Wheels: Size & Weight

Wheels: Size & Weight

Author
Discussion

Tam Lin

Original Poster:

694 posts

254 months

Tuesday 15th April 2003
quotequote all
Hi, I'm after advice.
:Newbie warning:
The 4.2 we bought comes with early 16" wheels. Assuming a suspension upgrade to Nitron shocks (or, if we're feeling particularly rich next year, the race-Tuscan adjustable set-up), which wheel size is most effective on track, 16, 17 or 18"?

A corollary of this question is the weight of the wheels. I know nothing about Cerbies, but in the porsche world, it is relatively easy to work out weights for wheels & wheel/tyre combinations, hence unsprung weight ratios. There is an optimum weight/grip/handling/can-still-get-full-lock-on size, which for porkers in my experience is some way below the max-pose size.

So..
1) Are e.g. Spiders in 16" lighter/heavier then the early wheels?
2) What size wheels do people use on track (e.g. as a second set)?

washy

950 posts

277 months

Wednesday 16th April 2003
quotequote all
Have a chat with Guy at Nitron. Very clever chap. Contact details on his website nitron.co.uk. I think his shocks are front runners in the Tuscan champs anyway and are a hell of a lot cheaper than Ohlins. Also top of the range Nitron jobs are fully adjustable too. I bet he'll have answers re wheel sizes and unsprung mass etc etc...

Good luck

Washy

ro_butler

795 posts

272 months

Wednesday 16th April 2003
quotequote all
I think CDL (last years tuscan champs) actually use Penske dampers on their cars. They are going to fit my nitrons soon.

I don't think this wheel size will be a major factor on older cerbs since I am not sure that the rest of the suspension set up is optimal enough for you to notice (however washy's car may be a different story).

Ask DannyLT, he did a lot of track time and ran 18" spiders. I think one of the main reasons for bigger wheels is that you can fit big brakes that fade less, certainly this is what danny did.

Rob.

Tam Lin

Original Poster:

694 posts

254 months

Friday 18th April 2003
quotequote all
Thanks for advice..sounds like Nitrons-r-us, then. Must be some brake kit that needs 18" wheels..

ro_butler

795 posts

272 months

Saturday 19th April 2003
quotequote all
It was, 8 pot brembo calipers and 370mm discs (I think).