Pros and cons of bigger wheels, 18" decision Options

[Nihil]

Ok, currently I got 7Jx16" wheels with 205/50R16 tires. This my winter set, but since the winter is almost over and I don't have a set of summer tires, I'm thinking about buying a second set of wheels. I fount used 8Jx18" O.Z. racing Hydra that are quite cheap, but now I want to know, how will this affect mi ride?

I've seen 6G Celicas on wheels from 14" to 19", how are your experiences with different diameters? Are 18" wheels too much, if the roads are a bit bumpy and there are some potholes and cracks and such?

I wanna hear some pros and cons that can help me decide if 18" are suitable for me Thanks

[ILoveMySilly97]

I use to have 16x6.5 wheels but switched over to 17x8. The biggest difference I noticed was. I had to run stretched tires for my 17s to fit since it was a bigger and wider wheel. That's probably going to be one of the bigger issues you're going to run into. If you're riding on 17 or bigger rims. You'll need coilovers. Your cars going to look like a monster truck. The 16s are fine with the lowering springs. Like i said. I think 18s are fine. I think you'll have to run 30-40 series tires for them to fit. Of course all fenders are going to be needed to be rolled and possibly pulled. Its only if you want the car to look low and not a monster truck.

[jordisonjr]

I use to have 16x6.5 wheels but switched over to 17x8. The biggest difference I noticed was. I had to run stretched tires for my 17s to fit since it was a bigger and wider wheel. That's probably going to be one of the bigger issues you're going to run into. If you're riding on 17 or bigger rims. You'll need coilovers. Your cars going to look like a monster truck. The 16s are fine with the lowering springs. Like i said. I think 18s are fine. I think you'll have to run 30-40 series tires for them to fit. Of course all fenders are going to be needed to be rolled and possibly pulled. Its only if you want the car to look low and not a monster truck.

I strongly disagree with this.
I'm on 17's, lowerd on tien s techs (1.9"f, 1.5"r) and my car is far from monster truck.

I've got 225/40/18 on a 18x8 +35
The roads where I live are garbage. Super rough, and pot holes everywhere.
I haven't had many issues with these wheels, yes the ride is somewhat bumpy, and you need to be careful how you drive but thats gunna be with any set of aftermarket wheels if you care about your car.

I think they look great, however it probably owuld look a little better with sideskirts at least. You can definately feel the weight a little more, but if having the fastest car isn't your concern, then Id say go with 18.
The only issue I ran into was a little bit of rubbing in the rear. The slightest bit on the rear lip of the fender (not enough to even cut tire) over the large dips that got the whole car moving. I fixed this by rolling the fenders only a tiny bit, they didn't even need to be rolled all the way. Just angled the lip up slightly with a mallet and a heat gun.
here's a pic of what they look on my stock bodied car, for reference.



This post has been edited by jordisonjr: Mar 16, 2013 - 10:40 PM