18" rims vs 20" rims...Why go smaller?
 

I see a lot of post stating they want the 18" rims. I thought I knew about tires, but times have changed. Why would a person choose 18" rims over 20" rims? Is it just cost, or performance? :iono:

Anytime you can lower your unsprung weight or decrease the weight of rotating mass you will have a faster car, Plus you are limited to a smaller selection of performance tires with a 20" rim.

Are the run times for the camaro listed with 20s or lower tire sizes? Are we really talking for track use, or is it a noticeable difference for street use?

I am getting 20s, and will probably do many stop light jumps with the competition, but most likely will never take it to the track to do a 1/4 run.

Edog, I think for those people just sticking with red light racing against Mustangs and the like, it won't make that big of a difference (especially with the V8).

Cool, thanks guys!

It also helps the ride/handling balance.

Is smaller smoother?

Smaller wheels allow for taller sidewall tires (assuming overall diameter remains constant). Taller sidewalls allow more flex. There is more rubber between road imperfections and the rigid wheel.

IMO 18s are way to small

I have 19s on my stang and I wish I would of went bigger... I am thinking 20s or 22s for the camaro

And IMO 20's are way too big. I personally like the look of a nice 16-18 inch rim myself. I'll be picking up a set of the steelies and having them widened to 8.5 inches, and then wrapping them in KDW's. I'll have to have the speedo recalibrated, because the total diameter will be smaller, but thats not a big deal to me. I'll be getting nicer tires and a drop at the same time. The stock rear tires will be burned off for the purpose of photo sessions (after the car is broken in, of course) and then replaced with snow tires to make my winter set. Hopefully I can find some in the same diameter as the KDW's I get - that way I don't have to worry about the speedo being inaccurate in winter.
- Xanthos

P.S. - 600th post!

What he said. More rubber on the ground (with air let out...20psi or so) helps in traction for 1/4 mile racing. Imagine letting some air out of a 28 inch tire on a 22 inch rim. Not too much rubber on the ground. But, now add 4 more inches of tire by going w/ an 18 inch rim. Go back down to that same 20 psi. More rubber on the ground.

All depends on what you use the car for. If you want better handling and feel for the road, a shorter sidewall is better but you may not get as much traction for drag racing. If you want taller sidewalls to soften up the ride and allow you to lower the pressure for better off the line traction you will lose some feel for the road and its gets mushier in the turns. But also, there is no rule that says you have to have short sidewalls with a 20" tire. They come in 50 series also. You just have to recalibrate the speedo to maintain the accuracy if you want both because you will increase the height of the combo. Which isn't always a bad thing, if you want to change the rear end ratio without changing the ring and pinion gears.

yeah if you wanna look good get 20s if you wanna go fast opt for the 18s yo

lol

I thought we had to go at least 19s on the SS to make room for the brembo's???