16x7 vs 18x8 inch - TWS T66F
 

Hi guys! Decided on getting platform-specific wheels from TWS and available here are 16 and 18 inchers.

my goal is less weight for better performance/functionality, while retaining stock diameter/height and suspension dynamics. A/T Car will be NA for life, stock suspension, maybe 4.56 FD later on. Hot tropical country. I need more grip but not racing levels, still want playfulness but better ride comfort.

16s seem to be vastly lighter, and cheaper. but tire choices are confusing. 205 vs 255. And more rubber seems to add more weight. Lastly, although ride comfort improves, i don’t want turns to be squishy and less responsive. Ive heard i should get a stiffer 225?

18s with this wheel seem so good just because they’re so light that more wheel beats more rubber for T66, also, 18s are more popular so easier to sell if needed down the road since they look so good. Aside from Potential to have a BBK (which i dont need), any other advantage an 18 has? Probably on 225/40/18. I know theres less tire, But since the overall weight is lighter, will the ride quality still be better than stock 17s?


End of the day, i just want better ride quality vs stock 17, without losing dynamics/feel if this is possible. I am not willing to give up any nimbleness/steering/planted feel in exchange for comfort.

I'm using Indy 500's. They're a popular street tire with a stiff sidewall. I have a set of 225/50 R16. the 225 width is just for looks. I think they work very well for the streets and offer more sidewall for a better ride. Mine are not squishy....Some people prefer the look of the 18" wheels.

Here's some results from Tire rack

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Firestone&tireModel=Firehawk+In dy+500&partnum=245WR7FHI5XLvehicleSearch=false&fro mCompare1=yes


Click on specs


205/55 R16 = 21lbs

225/50 R16 = 22lbs

225/40 R18 = 23lbs

So, the 18" tire is actually heavier.

Use this to calculate wheel and tire sizes.

https://www.wheel-size.com/calc/?whe...cl=50mm&sr=0mm

Like you my goals were to increase ride comfort without sacrificing performance. However I also wanted to improve efficiency since I drive a lot of boring highway to work. I chose to go with the 205s over 225s because they are lighter, cheaper and slightly more narrow for better efficiency. The tires I went with are the Continental ExtremeContact Sports because I felt Max Performance tires were the best all around summer tires. To fix the squish and decrease in responsiveness from running 16s, I followed advice of others on here and run the tire pressure at 40psi. This make the sidewalls much stiffer, also improves efficiency with just a slight decrease in ride comfort. My previous setup was 5 years of 225/45/17 Michelin Pilot Super Sports and I now have noticeably better ride quality, better MPG and the performance feels just as good for spirited driving.

Depends on your exact goals of application and road conditions. You'll find more comfort utilizing a suspension setup that has actual road test refinement built into the valving, which usually comes at a premium. The TWS Forged 18" wheels are much lighter than advertised and we have noted a significant difference in feel and acceleration compared to other lightweight wheels.

Thanks for the advice. Lastly, i noticed 17s arent hub centric unlike the 18s which are platform specific. Will going 17x7 need a spacer? Someone told me our cars are lug centric and not hubcentric therefore should be no issue? If thats the case why did tws bother making hubcentric sizes?


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A local shop said continentals arent “tropicalized” for highly humid countries like here :( they may be prone to chipping and wearing down. This sucks lol


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To
Does that local shop actually sell Continentals, or are they just trying to sell you a brand that they stock? I've never heard of "tropicalization", and find it odd that a tire with such a great reputation for wet performance could somehow be degraded by relative humidity...

I think you mean a hub ring rather than a spacer. The 17 x 8” looks like they have 67mm hubs while the 86 has 56mm so if you want them hubcentric you’d need a 67mm to 56mm hub ring.

https://www.tws-forged.com/tws_t66-f.html

You’ll also want to check the offset has the wheels sitting inset, flush or with the poke you like. TWS T66-f are damn expensive so you should get the size and flushness you like as it’s a shame to put a 10, 20 or 25mm spacer to get the flush fit you want. Hub rings are fine though so if you want 17” I wouldn’t hesitate.

I’ve had both the T66-f in 18x9” and 18x9.5” in the specific 86 hub of 56mm. Both sit nice and flush with the 9.5” slightly more flush. At +44 and +45 they don’t poke like the more common +38 that poke too much for my liking in 18x9.5”.

The 9.5” do rub on the chassis rail in front at full lock.the 9” don’t. I put steering stops in the front to stop that and use the 9.5” on track and for daily driving. Sold the 9” as I like the slightly more flush look of the 9.5”. I use 265/35 tires all around as I like the fat look over performance but I use them on track and don’t notice them being slower than my mate that has 18x8”.

I also have coilovers and you may find the +44 and +45 offset of the 18x9” and 18x9.5” may hit the stock springs if you don’t have coilovers.

Photos of your car? :P Wonder how 16 looks on 225/50

This was right after I installed RCE Yellows.



http://oi65.tinypic.com/25sa8hd.jpg

Here's a thread dedicated to 16" wheels if you haven't seen it.


http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=27023

Doesn't matter if they are hubcentric or not. Make sure you torque down the lugs properly in a star pattern and it'll line up properly. TWS never intended to make a 17" option for the BRZ/FR-S. We did make a short run of our CSG Spec TWS T66-F 17" wheels and made them with a 56.1mm hubcenter.

What lugs do you recommend for the t66f and our cars?


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Any tuner lugs with the proper tapered end will "center" the wheels properly. There are a plethora of options available including our CSG Spec chromoly lug nuts. :thumbsup: