[58lincoln]

Hi, just curious, what with all the factory Donk's on newer cars, is it even possible to put say 15" wheels on newer cars? - Alex.

[327NUT]

Almost anything is possible....but it would depend on how big the brake rotor/caliper combination was. Also proper wheel offset and back spacing requirement.

[joe_padavano]

Originally Posted by 58lincoln

Hi, just curious, what with all the factory Donk's on newer cars, is it even possible to put say 15" wheels on newer cars? - Alex.

All depends on brake clearance and bolt pattern. Most newer cars have metric bolt patterns that do not line up with the more common 4.5", 4.75", or 5" circles. Similarly, most cars today have different wheel offsets than older cars.

[roknroy]

handling has been greatly enhanced over the last 25 years, when the corvette came with 16 inch wheels, but i agree that anything past 17s on a hotrod, is more hoopdee...

[joe_padavano]

Originally Posted by roknroy

handling has been greatly enhanced over the last 25 years, when the corvette came with 16 inch wheels, but i agree that anything past 17s on a hotrod, is more hoopdee...

The handling improvement has less to do with the rim diameter than with the tire aspect ratio. Of course, if you simply put lower profile tires on the same rim diameter, the tire outside diameter gets much smaller. Keeping the tire OD relatively constant and reducing the aspect ratio requires the rim diameter to go up.

[roknroy]

Originally Posted by joe_padavano

The handling improvement has less to do with the rim diameter than with the tire aspect ratio. Of course, if you simply put lower profile tires on the same rim diameter, the tire outside diameter gets much smaller. Keeping the tire OD relatively constant and reducing the aspect ratio requires the rim diameter to go up.

each is a product of itself. technology is getting better, handling is improving, and wheels are getting bigger, as a result. they put 15s on nascar cars , so the tires are more predictable, and more room for error...

[58lincoln]

Originally Posted by roknroy

each is a product of itself. technology is getting better, handling is improving, and wheels are getting bigger, as a result. they put 15s on nascar cars , so the tires are more predictable, and more room for error...

I guess I don't understand what you mean by predictable and more room for error. .

[SSedan64]

The 15" rims on Nascar cars has more to do with using the tall tire diameter as a spring since they run the springs in a coil bind situations much of the time.

[roknroy]

i don't follow nascar, so i may have overstepped my boundaries, i know that michelin incorporates a better "feel" for the events as a tire starts to lose adhesion, therefore allowing the driver to respond more diligantly than other tires that have less research and developement in this aspect.

[58lincoln]

Learn something new every day!