Rep Power: 0

What’s up everybody, Im a noob and I have a noob question for you guys. I have a 2002 Civic LX with 17 inch rims with 205/40/R17 tires. My tires are pretty much gone after 5 years so was planning on buying new rims and tires. So my question is weather I should by 17’s or 18’s? My car is stock height and I have no plans of dropping or anything in the future. Would 18’s be fine if I don’t drop it or anything?

 
Rep Power: 281

It wouldn't make much of a difference. Here is an EM2 with no drop, on 18's. Cheers.

 
Rep Power: 231

18's on stock height are fine, the ride just gets more rough. The bigger the rim= the less tire=big bumpy ride.

 
Rep Power: 0

neither, they both look ridiculous with no drop. but if you have to do it, just make sure to get beefier tires to minimize the jacked up look.

 
Rep Power: 259

go with 17 and 215 45 tires

 
Rep Power: 0

I agree with that, 215/45/17 tires are so much cheaper than 18" tires and if you go 18's, go 215/40/18.

I'm running 215/40/18 on stock suspension(sadly). And I have yet to have any problems *while knocking on wood*





I think If I were to buy rims all over again, I'd go with a 17" rim, with Falken Azenis in 215/45/17, but o well... I Digress

 
Rep Power: 305

I second staying with 17's.

run 215/45/17 thats what i run and its great

 
Rep Power: 0

Thanks for all the reply's guys, i've decided im going to keep my 17's and just buy some new tires. Another question is whats the benifit of switching to 215/45 instead of keeping 205/40?

Oh yea what do ya'll think of Nexen tires?

 
Rep Power: 231

215/45 is a bigger tire, smoother ride and less wheel gap.

 
Rep Power: 0

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think a 205/40/17 tire would totally mess up your speedometer,(Within reason). And, I think mileage-wise it would be against you, your car would say it has more miles than it actually would, due to the total wheel diameter being smaller.

For the Nexens, I personally wouldn't ride on them, cause a couple of coworkers bought those tires from Wal-mart and has nothing but trouble with them.

I recommend going to tirerack.com, there is currently a special on the Dunlop SP Sport Maxx tire in 215/45/17 for $68/tire and if you buy 4 tires, you get a $60 mail-in rebate. Good deal IMO.

 
Rep Power: 0

I was going to say 17's, but i do like the 18's.

 
Rep Power: 0

but you should lower it..

 
Rep Power: 0

i'm with this idea...

 
Rep Power: 0

I agree. I just got some 215 45 17's. Here is a crappy phone pic, but the ride is still pretty good.

 
Rep Power: 278

No matter how big your rim, the overall wheel/tire diameter should be the same size so both combinations will fill up the wheel well the same amount. It doesn't matter. You could get 19s and it'd still be the same, just a real rough ride.

 
Rep Power: 0

big rims on stock suspension looks stupid. just keep your 17s and put new tires on em. use the rest of the money for good suspension. dont get 18s or 19s that would look terrible and make your car sit higher, looking even more retarded.

 
Rep Power: 278

No size rim is going to make the car sit higher as long as you match up the tire correctly. 19s would sit the car at the same height as 16s.

Also even if you don't have the money for an expensive drop, you can pick up a set of Tein S-Techs for $150 or Eibach Pro Kits for $100 and install them yourself. It'll look much better.

 
Rep Power: 0

so its only when you eff up your total diameter from stock diameter the speedo screws up?

what if you got a bigger diameter.. like say you got 18s and got some beefier tires to fill the wheel well. does that screw up your speedo? like you went for 225/40/18 instead of 225/45/18?

 
Rep Power: 231

when we say 'diameter', that is not just the rim. its the entire wheel as a whole. if you got 18s and got bigger tires for them to fill the wheel well, your entire wheel is going to be bigger. that is what changes your speedo.

when you get a bigger overall wheel diameter, you do fill the wheel well gap a bit, but you sacrifice your ride height. remember...the more gap you take out of your wheel well, the higher your car will sit off the ground.

if youre staying stock, 215/45/r17 with 17" rims, or 225/40/r18 with 18" rims. both will look fine with stock suspension, but if you DO decide to lower later on, you will definitely be ok with the 17s, and may have to do a light fender roll with the 18s.

 
Rep Power: 209

Hi, I'm new to wheels and lowering too. If the overall diameter of the wheel is the same with the 215/45/r17 with 17" rims, or 225/40/r18 with 18" rims, then why would you have to roll the fender if you droped on the 18's and not on the 17's. In my head, after lowering, the wheel well gap would be the same so matter what size rims you are using because the overall wheel diameter is the same. Am I missing something?

 
Rep Power: 278

Picture this:
Take your 2 wheels and put them side by side. One has beefy tires, one has low profile tires and make a chalk line on each of them. Roll them away from you until the chalk line comes back around and see which one travels farther. The difference is the combination of the wheel/tire size will have an affect on the overall rolling diameter of the entire wheel. The car's speedometer acts on revolutions of the axle so by connecting a very large wheel/tire to the axle, you will travel a lot farther in the same period of time which is the very definition of speed (velocity).

So to answer your questions, a higher sidewall (higher tire) means your speedometer will be reading less than your actual speed. And if your new wheel/tire combination has the same rolling diameter as your old wheel/tire combination then you will not need to roll your fenders. You're completely right, it'l be the same.

 
Rep Power: 278

The 40 and 45 refer to a percentage of the width of the tire so they indirectly relate to the size of the sidewall. Therefore, if you get the 40, your speedometer will read lower than if you got the 45 and were traveling at the same speed on both.

But it shouldn't be a tough decision, use a tire calculator online, find out what matches your stock size and use that, whatever it is. I went from 185/70/14 (I think) to my now 215/35/18 and it's the same rolling diameter.

 
Rep Power: 269

yes you are, because 225 tires are wider than 215 wheel gap will be the same, but since the tire is wider you are running the chance it will hit your fender when your suspension goes up and down. i know because i rub in the fronts with my 215/40/18s going over bumpy roads but never with my 195/50/15's.

 
Rep Power: 231

you are correct, yes they are the same overall diameter. however, like qijian is saying, the 225s are much wider. 225/40/r18 = 225mm wide, 215/45/r17 = 215 mm wide. there is a 10 mm difference.