Should I lower my car for bigger wheels?
 

Hi all,

I am planning on getting bigger wheels for my BRZ (maybe 18x8 , 45 offset).

Should I lower my car for this upgrade?

I heard it looks like off-road car with bigger wheels on stock suspension.

Sure.


18x8 is a great size.
225/40/18 is the size of tire i'd suggest.
+45 will fit no problem, but if there is an offset slightly smaller, like +40 or better yet +35, I'd get that instead.

Wheel gap will decrease by .125 inch. ( because the tire is .25 inch taller) So basically it is the same.

So if you want to lower your car now, you will with 18s also.

IMO, there is no question that the car looks better when lowered moderately. But to me, it looks fine as stock, as well and does not look "off road". If you currently have 17" wheels then moving to 18's AND lowering your car will make your ride quality stiffer. Unless you race your car, the handling improvement will not be significant. The most important factor if you have OEM tires is to upgrade your tires.

To me, ride quality as a daily driver is important, but I'm changing out the tires to Michelin PS4S 225's on OEM 17" rims. Even though I think the car looks better with a 1 to 1.5 inch drop, I'm not willing to give up on ride quality. Some people like the feel of a stiffer, lowered, car, and if you feel that way, a moderate drop may be good for you.

I don't want to lower my car, but if my bigger wheels make my car ugly, then I have no choice..

So you are saying having bigger wheels actually lower my car?

I don't understand your logic but I think I can answer your questions.

No, bigger wheels will not make your car ugly, it will fill the wheel well out better, similar in effect to lowering the car.

Bigger wheels wont lower your car but it will make it APPEAR a little lower.

I hear what you are saying, but you are making broad generalizations that are not really accurate. Spring rate along with amount of drop will determine stiffness. Not just because the car is lower.


Additionally, with enough suspension parts, you can lower your car and retain the shock travel. There are top hats and LCA that allow you to add travel.


My eibach Prokit (TRD) springs do not change the ride quality negatively. And, I would not say it is much stiffer at all. They have a progressive spring rate and retain much of the stock feel.

No. Your speedometer is controlled by the number of times your wheels turn. The outside diameter of your stock wheels is
24.62'', the outside diameter of the 225/40 is25.08''.
The slightly larger tire will "eat up" some of the wheel gap and lift your car at the same time. (if only .23 of an inch - or half of the difference between the two diameters) My math was wrong before.

I rode in a car with TRD springs, and I could definitely feel a significantly stiffer ride. The TRD springs do have a higher spring rate. Even if you retain your shock travel, the springs alone will make it stiffer. And many of the shocks that retain travel are stiffer in the first place. Like I said, some people actually like the feel of a stiffer ride and some of us are more sensitive to a degradation of ride quality. It's a personal choice, but I thought the OP should know all of the facts.