Need advice on wheels

25.5" vs. 24.5". That is 4% larger in diameter. You certainly should be feeling the difference. However, I must say that it looks very very nice! I like the way the rear wheel well is filled perfectly. (unlike the OE setup!)

 

I noticed a major change in performance going to the 215/45/17's. The car accelerates like a pig. I can't even illicit the slightest wheel-spin off the line like I could with the stock wheels. It probably takes an extra 2 or 3 seconds to accelerate to 60. Next time I'm going with 205/40/17's. I imagine the 215/50's would completely destroy mileage and acceleration due to the gearing issue.

 

The best size is a 215/45 17. The stock tire height is 24.47" and this 17 incher gives a height of 24.62". The 0.15" (around 1/7 of an inch") difference in negligible.

This is the size I'm using. Other than the slight weight increase, performance should be pretty close to stock.

 

I also did the math and came up with the 24.62 figure, but when I set the two wheels next to each-other the 215/45/17's stood 3/4 inch taller than the stock wheels. I'm not sure why, but they do. It probably has something to do with the rigid sidewall or sizing anomolies. Has anyone else noticed this?

 

I'm really not sure what to tell you. I imagine it must be a matter of manufacturer variance. THe only problem I have with this is that tires are not like shoes. One manufacturer's size 10's is not the same as anothers manufacturer's size 10's. Tires, at least intheory are different. A 215/45 17 should ALWAYS be 215 mm wide, and hte sidewalls should be 45% of that width high. Oh, and they should all fit on 17" rims.

As an experiment, I wentout and measured my 215/45 17's as well as the spare for my Explorer, which is a 33x12.5 17 tire. Well, here's what I got:

215/45 17 : Width around 8.5" and diameter about 24.75". So far so good.

33x12.5 : Width 11" and diameter of 32". Not so good.

So apparently tires are not always standard in size even though they are supposed to be. Imagine the weight of the Explorer does make the tire 12.5 inches across, but would make it even shorter, much less than 33". I imagine the same would happen with the Prius to a smaller extent. I'll still compare the tires once I get the factory wheels off. I'll post a photo of them next to each other.

 

I don't have a picture handy to post but I went with the 17" Scion tC wheels and tires. They were a showroom pulloff so the tires still had mold nubs on them. There is a hit in milage. I lost about 4 MPG average. It was a small price to pay for the GREATLY improved looks and stability on rain grooves and in cross winds. The ride is a little stiffer also but not objectionable.
Over all, I am completely happy with the change.

 

I'm pretty happy with that set-up too, but also noticed the bumpier ride (every expansion joint in the road was amplified). I checked the pressure, and the TC tires were pumped up to 51 from the factory. I set 42 front and 40 rear and noticed a softer ride and about 1-2 mpg increase in displayed mileage. I think the Prius is so light you can get away with 32-42 psi in those low pro tires, and enjoy a much softer ride. I also think the high pressure explains why the tires were 25" instead of 24.6" dia.

 

Hi Escalade, do you have a larger picture of your white Prius with tC wheels? That tiny photo looks pretty cool, so I'd like to see more details. Those wheels seem to have a darker finish than I thought tC wheels had. Maybe they are just reflecting the blacktop. I'd love to see a larger picture of your car with tC wheels.

 

Hey, just chiming in as this is an expected mod for me as well. I am looking at 16" wheels to keep some sidewall in there for bump protection of the rims. Specifically, it looks like 225/45/16 have less than a 1% circumference difference, though I do not know what the width (40mm?) will do to everything. The other option I'm looking into is the 205/50/16 as this is 1.38% off. Obviously, I am trying to get wheels lighter than the stock (14-15lb?) wheels and accomodate my favorite tire (Pole Position SO-3's). I will ditto on how nice those 17's look on the photo above, very nice!

 

No problem, pic attached.

 

Hi Escalade,

Thank you for attaching two large pictures of your white Prius with Scion tC wheels! Your car looks great. It seems more sporty with tinted windows and tC wheels. I like the overall look. The wheels look like they have a finish similar to hyberblack. Thanks again for the pics! B)

BTW what centercaps did you end up using? tC or Prius?

 

I put in the Toyata centercaps - perfect fit. You're probably going to lose about 5 MPG with the tC wheels. I still get about 42 MPG, but I think some of that may be due to colder weather.

 

I ordered a set of wheels yesterday. Team Dynamics Pro Race 1, 15"x7", 45mm offset, Hyper Silver.
Here is a link: http://www.rimstock.co.uk/rimstockusa/wheelrange.php
Weight is listed at 13.2lbs.
I paid $135.75 per wheel ($543/set) then tax and shipping pushed it to $660.78. Only problem is they are on back order and it will take between 60-90 days before I get them. I can deal with the wait.
These look a little similar to the Primax ones that Damageinc has--multispoke design. His pic sold me on that look. Prior to that I was looking at the Rota Slipstream and Subzero. Slipstream is the lightest but the Subzero looks better. Those wheels were lighter than the Team Dynamics wheel but the look was just more blah/cheaper. I think because the bolt holes were that slotted universal type. If I was going solely for lightweight and best price the Rotas would have been the choice though.
Learned a lot about wheels in my searching. Wish I could afford forged wheels because they are the absolute lightest. Bummer they cost about four times as much as cast wheels.
Oh well, once I get them I will report on my mileage and handling differences. Since these are lighter than stock I might expect some improvement in economy but then again the footprint is wider at 7" so more friction will mean lower economy in that area. I'm hoping for the best of both worlds--better handling and fuel economy. B)

 

Where can I order the Primax Sportmax 920 17" rims (with or without tires) for a good/great price?

I need shiping to Norway though...

Thanks!