wider rim and tire in the rear

gorillajin · #1 17-02-09

Hi,

I have noticed that VW gti owners who heavily modded their car put wider rims and tires in the rear. Isn't VW gti FWD??? If it's FWD, shouldn't they put wider rims in the front??
If gti is RWD, never mind thid post

I have 2 eurotunner magazines, and all the VW gti owners put wide body kit and put wider rims in the rear. Some owner put 19x11 in the rear... and all of them look like they will run the fender like crazy.
I have never owned gti, so I do not really know, but I am 99% sure all the rims they put, will rub if they auto cross.

Anyway, what's up with this set up??? Why most of them put wider rims in the rear?????
Can I do that yo my saab?
I have never seen any saab in the magazine, most of them are BMW, AUDI, VW, and some VOLVO.....and I love that saar is not popular and unique

Stefano · #2 17-02-09

They just do it for the look. The GTI is FWD as you assumed. I think it could only look good to a 6 years old boy, but to each his own.

JeffCullen · #3 17-02-09

My Beater SPG has 16", 205-wide Aeros on the front and 15", 195-wide SPGs on the back. That's proper staggering for a FWD car! Makes for very entertaining handling! (not recommended to those who might be averse to a healthy dollop of snap oversteer................)

brace up · #4 17-02-09

staggered set ups are legit. yes, its pointless on a fwd car, but it looks sick. if it wasnt so much more expensive id definitely do it. plus you dont reach the full effect unless youre slammed and poking

boon94 · #5 17-02-09

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeffCullen

My Beater SPG has 16", 205-wide Aeros on the front and 15", 195-wide SPGs on the back. That's proper staggering for a FWD car! Makes for very entertaining handling! (not recommended to those who might be averse to a healthy dollop of snap oversteer................)

I had this problem when i was shopping for tires recently.
I only wanted the front 2 replaced, but the ones i wanted only came in a wider width than what i had on the rear. The car definitely shifts its weight oddly now. Its only really noticeable when its really windy on the highway, i dont know how to describe it, but its a strange feeling.

gorillajin · #6 17-02-09

Hum...so all that 19"x11 and wider tires in the rear are just for show???
Wow, what a....um....interesting....lol
I thought it's weird to put bigger wider rims in the rear on FWD cars.

wrestrepo · #7 17-02-09

Quote:

Originally Posted by gorillajin

Hi,

I have noticed that VW gti owners who heavily modded their car put wider rims and tires in the rear. Isn't VW gti FWD??? If it's FWD, shouldn't they put wider rims in the front??
If gti is RWD, never mind thid post

I have 2 eurotunner magazines, and all the VW gti owners put wide body kit and put wider rims in the rear. Some owner put 19x11 in the rear... and all of them look like they will run the fender like crazy.
I have never owned gti, so I do not really know, but I am 99% sure all the rims they put, will rub if they auto cross.

Anyway, what's up with this set up??? Why most of them put wider rims in the rear?????
Can I do that yo my saab?
I have never seen any saab in the magazine, most of them are BMW, AUDI, VW, and some VOLVO.....and I love that saar is not popular and unique

Can you say Poser?

JeffCullen · #8 17-02-09

Quote:

Originally Posted by boon94

I had this problem when i was shopping for tires recently.
I only wanted the front 2 replaced, but the ones i wanted only came in a wider width than what i had on the rear. The car definitely shifts its weight oddly now. Its only really noticeable when its really windy on the highway, i dont know how to describe it, but its a strange feeling.

I really honestly don't recommend it, frankly it's dangerous and stupid on the public road as it makes for really, uh, interesting handling in emergency situations... I have learned you can get away with an awful lot of over-driving cars up until you have to react to someone else doing something unexpected... this where you really start to uncover flaws in your car's handling, and what really separates the wheat from the chaff...

boon94 · #9 17-02-09

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeffCullen

frankly it's dangerous and stupid on the public road as it makes for really, uh, interesting handling in emergency situations...

jeff there are far more problems in life to worry about, such as guys driving with 3 doughnut wheels at 60 MPH then my cars new weight transfer tendencies because of a 10mm difference in tire width.

JeffCullen · #10 17-02-09

Totally agree with you, and if driven responsibly it isn't a big deal... but I am pointing it out all the same in case someone gets the idea it'd be cool to backwards-stagger their FWD car... my particular setup (borne out of extreme cheapness) has surprised me once when I was already driving like a t**t so I was expecting it, but I have uncovered snap oversteer in FWD cars with matched (but rubbish...) tyres a couple of other times whilst avoiding accidents... I've been lucky but it is something to be mindful of. That said mine is worse as not only the width is mismatched but the profile as well - the fronts are considerably stiffer and grippier. I have a considerable mismatch in the level of grip front to rear, not quite the same situation as yours.

Never seen a car with more than one doughnut on... remind me never to drive in Maine!