Why 17X7's for the front and not 17XSmaller?

[Untchbl]

As I start to decide on which wheels both for street use as well as trips to the track, I'm confused by all of the guys that go with a 17x7 up front?


Are you guys using that extra tire because you are daily driving your "skinnies?"


Am I missing something by going thinner on a 17" front runner?


I plan to have a set of 19" or 20" wheels for street use, with my big and skinny setup only seeing time at the track and the occasional trip around town. I couldn't really find any info on this.


Thanks

 

[debit_free_2010]

You have more and cheaper tire choices with a 7" wheel. Also a 7" wheel will handle a little better.

I'm using a 225/55-17 Nexen A/S, got them for around $120 mounted from a local tire shop.

 

[Holovacko]

I daily drive the 17x4, without issue.

 

[Healthforhazard]

How many miles a month? How does it react during emergency maneuvers and braking?

 

[q6543]

I've dd on the racestar skinnys, I did lock them up once or twice.... just don't corner or stop too hard and youll be fine

 

[20lbbooster]

17x4.5" don't do very well in an emergency maneuver or with hard braking. I ran skinnies daily for a while and finally got tired of the way it felt. It wasn't terrible, but going back to a 19x9 made all the difference. Now I run my drag setup only at the track.

Also, like mentioned before, tire choices are fewer and more expensive for the skinny tires.

 

[scotmach]

I sold a set of 17x4.5 Welds for a set of 17x7 Welds and was glad I did. The 17x4.5's sat to low in front and I was never comfortable with the way it stopped on the street.

 

[Untchbl]

I would have guessed that it was for safety reasons.

Good to know on the tire options too. Weight penalty for the wider wheel/tire combo is probably negligible?

 

[nate-roth]

I daily drive the 17x4, without issue.

I also have this set up w/out front sway bar. It's not bad at all, much more stable/daily driver friendly than than the fox bodies with 15X3.5 up front, what we all used to run.

 

[Untchbl]

Man, I ran around in a couple fox's with that exact setup and it wasn't bad at all either.

 

[auto02]

Daily'ed on skinnies for years... Grow a pair...

 

[Holovacko]

I travel at least a 1000 miles per month. Also, no front sway bar. Had the 26" M&H on the front, switched to the M/T 28" tire. Just for extra ground clearance.

 

[Holovacko]

Has the 26" in the pic

 

[pickles]

Daily'ed on skinnies for years... Grow a pair...

I've daily'ed on skinnies for years too. Can it be done? Absolutely.

But it will never handle nor stop as good as the wider wheel/tire in an emergency situation. I now run a 17x7 and haven't looked back.

 

[04sleeper]

The difference in weight is like 4 lbs each. Get the 7's and have a wide selection of tires and more safety.

If your that worried about weight on the street then take a big crap before going out! LOL

 

[FATHERFORD]

I drove around on my bigs and littles nearly every day. Always worried about pot holes, bumps in the road, etc.

I switch to my 19x9's and 19x12's and I have so much more fun daily driving the car.

 

[sdoo500]

Planning on getting some bias plys for my M6 car. Plenty of tire choices for 17x7 that are bias plys as well and won't give me horrible sway up top?

 

[Untchbl]

Thanks guys! All good things to consider. I had just noticed it seemed to be a trend. I have no plans to daily drive the setup.

 

[wolfman311]

Planning on getting some bias plys for my M6 car. Plenty of tire choices for 17x7 that are bias plys as well and won't give me horrible sway up top?

This....would love to know of any bias ply tires that would fit a 17 x 7 wheel.

 

[Gpcalero]

I think I am going to go with 17x7's in the front because I do a lot of roll racing and don't want the death sway up top. Not sure if there will be too much of a difference in the looks department though, would there?