Effect of larger wheels on overall look and height?

[clicknext]

I'm thinking about getting a set of 17" Mazda6 wheels. If I put them on stock suspension, my car will be half an inch higher, but what I want to know is, will it look higher to the eye, or will it look lower because of the larger wheels?

Also, do 6 wheels fit properly without any adjustment/spacers/rubbing?

Thanks!

 

[JoshP5]

It won't necessarily be 1/2" higher--that depends on what size tires you choose.

 

[clicknext]

You speak truth! But even so, the question still stands. Do larger wheels make the car appear raised, or lowered?

 

[-pixy-]

You speak truth! But even so, the question still stands. Do larger wheels make the car appear raised, or lowered?

The goal is to maintain the same overall diameter, the car will sit at the same height as before it will just appear you have bigger wheels and less rubber around them. it wont look like it's lifted or like it's lowered eitherway.

 

[i12drivemyMP5]

Just don't go for 20s + where it'll look 4wd no matter what tire you get. Generally don't go more than a couple of inches bigger than factory & you'll be OK & be able to get some reasonable sized tires to stay close to oem od & not look 4wd. There's a tire size calculator somewhere in here that'll help you stay close to oem od based on rim size & tire size. It'll tell you how much your speedo will be off too. Offset of the rim will determine rubbage or not so pay attention to that too.

 

[-pixy-]

I'm thinking about getting a set of 17" Mazda6 wheels.
Also, do 6 wheels fit properly without any adjustment/spacers/rubbing?

Thanks!

OK, back to the original question, the 17" 6 wheels fit great, just use the fitment thread to pick a tire size that will closely match the stock diameter. Your car will ride at stock height, look at any stock suspension P5 with MP3 or MSP racing hearts, 17's look great.

 

[MonkeyBone]

go with 215/40 tires with the 17's and youll be fine

 

[JoshP5]

You speak truth! But even so, the question still stands. Do larger wheels make the car appear raised, or lowered?

Low profile tires tend to emphasize the existing wheelwell gap. So if you're not going to lower, I'd stick with some meat in the sidewall. You run 215/40s on stock suspension and it'll look goofy.

MSPs and MP3s ran 45-series, but they were also a bit lower than our P5s.

 

[MonkeyBone]

yeah if you lower your car you got to lower your overall diameter too...
if you lower it less than an inch...dont do anything but more than an inch try to lower the tire overall diameter of .5 inch or 1 inch. it depends also if you got larger wheels too like 7.5 inch wide wheels..compensate that with a thinner sidewall than OEM size

 

[clicknext]

Ideally I'd like to leave it on stock suspension and not have super low profile tires, so that it fills out the wheel wells a bit better.

 

[JoshP5]

In that case, 205/ or 215/45s are your best shot.

 

[Rosshole]

yeah if you lower your car you got to lower your overall diameter too...
if you lower it less than an inch...dont do anything but more than an inch try to lower the tire overall diameter of .5 inch or 1 inch. it depends also if you got larger wheels too like 7.5 inch wide wheels..compensate that with a thinner sidewall than OEM size

What??

Shouldn't you leave your OD as close to origonal as you can?

I am lowered 1 1/2 inch's, have 17 x 7's and my od is only .4% off from stock.

 

[Rosshole]

Low profile tires tend to emphasize the existing wheelwell gap. So if you're not going to lower, I'd stick with some meat in the sidewall. You run 215/40s on stock suspension and it'll look goofy.

MSPs and MP3s ran 45-series, but they were also a bit lower than our P5s.

stock MSP next to stock P5, i thought that the p5 was a bit lower?
(I actually measured the sideskirt clearance on my P5 vs my roomies MSP)

 

[Sveivo]

Ideally I'd like to leave it on stock suspension and not have super low profile tires, so that it fills out the wheel wells a bit better.

Sorry, but there's no way around dropping a car. I think it will still look goofy

 

[Rosshole]

The goal is to maintain the same overall diameter, the car will sit at the same height as before it will just appear you have bigger wheels and less rubber around them. it wont look like it's lifted or like it's lowered eitherway.

True for the OD.

But having less rubber around the wheels will make the wheel well gap bigger thus making the car appear raised a small amount.

Has anyone ever noticed that cars with bigger wheels at stock height look kinda goofy until they are lowered?

 

[Sveivo]

Just drop it man. It looks so hot dropped, I'll never go back.

 

[Rosshole]

(iagree)

 

[Simply Silver]

I'm thinking about getting a set of 17" Mazda6 wheels. If I put them on stock suspension, my car will be half an inch higher, but what I want to know is, will it look higher to the eye, or will it look lower because of the larger wheels?

Also, do 6 wheels fit properly without any adjustment/spacers/rubbing?

Thanks!

Some spacers required.

 

[JoshP5]

more than an inch try to lower the tire overall diameter of .5 inch or 1 inch.

Nonsense.

stock MSP next to stock P5, i thought that the p5 was a bit lower? (I actually measured the sideskirt clearance on my P5 vs my roomies MSP)

MSP's suspension is 0.75" lower, but it's tires have a 0.4" larger radius, so measuring form the side skirt the MSP should be only slightly lower than the P5, assuming both cars are stock.

 

[Rosshole]

MSP's suspension is 0.75" lower, but it's tires have a 0.4" larger radius, so measuring form the side skirt the MSP should be only slightly lower than the P5, assuming both cars are stock.

ok, I knew that it was something like that, I must have done the measuring after my drop.