Changing the Wheel & Tire Setup
This project is one of the simplest out there. Wheel and tire (W&T) setups greatly influence the car's appeal because of the amount of exterior surface area W&T's cover. W&T could better performance as well, depending on the sort of performance gains aiming for.
Ideally, the ECU should be changed when changing the W&T setup. This is because the odometer and speedometer are programmed with factory settings, using measurements of the original W&T setup to calculate speed and miles. Changing an ECU is costly and might not worth the $$, so highly recommend staying within a 3% difference in overall W&T diameter.
Great websites to check how different setups compare:
Comparing 4 different W&T setups: 1010Tires - Tire Size Calculator
Comparing Speedometer readings: TacomaWorld - Speedometer Difference
Informative Pictures of W&T Measurements: Discount Tire America's Tire - Tire Calculator
Wheel Offset Calculator: 1010Tires - Wheel Offset Calculator
Starting point for researching wheel technology:
Gravity vs. Forged wheels: Wheel Construction
PROs and CONs of different castings and forgings: Wheel Strength
Starting point for researching performance gains:
Example of BMW 3 series going from 16" to different 17" wheel: Road Wheel Weights...
Shop for deals and recommend using TireRack.com as a general reference for W&T information, pricing, and review.
Things to note about changing W&T setups:
- Most Joe's wouldn't have access to a tire changer or a tire mounting and balancing machine. If purchasing W&T from separate vendors, make sure to factor in the labor costs of mounting and balancing the tires with the wheels from a local shop into the total price.
For example: $(4 x Tire Price) + $(4 x Wheel Price) + $(Labor Price, if applicable) = Total Price
For example: $(4 x Tire Price) + $(4 x Wheel Price) + $(Labor Price, if applicable) = Total Price
