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2007 9-5 Ride Performance

1K views 15 replies 11 participants last post by  jydg21 
#1 ·
I have 17" wheels on my new Saab. Will changing to 16" wheels and new tires increase my ride comfort and soften the road feel and noise?

Thank you
 
#2 ·
In theory yes, the side wall of the tyre will be bigger adding some absorption of the bumps etc.

Have you tried altering the tyre pressures on the 17's?
 
#4 ·
trbaum said:
If I change to 16" wheels and tires, are there any known issues (speedometer calibration, etc.) that I should worry about?

Thanks,
One known issue is your car wont look as good. On more serious note as long as you get a matching diameter as your 17's everything will be fine. You may also lose a small amount of directness to your steering due to added tyre wall flex. What model 9-5 is it, i.e what supension is it running?
 
#5 ·
Not if you maintain the overal diameter.

So you would need 215/55/16 rather than the 225/45/17's to maintain a correct speedo...
 
#6 ·
It is likely you will notice a difference in terms of ride comfort with the taller sidewall. I ran 16" wheels on my Arc, then switched to 17's. The 45 series tire with a stiffer sidewall mounted to the 17" wheels definitely transmits more small road imperfections, and expansion joints, potholes, etc are felt more sharply.

You will also likely lose some steering response due to the taller 55 series sidewall.

This, and any decrease in road noise, will likely vary greatly depending on the specific tire you choose.
 
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