Lighter Wheel?
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2001
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The less rotational mass the better
Wheel weight is only one part of it. Wheel size is also important. The larger the wheel, the further the rotational mass gets pushed to the outside, making it harder for the wheel to turn. For acceleration, an 18lb 17" is better than an 18lb 18".
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Joined: Apr 2002
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A lighter wheel is easier for the engine to get moving...thus improving acceleration off the line..
but more importantly the lighter wheels will reduce some wear and tear on the suspension and provide a quicker and more nimble feel to the overall handling of the car.
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Joined: Jul 2001
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That's funny...
My car was noticeably more sluggish and had a decrease in braking performance when I put my 18s on. I could tell the difference on the street, especially trying to accel up an onramp. It was really noticeable in the canyons, where I couldn't accelerate out of turns as fast and my ABS came on more frequently.
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Cut through all the BS / speculation / wives tales - read the FAQ...
...and you'll realize that it wont make a significant difference in every day driving unless your stock wheel weight is in the mid twenty lb. range. If thats the case, you'd probably notice that the car is *slightly* more eager to get rolling from a standing start...but after that everything will feel pretty much the same.<ul><li><a href="https://www.audiworld.com/tech/wheel13.shtml">Effect of Wheel Mass on Acceleration</a></li></ul>
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Joined: Apr 2002
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The differance between my 27 lb Ronals and the 17 lb Volks was noticeable...
worth it...prolly not considering the Ronals were pounded for over a year without any concern for their well being without a ding, while the Volk's, with only a few months on them, trying to be careful as all hell have allready suffered a pretty good bend to the right front, which will be replaced shortly.