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215/45/17 tyres on a standard 156

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156 or 17 tyres
1K views 19 replies 10 participants last post by  Wisrute B. 
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#1 ·
I'm looking to replace my 156 Selespeed wheels with the 17" GTA 5 hole ones.

I'd appreciate views on how this will affect the ride quality, road noise, etc. etc.
 
#2 ·
<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:<hr /><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by bob156:
<strong>I'm looking to replace my 156 Selespeed wheels with the 17" GTA 5 hole ones.

I'd appreciate views on how this will affect the ride quality, road noise, etc. etc.</strong><hr /></blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I think Taak will know more about this, he has a 156 with those wheels as well :)
 
#3 ·
My 156 1.8 and 2.5 both have 17" with 215/45. Compared to 16" you will get:
-more tyre noise (but you have to compare to notice)
-expensive tyres (but who cares)
-less comfortable ride (buy a Citroen)

++much better steering response
++more exact feedback
++more grip
++great looks

In short: just do it!!!

For some the 16" is the compromise between ride quality and steering response, but the difference when you swith to 17" is more dramatic in improved steering response and feel then loss of comfort. Even my wife insisted on 17" for her 1.8.

Just dont buy the wrong (Avon zz-1) tyres!!!
 
#5 ·
<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:<hr /><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by Ivo:
<strong> <blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:<hr /><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by bob156:
<strong>I'm looking to replace my 156 Selespeed wheels with the 17" GTA 5 hole ones.

I'd appreciate views on how this will affect the ride quality, road noise, etc. etc.</strong><hr /></blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I think Taak will know more about this, he has a 156 with those wheels as well :) </strong><hr /></blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">


Yep, Taak would be the man to ask. He told me briefly that with H&R springs, the ride comfort is still close to his original 16" rims.

Cheers,

Wisrute
 
#7 ·
<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:<hr /><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by Banflu:
<strong>i wouldve thought you'd get better feel with narrow tires?? :confused:
you know, the feel should worsen when you have ultra wide tires, cause theres more friction??

:confused: </strong><hr /></blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Yes Banflu - you are right. Plus wider tyres "tramline" more easily - they follow white lines and camber changes in the road. It is always a compromise between looks and performance! I have 215/45/17's on my 156, and I ceratinly would not want them any bigger as it would spoil the driving experience...
:eek:
 
#9 ·
<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:<hr /><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by RicksAlfas:
<strong> <blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:<hr /><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by Banflu:
<strong>i wouldve thought you'd get better feel with narrow tires?? :confused:
you know, the feel should worsen when you have ultra wide tires, cause theres more friction??

:confused: </strong><hr /></blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Yes Banflu - you are right. Plus wider tyres "tramline" more easily - they follow white lines and camber changes in the road. It is always a compromise between looks and performance! I have 215/45/17's on my 156, and I ceratinly would not want them any bigger as it would spoil the driving experience...
:eek: </strong><hr /></blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Anything wider than a 225, you may run into clearance problem (also depends on the offset of your wheels). Even if you have a 2.5 V6, I personally don't see a need to go beyond 225mm width. I'm using 215/45, and there's so much grip there already. :D
 
#12 ·
Do any of you guys know the offset of the 17" GTA wheels.
 
#13 ·
<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:<hr /><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by Pascs:
<strong>Do any of you guys know the offset of the 17" GTA wheels.</strong><hr /></blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">The markings are unclear when my friend installed his GTA wheels. It could be a 36mm offset (as one of the numbers indicated on the back of the wheels) but I'm not 100% sure. I know the Telephone Dial (17") has 30.5mm offset. Both rims are made by Speedline.

Rgds,

Wisrute
 
#14 ·
<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:<hr /><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by bob156:
<strong>I'm looking to replace my 156 Selespeed wheels with the 17" GTA 5 hole ones.

I'd appreciate views on how this will affect the ride quality, road noise, etc. etc.</strong><hr /></blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Good choice! I was worrying about the same last year before I bought my 215/45/17 wheels.
Here in Norway 16" and 17" wheels costs almost the same money.
I took the chanse and went for the 17" and I do not regret that at all!

They weren't any much less comfortable than the 15" standard wheels.
I am so happy I went for 17".

The guy at the wheels shop sayed that there are no difference in
16" and 17" ride comfort if you buy a good set of tires.
Now I believe in him. :)

I went for Toyo Proxes TS-1. A bit noisy, but i'm quite happy with them. Not much more noisy than the standard Firestone Firehawk 700 15" tires, though.
 
#15 ·
I think the offset should be around 35/36mm. This is the best offset for the 156 and 215 or 225/45 tyres. The 30.5 offset is designed for the GTV. Which makes them stick out too much with 225/45 tyres.
 
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#16 ·
<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:<hr /><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by Wisrute B.:
<strong> <blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:<hr /><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by Ivo:
<strong> <blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:<hr /><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by bob156:
<strong>I'm looking to replace my 156 Selespeed wheels with the 17" GTA 5 hole ones.

I'd appreciate views on how this will affect the ride quality, road noise, etc. etc.</strong><hr /></blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I think Taak will know more about this, he has a 156 with those wheels as well :) </strong><hr /></blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">


Yep, Taak would be the man to ask. He told me briefly that with H&R springs, the ride comfort is still close to his original 16" rims.

Cheers,

Wisrute</strong><hr /></blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Yep! thanks folks as you see,more handsome
for ride a bit harsh but surprisingly now with only H&R springs & OEM dampers is not much different from the 16" ( but later may be cause the dampers still very new )

all of that YES just do it ( as the other said ), hang on just be very careful!!! with your rim when you park, the GTA offset is quite swollen almost pop out from the rim, ( which make it looks bigger than 17 " ), I almost cried when i got scratch with it last week but now magically been erased out by " NOTHING THAI CAN NOT DO"
 
#17 ·
Taak,
What size of tyres do you have fitted with the GTA wheels 215/45 or 225/45. The wheels do look to stick out past the tyre. But they look really good on the car. Any problems with coming too close to the wheel arch?
 
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#18 ·
<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:<hr /><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by Pascs:
<strong>Taak,
What size of tyres do you have fitted with the GTA wheels 215/45 or 225/45. The wheels do look to stick out past the tyre. But they look really good on the car. Any problems with coming too close to the wheel arch?</strong><hr /></blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">215/45, not any problem at all cause the H&R doesn't give a knd of too low ride just about right, even when you have passenger at the back.
 
#20 ·
<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:<hr /><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by RicksAlfas:
<strong>What width are the GTA rims?
7 or 7.5 inch??
They are gorgeous!!!
:cool: </strong><hr /></blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">They're 7.5 inch wide. They look larger and wider because the sharp edges. Nice, though. :D
 
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