17 inch rims and lowering - will it mess up the handling?

[parmvr6 0]

Hi Guys

 

I'm a recent convert to the VW world just wanted your advice on whether adding BBS 17inch split rims and new lower coilovers will ruin the handling? I bought my mint 50k miles 95 VR6 Blackberry rado yesterday can't wait to get it perfect :help:

[kenny_ken01 0]

Hi Mate,

 

I had bbs rs 301's 17's and lowered my coillies... handled like a dream! Tyres were 9.25 wide on the rear.

 

Kenny

[boost monkey 0]

plenty plenty plenty articles on this mate, use the search.

 

technically, it will misalign your suspension geometry unless you do something to correct it.

[Leonard 0]

I have ummed and indeed arrred about this for a long time! 7 years in fact :cough:

 

So just fitted 17's with 205 section tyres last week. I dont really notice any loss in accelaration and the ride is not as bad as I feared either. In some ways on some surfaces it is actually better. Although my glove box keeps popping open so it must be a bit harsher LOL.

 

One of the things I have noticed and I cant really work this one out is that I get a lot more tramlining/torque steer with the new wheels despite them wearing the same section rubber. I can only put this down to the extra rotating mass of the wheels and tyres and maybe also a lack of grip from the lower pro tyres?????

 

If you like to drive your car hard I would say stick with the std wheels or get some 16's which are probably the optimum. Otherwise go for 17's as they are not quite as compromised as I thought they would be.

 

Matt

[Supercharged 2]

You won't really notice much handling wise with the wider wheels but you will lose ride quality and you'll really notice this going from 15's to 17's let alone fitting coilies!

[parmvr6 0]

wow Firstly thank you for the advise, and secondly you guys certainly know your stuff!!!

 

Has any one got experience of mounting the Chrome audi TT compition rims ?? they look pretty good, plus i'm going to use the car to commute and they maybe easier to repair if I have a lapse in judgment and kerb them

[Supercharged 2]

TT comps do look awesome on a Corrado, offset is fine and thats what i'd run if I had a VR I reckon...

[A1 VR6 0]

You won't really notice much handling wise with the wider wheels but you will lose ride quality and you'll really notice this going from 15's to 17's let alone fitting coilies!

 

Absolutely correct Steve, I've run 15's, 16's and now on 17's and the loss of ride quality is quite noticeable going from 16's to 17's - IMHO 16's with 205 - 45 x 16 tyres are the best compromise.

 

Like I always say 16's for "Go" and 17's for "Show" :D

 

Oh and welcome, great colour and really low mileage - mine's on 59k and I thought that was low

[KADVR6 0]

also what suspension you going for?? this will have a huuuuuuge affect on the handling, i have had fk ak's :pukeright: koni colovers/H&R coilovers both of which were very good, but i have the weitec tx's at the moment which are the best i have had so far, also all the kw's are excellent also.

[junkie 0]

Im dropped about 50mm on F Konigsports, 17 x 7.5 x 215 all round, only ever drove a corrado with 17's and i love it, can be harsh on bad roads but thats the suspension been lowered for you, i drive mine very very hard with this set up, the faster i go on bumpy roads the smoother it is lol.

[fla 9]

I've just put on my 16" winter wheels - there is a big difference in ride comfort versus the 17" and thats on standard shocks. My 17s were/are TT comps, which i thionk suit the car perfectly. If you do get ehm and lower it,make sure you roll teh rear arches and get 5mm spacer so you can use the centre caps.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

One of the things I have noticed and I cant really work this one out is that I get a lot more tramlining/torque steer with the new wheels despite them wearing the same section rubber. I can only put this down to the extra rotating mass of the wheels and tyres and maybe also a lack of grip from the lower pro tyres?????

 

What's the offset of your 17s and what brand & model of tyres mate?

 

You won't really notice much handling wise with the wider wheels but you will lose ride quality and you'll really notice this going from 15's to 17's let alone fitting coilies!

 

Not quite as clear cut as that in imo. There are too many variables that subjectively influence ride quality and we don't all use the same roads for comparison. And imo, the Corrado in stock trim is far from a paragon in exceptional ride quality anyway, so we're not exactly starting with a brilliant platform to begin with.

 

Mine on 17s with coilovers rides a lot better than some Golfs and Corrados I've been in wearing 15s. It's better than my girlfriend's Polo GTI aswell, which is 100% stock and on 16s.

 

The golden rules I've stuck to over the years, are :- Damper quality, tyre quality, wheel weight & maintaining correct roll centre. Invest wisely in these areas and you can't go wrong.

[Leonard 0]

One of the things I have noticed and I cant really work this one out is that I get a lot more tramlining/torque steer with the new wheels despite them wearing the same section rubber. I can only put this down to the extra rotating mass of the wheels and tyres and maybe also a lack of grip from the lower pro tyres?????

 

What's the offset of your 17s and what brand & model of tyres mate?

 

 

Should all be spot on. 17x7.5, ET33 New Toyo Proxes in a 205 section, they were within 5mm of being the same overall diameter as my 15 inch Speedlines. Plus hefting them they didnt feel al lot heavier either.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

But VW use a narrow 6.5J wheel deep into the arch with a 50 profile 205.

 

You've put a 1J wider wheel into the same width tyre, with shallower sidewalls and 10mm further out. Tramlining is inevitable.

[Leonard 0]

But VW use a narrow 6.5J wheel deep into the arch with a 50 profile 205.

 

You've put a 1J wider wheel into the same width tyre, with shallower sidewalls and 10mm further out. Tramlining is inevitable.

 

Well yes I did kind of figure that. Other than finding a 7J 17 inch wheel though how can you make it any better, I mean you have to drop two sidewall sizes?

 

I thought it would affect ride comfort but I really didnt see it affecting the 'grip factor' so much. I cant really see it but would 215 section tyres have actually been better?

[Kevin Bacon 5]

You didn't say what tyres you're using. Tramlining can be caused solely by the tryre itself on some applications. Most of the car's natural tendency to tramline is solved with tyres anyway. Deep sidewalls give the tyre more flex to absorb it. Sporty 40s with hard sidewalls.....guess what, tramline central.....

 

But then you know all this already you say, so therefore you can figure out the answers for yourself :D

[Leonard 0]

You didn't say what tyres you're using. Tramlining can be caused solely by the tryre itself on some applications. Most of the car's natural tendency to tramline is solved with tyres anyway. Deep sidewalls give the tyre more flex to absorb it. Sporty 40s with hard sidewalls.....guess what, tramline central.....

 

But then you know all this already you say, so therefore you can figure out the answers for yourself :D

 

LOL Yeah I just needed confirmation of my ineptitude! I did say what tyres I was using, Toyo Proxes 205/40. They are sporty little numbers with hard sidewalls....hence the tramlining :grin:

[vwdeviant 0]

Yep Get Tramlining with my Yoko Prada-2's... Leonard, are you on Px2 or PX4's? Interesting to find if the 4's tramline badly as well. I can actually let the car drive itself on the inside lane of the M25 in places!

 

Back to the original Q my 16v is 60mm down on unknown springs and stock shocks (but I actually have a KW box that was delivered this morning sat behind me! :) Cheers Darren!) and on 17 LM Reps 7.5 wide 35 off set and 205/40/17's.

 

Ride comfort's not as bad as I thought it would but is more "Crashy" over some of the Bad E-London roads, hence the upgrade to KW-1's as the lower sidewall's shown up the deficits in the suspension package!

 

Having the Coiles throws up a new Q which is what do you consider the optimum ride height?

[mic_VR 3]

Yep Get Tramlining with my Yoko Prada-2's...

 

had a look at the last Q in this thread Jon?? *cough*cough*

[Kevin Bacon 5]

LOL Yeah I just needed confirmation of my ineptitude! I did say what tyres I was using, Toyo Proxes 205/40. They are sporty little numbers with hard sidewalls....hence the tramlining :grin:

 

LOL... Proxes T1-S or T1-R? You probably said that somewhere aswell but for some reason I'm not seeing it :D

The T1-S is a quite a soft tyre but the arrow head tread pattern does lend itself to tramlining though. The GSD1 and 2 Eagle F1s were bad for it too. T1-Rs have an outer tread that's partitioned off from the inner arrow heads and this works much better to reduce tramming.

 

I'm running 8x17s with Bridgestone RE050s and tramlining isn't too bad actually, but I found whacking up the low speed bump on the old KWs defo helps there.

[vwdeviant 0]

Yep Get Tramlining with my Yoko Prada-2's...

 

had a look at the last Q in this thread Jon?? *cough*cough*

 

*Cough -answered-cough* :wink:

[mic_VR 3]

Good man.

 

So what do people think the ideal tyre size for a 7Jx17 is? I've been looking at 205/40's for mine which gives almost the same rolling radius as the originals.

[Leonard 0]

Just to answer everyones question they are new Proxy 4's they tramline on bad roads not too bad on the smooth stuff though.

[vwdeviant 0]

Ideal, speedo reads about 5mph over... that way no Flashy-flashy in the mirrors as you pass yellow boxes!*

 

 

*If you're obeying speedlimits! All based on 16v 195/50/15 orginals though! :lol:

 

I'm moving down to 16's for the winter with 195/45's

[parmvr6 0]

I'm going to honest and say I don't have aclue what suspension to go for yet :scratch: i'm going to use the car for about 25 motorway miles and 20 round town a day so i need a balanced ride. Never really got too involved with after market suspension so i will basically buy and fit what you tell me too!!! plus i think i'm going to stick to 16" rims of some sort.

I've also noticed that although my car has standard discs and pads in very good condition it takes some going to stop the damn thing when your in full chatter, is this normal ?? if it is what sort of calipers and discs do you guys recommend?

 

sorry lots of questions, my apologies.... promise i'll show you some pics of the work once i've done it though!!! :D