Rim width and handling

[napkinthief]

I want to get some new rims for the summer, and since my turbo project is almost complete, I will start working on the handling a little. Going off tirerack.com just to see what variety I have, I noticed that rims come from 6" wide to 8.5" wide. What kind of differences would I notice running a 8.5" wide rim? Would there be any problem running a very wide rim on the front, then running a slimmer rim on the rear, or would having all four equal sizes give me a better feel of the car?

Also, what should I do to help out handling on my car. I will be getting some strut tower bars as soon as I finish my turbo project. The tech guide says swaybars, strut bars, springs and shocks, in that order.

Does anyone run the Skunk2 coilovers for our cars? They run new on ebay for under 300, and if they are good enough I would go with them. I dont really want to spend more than 1200 on the rims tires and handling.

 

[wret]

When it comes to wheels and handling wider is better. 8.5 is about as wide a wheel that will fit under the car practically. Almost no one puts wider wheels on the front. It looks funny and would probably only be a benefit if you are a serious drag racer.

The suspension upgrade path is a little oversimplified and it is not strictly necessary to do things in that order. The most critical contribution to performance handling is from the shocks. If you want serious handling it will cost you, seriously. Don't skimp. You will be disappointed and you will end up paying more in the end to reach your goals. Speaking of which, decide on your long term goals and budget before you begin upgrading. Your stated budget barely covers light-weight wheels and tires.

 

[napkinthief]

Well right now I have 3 shocks that bottom out on every bump I hit. One of my rims has raped by a curb a couple months ago, and it is slightly bent, drivable but looks retarded and is missing about 2" of lip, which was repaired with bondo and sprayed over to keep a tire on. And my alignment is retarded, massive wear on the outside of my front tires, steering wheel at a 1-2 o'clock position when going straight.

I dont really think handling can get much worse than this. I just wanted something better than just stock, but not something crazy all out.

How can I check if my springs are still good? If just getting a new set of shocks and some strut bars would make the car handle well, that would be enough for me. I dont really do much racing, just daily driving and a pizza delivery job.

 

[napkinthief]

160 KYB GR-2 shocks
300 Suspension Technique Front and Rear Sway bars
55 Ebay Front and rear upper strut bars and rear tie rod

Puts me at just over 500 shipped. My high school autoshop teacher will install for a box of joe. Do you think this would be enough for normal driving?