Want to Raise a 2012 Pip. How Big A Rim Can I Use?

I am sure your Speedometer will be off. Don't know of any other problems other then maybe fender clearance

 

Not necessarily, you speedometer will depend on the final size of the tire not the rim .

Yes you could go with Prius plus rims 17" fittment and speed will be just fine

But it seems like you should look in to getting coil overs because getting bigger rims to improve ground clearance isn't the way to go usually it requires lower profile tires.

Or you could get 17" rims and bigger tires and use this tool to see what would really happen with the speedometer many members have Prius plus rims with any problemsTire Size Calculator - Compare Tire Sizes

Yes, almost everything can be used from the non-pip to the pip with the exception of some items, tires and rims are definitely interchangeable.

 

Seventeen inch Prius 5 wheels with 215x45x17 tires would be a easy swap with no effect other than a small loss of MPG. Actual "lift" would be marginal and wouldn't be cost effective unless you want a better look..

 

TruckNutz: Optional.

 

How utterly rediculous.

 

In the most awesome way possible!

 

One mans trash is another mans treasure I guess.

 

You're understating that the "lift" would be marginal, LOL. You'd actually being lowering the car, by a miniscule amount:

215/45R17 has smaller outside diameter than 195/65R15.

My 2 cents to the OP: leave it stock for a while, the madness will pass.

 

I've always felt the same way about some of the things that kids do to their cars today.
Tomorrow those kids will have their own kids that do something goofy to their rides "just like everybode else" so that they can be.....
different.
I believe that you have to ride YOUR ride.
Not mine.
FWIW?
I think that slamming or the blacked out "somebody stole my rims!" look is about as jacked up as the kids that put 44's and 12" body and frame lifts on their trucks, or the other folks that put $8,000 worth of rims on a $500 10-year-old primered out Impala.

To each his or her own.

 

Very true!

Very true!

 

FWIW, Honda markets (or did in recent past) a Civic model in some South American countries, that's got 1~2 inch greater ground clearance. Just by reworked suspension. In consideration of rougher road condtions.

I wouldn't have minded getting one of those, after trying to impersonate a snow plow once or twice.

Near the bottom of the main article here:

Honda Civic - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

You do realize it is meant to be ridiculous, right?

 

if you pick a larger diameter tire you can keep the 15" rims and gain ground clearance, unfortunately you can only gain about 1/2" that way without being too far off speedometer/odometer/computer/steering wise.

I don't know the exact diameter that is too much but you can definitely go to 25.5" diameter on 15" rims (about 817 RPM or 205/65/15)

You can target the same diameter tire at any rim size, doesn't matter if it is 15", 16" or 17" rims just target the largest diameter tire that fits the wheel well.

If the diameter of the tire is too large you'll rub the wheel well so any more than it takes to rub and you have to modify the suspension.

 

Other than the mentioned speedometer error and rubbing issues, a larger diameter wheel/tire will place more mass further away from the center of the wheel. This will affect gas mileage because it will be harder to rotate the wheels. Think of it like constantly driving up a slight hill.

Being a PIP, that will mean shorter EV driving range over OEM wheel/tire size.

SCH-I535

 

Coil overs increase or decease ride hight and tune suspensions

A coilover is an automobile suspension device. "Coilover" is short for "coil spring over shock". It consists of a shock absorber with a coil spring encircling it. The shock absorber and spring are assembled as a unit prior to installation, and are replaced as a unit when the shock absorber has leaked. This provides for optimal damping without torsional loads. Some coilovers allow adjustment of ride height and stiffness, using a simple threaded spring perch similar to a nut. More advanced adjustable coilover systems will use a threaded shock body, coupled with an adjustable lower mount for ride height adjustment, while an adjustment knob is used to adjust damping, commonly referred to as "stiffness." Spring rate also plays a role in stiffness.

 

Given the cost, minimal lift (half your tire diamater increase), hit to mpg and making speedometer off, you might be better off:
1) cutting off the lower lip of the front air dam. Cheap, will probably gain 1" (or a bit more?) of clearance where you actually want it.
2) Mild suspension lift with using spacers to raise existing springs* or other suspension raising mod that will have less negative ride, control, tire wear problems than the 'hitting stuff' problem you have now that you are trying to lessen.

I'd certainly search/ ask on the larger Gen III Prius Acces. & Mods thread since they have been around much longer and have a much larger experience pool because there are simply so many more Gen III's on the road than PiP's.

* I have no idea if theses are made, just a thought.