GermanLook Forums - How Big Is Big 17,18,19???

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- - How Big Is Big 17,18,19??? (https://www.germanlook.net/forums/showthread.php?t=856)

Bigger contact patch= more tire on the road. Therefore more grip. Regardless of the weight. Just make sure you have the power to turn those wide tires. IMO. 18's are probably the biggest that I would like on a Bug. Looks and function both come into play. Smaller wheels = cheaper tires too. 19 & 20's..... Show car. Drivable street car (if)18 and down......again my opinion.

You can over tyre a car and give yourself less grip than with the correct size.
It's more noticable when you're on a race track and you're trying to get heat into those tyres! If they are too wide, they simply don't warm up and you slip all over the place. If they are too thin, you'll burn them out quickly.
The same applies on the road, although you rarely get to the same temperatures as on the track, you can still put too much rubber on the road for your cars weight and suspension design.
MG

If you go too wide in your tyre selection, you then get into another area of trouble..Aquaplaning, not a fun place to be.......especially after you've spent your hard earned dollars on your project, to see it writen off, cause your tyres couldn't grip.

Cheers

Quote:

Originally posted by Sandeep
Hi All,

FYI.... a 235/35/18 like I'm running on the front has a section height of 3.23".... same as a 205/40/17... The advantage is a much LARGER contact patch... but the disadvantage is weight...

A 265/35/18 like I'm running on the rear has a S.H of 3.65"... larger than a 215/40/17 at 3.38"....

A 195/50 has a S.H of 3.84".... So its not really 'Rubber Band' tires with 18's.

IMHO I think 19's are too big for a daily driver.... but to each his own.

My .02c

Sandeep

Hi Sandeep,

I'm interested in 18's. Do you have an updated picture of your car with widened fenders? Last time I saw your car was w/o the widened fenders yet. Appreciate very much.

Quote:

Originally Posted by TitoRay (Post 8027)

It seems that a 17 inch wheel has the best proportions to a bug. Some may remember the "Silver Arrow" that had 18 inch TSW Hockenheim R's with 235/35 tires on it and I thought that looked awesome!! On the other hand, there was a pic of a bug with 19's and someone mentioned that it bore a striking resemblance to a covered wagon, which I thought was very true. Maybe it depends on the wheel type. A 18-19 inch, 8-spoked wheel, like the "covered wagon," may look a little silly. 18-19 inch BBS "mesh" style or Porche wheels may look ok. But 17 inch wheels in any style seem to look fine. We have seen tuner wheels, mesh wheels, porche wheels, spoke wheels, etc., all in 17 inches and they look good.
I guess as the wheel size gets bigger the style range of wheels that look OK gets smaller and smaller.
Your thoghts?:confused:

Very interested in having a look at this Silver arrow on hockenheims, always loved them wheels and wanted them for my cabriolet. Anyone got any links to.