18's versus 19's rims? What do you prefer
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From: orange county
c300
18's versus 19's rims? What do you prefer
Just looking for a collective opinion on what people prefer and what looks best. I was debating putting rotiform 19 sna's on my w204 however now may go with 18's.
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From: Argyle, TX
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I pretty much hate the 19s on my daughter's W203 and personally wouldn't put anything over 18s in these things. Especially if you put any weight whatsoever in ride comfort.
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From: Atlanta, GA
2008 C300 Sport 6 Speed Manual, 1953 Chevy Bel-Air, 2015 Audi allroad, 1963 Chevy Apache
I went with 18s and am extremely happy with them. With a better tire and lighter wheel, the ride quality from my old 17s is actually improved a bit. I think the 19s would have been too harsh and too susceptible to pothole damage around ATL.
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I prefered the 17's, for the ride quality and more confidence that I'm not going to get a pinch flat or rim damage on rough roads in the city, like from hidden potholes in the city, in winter, that are filled with water.
If you have the luxury of smooth roads and no hidden potholes, the 18's will work fine, and are a standard option.
In suspension design, the tire is considered to be a spring in series with the coil spring. In the 16"-17" range, it is soft enough to influence the ride comfort. The larger the wheel dia, the shorter and stiffer the tire sidewall, and the stiffer the ride. Look at the sidewall of a 19" tire with same OD as the spec tire options. They have "rim protecting" sidewalls that are thick and stick out to be over the edge of the rim. Those tires have no give, resulting in a stiff ride. You also must use very little camber with these.
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If you have the luxury of smooth roads and no hidden potholes, the 18's will work fine, and are a standard option.
In suspension design, the tire is considered to be a spring in series with the coil spring. In the 16"-17" range, it is soft enough to influence the ride comfort. The larger the wheel dia, the shorter and stiffer the tire sidewall, and the stiffer the ride. Look at the sidewall of a 19" tire with same OD as the spec tire options. They have "rim protecting" sidewalls that are thick and stick out to be over the edge of the rim. Those tires have no give, resulting in a stiff ride. You also must use very little camber with these.
.
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