Wheels: 20's vs. 19's - performance?
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Super Member
Joined: Dec 2007
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From: Chandler, AZ
Dodge Challenger Hellcat Widebody, Porsche Cayenne, International Scout
Wheels: 20's vs. 19's - performance?
Hey, I was wondering if anyone could give me their thoughts on the following:
Right now, I am running a staggered wheel setup with 19 x 8.5's in the front and 19 x 9.5's in the rear on my 2004 E55. (Tires are 245/35/19 and 275/30/19, respectively.) I am thinking about going with 20's, still keeping the staggered setup (20 x 8.5's in front and 20 x 10's in back; tires will be 245/30/20 and 275/30/20). How will the 20's affect the performance on my Beast? I know that it should handle a little better, right? How about straight line speed though? Will it really slow me down? (FYI - I am currently running with a Kleemann K2 kit, so it's a little faster than stock
) I know many of you have made this change and I want to hear some feedback before I make my decision. Thanks so much!
AMG
Right now, I am running a staggered wheel setup with 19 x 8.5's in the front and 19 x 9.5's in the rear on my 2004 E55. (Tires are 245/35/19 and 275/30/19, respectively.) I am thinking about going with 20's, still keeping the staggered setup (20 x 8.5's in front and 20 x 10's in back; tires will be 245/30/20 and 275/30/20). How will the 20's affect the performance on my Beast? I know that it should handle a little better, right? How about straight line speed though? Will it really slow me down? (FYI - I am currently running with a Kleemann K2 kit, so it's a little faster than stock
) I know many of you have made this change and I want to hear some feedback before I make my decision. Thanks so much! AMG
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From: Long Island, New York
2006 E55 2004 Audi S4 (gone and missed)
Not 100% sure but I think 18's are the best if handling performance is your concern. As far as straight line speed and acceleration It depends upon the weight of the wheel. The lighter the better.
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ML550
20's are strictly for show, not performance. They generally are heavy wheels simply because of their size, meaning they require more power to start rolling and they require more braking to stop the car. From a braking standpoint, they generally will increase your stopping distances and as a result, reduce your safety margins.
In addition to the negatives associated with the enormous unsprung weight of 20" rims, you will find that the overall diameters of the tire sizes you will need to use with 20" wheels on an E55 are much taller than the stock size tires, or even the 245/275 combo frequently used on 19's. This larger tire diameter adversely affects the car's gearing. I haven't done the math recently, but your rearend effective gearing probably drops from its stock 2.65 down into the 2.5X range. Not good for straight-line acceleration.
Also, don't forget the cost of 20" tires. Not cheap and with the extremely short sidewalls, you better hope you drive where there are good roads. Otherwise, plan on bending your rims more frequently since 20" tires don't offer the cushioning from impact that either the stock tire sizes do, or even 19s for that matter.
And finally, the "show" you get from 20" rims is offset by how puny the stock AMG brakes now look behind them. Almost looks like some Hondas I've seen with big wheels and tiny brakes.
If none of the above factors are important, then yes, there are some great looking 20" rims out there. Just understand why you're putting them on your car before dropping the cash on them.
In addition to the negatives associated with the enormous unsprung weight of 20" rims, you will find that the overall diameters of the tire sizes you will need to use with 20" wheels on an E55 are much taller than the stock size tires, or even the 245/275 combo frequently used on 19's. This larger tire diameter adversely affects the car's gearing. I haven't done the math recently, but your rearend effective gearing probably drops from its stock 2.65 down into the 2.5X range. Not good for straight-line acceleration.
Also, don't forget the cost of 20" tires. Not cheap and with the extremely short sidewalls, you better hope you drive where there are good roads. Otherwise, plan on bending your rims more frequently since 20" tires don't offer the cushioning from impact that either the stock tire sizes do, or even 19s for that matter.
And finally, the "show" you get from 20" rims is offset by how puny the stock AMG brakes now look behind them. Almost looks like some Hondas I've seen with big wheels and tiny brakes.
If none of the above factors are important, then yes, there are some great looking 20" rims out there. Just understand why you're putting them on your car before dropping the cash on them.
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Joined: Nov 2008
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From: Columbus OH
A4, M3, 996, E55
Well put sir!
20's are strictly for show, not performance. They generally are heavy wheels simply because of their size, meaning they require more power to start rolling and they require more braking to stop the car. From a braking standpoint, they generally will increase your stopping distances and as a result, reduce your safety margins.
In addition to the negatives associated with the enormous unsprung weight of 20" rims, you will find that the overall diameters of the tire sizes you will need to use with 20" wheels on an E55 are much taller than the stock size tires, or even the 245/275 combo frequently used on 19's. This larger tire diameter adversely affects the car's gearing. I haven't done the math recently, but your rearend effective gearing probably drops from its stock 2.65 down into the 2.5X range. Not good for straight-line acceleration.
Also, don't forget the cost of 20" tires. Not cheap and with the extremely short sidewalls, you better hope you drive where there are good roads. Otherwise, plan on bending your rims more frequently since 20" tires don't offer the cushioning from impact that either the stock tire sizes do, or even 19s for that matter.
And finally, the "show" you get from 20" rims is offset by how puny the stock AMG brakes now look behind them. Almost looks like some Hondas I've seen with big wheels and tiny brakes.
If none of the above factors are important, then yes, there are some great looking 20" rims out there. Just understand why you're putting them on your car before dropping the cash on them.
In addition to the negatives associated with the enormous unsprung weight of 20" rims, you will find that the overall diameters of the tire sizes you will need to use with 20" wheels on an E55 are much taller than the stock size tires, or even the 245/275 combo frequently used on 19's. This larger tire diameter adversely affects the car's gearing. I haven't done the math recently, but your rearend effective gearing probably drops from its stock 2.65 down into the 2.5X range. Not good for straight-line acceleration.
Also, don't forget the cost of 20" tires. Not cheap and with the extremely short sidewalls, you better hope you drive where there are good roads. Otherwise, plan on bending your rims more frequently since 20" tires don't offer the cushioning from impact that either the stock tire sizes do, or even 19s for that matter.
And finally, the "show" you get from 20" rims is offset by how puny the stock AMG brakes now look behind them. Almost looks like some Hondas I've seen with big wheels and tiny brakes.
If none of the above factors are important, then yes, there are some great looking 20" rims out there. Just understand why you're putting them on your car before dropping the cash on them.
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2004 E55
Want to go faster, handle better stop and accelerate faster? stick with 18's, if there was a way of squeezing the brakes under a 17 that would be even better.
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From: Long Island, New York
2006 E55 2004 Audi S4 (gone and missed)
Actually with 19's that K2 kit is probally as fast as stock, but not faster. the 20's will NOT make your car handle better. Just the opposite, it's going to handle worse, ride harsher, stop longer and accelerate slower.
Want to go faster, handle better stop and accelerate faster? stick with 18's, if there was a way of squeezing the brakes under a 17 that would be even better.
Want to go faster, handle better stop and accelerate faster? stick with 18's, if there was a way of squeezing the brakes under a 17 that would be even better.
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From: San Diego
2004 E55
It has to do with the weight of wheel, and the distribution of the weight within that given wheel. More weight further from the center of the wheel is going to have an adverse affect on performance. There was a good discussion about this topic recently actually. I believe komp55 started the thread.
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ML550
Overall diameter also matters for the reason I stated in my previous post above. To the extent the tire is taller than stock, it causes and effective gearing reduction.
You can have larger wheels that improve performance. The 19" RS-GT is a perfect example. Weighs far less than even a stock E55 18" wheel, so it will a huge upgrade in both handling and performance. The diameters on 245/275 19" tires are only very slighly higher than the stock size tires, so any difference is more than offset by the weight savings.
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Thread Starter
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Joined: Dec 2007
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From: Chandler, AZ
Dodge Challenger Hellcat Widebody, Porsche Cayenne, International Scout
That's good information to know. My 19's that I have now are actually considered "lightweight," so I think I'm still faster than stock
Thread Starter
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Joined: Dec 2007
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From: Chandler, AZ
Dodge Challenger Hellcat Widebody, Porsche Cayenne, International Scout
Actually with 19's that K2 kit is probally as fast as stock, but not faster. the 20's will NOT make your car handle better. Just the opposite, it's going to handle worse, ride harsher, stop longer and accelerate slower.
Want to go faster, handle better stop and accelerate faster? stick with 18's, if there was a way of squeezing the brakes under a 17 that would be even better.
Want to go faster, handle better stop and accelerate faster? stick with 18's, if there was a way of squeezing the brakes under a 17 that would be even better.
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2004 E55
It's not just the weight of the wheel, it's the fact that the weight of the the tire is further out.
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From: Ft Lauderdale, Florida
G63, 360CS, CLK63 BS, 997.2TT, 328D
I run the CCW 19s on my E55 and they are 21lb in front and 21.5 in the rear and made a huge difference over the Stock 18s in weight, and feel. I wanted 19s for the look on the E55 but didnt want to lose performance so some BBS's, CCW and Fiske are all great choices.
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From: Chicago, IL
Real Cars
20's are strictly for show, not performance. They generally are heavy wheels simply because of their size, meaning they require more power to start rolling and they require more braking to stop the car. From a braking standpoint, they generally will increase your stopping distances and as a result, reduce your safety margins.
In addition to the negatives associated with the enormous unsprung weight of 20" rims, you will find that the overall diameters of the tire sizes you will need to use with 20" wheels on an E55 are much taller than the stock size tires, or even the 245/275 combo frequently used on 19's. This larger tire diameter adversely affects the car's gearing. I haven't done the math recently, but your rearend effective gearing probably drops from its stock 2.65 down into the 2.5X range. Not good for straight-line acceleration.
Also, don't forget the cost of 20" tires. Not cheap and with the extremely short sidewalls, you better hope you drive where there are good roads. Otherwise, plan on bending your rims more frequently since 20" tires don't offer the cushioning from impact that either the stock tire sizes do, or even 19s for that matter.
And finally, the "show" you get from 20" rims is offset by how puny the stock AMG brakes now look behind them. Almost looks like some Hondas I've seen with big wheels and tiny brakes.
If none of the above factors are important, then yes, there are some great looking 20" rims out there. Just understand why you're putting them on your car before dropping the cash on them.
In addition to the negatives associated with the enormous unsprung weight of 20" rims, you will find that the overall diameters of the tire sizes you will need to use with 20" wheels on an E55 are much taller than the stock size tires, or even the 245/275 combo frequently used on 19's. This larger tire diameter adversely affects the car's gearing. I haven't done the math recently, but your rearend effective gearing probably drops from its stock 2.65 down into the 2.5X range. Not good for straight-line acceleration.
Also, don't forget the cost of 20" tires. Not cheap and with the extremely short sidewalls, you better hope you drive where there are good roads. Otherwise, plan on bending your rims more frequently since 20" tires don't offer the cushioning from impact that either the stock tire sizes do, or even 19s for that matter.
And finally, the "show" you get from 20" rims is offset by how puny the stock AMG brakes now look behind them. Almost looks like some Hondas I've seen with big wheels and tiny brakes.
If none of the above factors are important, then yes, there are some great looking 20" rims out there. Just understand why you're putting them on your car before dropping the cash on them.
I know I am a bit of a hypocrite though because I bought 20s for my SL... LOL
-m
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From: San Jose
08 E 6point3-sold- 11 caddy cts-v-sold, 2012 E63 Palladium Silver
wheels
there are two reasons people switch out their wheels. Looks and or performance
Most 19 inch wheels with a lip look small on the E. Monoblocks look bigger due to the spokes extending to the outer most part of the wheel
There is no doubt that a 20 inch wheel looks perfect for the w211 chasis
BUt with the cost of looks, comes problems- you will sometime in ownership of a 20 inch wheel bend your wheel. Just the price to look cool
If performance is such a big deal, you should really pick up some light 18's with larger widths so you can stuff some more rubber
I currently 20's and love the look. Had 19's and people kept asking if my wheels were 18 inch- pissed me off
so, 20's are heavier, tires are more expensive, and not better in performance- They just look great
Most 19 inch wheels with a lip look small on the E. Monoblocks look bigger due to the spokes extending to the outer most part of the wheel
There is no doubt that a 20 inch wheel looks perfect for the w211 chasis
BUt with the cost of looks, comes problems- you will sometime in ownership of a 20 inch wheel bend your wheel. Just the price to look cool
If performance is such a big deal, you should really pick up some light 18's with larger widths so you can stuff some more rubber
I currently 20's and love the look. Had 19's and people kept asking if my wheels were 18 inch- pissed me off
so, 20's are heavier, tires are more expensive, and not better in performance- They just look great
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 582
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From: Chandler, AZ
Dodge Challenger Hellcat Widebody, Porsche Cayenne, International Scout
Thanks to everyone for their thoughts. Bottom line: I'm not really going to have my Beast on the track, so will the change in performance (losses) that I experience from the 20's be noticeable enough to make my E55 not as much fun to drive anymore in an everyday environment?
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From: San Diego
2004 E55
Thanks to everyone for their thoughts. Bottom line: I'm not really going to have my Beast on the track, so will the change in performance (losses) that I experience from the 20's be noticeable enough to make my E55 not as much fun to drive anymore in an everyday environment?
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 2,123
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From: Chicago, IL
Real Cars
there are two reasons people switch out their wheels. Looks and or performance
Most 19 inch wheels with a lip look small on the E. Monoblocks look bigger due to the spokes extending to the outer most part of the wheel
There is no doubt that a 20 inch wheel looks perfect for the w211 chasis
BUt with the cost of looks, comes problems- you will sometime in ownership of a 20 inch wheel bend your wheel. Just the price to look cool
If performance is such a big deal, you should really pick up some light 18's with larger widths so you can stuff some more rubber
I currently 20's and love the look. Had 19's and people kept asking if my wheels were 18 inch- pissed me off
so, 20's are heavier, tires are more expensive, and not better in performance- They just look great
Most 19 inch wheels with a lip look small on the E. Monoblocks look bigger due to the spokes extending to the outer most part of the wheel
There is no doubt that a 20 inch wheel looks perfect for the w211 chasis
BUt with the cost of looks, comes problems- you will sometime in ownership of a 20 inch wheel bend your wheel. Just the price to look cool
If performance is such a big deal, you should really pick up some light 18's with larger widths so you can stuff some more rubber
I currently 20's and love the look. Had 19's and people kept asking if my wheels were 18 inch- pissed me off
so, 20's are heavier, tires are more expensive, and not better in performance- They just look great
-m
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,717
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CLS55 AMG & RRS S/C
are the stock E55 18"rims pretty heavy?
id like to find a set of 18" or smaller rims for my car. (CLS55)
im assuming that the E55 and CLS55 brakes are the same so i should be able to fit oem E55 rims on my car.
based on this info, i guess this has something to do with the E55 being faster than the CLS55. (stock 18s vs stock 19s)
any other light weight rim suggestions?
id like to find a set of 18" or smaller rims for my car. (CLS55)
im assuming that the E55 and CLS55 brakes are the same so i should be able to fit oem E55 rims on my car.
based on this info, i guess this has something to do with the E55 being faster than the CLS55. (stock 18s vs stock 19s)
any other light weight rim suggestions?
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 582
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From: Chandler, AZ
Dodge Challenger Hellcat Widebody, Porsche Cayenne, International Scout
It will be noticeable... But whether it is not as fun for you will be up for you to decide. I know it would be a deal breaker for me. If I wanted an e-class on 20's, I could have saved a bunch of money and went with a lesser model, but I bought the E55 because of it's performance.
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Posts: 2,597
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From: Kuwait
CLS55 2006, CLS 63S 2015
are the stock E55 18"rims pretty heavy?
id like to find a set of 18" or smaller rims for my car. (CLS55)
im assuming that the E55 and CLS55 brakes are the same so i should be able to fit oem E55 rims on my car.
based on this info, i guess this has something to do with the E55 being faster than the CLS55. (stock 18s vs stock 19s)
any other light weight rim suggestions?
id like to find a set of 18" or smaller rims for my car. (CLS55)
im assuming that the E55 and CLS55 brakes are the same so i should be able to fit oem E55 rims on my car.
based on this info, i guess this has something to do with the E55 being faster than the CLS55. (stock 18s vs stock 19s)
any other light weight rim suggestions?
they look like the E's 5 spoke design, but they are not the same et width I believe, maybe just one or the other
I know the rear ones differ for sure then the E's as they comes with 285 rear tires stock
also pilot I have asked my self this question...18 vs. 19 and came with this result
M5 uses 19 wheels, P 997 turbo uses 19
lots of super cars use 19
SL65 uses 19/ sl65 blk uses 20 rears so does the clk DTM
SLR 19 also
Nissan GTR 20!
Now is the list above of cars that are slow? no and we know the M's shine at higher speeds which means if going form 18-19 was that bad as (stock vs. K2 argument), we would have seen it in these cars
Which leads me to believe its more of a weight thing first then the size...
Last edited by Zod; Mar 12, 2009 at 07:19 PM.
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CLS55 AMG & RRS S/C
i didnt know that the CLS55 had an 18" wheel option. i guess it wasnt available in canada.
mine just came with 19s and there werent any other choices as far as i can remember.
also, the performance package wasnt even available at the time i ordered.
id like to try and see how much faster the car would be on a smaller and lighter rim though
mine just came with 19s and there werent any other choices as far as i can remember.
also, the performance package wasnt even available at the time i ordered.
id like to try and see how much faster the car would be on a smaller and lighter rim though
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 2,597
Likes: 19
From: Kuwait
CLS55 2006, CLS 63S 2015
i didnt know that the CLS55 had an 18" wheel option. i guess it wasnt available in canada.
mine just came with 19s and there werent any other choices as far as i can remember.
also, the performance package wasnt even available at the time i ordered.
id like to try and see how much faster the car would be on a smaller and lighter rim though
mine just came with 19s and there werent any other choices as far as i can remember.
also, the performance package wasnt even available at the time i ordered.
id like to try and see how much faster the car would be on a smaller and lighter rim though
As for weight hmmm sprins had a nice little sheet with all the AMG wheels and how much they weigh nag him to post it as i am too lazy to look throug my docs to find it
