17" And 18" Wheels, Ride Quality?

[safire]

My question here is for people who have actually changed from the stock 16" and now have 17" or 18". I have found some wheels that I like for my car. One style is a perfect fit in 17" and the other in 18". How much different is the ride on your SC going from our stock 16's with the balloon tires to a wider wheel and lower profile tire? I already know it will handle better/crisper. I really want to hear the negatives that you guys have found from + sizing your wheels. I do not want to ruin the lexus ride!!!

thanks

:chairshot:

[SKperformance]

If you don;t want to loose the lexus ride then you can change the rim to a different style. You are not going to be able to upgrade without adegradation in softness.It is a direct ratio where you have to give and take.It is not going to make you have a headache ,but unless you drive one with 18's then you will never know what anyones elses expericance is. Go with a 17 for alittle less of each.

[johnny3]

I changed to 17" & probably gave up 10% of ride softness. The wheel merchants said the 18" would be much worse. The handling is much better. A lot probably depends on tire brand, some are firmer than others, I used Potenzas which ride softly.

[safire]

So your car still drives like a lexus?? Now it just handles alot better. This is exactly what I am looking for. I dont expect it to handle like my old Supra on 17's because of our softer suspension, but I would like it to feel crisper on the corners. Can you tell me a little more about your setup that you are running with your 17's. Are they 17x8 or 17x9 or do have them staggered front to back. Also, what size`tires are you using on your rims(235/45 17).

thanks

[johnny3]

There 17x8 IS-300 rims with 235/50/17. I'll try to put a picture in if someone can tell me how, I have one in the camera but don't know how to put it on here.

[RollnNLuxury]

when you go to add a reply go to "newreply" then type what you want to after that scroll down a bit to a new box labled "FILE ATTACHMENTS"below the "text box" there is a blank with the button labled "BROWSE.." next to it. click on browse buton then simple click to where ever the picture is located , on your desktop, cd, ect

[Hites]

im personally looking at a set of 17x7 and 17x9 asa ar1's wrapped in 245/40 and 285/40 kumho ecsta supra 712's. i dont care that much for ride quality though :).

[safire]

I just got out of an EVO VIII and I am very spoiled by the lexus ride. I do not want to go back to the harshness of the EVO with this car. I know the 18's would look great. I still may go for them though. Hell the SC430 comes stock with 18's so does the Q45 and G35 coupe with sport option. Those are all "luxury" cars so the ride on 18's cant be all that bad I guess.

I see you chose 235/50 tires. Do the tires pooch out a little? I am guessing this is why you were lucky enough to still maintain the smooth ride. Thanks for the help guys and pics would be great. It would be nice if we had a sticky post where we could all put pics or our cars.

[eXo]

comfort.. hrmm

with 50series 16' rims you get alot of cushion due to the thickness of the tyre.

I had 18' rims on mine but comfort degraded and I felt the bumps alot more then compared to 17' rims which I have now. As stated above its the trade off of comfort as you go up in sizes. Additionally i chose 17' as it's become the industry standard size for tyres hence making them cheap to purchase next tyre change.

I'd say to get optimum effect stick to 17/235/45 or 40 series to get abit of a firm steering/feel. You *can* go wider but you'll suffer abit in the rain due to the large width of the tyres.

[Jc4dint]

Our cars ride well because of the nice suspension, if you roll with 18's and keep the stock suspension. I don't think it would be that bad. It's when you lower your car that changes a lot of the aspects of a good ride. I lowered my car with a spring I got from Japan, I think the drop was about 3 inches, at least. The car is Slammed and I have the stock 16" wheels and it rides rough as you'd expect, and I'm planning on putting 19s soon, well hopefully.

Basically it all depends what you want, I want the look, so I pay for it. But surprisingly, it rides well on slightly bumpy roads & freeways, corners are a blast. But San Francisco roads kills.

[Theodore]

You have to understand the 430 is built on 18s so is the 740 etc tec.

They design the wheel base and balance and suspension to support larger rims.

the 400 is based on 16s so thats why u can compare it to the newer versions.

I myself am buying 17s as we speak. I figure there the inbetween rim, big enough but not to big to completly ruin the ride.

[Lex Luthor]

IMO the ride w/ 18's is still very acceptable, and that's on NY roads. Nothing like the nice cushy 16" factory setup though.

[safire]

So lex luther do you have 18's. If I was going just for looks I would get 18's and forget about it. The 18's are what I really want. I know they would look great on the SC and make the handling better. I am just trying to avoid the crappy and noisy ride. I may go for the 18's if you guys think the ride quality is acceptable. Do you have any pics of the 18's on stock suspension or even 17's.

thanks

[Hites]

ny and sanfran roads are bad? HA! i think ill be the judge. i live in an area of ohio where there are some roads that my friends with their jacked up trucks are afraid to travel down. hell, a section of road that travel on daily is currently closed because a chunk of it slid into a drainage ditch the size of a river.

[UCF3]

ny and sanfran roads are bad? HA! i think ill be the judge. i live in an area of ohio where there are some roads that my friends with their jacked up trucks are afraid to travel down. hell, a section of road that travel on daily is currently closed because a chunk of it slid into a drainage ditch the size of a river.

I've lived in Upstate, NY, and the streets in Albany and Buffalo are bad. Some of the roads haven't been paved over for 38 year. Both DC and NYC have some really bad roads as well.

I'm sure there are road in other places that are worst than what I've been on.

BTW Hites, where in Ohio do you live? Also, I think you should call your Big-Wheel trucks friends, "Chicken", and see their reaction. Afterall, what's the point of owning a big-rigg, if you aren't willing to drive it.

[Hites]

Hites, where in Ohio do you live? Also, I think you should call your Big-Wheel trucks friends, "Chicken", and see their reaction. Afterall, what's the point of owning a big-rigg, if you aren't willing to drive it.

kinda north-western, near belle center, which is near kenton, which is near lima. i started to go down the road i mentioned ("cottonwood") and i HAD to turn back; my car simply wouldnt make it all the way through without damaging it. its basically a road thats out in the middle of a muck field and it has never been rarely worked on; the roads about 50-100 years old. no matter what vehicle youre in, id recommend NEVER going over 50mph down that gauntlet. ever seen that commercial where theyre testing the f150's quietness by driving over those raised triangles? its like that but the triangles are are "blob-shaped" and sunk in instead of raised; i exaggerate not.