big wheels

big wheels

  • 16 in

    Votes: 55 34.2%

  • 17 in

    Votes: 70 43.5%

  • 18 in

    Votes: 37 23.0%

  • 20 in

    Votes: 5 3.1%
  • Total voters
    161
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WOW!!! brad426 is putting major tread width to the ground!!! For a minute I thought that was a John Deere!!! To reply that a bigger circumference tire puts more rubber to the pavement - NOT!!! The width is what counts - hence the width in relation to height on drag slicks!!! Bottom line - run whats fits and looks good in your fender wells and you have the power to turn without SLOWING YOU DOWN!!!! And, yeah - I have to laugh when I see $4000.00 worth of skins and hoops on a $400.00 ride!!! Thats popular down south.
 
I like the 15" big and little look the best.

For competition I also like the 17" wheels on a road race or autocross cars.

Most of the problems I see with the big wheels is just the designs are all wrong for the classic cars. Most have a lot of extra flash and bling going on I don't like. The 17" rims imo don't have a tall enough tire avaliable for the rear of our mopars to look right in most cases.

For a cruiser with big wheels my choice would be 17" with about a 26" tall tire like a 255-45-17 on front. The rear I would use an 18" rim with a 28/29" tall tire like a 255-55-18 This would probably require a mini tub job but I think it would look great with a the right rims. My choice of rim styles would be classic Cragers, Torque Thursters, or Mini lights. in 17 and 18" wheels.
 
All depends on stance and the "theme" of the build....ie modern drivetrain,stance,gauges,brakes etc..

Rocking 17/18's with drum brakes sticking through is lame.
 
I was standing next to some new Challengers the other day thinking the wheels did not even look right on those cars. They should have stuck to 18" and not the 20" for the SRT cars...
The comment about the "bling" of new wheels is also an issue that I have with them. Bad enough that they are way over sized with rubber band tires but they are all chromed to the hilt with some pretty wierd "spoke" designs. I am trying to get into the market for a new Challenger and honestly think I would replace the OEM wheels with 18" wheels if I do get one. The other thing I dislike about new wheel styles is that there is zero front space on the wheels..
 
A lot of great comments here for and against. But my reason for going 17-18 inch wheels is for a few reasons. I want better handling which I will get with the upgraded tires and wheels, but that is only a small part of it. No I do not plan to do a updated engine or trans. I don't need it.
I can up grade my suspension with using parts from Firm Feel Inc (front and rear) So handling is the main reason, I like to looks of a nice wheel that fits the wheel well. My car is going have a nice stance and no Donk or Low Rider look nothing wrong with it if that is what that person wants.
I don't know if I will ever buy a new car and I doubt I will But I will be able to keep from getting run over in my tank with improvements in all areas of my car.
 
The old cars came with point ignitions, bias ply tires, non halogen headlights..do we still want those items? well the older style headlights do work better in the fog but how often is it foggy
 
dodge freak said:
The old cars came with point ignitions, bias ply tires, non halogen headlights..do we still want those items? well the older style headlights do work better in the fog but how often is it foggy
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I wish I could find a way to convert my headlights to HID but with 4 headlights.
 
I like to get rid of the seal beams and get some custom composite headlights but first who could do it and second it be illegal.

Its why these newer cars look great, before all cars had to have the same headlights, today all can be different. Not really right cause some cars headlights work better than others. But who cars, traffic moves so slow around town it doesn't matter ha ha. In my town its stop at one traffic light for 1 min, drive a 1/2 mile, stop again for another red light, etc etc

Gone are the days were 2--3 cars would drive through the yellow light, now its first car stops and checks its email
 
Here we have no state inspections if it can be done I would try it. Guess I will have to stay with Silverstar headlights.
 
Oklacarcollecto said:
You are right there are no state inspections but the officers can and will give tickets for modification of original equipment. Especially on lighting.
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Dang that bites. But silverstars are a direct replacement low beam only.
 
But your dealing with police officers who are younger then these cars. You be surprise what they overlook.

Some are sharper then others.

And its not always illegal. Take a 1940's car with 6 volt headlights, if you upgraded them to the 12 volt lights who cares--I can't see a judge saying oh, you need to put the old dim headlights back on cause after all that is how it was in the 1940's

Here is some good read on headlight modifications, I like the author thinking, who will ever noticed? UPGRADING HEADLIGHTS -- LEGAL CONCERNS:
http://www.jag-lovers.org/books/xj-s/26-Lightmods.html
 
what does black or white have to do with rims :violent1:
 
Depends on my mood...right now I'm going for the classic factory look.
14 inchers only but on my 70 Challenger I was after that modern look.


Wilson
 

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I think big wheels make classics look like an over sized matchbox car. I live in a rural area, so big wheels would get bent around here. I'll stick with my 14s. If I were to change wheels(which I'm NOT), it would be 15s max.
BTW, my old Dart handles awesome with the 14s. It's about the suspension set up and proper inflation pressure, not how short a sidewall you can run. But that's just my opinion.
 
They aren't really doing away with them, you just can't get any that are speed rated beyond about 35MPH! Funny though, they are keeping the speed rated 13 inch tires for the mini sized jap crap!
 
polarman said:
I think big wheels make classics look like an over sized matchbox car. I live in a rural area, so big wheels would get bent around here. I'll stick with my 14s. If I were to change wheels(which I'm NOT), it would be 15s max.
BTW, my old Dart handles awesome with the 14s. It's about the suspension set up and proper inflation pressure, not how short a sidewall you can run. But that's just my opinion.
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There I have to disagree. 13,14,15 in tires have too much side wall deflection where a lower profile tire won't. But good or great handling just isn't the wheels and tires alone,there has to be changes to the factory suspension to improve it which is easy to do. Look at Pro Touring they take great handling to a new level.
 
dodge freak said:
Cause the new cars have way different headlights also, other then wheels and headlights its all the same. People don't change headlights cause its not easy to do--or they would along with the wheels.
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You're exactly right if headlights were easy to do everyone would do them. Cars with 2 headlights are easy because of the kits that are available in the Aftermarket. But when you get into cars like my Cordoba which has a 4 headlight system there is nothing out there. For a good reason there isn't much demand for them.
 
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