Reducing rim size on vRS

[DunlopRS]

Hi All,
Always one to be a bit different (why I have a skoda??), I am considering changing my 18" rims to 17" or less on my MY2011 vRS. I do a lot of driving on country roads and as much as I like the look of the 18s the ride on the broken bitumen (or bitumen lined holes) is very harsh and I feel I am at risk of breaking something……
Tyre placard has the following options:
7.5j18 with 225/40 r18 (92V) - as standard
7j17 with 225/45 r17
6.5j16 with 205/55 r16 – as is the spare on a steel rim
My local tyre man says I am unlikely to get a 16” alloy on – there is not much room around the spare rim (steel) which is on at the moment.
Has anyone any experience in going this way (instead of putting 19s on)? Does going to a 45 series tyre from a 40 make much difference (noting for the same money I could get a much better 17” tyre than an 18…)
Thanks

[kaanage]

My experience with is with my Polo but it should be relevant.

After installing a suspension kit, I found the ride too firm for daily use so I went from 195/55R15 down to 175/65R14 with a huge improvement. Going from a 40 series to 45 won't have as much effect but it should still take the edge off sharp bumps and holes.

I'd still check if you can find a 16" rim that you like which will fit over the brakes. That certainly would noticable.

Fully agree about the tyre cost effect too (yet another reason not to go for big wheels...)

[zei20t]

Here you go:

http://www.vwwatercooled.org.au/foru...oys-72911.html

Make sure:

Offset is ok
Wheels clear brakes
Rolling diameter is the same (or pretty close) to the factory 18s

[kaanage]

yeah, that was my immediate thought but those are off a 1.9TDi which would have smaller brakes than a vRS.
They may not clear the brakes - the OP needs to find a Golf/Octavia with 16" 5/112 wheels to test (actually, just sitting the wheel from an older Golf on to the hub and seeing if it all clears would do)

[team_v]

16" wheels off the Tiguan might be an option as well as they run large brakes.
Offset might be a killer though.

[BluChris]

Actually the 1.9 TDI came with 15s, just like the dinky little things sitting on my car (and the current 90 TSI). 16s were standard on the Elegance petrol and probably 2.0 Elegance diesel. Not sure it makes much difference to whether they will fit. On my car, I can just get fingers and shallow sponge between the disk and rims for cleaning

[K1W1]

6.5j16 with 205/55 r16 – as is the spare on a steel rim
My local tyre man says I am unlikely to get a 16” alloy on – there is not much room around the spare rim (steel) which is on at the moment.

16" steel rims and some fake plastic caps would be a really cheap and practical solution if that was the aim.

[kaanage]

Actually the 1.9 TDI came with 15s,

That may well be but the ones that were linked are off a 1.9TDi (maybe optioned up at purchase time).

The point was that they may not fit the OP's vRS since it is guaranteed to have larger brakes than the 1.9 TDi.

[noone]

Tyre choice and tyre pressure can make a big difference. I recently had 24 PSI in the rear of my car on bad roads, handling was fine although I'd recommend staying in VW and manufacturer recommendations.
Wheel offset and width also will have some impact, Kaanage should be able to provide more detail on this, his understanding of the geometry and physics is much greater than mine

[gldgti]

**EDIT** I think the calipers for all are the same, but the VRS has 312mm disks where the other models have 288mm. As to whether they will fit under 16" alloys, well I'm not entirely sure but its not hard for me to give you an inside diameter measurement (when I get home)

As to offset, they will fit perfectly.

noone - I agree that the tyres and pressures are important, but I have done lots of driving on terrible (almost criminally bad) roads on the mid north coast and you need to run really high pressures with low profile tyres just to make sure you dont end up with dented rims all the time... it sucks, and is inevitably jarring and uncomfortable. on the other hand, >50 profile tyres just make it that much easier.