Springs

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my8950
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Re: Springs

Post by my8950 »

thesameguy wrote:I am very happy with my 350/650 setup, but this is a BIG step up from stock. I'm sure the 215/45-17s aren't helping, but it's a rough ride on bad streets. Absolutely worth it when the roads smooth out, and 10-ish years later I still have the same springs, but it's nothing approximating a stock ride.
Roads in California are probably significantly smoother than what we get here in Michigan. (Think of mine fields)
I am hesitant to go with a 17" wheel, even though that is my favorite option right now.
I'm shopping for a 16" just to keep some sidewall on the car to absorb a little harshness.
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Spaldino
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Re: Springs

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my8950 wrote:
thesameguy wrote:I am very happy with my 350/650 setup, but this is a BIG step up from stock. I'm sure the 215/45-17s aren't helping, but it's a rough ride on bad streets. Absolutely worth it when the roads smooth out, and 10-ish years later I still have the same springs, but it's nothing approximating a stock ride.
Roads in California are probably significantly smoother than what we get here in Michigan. (Think of mine fields)
I am hesitant to go with a 17" wheel, even though that is my favorite option right now.
I'm shopping for a 16" just to keep some sidewall on the car to absorb a little harshness.

I've been fighting that "do I go with 17 or 16 inch wheels?" battle for the last 2 months for that same reason. I want more sidewall but there are like no choices for tires wider than 215-225 in the "extreme summer performance" category for 16 inch wheels. I know I am going to have to get a 17 inch wheel and go with Pilot Super Sports... but I keep trying to convince myself otherwise.
88 Mono-white XR: Side exhaust, Walbro, MC2 Front Adjustable Coilovers, Rear Bilsteins, Full Poly bushings, MC2 Diff Mount, Rapido intercooler, Some sort of mild cam(?), Rear Disc conversion, 225s on 17x8 wheels.
thesameguy
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Re: Springs

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my8950 wrote:Roads in California are probably significantly smoother than what we get here in Michigan. (Think of mine fields)
I wouldn't bank on that. I know roads in MI are bad, but California has VERY bad roads. There are billboards all over Sacramento lobbying for road improvement. Sometimes I end up on a freshly paved road and it's incredible. Most of my commute is spent with my mouth open so my teeth don't chatter. :( Freeways are generally pretty good, but surface streets - where I do most of my driving - are almost unbearable. I take a slightly longer route home just so I don't have to spend time on the worst of them.
Spaldino wrote:I've been fighting that "do I go with 17 or 16 inch wheels?" battle for the last 2 months for that same reason. I want more sidewall but there are like no choices for tires wider than 215-225 in the "extreme summer performance" category for 16 inch wheels. I know I am going to have to get a 17 inch wheel and go with Pilot Super Sports... but I keep trying to convince myself otherwise.
That's how I got where I got. Even back in '06 16" tire choices were starting to dwindle and selection is far worse today. I've systematically moved all my old cars to larger wheels just to have access to decent tires. The tip I can offer is make sure you get light wheels - unsprung weight blah blah blah, but also lighter wheels drive better on poorer roads. Moving from the 22lb ICW wheels to 14lb TR wheels (both 17x7) was a pretty dramatic improvement. It doesn't smooth out the roads, but the impacts feel far less harsh.
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Re: Springs

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thesameguy wrote:
my8950 wrote:Roads in California are probably significantly smoother than what we get here in Michigan. (Think of mine fields)
I wouldn't bank on that. I know roads in MI are bad, but California has VERY bad roads. There are billboards all over Sacramento lobbying for road improvement. Sometimes I end up on a freshly paved road and it's incredible. Most of my commute is spent with my mouth open so my teeth don't chatter. :( Freeways are generally pretty good, but surface streets - where I do most of my driving - are almost unbearable. I take a slightly longer route home just so I don't have to spend time on the worst of them.
Spaldino wrote:I've been fighting that "do I go with 17 or 16 inch wheels?" battle for the last 2 months for that same reason. I want more sidewall but there are like no choices for tires wider than 215-225 in the "extreme summer performance" category for 16 inch wheels. I know I am going to have to get a 17 inch wheel and go with Pilot Super Sports... but I keep trying to convince myself otherwise.
That's how I got where I got. Even back in '06 16" tire choices were starting to dwindle and selection is far worse today. I've systematically moved all my old cars to larger wheels just to have access to decent tires. The tip I can offer is make sure you get light wheels - unsprung weight blah blah blah, but also lighter wheels drive better on poorer roads. Moving from the 22lb ICW wheels to 14lb TR wheels (both 17x7) was a pretty dramatic improvement. It doesn't smooth out the roads, but the impacts feel far less harsh.
17" wheel + 40series tires + mine field = bent wheel

I'm wanting to do the SVT Focus wheels, but I don't want to have to jimmy around with spacers and crap like that. I'd like them to fit under the fender well. Car is completely stock, not looking to make a lowrider or anything ridiculous.
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Re: Springs

Post by thesameguy »

"40 series" is ambiguous - a 205/40-17 has a tiny sidewall (3.2"). The 305/40-18s on my CTS-V had gigantic sidewalls (4.8"), bigger than the XR's stock sidewalls (4.6"). Sidewalls are described as a fraction of the tread width, so one number without the other doesn't mean much.

I would never run 205/40-17s, on a street car, but I've had no problems with bent wheels with 215/45-17 (3.8") or 225/45-17 (4") over ten years on any car. Quality wheels, quality tires, proper inflation, and drive like an autocross and not a bulldozer and you'll be fine.
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Re: Springs

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thesameguy wrote:
Spaldino wrote:I've been fighting that "do I go with 17 or 16 inch wheels?" battle for the last 2 months for that same reason. I want more sidewall but there are like no choices for tires wider than 215-225 in the "extreme summer performance" category for 16 inch wheels. I know I am going to have to get a 17 inch wheel and go with Pilot Super Sports... but I keep trying to convince myself otherwise.
That's how I got where I got. Even back in '06 16" tire choices were starting to dwindle and selection is far worse today. I've systematically moved all my old cars to larger wheels just to have access to decent tires. The tip I can offer is make sure you get light wheels - unsprung weight blah blah blah, but also lighter wheels drive better on poorer roads. Moving from the 22lb ICW wheels to 14lb TR wheels (both 17x7) was a pretty dramatic improvement. It doesn't smooth out the roads, but the impacts feel far less harsh.
And that is the dilemma I face when I get into the "I'm just going with 17s" mindset. Finding wheels that are 8-9 inches wide, with our desired offset, in our bolt pattern, not a cheap pile of crap, that are attractive to me, that aren't heavy, and that aren't $2000 is killing me. But that's a topic for a different day and thread. I'll be posting my journey in a thread in the future.
88 Mono-white XR: Side exhaust, Walbro, MC2 Front Adjustable Coilovers, Rear Bilsteins, Full Poly bushings, MC2 Diff Mount, Rapido intercooler, Some sort of mild cam(?), Rear Disc conversion, 225s on 17x8 wheels.
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Re: Springs

Post by thesameguy »

Yeah, best of luck with that. I ended up with Tire Rack branded wheels - they're 17x7, ET42 (IIRC), 14lbs, and $120ea. That was the best intersection of features I could find. Going to a $200ea wheel opens up some additional widths without adding a *bunch* of weight, but that's a big price premium. I looked for years - literally, three - and couldn't do better. I'm not mad - 17x7 allows for 225s, which IMHO is plenty of tire for street-driven XR - assuming good tires. The XR would benefit more from other things than another inch of wheel or half inch of rubber.
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Re: Springs

Post by Matt01 »

I agree, I have 215/45/17 with 17x7 ET i dont remember, but theres almost no clearance between the coilover and the tire, and with a decent drop it rubs on the fender. a wider wheel will require fender extensions, which I intend to do anyway, so I can drop it more, and run wider tires.

I have a pair of a KYB converted front coilovers if anyone is interested. Im not looking to get rich with them, I just want my money back. Im selling them because they don't go low enough for me. Its great if you're looking for stock height, OR a 1-2" drop. Ill post up a pic later.
my8950
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Re: Springs

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Spaldino wrote: And that is the dilemma I face when I get into the "I'm just going with 17s" mindset. Finding wheels that are 8-9 inches wide, with our desired offset, in our bolt pattern, not a cheap pile of crap, that are attractive to me, that aren't heavy, and that aren't $2000 is killing me. But that's a topic for a different day and thread. I'll be posting my journey in a thread in the future.
I feel your pain, spending $2k on a set of wheels for a $600 car...Serious, its not a Caprice on 24's...
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Re: Springs

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my8950 wrote:
Spaldino wrote: And that is the dilemma I face when I get into the "I'm just going with 17s" mindset. Finding wheels that are 8-9 inches wide, with our desired offset, in our bolt pattern, not a cheap pile of crap, that are attractive to me, that aren't heavy, and that aren't $2000 is killing me. But that's a topic for a different day and thread. I'll be posting my journey in a thread in the future.
I feel your pain, spending $2k on a set of wheels for a $600 car...Serious, its not a Caprice on 24's...

I mean... at this point, it's looking like I need to spend that kind of cash to get what I want.

Also I hope my car is worth more than 600 bucks! There's hardly any rust on it... even the pinch welds are in great shape!
88 Mono-white XR: Side exhaust, Walbro, MC2 Front Adjustable Coilovers, Rear Bilsteins, Full Poly bushings, MC2 Diff Mount, Rapido intercooler, Some sort of mild cam(?), Rear Disc conversion, 225s on 17x8 wheels.
my8950
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Re: Springs

Post by my8950 »

Spaldino wrote: I mean... at this point, it's looking like I need to spend that kind of cash to get what I want.

Also I hope my car is worth more than 600 bucks! There's hardly any rust on it... even the pinch welds are in great shape!
I know, just saying...I don't pay more than $1k for the cars I buy...
Being sarcastic, but I get what you're saying.
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