fine

 

I do track events, so I wanted something wider and lighter than stock for the summer.

 

I got a deal on Rota SDRs, 17x7.5", and they are two #s lighter per corner. I also saved another pound with the summer tires.

 

To me, the stock wheels look "OK", but there are ver few stock wheeels that I ever think look that great. Although my Rotas are 7-spoke, I tend to prefer 5-spoke wheels, as wheels with more spokes just look too "busy" to me. My 7-spoke SDRs have a simple spoke with a lot of open area.

 

And chances are that I'm an older duffer than you are!!

So how is handling not performance

 

In some cases new wheels do help acceleration. Going with a lighter set of wheels than stock reduces unsprung weight.

 

 

yeah, what ever......... don't split hairs with me pal:lol:

five spoke wheels look good on the sedan, but the wagon looks better with a ten spoke in my opinion. ......

 

I'm of the opposite opinion. I think the wagon looks best with a beefy 5 spoke wheel, and the sedan looks best with a 10 spoke or mesh style.

Biggest bang for the buck in changing the way a car handles/rides/brakes/accelerates, all at the same time, is at the wheels.

 

I have lighter wheels with a wider contact patch and more aggressive tires. It really brings out a bit more performance in the car.

^^^ I'm not sure I agree, unless you're talking superlight Volks or SSR's. Most aftermarket wheels won't make *that* much of a difference, IMHO.

 

As for the original question, I, too, think the stock 5-spokes are absolutely great looking, for an OEM wheel. Better looking than a lot of the aftermarket wheels some of our brethren here are running, in fact. But I'm all about different strokes for different folks, and I think it's great that so many people like to 'personalize' their cars, which is what it comes down to for most. For me, I run different tires summer/winter so I wanted two sets of wheels. I looked into getting a second set of stockers, but you can get some great used aftermarket wheels for less than used stockers!! Just goes to show that the stockers ARE highly regarded.) I'm running the stock wheels for the winter and have OZ SL's for the summer.

^^^ I'm not sure I agree, unless you're talking superlight Volks or SSR's. Most aftermarket wheels won't make *that* much of a difference, IMHO.

 

As for the original question, I, too, think the stock 5-spokes are absolutely great looking, for an OEM wheel. Better looking than a lot of the aftermarket wheels some of our brethren here are running, in fact. But I'm all about different strokes for different folks, and I think it's great that so many people like to 'personalize' their cars, which is what it comes down to for most. For me, I run different tires summer/winter so I wanted two sets of wheels. I looked into getting a second set of stockers, but you can get some great used aftermarket wheels for less than used stockers!! Just goes to show that the stockers ARE highly regarded.) I'm running the stock wheels for the winter and have OZ SL's for the summer.

 

Tires man, tires. More specifically, tires paired up with the right rim.

 

What's good with having all that power when you can't hook up effectively? What's the use of having massive brakes when the tires can't grip and make use of all that clamping force? What's the point in having coilovers when your tires rollover like an obedient dog? What's the point in having a squishy leather interior when your tires sing like a canary and make a loud *THUD* at every bump?

 

In the end the tires and rims are the only things that connect the car to the road (to be more specific the contact patch). It shouldn't be one of the things that you skimp on or think is just "good enough"

^^^ I'm with you on the tires, actually - but the O.P. was specifically talking wheels so that's the part I was responding to.

And lighter wheels DO make a seat-of-the-pants feel. I feel it when I go to my 3#s-per-corner-lighter summer set, just like I felt it when I had the 14# Superlite flywheel installed.

 

Plus, if you go with a shorter tire, that will also help your overall gearing. A friend of mine with an '06 Hemi Charger picked up 2 mph in trap speed just with going to a lighter and shorter tire on the car on his stock wheels.

does anyone know what the stock wheels weigh? For the 2.5i?

does anyone know what the stock wheels weigh? For the 2.5i?

 

My 16" 2.5i wheels weighed in at 22lb.

 

For the GT, I have no idea, probably around there too.

sorry I'm asking about the 07 2.5i wheels 17x7

Aren't they similar/same as the '05 GT wheels? If so, they're ~18 #s.

 

I never weighed the just the wheel, but the stock combo on my car was 41#s. An RE92 was 23 #s.

Set 1

1. wider wheels for wider tires.

2. lighter wheels for better braking and suspension performance.

 

Set 2

1. looks

 

Set 3

1. combination of set 1 and 2.

What's the weight on the stock 5 spoke rims - O6 LGT LTD?

approx 20#

Someone from outer space might equate our wheel obsession with the female closet full of shoes.

^ did someone say something? hahaha

hello. i'm an old duffer, 100% stock, and like it this way (not really the old duffer part, but i have no choice.)

 

the wheels on my '05 lgt look darn fine to me. makes me wonder why so many of y'all go for aftermarket whls.

 

is it because you're changing tire sizes to increase performance? just want a different look, both, neither, etc.?

 

when my lousy re92s are worn out, i'm getting different tyres, but don't plan to off my stock wheels. whaddaya all know that i don't?

 

your thoughts are welcome. thank you, eljay

 

Go look at the Legacy photos on this site and find the ones with 18" wheels and lowering springs. The look is 100% better; performance is a little better too.