WORKISSLOW

I am starting to lean more towards a wider tire in the rear, the rear end broke loose on me yesterday pretty good, So naturally I am thinking I might enjoy a some more tread.
Those packages that American Muscle has are appealing. I was looking at the numbers for that set up with the Saleen wheels and the Nitto 555,, ordering a package from AM is kind of like hitting the easy button, you know it fits, plenty of reviews, and they look good. That and you get to stop obsessing about finding the perfect package,,,
18x9 24.9 lbs. + 23.8 lbs (255/45/18, 26.97" tall) = 50.77lbs for the fronts
18x10 27.25 lbs. + 25.3 lbs (275/40ZR18 26.61Tall)= 52.55lbs rear for $1375 @ a total weight of 206.64lbs

The Motegi SP10 18 x 8 is 19lbs ($179) and the Conti DWS 255/25-18 is 28 lbs ($188)
47 lbs @ $1468 and a total weight of 188lbs

Forge Star 18x9 is around 18.5lbs ($350) and DWS 255/25-18 is 28 lbs ($188)
47 lbs , $2152 @ 186 lbs

The Motegi MR125 17 x 7.5 is only 16.4 LBS ($173) and the Conti DWS 235/55-17 is 24lbs ($162), that is only 40.4lbs.
$1340 @ 161 lbs

Konig Daylite 17x7.5 14.2lbs ($101) and the Conti DWS 235/55-17 is 24lbs ($162)
$1052 @ 152lbs

I am scratching my head on something, I looked the OEM rim on Ford Parts . com and it lists my wheel at
12.5,,,?(AR3Z1007C) it doesn't say lbs or kilograms,, but one would thing it list weight in pounds. How can the OEM wheel weigh less then all the after market rims?
Part Number: 1007A
Part Description: With 17" Wheels ; 17" X 7 Alloy - Pntd Sparkle Silver;
Just to add some Irony, the Mini Spare is listed at 19.6 ,

(OEM GT, Base; 20" Wheels, 26.00 LBS, Chrome Finish)
(FRONT, 19" Weight: 38.5) the weights listed are all over the place??

WORKISSLOW

I am still mulling over which wheel and tire combo I would like best.
I don't want to add weight and I don't want to spend a lot, (my car is a daily driver).
Staying with a 17" rim has its appeals both in price and weight but I can't help but think that trading some rubber for aluminum can save on weight.
The other thing is I would like to get a tire with a profile closer to 45 rather then the 60 I have now with the OEM base set up. The larger rim also offers more options for break up grades later.
And naturally I want tires rated for higher speeds.

I have been taking notes on RIM and Tire weights, I still do not have an accurate weight on the OEM 17" rim though.

The OEM tire, Goodyear Radial 225/60R17 - 28lbs, 27.6” tall and cost about -$126

alternate SIZES
CONTINENTAL dws 235/55-17s 24lbs $162.99
ContiProContact 235/45R18 23 lbs $143.00
conti DWS 275/40-19 28 lbs $228

It seems like it is no big deal to move up to an 18" rim and get a lighter weight tire and not spend a lot more on tires.

I will add some more in later.

hogasswild

The OEM 17x7" rim is 27lbs.

Have you considered these wheels?
http://www.nlmotoring.com/XXR-522-Wh...p/52279102.htm

WORKISSLOW

I emailed a vendor on ebay that had the EOM 17 x 7s and he claimed he weighed a rim and it was 20.2 lbs... What to do? 20.2 lbs seems just as plausible as 27lbs.. though I have to say 27lbs seem a little high for a 17 x7, especially one as plane as the the current OEM base model.
I will check out that link..

a 28lbs tire + 20.2 lbs rim sets the mark at 48.2lbs
28lbs tire + 27.0 lbs rim sets the mark at 55lbs
At least we know the ball park..

Norm Peterson

What are you planning to do with the car once you finally settle on your tires & wheels? Drag? Autocross? Road course track days? Show? Daily-drive only?

Unless you're competing at the top of your class in some racing series (or realistically see that happening), a few lbs weight difference per corner isn't going to make as much difference as people seem to think.

5 lbs/corner corresponds to about 0.03 seconds in the quarter mile and about 0.10 to maybe 0.15 seconds on a typical autocross. These small differences are less than the differences between two drivers of average to above average ability, more than likely less than the difference in your own ability from one day to the next, and utterly meaningless in street driving.

An 8" wide rim is not the optimum wheel width for 255/45-18 tires. No matter who recommends such a combination. The only exception I can think of would be fairly serious drag racing, in which case a 255/45-18 tire is too big for the front and too small for the rear so you wouldn't use it there either.

I will suggest sticking to 18", mainly because there's somewhat better tire size selection there. In 17", there's 235/55 and 255/50 . . . and really not much else.


Norm

WORKISSLOW

My car is strictly a daily driver,
The reason for pondering wheel and tire size is just a matter of making a choice I will be happy with. You have to buy new tire sooner or latter. I think I would be happier with a tire that had a lower profile for better handling and less weight for efficiency. I am a commuter and I want to enjoy my experience while driving. I don't want to buy something that weighs more. It is about making the things I have to do like buying tires, driving, buying gas more fun.

I am leaning towards moving to an 18" rim, it seems like there are more tire options especially since the car is set up for a 27.6" tall tire.

hogasswild

55lbs is correct for the 17s.

Menace

I didn't have the 17" Bullits, I had the 17" Machined Aluminum option ones with the slotted 5 spoke, I don't know how much of a difference these two wheels were from one another. Though I cannot see them being 50lbs though. Those things were extremely light. Compared to the Deep Dish 18x9 bullits and 255/45/18s it was night and day in regards to weight; the 18s were much heavier that is.

157dB

Strength and weight go hand in hand.
You cannot look at the weight alone when picking out a rim.

Norm Peterson

In terms of performance, you aren't ever going to notice the difference that a few lbs/corner makes. At the very, very best, you'll just subconsciously step another millimeter into the throttle to provide the desired performance and never notice that either.

I won't argue over any handling or efficiency issues beyond telling you that they're so small that you'll never notice them. They get lost in the much larger variation in your own driving from one day to the next or from one minute to the next as driving conditions shift. A really good test driver driving up around the car's limit would be able to, but your driving is nowhere near that at all.

Pay attention to what 157db just posted. Focussing on light weight and ignoring durability for a DD is risky and potentially expensive.


Best to just buy a wheel that you like in a width appropriate to some tire size that's proper for the car and be done with it. If handling has much priority, don't bother looking at wheels that are any less than 8.5" wide (that's been Ford's OE width for the 235/50-18 tire).


Norm