Lightweight strong wheels for city driving

[PhillyST]

Hey guys, first post here and I'm looking to change up the heavy clunkers that came with it. I love the look of team dynamics pro race 1.2 but worried about possible bending from repeated potholes. I do my best to avoid them but some are unavoidable. I really want to keep 17s because I think they look the best on the car. Also because I only have 5000 miles on the car, I'd like to swap the stock tires over. If anyone has had their pro races bend on them I'd love to hear how large the hole was. If I can't run wheels that are lightweight in the streets I will just look for wheels of equal weight. Maybe the ford performance ones. Thanks guys and am looking forward to growing my car.

 

[Deli]

NJ roads are rough. I swapped to 16" Sparco Assetto Gara's with some wider tires that had more sidewall. That seemed to help with some of the potholes as well as liven up the steering a bit. Jump on the meaty tire thread. There is lots of good information there.

 

[M-Sport fan]

Even though I too think that 17s, as long as the tires on them do not have a 'rubber band' profile, look the best on these cars, I am convincing myself to go with the 15x8 Pro Race 1.2s with a somewhat 'cushy' sidewalled 225/45-15 on it (yes, even though they are autocross tires which have firmer sidewalls than most), and just eventually lower it a little (properly, with linear rate spring coil overs) to lessen the fender gap looks.

These wheels look so good, that even in the 'tiny' 15" sizes, they are sweet!

Some of the roads around here might just be WORSE than anywhere in the whole area, save for the inner big cities (I will sometimes drive 10 miles/20 minutes out of my way to avoid parts of RT. 202 ) so I am hoping that the extra sidewall, and the strength of the TD wheels will save me.

The other benefit is the much touted on here (and CORRECT!), lower unsprung weight enabled by this wheel/tire setup.

 

[PCA-1]

Edited

 

[StayPuft]

Tbh I haven't read one thread on here where someone bent a stock wheel.

The one time I bent a stock wheel was a 19" g37 wheel and it was only $100 to fix.

 

[PCA-1]

Hey guys, first post here and I'm looking to change up the heavy clunkers that came with it. I love the look of team dynamics pro race 1.2 but worried about possible bending from repeated potholes. I do my best to avoid them but some are unavoidable. I really want to keep 17s because I think they look the best on the car. Also because I only have 5000 miles on the car, I'd like to swap the stock tires over. If anyone has had their pro races bend on them I'd love to hear how large the hole was. If I can't run wheels that are lightweight in the streets I will just look for wheels of equal weight. Maybe the ford performance ones. Thanks guys and am looking forward to growing my car.

I can check to see what may be available in Team Dynamics Pro Race 3 in 17x7. Not as lightweight as a 1.2, however stronger.

If you are looking for a straight up competition rally wheel, Braid offers the Fullrace A in 17x7 and 17x8. Pricey, but the best insurance you can buy without going forged.

 

[ericr]

Stock, OEM are probably the strongest. I bent 3, TD 1.2 17x8's on the street over potholes that the OEM configuration would most likely have survived at factory recommended pressure - in my opinion. Unless you have plenty of pressure in your tires, that 2 1/2 inches of rubber is not much protection for bending inner barrels over potholes. Our cars require a lot of offset, which leaves a huge amount of inner barrel unsupported. For normal driving without worry, maybe a heavier wheel is better for street use. That is, unless you drop down to a minus 1 or 2 in wheel size, which many of us are doing.

 

[LILIKE16ST]

I bent an oem svt focus 5 star wheel on my old svt focus on a backroad pot hole here in good old southwestern VA! haha. So yes stock wheels can bend...that was when I was running the stock svt sized 215/45/17 tires. Do what I'll be doing soon and just go with 15x8 team dynamics pro race 1.2 in a 35 offset and call it a day after throwong on some good 195-205 tires with sidewalls to put it as close to stock overall diameter as possible. I myself will be going with the bfg sport comp 2 in 195/55/15. Yes 195 on a 8 inch wheel but for anyone who knows about this tire it has a 7.7 tread width and 7.9 section width according to tire rack so it would be right at home on an 8 inch wheel. I can't wait to add a full inch of sidewall all while ditching around 6 lbs per corner on wheel weight! Ride better, handle better, brake and accelerate better all while (IMO) looking better. 15s look good on this car.

 

[BobMaxed]

Tbh I haven't read one thread on here where someone bent a stock wheel.

The one time I bent a stock wheel was a 19" g37 wheel and it was only $100 to fix.

My 15 Fist which I bought with 2000 miles had a vibration problem that was diagnosed as one bent wheel. $100 at a wheel straightening shop and the vibration was gone.

 

[TyphoonFiST]

I bent a wheel on a neon once....after the pothole the car hit and was immediately airborne ass first .....proceeding to land on the roof then slide through a farmer's field on the roof. Hung upside down for like a minute dazed and confused on how it happened. My passengers were also inverted and the first words were out of Travis' s mouth...." That was fucking awesome"!. Got out looked at how far we slid....it was about 75ft.....found the pothole or should I say pressybus/gorge/canyon. I stepped in the god dam crater and it was at least 1 1/2 ft deep by 2 feet wide. Called a buddy to pick us up. Came back the next day....the gorge/pothole was freshly filled in with asphalt and gravel in front of someone's driveway. Car was still in the field....it was epic. And this is my pothole story.....