Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Wheels & Tires How much will 18's with 225/40zr18's slow u down compared to stock wheels???

Help!!!!!

If u have read from some of my other posts I am defintely getting the Team Dynamics motorsport wheels in a 18x7 size with 225/40ZR18 yokohama parada tires on them.

I currently am running the stock 16" SVT rims with the stock tires on them.

How much could this slow me down? will it be noticeable. Granted the 18" rim weigh just a few pounds more, 19 compared to 23 pounds or so i think. Will I notice that much difference?? Will it be easier or harder to light them up??? What about top end power and top speed??? hnadling??? and cornering.....better????? Please give me your thoughts on this issue. If it slows me down too much I might just keep the stock wheels which I dotn really want to do.

You will definitely feel the difference. You
will likely sense your suspension working on
the highway, more than it used to, dealing
with the extra rotating mass of those wheels.

An 18" rim puts that 23 pounds closer to the
outside than your current wheels. This has a
perceptible effect on not just acceleration,
but also braking (your brakes are trying to
slow rotating weight that is further from the
hub). So... it will impact your performance.

Why the Parada by the way? I have heard the
Tire Rack folks describe that tire as merely
"cosmetic performance". There are way better
tires out there for that money.

T.

But will if be significant loss enough for daily driving?? I took the spare tire out to save some weight as well. I am not looking to run my car at a track, but I still need minimal perforamnce losses and great looks. Or should I run the 17's for weight purposes???

The reason I am going with the paradas is that they are cheaper in price than alot of the other tires and I dont make enough money to get better tires. Maybe If I changed to nitto or toyo, would it be more expensive??

My 17s are 4lbs heavier with the tires
mounted on than the stock wheels with tires
mounted on.

I didn't feel any difference at all, maybe
a little bit above 100mph.

4lbs isn't THAT much.

John

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'98 Contour SVT with 'stuff'
http://home.carolina.rr.com/czech007/

I still want to know where the 18 X 7 Team Dynamics are coming from. The only 18's from them I've seen are 18 X 8. where are they, and what style?

Team dynamics DTM 17" w/ 225/45 Bridgestone Potenza RE73 weigh 48.25lbs

Stock SVT wheels weigh 19lbs
Stock SVT Wheels w/ BFG KDW weigh 38lbs (25K, lots of tread wear here)

I added just over 10lbs per corner. I have not noticed a "significant" acceleration difference, but all driving has been on the street. AutoX and track events next summer may tell a different story. The car feels heavier and quicker at the same time. Lower profile tires explain the quicker portion, the heft is more than just butt dyno perception, reference timd's comment above.

Mabey others can chime in with other weights. Then you could do some un-sprung calculations. Based upon an article in Sport Compact Car a month or two back, unsprung weight is a significant factor, but so is sprung weight. The key is the begining weight of the car and wheels. In talking equal weight changes, our 3000lb+ Contours are less prone to the impact than say a Miata.

Good luck

Mark

[This message has been edited by Trapps (edited January 19, 2001).]

Trapps,

Wow. 10 lbs...

Are your wheels 8" wide or 7".

John

You will notice a little diff. IT will never affect you at all.. wheelsone.com offers 18x7 wheels in any of the TD models.

17 x 8

I bought them from bglimpse after he sold his tour. TD are not the lightest wheels out there. I'm currently running snow tires on my stock SVT rims, and didn't have a chance to put a lot of miles on the TD's before the snow flew.

I was concerned about the weight when I first got them, but they look great on the car. I can alwas go back to stockers for AutoX and track fun. My OE Gforce KDWs are worn to the wear indicators, so they're about right for limited duty.

Mark