Wider wheels

[MoggyMatilda]

Thinking of purchasing some 5.5x14 wheels from JBW for my convertible & just wondered what the downsides, If any, would be? Wider wheels slightly heavier steering but give a more planted feel & better grip in the wet I would say.

What do you guys think? Keep them standard or opt for the 5.5x14 smoothies from JBW.

[svenedin]

Those look nice but I wonder what they actually look like on a car? Small differences in wheels can be very noticeable and not always in a good way....

Stephen

[myoldjalopy]

Wider wheels will increase fuel consumption - if your car is standard and you're planning on normal driving I would not bother with wider.

[MoggyMatilda]

I never thought of increased fuel consumption. Is that because of the increase in rolling resistance? I’ve seen the silver ones on a few commercials & they look great.

[myoldjalopy]

Yes, because there is more surface area of the tyre in contact with the road and they will be slightly heavier. They may also cause increased noise while driving.

[millerman]

If you are a 'spirited' driver you will find wider wheels will hold the road much better but you will have heavier steering when manoeuvring at slow speeds, also give a more modern look
I have never kept accurate fuel consumption records but I would assume increased fuel consumption will be negligible

[mobylette]

I like them, see below

[MoggyMatilda]

I think the wider wheels look great. So I’ll make a decision once I get all the other jobs sorted. Wheels should be the last thing on my list

[oliver90owner]

I expect the centre lineof the track will be wider than standard. That will increase the bearing loading. Likely not a great deal, but it used to make a difference when we added spacers to the likes of ford anglias…