Road and Track article about downsizing wheels

[TheBigG]

I don't understand why they talk about diameter of the wheel. I think they mix up things. It is the ET that influence the torque steering.
Then....I started with a Saab 9-3 Viggen tuned to 270hp and 400Nm. That car was like a wild horse under accelerations. I had to fight with the car to keep it strait and that made it a very fun car for me (but not for my passengers...). I know it sounds crazy but sometimes I think that all this perfection that we get in the Type R is a bit....boring....!

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[RacingManiac]

I think they mentioned diameter is because they don't make high offset wheels for 18s for this car, so going smaller necessitate moving the offset...

 

[circuit.heart]

No, it's because running skinny (tread width and sidewall) tires with no compliance on a 300+whp FWD car is retarded. Compliance is grip, compliance is durability. Giving the CTR 265 or even 275/35/18 up front in a nice summer compound completely transforms the car into something better. That width just necessitates some offset drop to get the inside of the tire off the strut (backspacing), that's all.

There may be a multitude of reasons why Honda decided on factory 20's, but try finding one person who has gone slower or bent more wheels after dropping to 18's.

 

[TheBigG]

I would really like to know why Honda went from 19" (FK2 Type R) to 20". I mean an official explanation....

 

[taiso0019]

I would really like to know why Honda went from 19" (FK2 Type R) to 20". I mean an official explanation....

Two reasons I can think of:

• Looks - almost every performance oriented car these days has bigger wheels to fill the wells/arches.
• Steering 'feel' - this one is subjective, but going to 255-30 tires on the stock wheels I gained a bit more sidewall and immediately noticed a bit of the steering was numbed. Not significant but because of EPS I suspect that is another reason so many manufacturers go the big wheel+rubber band route. They're forcing more contact with the ground (and a more stiff 'motorsporty' sensation) by having almost no tire between it and the wheel, instead of spending more money in making that part of the experience in the first place.

Don't think anyone at Honda would care to comment though...

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