This question may have beened asked before. What handling differences are there between the three different size tires and wheels? Would I lost handling capabilities going from 17" to 19"?
Or are people going to 19's just for looks?
Would appreciate some input.

 

19s are just for looks. how much of a difference is certainly debatable, but none the less, you wont see 19" rims on a lemans race car. 16 or 17 is optimal, 18 and 19 are both a bit large for track use, but 18 and 19 are both sorta middle of the road between race rims and dubs. each goes a bit closer to the side of performance(18) and appearance (19); but atleast its not a big heavy dub, as both 18 and 19 are both still available as forged, where I personally have not seen a 20" forged rim.

 

I have given much thought to this, cause I had to make the same decision. Really, it is not as cut and dried as one is performance and the other is looks. Sure, an 18 inch rim is lighter, and would be better in a drag race cause of this. But it can't be said that a 19 inch rim is just for looks. I don't plan on drag racing my car, but I do like to drive some twisties at a high rate of speed. In a road race, the 19s have a high possibility of raising your lateral Gs on a smooth track.

As an engineer, this just makes sense to me. Sure, your rotational mass increases with an increase in diameter, but by the same token, a decrease in the sidewall of your tire can increase the responsiveness and sensitivity in your steering, with the decrease in ride quality.

In a drag race, the 18s are best. But if you are like me, and dragging ain't the most important thing to you, then they are really a toss up. If I wanted to drag, I would have bought a Mustang or something. I love to hang a curve, and watch the guy trying to use me as a rabbit or trail me, get left in the dust in the curve cause his car might be wrapped around a tree at those Gs. The 19s are better in this role and situation cause they have a higher potential for lateral Gs on normal roads.

 

ares and little_rod
Thanks for your input and response. This definitely helps me in deciding to go either 18s or 19s. I really appreciate it.

 

little rod your points are all valid, and all go to further push the fact that as you said, it is not as cut and dry as, 18s weigh less, they are better.

but of course, sidewall is another form of suspension, and its job is to keep the tire in contact with the road. also overall weight(if this can ever be proven at all... no one has truely weighed a 18 and 19inch rim with the same width, and overall diameter as far as I know) if the 18s are lighter, allows the suspension to articulate over bumps better, not driving down into them, or floating over them. but instead, riding even as tho they had no inertia at all and are willing to go up and down for the best traction possible.

of course, light weight forged, tire selection, ect all impacts this, making alot of the arguements about wheels mute when you consider the rubber around the rim typicly weighs almost double what the rim weighs... suddenly rim weight doesnt seem so important.