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Car Forum / Saab Cars / February 2006

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19" wheels for SAAB Viggen?

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x_coder@hotmail.com - 16 Feb 2006 18:46 GMT
Hi,
I have a 9-3 viggen... right now it has 17" wheels... can I get 19"
wheels on it?  What are the negatives and positives of doing so?

Thanks
Lyle
Dave Hinz - 16 Feb 2006 19:20 GMT
> Hi,
> I have a 9-3 viggen... right now it has 17" wheels... can I get 19"
> wheels on it?  What are the negatives and positives of doing so?

The 17" wheels are known for being easy to bend, and giving a harsher
ride than you might like.  I can't imagine the 19's would improve either
of those aspects.

The whole "looking like a doofus" issue is a completely separate, but
related, problem.
x_coder@hotmail.com - 16 Feb 2006 20:05 GMT
HAHAHA... Thanks... I'll stick with the 17" and try and not look like a
doofus.

What about a wider tire?  Any advantages over that?  Will that look bad
too?
Dave Hinz - 16 Feb 2006 20:07 GMT
> HAHAHA... Thanks... I'll stick with the 17" and try and not look like a
> doofus.
>
> What about a wider tire?  Any advantages over that?  Will that look bad
> too?

Well, what handling problem are you trying to solve?  There are some
suspension fixes you can apply to the Viggen, depending on what you're
after.  Just a different look, or autocross performance, or general
streetworthiness, or ???
x_coder@hotmail.com - 16 Feb 2006 20:19 GMT
Mostly the ride feels a little rough, especially when accelerating
rapidly... The looks couldnt hurt either, the tires just feel a little
week for the kind of thrust it has...
Dave Hinz - 16 Feb 2006 20:46 GMT
> Mostly the ride feels a little rough, especially when accelerating
> rapidly...

Well, shorter tires wouldn't make the ride less rough, it'd get
considerably more rough.  Keep in mind that 2 inches you're adding to
the rim, has to come out of sidewall height to keep the overall rolling
distance the same.

> The looks couldnt hurt either, the tires just feel a little
> week for the kind of thrust it has...

What flavor tires are you using?
x_coder@hotmail.com - 17 Feb 2006 00:30 GMT
> > Mostly the ride feels a little rough, especially when accelerating
> > rapidly...
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
>
> What flavor tires are you using?

I have Wynstar Exocet R-27 215/45ZR17 87W

PS: Why do M3s use wider tires?  I beleive they are also 17" diam, but
wider right?
x_coder@hotmail.com - 16 Feb 2006 21:04 GMT
Mostly the ride feels a little rough, especially when accelerating
rapidly... The looks couldnt hurt either, the tires just feel a little
week for the kind of thrust it has...
Bob - 16 Feb 2006 21:21 GMT
>Mostly the ride feels a little rough, especially when accelerating
>rapidly... The looks couldnt hurt either, the tires just feel a little
>week for the kind of thrust it has...

Wider tires do not increase the adhesion patch (amount of tire
contacting the road). They just change the shape. While making the
wheelbase wider might have some effect on lateral stability, it also
loads the bearing and suspension differently and is not a great idea.

Shortening those sidewalls (wider tires) would decrease "ride" as most
would refer to it. A smaller diameter wheel (16") would make the ride
better and perhaps soften some of the problems you have. All this
assumes that you keep the outer diameter of the tire constant - which
you should shoot for with reasonable accuracy.

But, I think "ride" is the wrong term for what you are experiencing.
What are the issues?  Wheel hop under acceleration? Torque steer
(tramlining)? If so, there are other improvements you can make that
will correct those issues. I don't think larger wheels will help
anything.
x_coder@hotmail.com - 17 Feb 2006 00:31 GMT
I sort of understand.  What is the reasoning behind some cars having
wider (not larger in diam, but wider) wheels?  Like an M3?
Fred W - 17 Feb 2006 13:40 GMT
> I sort of understand.  What is the reasoning behind some cars having
> wider (not larger in diam, but wider) wheels?  Like an M3?

Better lateral traction.  This allows you to pull more g's in the
corners before you lose grip.  It will not increase forward / reverse
traction (actually may decrease it in some cases) and so will not
improve acceleration or stopping distances.

Signature

-Fred W

Bob - 17 Feb 2006 16:58 GMT
>Better lateral traction.  This allows you to pull more g's in the
>corners before you lose grip.  It will not increase forward / reverse
>traction (actually may decrease it in some cases) and so will not
>improve acceleration or stopping distances.

Noting that the M? is designed around these tires and with the change
in profile taken into account. So, if the wheel bearings will have an
increased load in one direction, the specs may be changed. Likewise
the wheels will be properly offset to meet handling goals and perhaps
a bit of the rest of the car redesigned to accommodate... with an
aftermarket change you cannot easily make these changes. Likewise, the
spring and damper rates may be adjusted to help compensate  for
problems the lower profile tires and increased HP in am M? introduce.
BOttom line - it's a package deal!

That leads me back to my previous point - you may be better served by
stiffer springs, a steering stabilizer, bushing changes, etc as
opposed to adding wider tires. Even just a change of tire might "fix"
some things. Remember that every suspension change is a compromise -
increase one feature, reduce another.
ShazWozza - 17 Feb 2006 03:39 GMT
> Wider tires do not increase the adhesion patch (amount of tire
> contacting the road). They just change the shape. While making the
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
> will correct those issues. I don't think larger wheels will help
> anything.

Wider wheels/tyres will result in the steering being more prone to
tramlining effects.  As well, a wide low profile tyre will tend to break
away suddenly when it is at the limit of its adhesion, whereas a tyre with
more sidewall height will be more progressive in the loss of adhesion.
Paul Halliday - 17 Feb 2006 08:39 GMT
>> Mostly the ride feels a little rough, especially when accelerating
>> rapidly... The looks couldnt hurt either, the tires just feel a little
>> week for the kind of thrust it has...

> Wider tires do not increase the adhesion patch (amount of tire
> contacting the road). They just change the shape. While making the
> wheelbase wider might have some effect on lateral stability, it also
> loads the bearing and suspension differently and is not a great idea.

On the C900, using, say 205/55 on the R15 rather than 195/60 left me
skittering on hard corners and more "groove wander" on the flat. I went back
to 195/60 and won't be doing that again :)

I would think on the Viggen, which is already running on a lower profile and
larger wheel than the standard 9-3, any adjustments to the wheel profile
would produce much the same feeling.

Paul

1989 900 Turbo S
http://saab.go.dyndns.org/
x_coder@hotmail.com - 16 Feb 2006 20:07 GMT
How about wider tires?
Paul Halliday - 17 Feb 2006 08:35 GMT
> How about wider tires?

I would think wider tyres would catch the wheel arches, given the lower
stance of the Viggen; particularly the inside.

Paul

1989 900 Turbo S
http://saab.go.dyndns.org/
 
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