Do 20 inch rims ride & handle much differently to 19's

[VFSSVfan]

Hi And thanks in advance for your opinions.
Are staggered 20's much different than staggered 19's in terms of ride ,steering response,general handling & road noise? I have a series 2 ssv with 25mm lower eibachs /bilsteins & need more grip to cope with 560rwhp.

Thanks again.

 

[Trevor loves holden.]

Less tyre side wall harsher the ride.

 

[Forg]

There’s way more difference, in terms of performance, between models of tyre in the same size than between the same model in a 19” and a 20”.

Unfortunately, the vast majority of people fit 20’s for appearance, so it’s going to be difficult to find a review from someone who’s done a proper comparison using before & after tyres of similar quality.

What tyres are currently on it?

 

[426Cuda]

Yes, they are different. I have one VF with 19's and one with 20's. 19's ride better. No doubt. Only the MRC counters that. They may also handle better, as the greater sidewall flex can help to soak up bumps on corners when the suspension is loaded up. In theory, the 20's should provide better traction. But, if I was building a VF track car I'd go 18's...
I assume you have 19's? If so I wouldn't change just to help handle the grunt. My Motorsport has a lot less power than yours, ~275rwkw and it easily breaks traction on the 20's in first and second gear. Give it a bit of throttle and it will break traction on take off, floor it and it lights them up, feed it a bit on a corner and it will kick sideways. The 20's don't make much difference. I'd stick with what you have and maybe look at getting some grippier tyres.

 

[abuch47]

18 by 8s rode better and kept traction better than 20 by 9.5s. 30 aspect ratio just isnt enough.

 

[VS 5.0]

I recall Top Gear Aus doing a comparison between 19s & 20s on a VE around their test track.

19s were quicker.

 

[panhead]

20's will handle just as well on the street as 19's and 18's.
If you are pushing it to find out the difference, God bless you.
Suspension setup and sticky rubber will have an even bigger impact.
If you are going to the track wear a set of 18's, dedicated track rims and tyres are a must in my opinion anyway.
Comfort over style will always be at the discretion of the owner.
Sexy low sidewalls versus comfy high walls.




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[_R_J_K_]

Not all about diameter either. If you're trying to lay rubber down you need to look at getting wider wheels also. Either way, if you're tracking it I'd run with a smaller diameter wheel (like a really wide 18 or 19). You'll also need to consider the costs of tyres as a consumable if you plan to go through a couple of sets a year.

Is this car for track or drag or do you not really do either?

 

[abuch47]

traction is about contact patch and stickyness. greater tyre width and aspect profile equals more rubber touching the surface when weight transfers to rear.

 

[Forg]

Not all about diameter either. If you're trying to lay rubber down you need to look at getting wider wheels also.

Yes, I was going to say something about this, but I was too lazy to go looking for whether you can get tyres in the right sizes. For example if you're wearing 275mm 35-section at the rear, then by fitting a 19x10 back there you can probably push out to maybe 305 to 315 width but … do 30-section tyres give the correct rolling diameter? Can you get 25's?!