Can you replace 20" rims on lowered suspension with smaller rims and bigger profile tyres if so how do i calculate the numbers to find the right size

[Mitchward234]

Hi everyone I apologise for my lack of knowledge but wondering if any one has any advice to give.
My ssv is sitting on sssl King springs and Munro shocks (came with the car) with 20 inch simmons rims and 275/30zr20 tires. I have recently buckled and ruined 2 of my 4 rims on pot holes.
I was hoping, if possible, to put 18s or 19s or even 17s on and wrap them in bigger tyres to achieve the same or a higher ride hight until I replace the suspension.
I live in an area with dodgy roads and am constantly in fear of buckling rims.. my fears have come true. Finding two simmons 20s is not easy. I have pit 19 inch ssv rims on in the past for track days and skids but would like to know if its possible to put some old chasers on or something of the 17,18" size (can't find any ssv rims where I am currently for a reasonable price and need to get on the road asap for work)
Has any one had any experience with this, serious amounts of appreciation to anyone who comments as I'm a bit stumped on this one and don't feel to good about bothering busy mechanics on a Monday with my wishy washy questions. Sorry to bother you all of course. Just hoping some.one out there has an answer to my problem. (Main reason is to achieve a safer ride that's less fragile on these country roads with pot holes but also I can't afford 4 new 20s and new rubber for em today but finding a set of chasers and tires is easy)
Thanks again.

 

[harrop.senator]

Tyre Size Calculator | Help | Tempe Tyres

Our tyre size comparison calculator takes the measurements of two tyres and compares the overall diameter, tread width, sidewall, and difference percentage (%). A very useful tyre calculator when searching for tyres that are a different size than stock.

www.tempetyres.com.au

 

[Mitchward234]

http://[URL]https://www.tempetyres.com.au/tyre-size-calculator

[/URL]

this will help me alot. Thank you

 

[vywgn]

Ve tyre sizes as follow
225/60R16
225/55R17
245/45R18
245/40R19
275/35R19 (rear)
245/35R20
275/30R20 (rear)

 

[J_D 2.0]

Hi everyone I apologise for my lack of knowledge but wondering if any one has any advice to give.
My ssv is sitting on sssl King springs and Munro shocks (came with the car) with 20 inch simmons rims and 275/30zr20 tires. I have recently buckled and ruined 2 of my 4 rims on pot holes.
I was hoping, if possible, to put 18s or 19s or even 17s on and wrap them in bigger tyres to achieve the same or a higher ride hight until I replace the suspension.
I live in an area with dodgy roads and am constantly in fear of buckling rims.. my fears have come true. Finding two simmons 20s is not easy. I have pit 19 inch ssv rims on in the past for track days and skids but would like to know if its possible to put some old chasers on or something of the 17,18" size (can't find any ssv rims where I am currently for a reasonable price and need to get on the road asap for work)
Has any one had any experience with this, serious amounts of appreciation to anyone who comments as I'm a bit stumped on this one and don't feel to good about bothering busy mechanics on a Monday with my wishy washy questions. Sorry to bother you all of course. Just hoping some.one out there has an answer to my problem. (Main reason is to achieve a safer ride that's less fragile on these country roads with pot holes but also I can't afford 4 new 20s and new rubber for em today but finding a set of chasers and tires is easy)
Thanks again.

https://www.holmart.com.au/holden-commodore-ve-vf-alloy-wheels-x4-18x8-g8-gxp

Maybe you could use these? Genuine G8 rims for 500 bucks for the full set of 4.

To be honest though you need to solve the root cause of the problem. Just go to a wrecking yard and get a set of stock shocks to put on it until you can afford the setup you want.

If your wrecking rims when you hit a pothole it’s obviously because your bottoming out on suspension travel which won’t be good for the car as a whole. My car was on SLs when I bought it and I put it back to brand new genuine FE3 springs for about 450 bucks for the springs (didn’t have to change shocks) because it was bottoming out on SLs. I also had to change the front strut tops because they had been destroyed from bottoming out. I don’t have any bottoming oit issues now and some of the roads I drive on are pretty crap.

I’m guessing you probably have to change shocks as well being SSSL as it’s probably got shortened shocks. Hence the suggestion to get a set of springs and struts from a wrecking yard. It’s the cheapest way out of your predicament.

Also do the work yourself so you don’t have to pay a mechanic to do the job. You just need basic hand tools and a set of spring compressors to do the job yourself. Plenty of videos on YouTube to show you how.

 

[vc commodore]

https://www.holmart.com.au/holden-commodore-ve-vf-alloy-wheels-x4-18x8-g8-gxp

Maybe you could use these? Genuine G8 rims for 500 bucks for the full set of 4.

To be honest though you need to solve the root cause of the problem. Just go to a wrecking yard and get a set of stock shocks to put it on until you can afford the setup you want.

If your ******* rims when you hit a pothole it’s obviously because your bottoming out on suspension travel which won’t be good for the car as a whole. My car was on SLs when I bought it and I put it back to brand new genuine FE3 springs for about 400 bucks for the springs (didn’t have to change shocks).

I’m guessing you probably have to change shocks as well being SSSL as it’s probably got shortened shocks. Hence the suggestion to get a set of springs and struts from a wrecking yard. It’s the cheapest way out of your predicament.

Also do the work yourself so you don’t have to pay a mechanic to do the job. You just need basic hand tools and a set of spring compressors to do the job yourself. Plenty of videos on YouTube to show you how.

Root of the problem is lack of tyre sidewall to help cushion the potholes....That combined with lowered suspension equals foobarred rims.

So yes op is taking the first step by finding other rims that take higher profile tyres, to cushion the blow from pot holes

 

[J_D 2.0]

Root of the problem is lack of tyre sidewall to help cushion the potholes....That combined with lowered suspension equals foobarred rims.

So yes op is taking the first step by finding other rims that take higher profile tyres, to cushion the blow from pot holes

The root cause of the problem is the lowered suspension. The OP could most likely continue to run 20s without any damage from potholes if they had sufficient suspension travel to absorb the shock loading from the potholes.

Its really about if the OP still wants to keep the “look” of the 20s or go to a smaller wheel size to remove any risk entirely but the suspension still needs to be changed as it’s still doing damage to the rest of the car even if the rims are changed out.

 

[Mitchward234]

https://www.holmart.com.au/holden-commodore-ve-vf-alloy-wheels-x4-18x8-g8-gxp

Maybe you could use these? Genuine G8 rims for 500 bucks for the full set of 4.

To be honest though you need to solve the root cause of the problem. Just go to a wrecking yard and get a set of stock shocks to put on it until you can afford the setup you want.

If your wrecking rims when you hit a pothole it’s obviously because your bottoming out on suspension travel which won’t be good for the car as a whole. My car was on SLs when I bought it and I put it back to brand new genuine FE3 springs for about 450 bucks for the springs (didn’t have to change shocks) because it was bottoming out on SLs. I also had to change the front strut tops because they had been destroyed from bottoming out. I don’t have any bottoming oit issues now and some of the roads I drive on are pretty crap.

I’m guessing you probably have to change shocks as well being SSSL as it’s probably got shortened shocks. Hence the suggestion to get a set of springs and struts from a wrecking yard. It’s the cheapest way out of your predicament.

Also do the work yourself so you don’t have to pay a mechanic to do the job. You just need basic hand tools and a set of spring compressors to do the job yourself. Plenty of videos on YouTube to show you how.

I totally agree, I'm going to visit some wreckers in Lismore today for rims to get me back down the coast, I'm more than keen to put 18s or 19s on as well as swap out suspension, those pontiac rims look like they could be good to get me going, I'm not bothered about the look to much anymore as drivability is what I'm here for I love my beast and it loves driving the winding back roads of the northern rivers.. as well as being very aware its damaging the rest of the car and most probably my back
stock will most likely be the way I'll go this week for the time being
hoping to source some at the same time as rims from wreckers today.
Really appreciate your reply mate

 

[Mitchward234]

So an update, looking at getting 18 inch calais rims with 245/45/18s for the time being from wreckers. In good condition for a very reasonable price.
Next stop is suspension town.
Thank you everyone for your input its refreshing to see how helpful this world can be especially commy heads you guys are the dons

 

[vc commodore]

The root cause of the problem is the lowered suspension. The OP could most likely continue to run 20s without any damage from potholes if they had sufficient suspension travel to absorb the shock loading from the potholes.

Its really about if the OP still wants to keep the “look” of the 20s or go to a smaller wheel size to remove any risk entirely but the suspension still needs to be changed as it’s still doing damage to the rest of the car even if the rims are changed out.

Suspension is a small portion of the cause....The sidewall of a tyre acts like a shock absorber....The more sidewall, the more absorbtion, the less chance of rims buckling or cracking....Add in, the modern day rim has bugger all support on the inner edge, so this compounds the issue

Just take a step back to the days before 17" and above became the norm....You very rarely heard of buckled or cracked rims due to pot holes when a 15" rims were the bees knees for your ride....And to lower the car, you grabbed the makita and had it riding on the bumpstops