Re: Euro Wheels and Handling (More Power)

euro cars are not fast in handling with bigger rims in the rear...its throws off the whole handling attributes of a VW...
te EURO look is just a look...it spits on performance...its just for looks..it does NOTHING!!!!...if your car was RWD then it would be fine...myself i would run 8.5's in the front and 8's in the rear...only a person who knows about handling would understand this.

 

Re: Euro Wheels and Handling (STEALTHDEMONDUB)

Stealth is absolutely correct...With that I am now running 8 in front, and 9 in rear, yahoooooo,

Patrick

 

Re: Euro Wheels and Handling (More Power)

or you can run the same front and back and not have that problem

 

Re: Euro Wheels and Handling (More Power)

Those are pretty fair observations but..
1. Smaller wider wheels are lighter - Not always. This depends on the model of the wheels in question. (i.e. a 15" cast wheel is almost always heavier than a 17" forged wheel. Not to mention multi piece wheels are almost always heavier than single piece wheels)
2. Low profile tires are lighter - Not always. Low profile tires are usually much better made and have more belts than normal passenger tires. Go to a tire shop and have them bring out a nice 205/75-15 whitewall and then compare it to a 205/50-15 high performance tire.
But anyways, for performance you should use the tire that the manufacturer recommends for the size of wheel. (i.e. Toyo T1-S 205/40-17 are spec'd for 7-8" rim width).

 

Re: Euro Wheels and Handling (bento)

Just think about those stretched tires when you are pushing to the max ina tight corner.
Off they come from the bead, that would suck on your new Schmidts.

 

Re: Euro Wheels and Handling (Bora20)

It's surely not going to improve handling overall, but it won't hurt it very much.
1. Yes, most 'euro' styled setups have smaller overall diameter wheels due to lower profile tires as well as stretched tires, lessening diameter. This does two good things: shortens your gearing thus improving acceleration, and also, it means your car has a lower center of gravity while not overtaxing the suspension geometry.
2. It's also good in that the lower offset wheels increase track width. Wheel width doesn't matter at all - what matters is offset, and how wide the tires are. usually the tires are not much wider than stock but with the lower offset, it puts them farther outwards.
But the bad..
1. Stretched tires don't grip as well as non-stretched tires, because the tread is no longer evenly weighted - the outside and inside edges will have more pressure on them than the middle, so the efficiency of the contact patch is lessened.
2. Wheel bearings won't have the same lifespan due to the added pressure put on them by lower offsets. I don't consider rubbing to be a performance attribute, but you might need to limit suspension travel to the point that it doesnt handle well in imperfect conditions to stop the rubbing.
Those are the facts.. in the end, its not going to improve much, but those who think it kills performance are also just as wrong.

 

Re: Euro Wheels and Handling (LostBoyScout)

Thanks for the info guys. I can see where wider wheels in the rear will make it understeer. But I think LBS has a lot of good points.

 

Re: Euro Wheels and Handling (More Power)

for daily driving a run 9's all around with a 15et. I haven't noticed a change in performance, plus during daily driving I dont push it too hard, half afraid ill bust the bead (not sure if its true or not) half the roads around here arent in the best shape. When I want to beat the hell out of my car I throw the stockies on. The 9's give enough fun to enjoy on the street, but not on the track or backroad twisties. They might if I pushed them...but they cost big money and I dont want to risk any damage.