18" wheels
01-18-2002, 07:48 AM
#2
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Dave,
the biggest concern I've read on 18" wheels is that they are much more prone to being damaged by going over potholes,road debris since you have a much shorter sidewall (if you're keeping the rolling circumference/height close to stock). No personal experience and not sure if that's why Devek is agin 'em but do know one person who bent some expensive rims going over some road trash. There was a thread on the rennlist mail list, you might check the archives.
Jim
the biggest concern I've read on 18" wheels is that they are much more prone to being damaged by going over potholes,road debris since you have a much shorter sidewall (if you're keeping the rolling circumference/height close to stock). No personal experience and not sure if that's why Devek is agin 'em but do know one person who bent some expensive rims going over some road trash. There was a thread on the rennlist mail list, you might check the archives.
Jim
01-18-2002, 02:55 PM
#4
Drifting
Dave, I think I'm the one Jim was refering to about damaged wheels. I do like the 18" wheels, and there are no ftment problems that I know of as long as the proper offset wheels are used. The only issue is as Jim explained. 18" whels do not have the shock absorbtion characteristics because of the lower profile sidewalls, and can therefor be damaged more easily. You have to be careful with potholes and road debris. They can and will bend more easily than the stock 16". I personally don't mind, and just try to be more cautious when I'm behind the wheel. The look and the handling of the 18" is great IMO. If the possibility of damaging hem scares you, then I suggest the 17" wheels as a nice compromise. Still a nicer look than the 18's, but not as easily damaged. Good luck with your choice.
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01-22-2002, 04:26 AM
#8
USMarine
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No problems with the Predator. On the road or on the track that related to my 18" wheels. Devek recommends pinning the weissach axel because with 18" rims the wessach axel has a tendency to over compensate. There are are a couple of different camps on this topic- some say "yes need" others say "no need". I guess it comes down to what you personally desire the car to handle like and to feel in high speed cornering when you lift of the the throttle and the weissach actually kicks in. Personally, I never pinned my weissach axel and things were fine with my 18"s on the Predator.
I think a bigger difference was made by adding a variable rear brake bias to keep the front end from dipping under braking to keep as much grip on the rear tires when hard braking on the track and then a switch back to regular bias for street especially during wet weather driving
JMHO
I think a bigger difference was made by adding a variable rear brake bias to keep the front end from dipping under braking to keep as much grip on the rear tires when hard braking on the track and then a switch back to regular bias for street especially during wet weather driving
JMHO
01-22-2002, 01:34 PM
#9
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I have them. No problems with fit. I would definitly be aware of the type of roads you have in your area. 18" wheels do give a firmer ride. Here in Vegas the roads are in great shape (knock on wood) and i havent had a problem. If you live in Boston...chicago..etc it may be an issue.
01-22-2002, 02:54 PM
#10
If you're at all familiar with the term "pothole", you probably don't want 18" wheels. While getting some new tires once, I was looking at the wheels the shop had on display, and talked to a guy who worked there about them. He said they do a lot of business selling replacement 18" wheels to people that bent one or more on their car. That's in the Chicago area. I think I remember Jim Baily from 928 International saying that almost all of the 18" wheels they get in on cars are bent to some degree. Just because you can't see that it's bent when it's on the car, doesn't mean that it's straight either.