20" Wheels? What's the Point?

[Bikeman315]

The top Mustang now has 20" wheels.

If you top as in performance you are right. The Shelby GT500 has 20" wheels. But they serve a purpose. They have to cover the massive front discs. All other performance Mustangs have 19" wheels

Even more interesting is that the top Camaro's have 20's, and that car is a better track car than the Mustang is.

Not really all that interesting as handling is more than just wheel size. Differences in suspension and, especially tires, are more important than wheel size alone.

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[Jeff's FRC]

If you top as in performance you are right. The Shelby GT500 has 20" wheels. But they serve a purpose. They have to cover the massive front discs. All other performance Mustangs have 19" wheels

Yep, I know that. I was simply stating fact that the top mustang has 20's now.

Not really all that interesting as handling is more than just wheel size. Differences in suspension and, especially tires, are more important than wheel size alone.

Hmm, interesting. So suspension and tire selection have a bigger impact on handling than the diameter of a wheel? That is the point I was sarcastically making...lol

 

[LDHunter]

The PS4’s only come on cars with the Performance Package so not sure why you expected them.

Get the Ford spare on eBay. It fits perfectly in the wheel well. This would be limited use only as there is a difference in wheel diameter. 50 miles/50MPH and you’ll be fine.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/174181676086?fits=Model:Mustang|Make:Ford&epid=18017017585&hash=item288e097436:g:thAAAOSw-eleOduG

Well.... I didn't know about the PS4's only coming with the Performance Package but I guess now I do. Thanks....

OH... My GT already came with the Ford spare...

 

[m3incorp]

Did you buy your car new or used?

Well.... I didn't know about the PS4's only coming with the Performance Package but I guess now I do. Thanks....

OH... My GT already came with the Ford spare...

 

[SilverStallion]

Only think I can think of is tire prices

 

[LDHunter]

Did you buy your car new or used?

I bought the car new but it's a 2020 model.

It's a 2020 GT Premium 401A with some other extras...

 

[m3incorp]

Mine didn't come with a spare. It came with the slime kit. Maybe the dealer added it to your car..but that is a good thing.

I bought the car new but it's a 2020 model.

It's a 2020 GT Premium 401A with some other extras...

 

[Bikeman315]

Mine didn't come with a spare. It came with the slime kit. Maybe the dealer added it to your car..but that is a good thing.

The spare is a factory option. OP's car was most likely ordered that way.

 

[LDHunter]

The spare is a factory option. OP's car was most likely ordered that way.

Yup.... It was on the invoice but I wasn't the one that originally ordered it. I just would rather have a full size available even if it compromises my trunk space.

 

[Bikeman315]

Yup.... It was on the invoice but I wasn't the one that originally ordered it. I just would rather have a full size available even if it compromises my trunk space.

And don’t forget the addition weight. Honestly the Ford spare will work just fine in the unlikely event that you need one.

 

[LDHunter]

OK.... So imagine this.... You're on the way home on a lonely 2 lane highway late on a Sunday evening and suddenly you get an alert that one of your tires just went flat. You pull over as you groan about working on a tire. When you walk around to the passenger front wheel well you quickly ascertain that the sidewall is toast so you'll have to put on your spare.

You're still a few hundred miles from home and have to work tomorrow.... As you raise your trunk lid you remember that your wimpy spare is only rated for 100 miles and finding a 20" tire and someone to mount it at that late hour on a Sunday night is pretty near impossible.

If you have a complete and fully functional tire and wheel you'll be on your way home again in 15-30 minutes... Otherwise.....

I've always prepared for the worst and hoped for the best.

 

[Roadway 5.0]

OK.... So imagine this.... You're on the way home on a lonely 2 lane highway late on a Sunday evening and suddenly you get an alert that one of your tires just went flat. You pull over as you groan about working on a tire. When you walk around to the passenger front wheel well you quickly ascertain that the sidewall is toast so you'll have to put on your spare.

You're still a few hundred miles from home and have to work tomorrow.... As you raise your trunk lid you remember that your wimpy spare is only rated for 100 miles and finding a 20" tire and someone to mount it at that late hour on a Sunday night is pretty near impossible.

If you have a complete and fully functional tire and wheel you'll be on your way home again in 15-30 minutes... Otherwise.....

I've always prepared for the worst and hoped for the best.

I’d have a veggie-oil fueled 4x4 if “what-ifs” controlled my decisions on cars. Terrible weather events, downed trees, steep entrances, fuel shortages, the Zombie apocalypse, and so forth are not suited for a Mustang.

 

[PoCoBob]

OK.... So imagine this.... You're on the way home on a lonely 2 lane highway late on a Sunday evening and suddenly you get an alert that one of your tires just went flat. You pull over as you groan about working on a tire. When you walk around to the passenger front wheel well you quickly ascertain that the sidewall is toast so you'll have to put on your spare.

You're still a few hundred miles from home and have to work tomorrow.... As you raise your trunk lid you remember that your wimpy spare is only rated for 100 miles and finding a 20" tire and someone to mount it at that late hour on a Sunday night is pretty near impossible.

If you have a complete and fully functional tire and wheel you'll be on your way home again in 15-30 minutes... Otherwise.....

I've always prepared for the worst and hoped for the best.

That doesn't concern me at all, really what's going to happen when it gets to 101 miles? That rating is most likely there so people know it's not to be used as a permanent spare.

What does concern me is the different circumference of the tire if used on the rear. A limited slip rear end is supposed to have tires on each side that are the exact same size. A substantially smaller tire on one side will be harmful on the clutch pack if it stays on there too long.

 

[m3incorp]

If you are in that scenario often, then yes I agree a real tire and wheel may be the ticket for you.

OK.... So imagine this.... You're on the way home on a lonely 2 lane highway late on a Sunday evening and suddenly you get an alert that one of your tires just went flat. You pull over as you groan about working on a tire. When you walk around to the passenger front wheel well you quickly ascertain that the sidewall is toast so you'll have to put on your spare.

You're still a few hundred miles from home and have to work tomorrow.... As you raise your trunk lid you remember that your wimpy spare is only rated for 100 miles and finding a 20" tire and someone to mount it at that late hour on a Sunday night is pretty near impossible.

If you have a complete and fully functional tire and wheel you'll be on your way home again in 15-30 minutes... Otherwise.....

I've always prepared for the worst and hoped for the best.

 

[Norm Peterson]

OK... So I'm a 60's generation kind of guy and admittedly have old school ideas and attitudes on a lot of things yet I DO embrace a lot of the new technology these days BUT!!!

What's the point of the 20" wheels on a Mustang other than the bling factor? Don't get me wrong... My new Mustang I'm picking up today (hopefully) has them and from the pics I've seen of it they look pretty nice but at some point doesn't there end up being some diminishing returns factor when wheels keep getting taller and tires getting skinnier?

70+ here, so I kind of know where you're coming from. I did read through the entire thread first.

Other than the need for clearing larger brake kits, 20" wheels are still mainly driven by the appearance preferences of the majority.

I've read a little bit about the ride being rougher with the skinny tires. I've also read the complaints about the wheels and tires being more susceptible to damage from curbs, potholes etc.

It's completely true that short-sidewall tires are more susceptible to pinch-flats and consequential wheel damage. But what you have to look at here is the actual sidewall height measurement, not just the profile number.

Ride quality tends to deteriorate with short-sidewall tires, but that also gets into wheel width vs tire size. Some tires ride firmer than others, too.


FWIW, the most extreme Camaro - the ZL1/1LE - rides on 19" rolling stock. 305/30-19 and 325/30-19. On 19x11 and 19x12 wheels.


Norm

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