Rollin' on 19's!

[Technical_Automan]

I've been planning to buy some 19's for my SL and someone told me that 19's aren't good for something, but he couldn't remember what. The only thing I can think of would be the ABS speed sensors would be out of spec, thereby making the ABS less reliable, but I wouldnt have them on in the snow so that doesnt matter much to me. So what else would be affected negatively?? (besides clearance for road bumps and the obvious)

[Thourun]

I think they're better for top speed handling than acceleration which smaller wheels are better for.

[Igovert500]

Well they have their pluses and minuses...
Cons:
1.slower acceleration/more hp lost 19s have more rotational mass, whereby it wastes more hp getting them moving...
2. larger rims will throw your speedo off even more
3.worse traction in snow(but you said that wouldn't matter) but also in rain (higher chance of hydroplanning)
4. less comfortable ride
5. tires cost more

Pros: better dry handling
less wheel gap/look better

those are all that come to mind at this point

[StealthModifier]

I have 19's on mine... first off, it wont throw off the speedometer that bad, u just have to get low profile tires to closely match the radius of the stock tires. my car rides great with them, no difference at all from the 16's i had b4, i think it rides very smooth especially cruisin down the interstate, better than my moms lexus an yes the tires are expensive, my tires cost 250 a piece. and about the snow and rain, my car sucks in the rain, there can be the littlest bit of water flow on the road and im all over the place, i have yet to drive with them in the snow, but im taking them off an putting my old ones back on when the snow comes. also it handles a lot better with the larger rims and u have to watch out for pot holes of course, cuz its very easy to blow a tire, and then there goes a rim as well. also a good thing about my tires is that they grip good as hell, i can floor it from a start and they dont chirp once, even when going 70 down a road and slamming on the brakes with no abs, they wont lock an leave a skid mark, so theres both good things an bad things about them

[talskinyguy]

That amazing grip is probably due to the large rotational mass that your engine doesnt have enough power to spin.

[StealthModifier]

i spin on gravel easily, but drive pavement its not happenin

[Thourun]

You shure you have an ES? I bet it's because you ahve an auto.

J/K, I have tons of problems with traction when going from a dead stop into first, even though my tires are sport and has plenty of wear left.

[StealthModifier]

i floored it from a stop with my old engine, i havent gotten on this engine yet from a stop, but i have Falken Azenis tires, there sport tires too

[talskinyguy]

Of course they spin on gravel. What I was saying is that its not the tires that are keeping you from spinning them, its the mass of the large wheels. Bigger sidewall= more traction, smaller sidewall=less traction.

[Technical_Automan]

You must have an automatic stealth? I thought the larger wheel made acceleration faster, the weight of the wheel is the only determining factor in how hard the engine can turn it. The larger the diameter, the faster the outside of the diameter moves, thats physics. But those were the obvious things, I meant does anyone know if it will damage or wear suspension parts faster, will it affect the toe or camber, things like that.

[StealthModifier]

yea its an auto. : \

[Technical_Automan]

ahh well that's why you can't spin your tires, I couldn't spin them when I had automatic with the stock rims on pavement, it's not the rims fault, it's the transmissions gearing.

[Thourun]

Its the fact that you have no clutch to help with mini launches!

[talskinyguy]

Physics says that a smaller wheel makes you accelerate faster, not a larger one. And as long as you get the right size tire the overall diameter of the wheel and tire combo will be the same size as stock, or very close to it. SO no ill side effects.

[StealthModifier]

wouldnt a high-stall torque converter help with launches?