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17's or 18's

2K views 31 replies 16 participants last post by  GTVDAD 
#1 ·
Hi guys

I need some advise. I am considering fitting 18's on my 147 but I read somewhere that it is not wise. If there is someone out there that has got 18's please let me know. I know that 17's wouldnt be a problem but pitcblack 18's will look so much better.

Thanx in advance
Tony
 
#2 ·
If the roads where you usually drive are new or in perfect condition you will be happy with 18". But 17" is much more reasonable choice. A lot of people will say 16" is best ride. I think standard suspension on 147 can not cope with 18". They are too heavy. My 17" rim + tyre is 21kg. 4pcs 18" with wide tyres will be at least 100 kg. 147 suspensions is not designed for this.
 
G
#3 ·
16" is best for driving it on real roads with standard shocks and springs.
17" is best for fast flat roads, no postholes using highquality springs and very good dampers to avoid a crashy ride.
18 " really only good for a willy waving contest or if you mainly drive around a McDonald car park with your stereo up loud trying to impress fat girls with corned beef legs in mini-skirts!

Personal opinions!

Andy
 
#6 ·
Yup, pretty much. I was thinking of upgrading my 16" multispokes to 17" multispokes when I do my suspension, but for the cost it won't make much difference to the looks, I think I'll just stick with the 16s. If they were 15s, I'd have had the 17s on already.
 
#7 · (Edited)
For 18s to work properly on the 147,you need to lower the car 1st of all.Fit uprated suspension,uprated arbs so that the cars feel is stiffened up and then you need to get the tracking done and the wheel alignment done to suit the lowering of the car and the bigger wheels.Also please bear in mind that the profile of a tyre has alot to do with a cars handling.Thin walled and low profiled tyres give good grip on smooth roads but are useless on bumpy and rough roads.
Ideal wheel for the 147 is an 8 x 17 or 8 x 16 with either a 215 or 225 /45/17 or the same but in a 16 size tyre for 16 inch wheels.Also the lighter the aloy wheel then the better performance you will get from the car and the better feel and corner speed you will maintain.I dropped from 18s and 225/35/18 tyres back to lightweight 8 x 16s and 225/45/16 tyres for better performance.Difference was and is amazing.Hope this info helps in some way.
 
#8 ·
Oh and with 18,s you may have to roll the arch lips.This is done with a special rolling gadget that bolts on to the hub and you roll the roller on the arch lip back and forward .the pressure then slowly forces the lip up and back.A heater gun is also used to heat up the paintwork as to prevent cracking while the arch lip is being rolled.This method gives an extra 10mm clearance,this will stop tyres catching when the suspension compresses over rough and bumpy roads or if you have passengers in the back.

Any car tuning/tyre fitting shop will do this for about 35 quid a corner.its a good idea to do when fitting 8 x 18 with either 225/35/18,s or 225/40/18 tyres.
 
#11 ·
The 147's ride isn't as compliant as the 156, shiny.

Which is odd, because I know now I'll be told by someone that the suspension's identical, or something, but trust me I've owned both cars, both on 16" wheels, and the 156 was more comfortable.

The 147 on standard suspension just can't take anything bigger than 16".
 
#13 ·
The 147's ride isn't as compliant as the 156, shiny.
ok, that i did not know. :)

i note though, that the KONI dampers are the same part numbers for both cars. as this is my benchmark in terms of ride comfort (ie: what i had fitted to the 156), maybe the ride quality would end up similar? i suppose spring rate would impact.

:)
 
#12 ·
Got 17' wheels on my 156 and they are fine but had 16' on my 147 and they suited the car very well indeed. Depends on the model I guess :)
 
#16 ·
Depends whether the wheel diameter is changed. For example 195/60/15" have exactly the same diameter as 225/35/18" so the speedo will show exactly the same values. Usually +-2 percent difference in wheel size is totally acceptable. Even new and worn tyres affect speedo more than above mentioned change from 15" to 18"

17“ or 18“ are not „bigger wheels“. Just the proportion rim/tyre is changed but wheel size is the same.
 
#22 ·
It's PRE face lift... Like I said, go over a pot, lose your teeth, just depends on where you drive the car. If you have crap roads around you then def dont bother with 18" but I know to avoid potholes when I see one, think 17" is a good compromise, but if you can afford to improve the suspension then do it... I'm saying my factory 17" are easy to live with...
 
G
#23 ·
I feel the need to add to this one again, I had the joy? of driving a BMW X5 yesterday on which someone had mounted 22" alloys with spinners! The ride was awful, the X5 does drive well on standard rims which I think are 18 or 19 inch, but enlarge the rims for what I am told is "bling" credibility and it drives like poo. The owner, a friend of mine who recently accepted the car as payment for a large debt, said it was going to be re-shod on standard rims and high performance tyres off of the sale price, second hand, of the 22" wheels!

So, to re-cap, very big wheels which the car did not come on as standard will ruin ride and handling, cost lots and to add insult to injury mean you can't pay debts and have to give the whole car up!

He he he

Andy
 
#24 ·
oh you bunch of old grannies :rolleyes:

i didnt notice much difference between my stock 16" teledials and the 18s that are on it now :p

the only downside is it shows up the puney front brakes, making a brake upgrade essential and for non SP cars the stilts suspension has to go.
kiss 2500 goodby :eek:


for the record, i dont feel the need to fart about in carparks or do laps of the local town centre. :rant:
 
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