Mixed wheel sizes - anyone done this?

[Mr. Maboomba]

Has anyone mixed 19s on the front and 20s on the rear? What was the result?

BMW does this some of their models (e.g., 2018 M3 CS, 2021+ M3). Mercedes does this with the C63S. Chevrolet does this with the Corvette. Porsche does this with the 991 GT3 RS. There must be a benefit to it.

@50 Deep @APEX Race Parts have you sold any custom wheel sets that are 19” front 20” rear?

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[Firsttexan]

My 2013 GT500 had 19s in front with 20s in the rear stock.

Not sure why, maybe it was a solid axle taming issue?

 

[deanm11]

"There must be a benefit to it" - I think that may be reading too much into it. One factor could be general tire size availability. The widest sizes usually specified for the rear tend to have more availability in larger diameters. I would simply go back to your own goals and go from there. I think visuals are better with like wheel diameters. Are your goals for weight reduction - that will lean toward 18s and 19s. Overall tire diameter - for overall traction, larger overall diameter will give greater contact patch at a given section width. But larger diameter counters any goal of lightweight. Overall diameter also plays into ride height. Finally, I actually ran the reverse of what you explore here - 17s in the back and 18s on the front. My goals were as light as possible and with more sidewall in the rear on a drag radial for straight line traction. I went about the minimum overall diameter (25.66") which allowed me to have a package that was 50lbs lighter than 18" factory setup on a base GT.

 

[I Bleed Ford Blue]

I've thought about it, but finding a set of wheels that are 19/20 that fit an s 550 will be hard

 

[galaxy]

It looks funny. If you stay close in total tire dia front and rear, now you have a larger sidewall in the front and a skinny one in the rear. May hame some benefits on handling and such, IDK, but I could never get past the eye sore it created.

 

[galaxy]

You got two threads running.

 

[Firsttexan]

It looks funny. If you stay close in total tire dia front and rear, now you have a larger sidewall in the front and a skinny one in the rear. May hame some benefits on handling and such, IDK, but I could never get past the eye sore it created.

Looks pretty good there.

 

[Jaymar]

OEMs did it strictly for visual aesthetics not for any performance issue. The car looked larger at the back so a slightly larger wheel balanced the look out.

 

[Mr. Maboomba]

OEMs did it strictly for visual aesthetics not for any performance issue. The car looked larger at the back so a slightly larger wheel balanced the look out.

You’re saying that Porsche did this exclusively on the GT3RS for aesthetics? And BMW did it on the M3 CS and M4 GTS for aesthetics? I seriously doubt that.

 

[Mr. Maboomba]

You got two threads running.

Thanks, reported

 

[Whopperman]

Wouldn't a staggered setup technically save rotational mass since the rim is smaller? Call me stupid, but if they could only get maybe .001 second with a squared setup or provide less rotational mass, slight (if noticeable) car feel with less weight, and save the owner cost of a bigger tire size then it seems like a logical thing from a manufacturers point of view. Then again I'm also more stupiderest than some

 

[Whopperman]

I already called Mr. Ford and he said he gets +5 internet points

 

[Whopperman]

Has anyone mixed 19s on the front and 20s on the rear? What was the result?

BMW does this some of their models (e.g., 2018 M3 CS, 2021+ M3). Mercedes does this with the C63S. Chevrolet does this with the Corvette. Porsche does this with the 991 GT3 RS. There must be a benefit to it.

@50 Deep @APEX Race Parts have you sold any custom wheel sets that are 19” front 20” rear?

I believe my friends M4 and Z06 are staggered, I know the M4 has 18' and 19' staggered and the Z06 has 19' and 20' (if I recall correctly). I think if you want to switch it would be mainly aesthetics since performance and feel would most likely be a minuscule change. If you have smooth roads by you then I don't see any harm as long as you know the tire and rim will fit without rubbing.

 

[The Demon]

I am staggered. Front: 19x9.5 275/40/19….Rear: 20x11 305/30/20. I did it more for the look than any benefit. I don’t track my car or take it to the drag strip.

 

[honeybadger]

It could also be related to final final drive/gearing. Different tire height in the rear will make a larger difference in acceleration and top speed than most people think.

That said, most purpose-built race cars use a smaller diameter wheel and/or larger sidewall tire in the rear than the front. So while having a larger wheel in the rear isn't abnormal, using the wheel size isn't the best way to do it. Makes the sidewall smaller and adds weight.

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