Ah music to my ears. Smart guy with good education wants to know what the change will do from people who have done it. Makes him smarter in my book. This is just from asking the question by the way ....

Anyway, look at weight and look at offset. As it has been pointed out here pushing the wheel outward can exaggerate the problem. Then again you might like, as sleepR1 put it, a duller steering wheel.

 

Wow, you "east of the rockies" guys got an early start ... while I was still sleeping. I don't have an engineering degree, and even if I did, I wouldn't remember much of it after all these years. Even without a degree, I can see that you are both correct.

DamonB is right. Extra wheel weight will hamper acceleration. It is more rotational mass, that will require more power. Extra wheel weight will require more steering input, making the car less nimble.

Mahjik is right. If you are not on the track, or pushing the car hard on the street, a small increase in wheel weight (assuming no changes in wheel or tire size) will make so little difference that it would likely be unnoticeable.

I like the discussion, and the theories. Sorry to interrupt. What round are we in ??

 

Both of you are doing a great conversation! No hard words, no emotion....just facts and theories that you both think. I admire that on open INTERNET forum as most people would do it differently. You show an excellent example of how people should talk to others.

POM HB

 

What is a "small increase in wheel weight"? (to include tires) 5lbs? 8 lbs?

 

I noticed a reduction in "nimbleness" with a 6-7 lb weight gain per corner. Check your PMs, Chris...

 

I ended up going with SSR comps 17X9.5 and 17x8.5. Although they are still very light wheels, I noticed a slight sluggishness when I first put them on. Once I got used to it, its not noticeable at all.

 

My humorous dissertation on rotating/unsprung mass and stuff related to this:

https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.p...ht=formula+one