Question for people thinking 20 Inch (30 sidewall) is for show

fiend busa

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I've noticed almost all high performance cars are running 19-20 inch rims with 30 sidewalls.

AWD - all around 30 sidewall or 30s just in the rear
RWD - 30 sidewall on the rear wheels and 35 side walls in the front
Fastest FWD (the chinese car) 30 series all around with 20 inch rims. It was running 265/30R20 all around to achieve the fastest non production FWD lap at the ring

Thoughts? Just because I see a lot of people hating on the Type R with 30 sidewall tires on 20 inch rims. Some claiming it doesnt do anything for torque steer.

Surely the fastest non production FWD wouldnt be running 265/30R20 then, since they dont have to worry about the marketing aspect so that tire setup was purely to achieve the best lap time.
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Caestus

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I've noticed almost all high performance cars are running 19-20 inch rims with 30 sidewalls.

AWD - all around 30 sidewall or 30s just in the rear
RWD - 30 sidewall on the rear wheels and 35 side walls in the front
Fastest FWD (the chinese car) 30 series all around with 20 inch rims. It was running 265/30R20 all around to achieve the fastest non production FWD lap at the ring

Thoughts? Just because I see a lot of people hating on the Type R with 30 sidewall tires on 20 inch rims. Some claiming it doesnt do anything for torque steer.

Surely the fastest non production FWD wouldnt be running 265/30R20 then, since they dont have to worry about the marketing aspect so that tire setup was purely to achieve the best lap time.

Not all 30 sidewall numbers are the same....

a 265/30R20 has almost 7% higher of a sidewall of the stock 245/30R20 has.

On a Type R you may rub.... 265 is the width of the tire in millimeters. 30 is the aspect ratio of the width. and the R is the diameter.



The sidewall does nothing for torque steer. The offset and suspension does

I hope this helps you.
 
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fiend busa

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Not all 30 sidewall numbers are the same....

a 265/30R20 has almost 7% higher of a sidewall of the stock 245/30R20 has.

On a Type R you may rub.... 265 is the width of the tire in millimeters. 30 is the aspect ratio of the width. and the R is the diameter.



The sidewall does nothing for torque steer. The offset and suspension does

I hope this helps you.

Thanks!

So why are these RWD performance cars running 30 series in the rear but 35 in the front? Is it for the sharp handling/turn that thin sidewalls provide that I hear about often?
 

tinyman392

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Thanks!

So why are these RWD performance cars running 30 series in the rear but 35 in the front? Is it for the sharp handling/turn that thin sidewalls provide that I hear about often?
A staggered setup can do this. 305/30 has about same sidewall thickness as a 265/35.

Edit: for reference the 305/30 has a 25% thicker sidewall than a 245/30 found on the stock Type R.

Edit 2: the 265/35 does technically have a slightly thicker sidewall over the 305/30 (it's about a 1.25mm difference).
 
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davemarco

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Do we know what the widest tire that the stock wheels can accommodate (at stock height) is?
 


Caestus

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Thanks!

So why are these RWD performance cars running 30 series in the rear but 35 in the front? Is it for the sharp handling/turn that thin sidewalls provide that I hear about often?

As mentioned above many RWD cars that put down power run a staggered setup (wider wheel in the back than in the front) They NEED to run the lowest possible aspect ratio to keep as close of an outside diameter (O.D) as possible.

For comparison sake... I run a 245/35R19 and it is the same O.D as a 245/30R20.
 

Caestus

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Do we know what the widest tire that the stock wheels can accommodate (at stock height) is?

255-265. However, you cannot use spacers or lower the car.


265 would be pushing it imo.
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