View Poll Results: what size rims does it look like i photoshopped onto my car
Voters: 17. You may not vote on this poll
Why are 18"s better than 20"s? Pics included
05-17-2007, 12:18 PM
#12
Junior Member
Posts like a Ricer Type-R
There are well-documented problems out there:
I could post hundreds of these stories, but they don't pay me for overtime here.
The point is simple engineering. The lugnut is tapered, and designed to sit flush in the tapered hole of the wheel to CENTER it, with FULL contact to hold. Full surface contact.
With 114.3x5 on your car, you will have ONE POINT of contact on each lug to the wheel. Instead of a full 360 degrees.
Originally Posted by willwren
"...the bolt pattern is slightly different, 114.3mm on the M to 115mm I believe on the new 300. While this ain't much, we have had much debate, especially on what that could mean in the long term. You are putting more strain on the studs and lug nuts as they wont be seating 100% flush with where they are supposed to, and you may also be asking for added vibration on things like the wheel bearings."
Although many owners are running the 5x114.3mm bolt pattern on their new '300 series' models without a problem, it also appears that many still continue to experience problems as well.
I just bought my new rims and Discount Tire wouldn't mount the 114.3'* because they are not the correct bolt pattern for the car. They have many cars that come in with some shudder and broken lugs so they made it company policy not to install anything other than what the car bolt pattern calls for. I sent the original ones back and got 115'*. Personally, for what I paid for the car, I would wait it out and get what comes on the car.
I have 5x114.3. One tire place would not even so much as balance my tires due to the fact they did not want to be held liable for any problems coming from the wrong bolt patter, and even went to the trouble of printing up and copying a letter stating that I would not sue them if something happened to me while driving on them.
On the other hand I have gone to 2 other HIGHLY recomended wheels shope Wheelspecialists and Total Auto Pros in Tempe and Phoenix, they both said no problem we do it all the time without issue...
There is a shake that will not go away, even with the newly installed hubcentric rings from 65-75 mph.
I am getting refunded this week, for the DUB Moab wheels I bought a while ago, and I am hoping to find wheels in the 115x5 but the ones I really want are the Zenetti Heir, they are even pictured in Zenetti'* catalog (not online) but the only bolt pattern they make that wheel is 114.3x5. Wonder why that company would go build a wheel and put it on their catalog with an incorrect bolt pattern?
On the other hand I have gone to 2 other HIGHLY recomended wheels shope Wheelspecialists and Total Auto Pros in Tempe and Phoenix, they both said no problem we do it all the time without issue...
There is a shake that will not go away, even with the newly installed hubcentric rings from 65-75 mph.
I am getting refunded this week, for the DUB Moab wheels I bought a while ago, and I am hoping to find wheels in the 115x5 but the ones I really want are the Zenetti Heir, they are even pictured in Zenetti'* catalog (not online) but the only bolt pattern they make that wheel is 114.3x5. Wonder why that company would go build a wheel and put it on their catalog with an incorrect bolt pattern?
My 4 decades of performance driving lead me to disagree with your claim. The center hub was never engineered to center the wheels. A slight error of even a millimeter there multiplies as it moves out from the hub. The lugs are designed to center the wheel and hold it firmly in position. The wheel must line up perfectly on the lugs. 114.3 mm wheels do not line up on 115 mm lugs.
Hub centering rings are not the right way to solve the problem. Once vibration starts, it almost always gets worse.
Many years ago, I felt the right front wheel and tire vibrate violently then roll down the road ahead of my car as I rapidly descended a hill on a busy 2 lane black top. Soon the right front of my vehicle dipped, throwing my car into the path of a large Semi 18 wheeler. By the grace of God, I hit the opposite shoulder and eased into a ditch - a fraction of a second before the truck barrelled by.
Why did the wheel come off? I had oversized the wheels with mismatched rims and one wheel vibrated loose. No part of the car takes more stress than where the wheels are bolted to the lugs.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hub centering rings are not the right way to solve the problem. Once vibration starts, it almost always gets worse.
Many years ago, I felt the right front wheel and tire vibrate violently then roll down the road ahead of my car as I rapidly descended a hill on a busy 2 lane black top. Soon the right front of my vehicle dipped, throwing my car into the path of a large Semi 18 wheeler. By the grace of God, I hit the opposite shoulder and eased into a ditch - a fraction of a second before the truck barrelled by.
Why did the wheel come off? I had oversized the wheels with mismatched rims and one wheel vibrated loose. No part of the car takes more stress than where the wheels are bolted to the lugs.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The difference between 115mm (factory) and 114.3mm is 0.028".
In machinery, that is a huge difference. On the wheels on my car that would be totally unacceptable. Even with hub-centric wheels, I would be concerned with vibration, and if bolt circles don't match the lug nuts won't seat evenly. This could cause galling between the nut and wheel or possible loosening during driving.
This may be a slightly paranoid viewpoint from someone who had wheels come off his car because of (now discontinued) universal-mount wheels.
More than once. Actually, they never came all the way off, I was able to stop quickly enough when they began to vibrate. The lug nuts would slowly work loose during driving.
I also had major problems with some Breyton wheels Discount Tires mounted on my BMW without installing the hub-centric spacer rings. Although the lug nuts were tapered and should have centered the wheels, vibration was terrible no matter how they installed them.
I will never again install wheels on a car that aren't specifically designed to fit THAT car.
I used to care a lot more about getting the best deal. Now I care most about getting the best equipment.
I wonder if anyone else out there watching have had similar problems with non-specific wheels?
In machinery, that is a huge difference. On the wheels on my car that would be totally unacceptable. Even with hub-centric wheels, I would be concerned with vibration, and if bolt circles don't match the lug nuts won't seat evenly. This could cause galling between the nut and wheel or possible loosening during driving.
This may be a slightly paranoid viewpoint from someone who had wheels come off his car because of (now discontinued) universal-mount wheels.
More than once. Actually, they never came all the way off, I was able to stop quickly enough when they began to vibrate. The lug nuts would slowly work loose during driving.
I also had major problems with some Breyton wheels Discount Tires mounted on my BMW without installing the hub-centric spacer rings. Although the lug nuts were tapered and should have centered the wheels, vibration was terrible no matter how they installed them.
I will never again install wheels on a car that aren't specifically designed to fit THAT car.
I used to care a lot more about getting the best deal. Now I care most about getting the best equipment.
I wonder if anyone else out there watching have had similar problems with non-specific wheels?
The point is simple engineering. The lugnut is tapered, and designed to sit flush in the tapered hole of the wheel to CENTER it, with FULL contact to hold. Full surface contact.
With 114.3x5 on your car, you will have ONE POINT of contact on each lug to the wheel. Instead of a full 360 degrees.
05-17-2007, 06:10 PM
#13
Senior Member
Posts like a Camaro
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Holly, Michigan
Posts: 1,181
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If your trying to make your car fast it would be stupid to get 20'*.
I went 20'* because I could care less if my car is fast, as long as it looks good.
Also why I have a SLE
I went 20'* because I could care less if my car is fast, as long as it looks good.
Also why I have a SLE
05-17-2007, 06:36 PM
#14
Senior Member
Certified GM nut
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Western New York
Posts: 1,942
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I rotated the tires (18") on the Monte Carlo a couple weeks ago. Two of the rims are dented from hitting pot holes. Just something to consider for anyone living in a northern state.
05-17-2007, 08:55 PM
#15
Senior Member
Posts like a Turbo
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: bloomington, IN
Posts: 424
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by looong4
If your trying to make your car fast it would be stupid to get 20'*.
I went 20'* because I could care less if my car is fast, as long as it looks good.
Also why I have a SLE
I went 20'* because I could care less if my car is fast, as long as it looks good.
Also why I have a SLE
Yup, but the boost is nice when some clown thinks it'* slow (just ask the TA driver who forgot to read the SC badge on the rear deck lid
)
05-17-2007, 09:44 PM
#16
Member
Posts like a V-Tak
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Chicago
Posts: 99
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I have 20" rims and I love the handling and the ride quality. Did I mention I live in pot hole heaven Chicago? I have 255/35 and the side wall is just fine to handle MINOR bump and what nots in the city without hurting anything. 245/35 
because the side wall is too thin. As far as performance... I was able to spin the tires in a 95 GTP (3.4 engine) I use to own with no problems, but I dont advise that for daily habbits. As Will stated the bigger the rim the more performance you lose, but if you are the type that get heavy on the throttle 3 times out of a week you would be fine. Let it be known though any rim on a car that is over 18" is not good if you are the type to take off from lights fast or like heavy throttle all the time.
because the side wall is too thin. As far as performance... I was able to spin the tires in a 95 GTP (3.4 engine) I use to own with no problems, but I dont advise that for daily habbits. As Will stated the bigger the rim the more performance you lose, but if you are the type that get heavy on the throttle 3 times out of a week you would be fine. Let it be known though any rim on a car that is over 18" is not good if you are the type to take off from lights fast or like heavy throttle all the time.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
mista_sse
General GM Chat
4
10-01-2003 12:07 PM