camar0corey

iTrader: (22)

Anyone on here running aftermarket 16" wheels? I am looking for something lightweight, durable for street use and looking good. I might end up just running the stock 5 spokes in place of my salad shooters. I am looking at what my 16" wheels options are. I would like them to weigh no more than the stock wheels, that is for sure.

I notice the trend is to go 17" or larger all the time. Well I sold my 17" z06 wheels from OE Wheels, as I couldn't swing the tires at the time, and also to my amusement I lost over 40 lbs. of rotating mass going back to 16" wheels.

So anyone on tech even running a 16" wheel? I like the car to handle, so no drag wheels that are going to destroy themselves when I'm out corner carving.

therealcreeper

iTrader: (37)

even if you can find a good looking, lightweight, cheap 16, there are very few tire options if you're into road racing/autox (still some options, not many though). i went from 16" base TA wheels to 17" ws6 wheels and the weight difference is nothing major. they're not super light but they're not a whole lot heavier. IMO the extra tire width and options is worth it.

since the price for bigger tires last time was an issue, keep in mind you can still run a 245 on a 17" wheel and they're quite a bit more affordable. might run into the lack of tire options again there though, never really looked.

i know that's not the kind of response you were looking for haha. here's a list of some wheel weights if it helps at all in your searches. looks like camaro 5 spokes are the lightest 16's on the list:
http://www.angelfire.com/my/fastcar/suspension.html

camar0corey

iTrader: (22)

Well maybe I will get lucky and snag a set of 4 17" magnesiums some day. I haven't gone to a autocross or road race course yet, but I would like to some day. I just have some nice curvy roads near my house I like to tear up.

I was shocked, my original goal was to get speedline c5 z06 wheels. I was disappointed though to find out they are only 2-3 lbs. lighter than the oe wheels c5 z06's I had. The 16" wheel each was 12 lbs. or so lighter than the 17" wheel. I dropped over 40 lbs. and it was rotating mass, I always thought rotating mass was bad yes?

therealcreeper

iTrader: (37)

yes rotating mass (and at the same time unsprung weight) is bad, but keep in mind you're driving on the street. if you're happy with the look of 16's, stick with them. otherwise try to find some zr1's or something. they're pretty light still. you have to be extremely consistent for 15 or less extra pounds regardless of where it is to make any difference really.

chances are you'll be running some mid level street/summer tires on the wheels anyway, not super sticky tires. personally i'd rather the extra width and shorter sidewall along with better looks than saving a few pounds.

leadfoot4

iTrader: (1)

Around 10-11 years ago, I bought a set of the "early" CCWs, the ones that looked very similar to the BBS crosslace rims. They were 16x9.5s, and back then, the tire manufacturers were a little more liberal with their "approved rim widths", so the OE sized 245/50s were "approved" to a max rim of 9.5".

I bought these wheels at the time my OE GoodYears wore out, as I wanted to improve the handling of the car, but stay with the 16" tires in deference to the rough roads in my area. I mounted a set of Pirelli P7000s on the wheels. I was pleased with both the looks and handling of the set-up. When the Pirellis wore out, I picked up another set of GoodYear GS-Cs, as SLP was selling them as "take-offs" from the Camaro SS, Firebird Firehawk program. Again, I was pleased with the handling.


A couple of years ago, I retired, and the car was no longer a daily commuter, therefore I didn't have to worry as much in dealing with the rough roads and potholes around here. Being a typical automotive hobbyist, I also wanted a new look for the car. I sold the CCWs, and bought a set of Intro "5 stars", in a 17x9.5" size, and a set of Fuzion ZRi tires, in the 275/40/17 size. So far, so good....