rim size discusion

[[empty space]]

how do you decide what size rims to run?

i dont know if this is exactly a fair test, but, this is what ive been doing.

ive a saleen raptor that the ai has been running 2.08s in at sebring in the endrance race. i put the next size wider rims on both front and rear and then took the front up to 21's. it had a lot of traction both on the brakes and on the throttle. but, it also felt extremely heavy and hesitant to turn so i didnt feel confident to attack with it.

so i changed from work crkai rims to lighter tsw track star 4 rims, went back to stock width and increased the rear rims size up to matching 21's. the car felt better on turn in, but, the brakes locked a lot easier and slide more often in turns.

laptimes at sebring for me were 2.08s for both combinations. ive not tried having the hired driver driver since i changed the engines, but, it doesnt look good. im generally 2-3 seconds faster than the hired driver.

stock front 275/30 r20
stock rear - 315/30 r20

i also have racing slicks, aero fore/aft, full roll cage and the lighter road s7 engine.

im guessing this just a matter of person prefence then?

is it possible to tune out the heavier feeling of the heavier rims? or should i just keep with the lighter rims and try to drive smoother?

 

[Eric.]

I pick rim size the same way I pick rim style, by what looks right on the car and my own judgement of what's going overboard. Cars that come with 16s or 17s usually look ridiculous with anything more than a 18 or 19s.

To answer your question, I haven't a clue. I would guess tire pressure. Higher pressure = quicker response, but less grip once you're actually taking the turn. Lower pressure = less response, but a little more traction mid-corner (as well as straight-line traction, better launching). I think a lower pressure will heat up faster, IIRC.

 

[[empty space]]

how did you end up with such huge tires on your GTPF3WRS Round 4 nsx?

its hard not to go over board when some cars come stock like that :|

 

[icelt]

TBH I only fiddle with the rim size if, for example, I'm sitting at like 601 on a tune and just need to add a few pounds to bring it down to 600. If the physics engine replicates the difference in unsprung mass, which I'm guessing it at least tries to do, I sure haven't noticed myself.

 

[Eric.]

how did you end up with such huge tires on your GTPF3WRS Round 4 nsx?

its hard not to go over board when some cars come stock like that :|

The NSX comes staggered from the factory with 17/18 or 18/ 19, I forget. But the 19/20" setup looks just right to me for that car. Its easier to pull it off on a low supercar than a 240SX for example...

 

[H20HYBRID_GT]

Shouldn't make bigger rims the car faster, I mean maybe less good in handling but, but the speed indicator thing doesn't go up a bit in F3 if I install bigger rims, it just makes everything worse.
Plain wrong?

 

[[empty space]]

wider rims, should in theory, improve handling by enlarging the contact patch on the ground but lower responsiveness by adding unsprung mass.

 

[VentureDenny]

Only time I noticed any performance difference in rim size diameter, was when I bought the Ferrari Dino. I don't remember exactly, but I think it came with 14 inch wheels with 60 profile tires. Driving it stock, I could definitely feel the tires high sidewalls deflecting...the handling felt kind of rubbery. I went up 2 sizes in rim diameter to get the profile down to 50...215/50-17. The response was much better, didn't change anything else. But I've tried it with more modern cars with low profile tires, and it didn't make much difference....going from a 40 profile to a 35 or 30 doesn't seem to change much ( except weight). I think that the only performance difference is felt because of the hieght of the sidewall flexing, that affects the feel of the car.

 

[H20HYBRID_GT]

In old NFS games this was a big factor... huge rims = more topspeed, smaller rims = better handling... also in RL I always buy the smallest tires available for my car, cause I feel the car is more responsive... however I have a hard time to 'feel' anything in FM3... I just can check my times to see if something's good or not... :/

 

[Racer XO]

The only thing I do is add lighter rims -8lbs, -11lbs, -12lbs a while keeping the stock rims size and tire size. I found that handling and acceleration and braking have improved noticeably

 

[Chunkee_Monkey]

Running lobbies etc, I mainly go for what fits in with the PI. Running leaderboards biggest rims possible at usually the higest pressure I can manage (55psi). Its all about contact patch, sidewall movement kept to a minimum meaning all momentum is going forward.