Wheel / tyre choice

[Ceefeesh]

In prep for fitting, any experience or preference for plastic or aluminium alloy spigot rings? Has anyone had a good or bad experience? I was given plastic and wonder if alloy might be better. I have done some reading and it seems both are widely used and are available in the size I need, 66.6 to 57.1.

Found this and it seems to make sense.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qs5s6omtHFo

[Ceefeesh]

@SRGTD   👍

[Jim_mk7.5]

Update  I have now bought a set of 18” Reifnitz in satin gunmetal which I collected from CM wheels today. Please see the pictures below to get an idea of how they look with Indium Grey. They still need to be protected/coated, shod and balanced so they will not be on right away. I also looked at a set of matt gun metal 18” replica Pretorias which were striking but not for me. They tell me this is the first batch they have had of the gunmetal Pret.

They look great. I'd be getting those wrapped in some decent rubber and leaving the S001s on the Parkers!

[rajb]

Nice looking rims. I'm always looking at wheels as get bored very quickly. Tbh it's only due to lockdown I think the 18" BBS SR's I bought earlier in the year have lasted so long 

[Ceefeesh]

Now for tyres! Current rims are genuine VW Milton Keynes 18 x 7.5j with Bridgestone Potenza 225 x 40 x18. Some sites suggest this is close to the maximum width (235) for the rims. The Bridgestones  have only done about 2,500 miles.  My new Reifnitz reps are 18x 8J ET45.  I believe these can take either 225 or 235. Is there a big difference / benefit switching to 235s? I am considering PS4s or Goodyear Eagle F1s. I have looked at prices which for 225s work out between £330 and £380. 235s are between £400 and £515. Includes fitting and balancing. Advice or suggestions (polite), please!  As these are the second set of wheels, alternatively, is it worth considering winter tyres? If so what?

[rajb]

You’ll be fine going to 235’s on the new rims.

If you are planning to keep the originals as winters/spares then makes sense to swap the current Bridgestone’s to the new rims and buy done winters for the old rims.

If you’re happy having both on non winters then go to 235’s in PS4s or the F1’s.

[Ceefeesh]

Looking at tyres. Could swap the current Potenza S100s on to the Reifnitz. I have looked at 235 v 225 on some wheel/tyre comparison sites. Seems to be little difference. I accept the width is 8mm up and the sites show me the 235s are 4mm higher on the side wall but there seems to be no other difference in any of the other measurements. I have given the correct offset for the rims. Has anyone made this change and if so have there been benefits or problems? I have looked at the sites suggested in other posts from a previous thread by McMaddy and others and currently  I am thinking of Goodyear F1 Assymetric 5s. 225 X 40 X18 are around £315 and 235 are around £400. Thoughts please.

[fredgroves]

More rubber, more unsprung weight. More unsprung weight makes the car less pointy.

Looking at it like that, 225 sounds sensible no?

[Ceefeesh]

I tend to agree with you. Small performance/aesthetic margins, more weight.  I think I read somewhere the weight difference between the 225 and 235s are a couple of kilos per tyre. Also slight increase in cost. If you are relying on 8 - 10mm for more grip, you’re going/cornering too fast. I think I might be agonising over not much.  The rims are 8J and both 225 and 235 are cited as optimal for this width of rim.

[dubber36]

225's for me, simply because they are a more common size and therefore cheaper.

I find it hard to believe that there is over 1kg difference in weight between a 225 and 235 tyre tho'.