The 18" rims it comes with feel too small. But 22" rims look too large. I feel like I want 20" rims, but i'm not sure? Does the stock R/T come with 20" rims or what is on that because in my opinion it looks beter. I'm not just changing rims because of the size, but also I want machiened rims because i don't like the way the stock sxt ones look.
Also, how much MORE expensive are tires for the 20" rims rather than the 18" rims? if anyone has the rim and tire specifications that would be awesome so i know what fits!
IMO, the 20" rim is a must have on these cars. The 18's look too small and require too large of a sidewall to fill up the wheel well. And with that large sidewall, the car handles like hot garbage. I had driven a couple base rental Challengers prior to getting mine, and granted I have the SS/T package with supposedly the upgraded RT suspension, the difference in handling was drastic with the 20's. Matter of fact I just put 18's on for winter with snow tires and it's like driving a boat.
22's seem too big to me. Can look good but really needs the right wheel to pull it off without looking gangsta. But some do look great. But you're also talking now paying big buck for wheels and tires.
Tire prices are quite a bit more from a 18 to 20. Heck it was cheaper to buy wheels and snow tires for the 18's then then just buy 20" snows. But tires are very much a get what you pay for item.
funny when I first got into cars, I dreamed of having 15's lol
Go to a dealer and test drive an R/T with 20's, it should be close enough to judge the ride on you SXT. Some R/t's even come with 18's as it is the standard size but almost every dealer orders them with the 20 inch upgrade. Pretty rare to see 18's on the lot on an R/T. With the 20's you feel the road a little more but handling is quite improved due to sidewall flex (which is what improves ride slightly) I think the trade off is worth it. If you want the looks too, then it's a no brainer. Lot's of choices in aftermarket.
I have a 2014 sxt supersport. It came with 20s with 245 45 20 tires. I had test drove the base with 18s and the difference is awsome. Yes the ride is a bit more harsh but well worth the better handling.
After tou do this upgrade you will be opening a door to a whole lot of money well spent on upgrades. Welcome to the club.
Cheers
You could always look at a slightly taller tire for the 20's thus adding more sidewall. That would have the added benefit of closing up the gap between the tire and wheelwell. Adding a lowering kit to close that gap often makes for a harsher ride. Just something to kick around. You still should see if you can test drive an SXT with 20's at the dealer. This is one of those things you can't really trust someone else's opinion on, it's way too subjective. Tires and wheels make or break the look of a car so you have to find a package that works for you. Try spending some time going through the aftermarket tire and wheel thread, that should help steer you in a direction.
I have 20" machined Ace Mesh 7s on my car. I'm very happy with them. If you'd like to see a Challenger with 22" wheels done perfectly I recommend checking out fellow forum member Rajunz. Best Challenger on 22s I've seen.
My personal preference is 20" because of the look, tire options and handling. I had 18" on my 2009 R/T but widened the rears to run a 295 width tire as I did quite a bit of drag racing with it. It looked good, but I wouldn't do it again. I think 22" are too big and that is just my preference. I have seen some great looking Challengers with 22" that I did think looked nice but it's just not for me. The tire options are not nearly as good as in the 20" if you want some real performance type tires, which I do. I think 20" is a happy middle of not being too rough, looking awesome and lots of options for wheels and tires!
If you go to the stock size tire on 18" to the stock size tire on 20", it will also be a taller tire, which will have the effect of bumping your axle ratio slightly taller. The 20" wheel will also bring extra mass and increased rotational mass. So the combined effect of going to the 20" wheel package may not be all that desirable, aside from an improvement in looks.
Might just be better off just going with low profile tires on the 18" and dropping the $h1t out of the car to reduce the wheel well space. Of course, your ride quality is going to take a hit.
Had I kept my 18" wheels, I'd have polished them because it does look better than paint and I'd have increased tire size, and therefore traction and handling, without bumping wheel diameter with 265/50 tires. That's what Hal H did and it's the most sensible (and also visually appealing) solution to me.
What's hardly ever discussed in wheel choice threads is what Randy brought up, i.e., is it such a good idea to have taller gearing and increased wheel mass (especially on the least powerful cars) for the sake of a crisper steering feel? I mean for a car that goes out in the real world every now and then, anyway. The response to that question will depend on the individual, his priorities and perceived needs.
Cosmetically speaking, what is the difference between the diameter of a stock 18" wheel and tire and a stock 20" wheel and tire? just wondering because the 18" is not a low profile tire and I'm thinking the 20" is?
The tire OD is like a tick larger on the 20" combo...probably pretty difficult to discern the OD just by vision. Cosmetically, it's mostly the 1" more of metal in the wheel (1" less sidewall) on each side, within that nearly same OD of tire region.
It's less than an inch. I have 18's on my R/T and they are about 27 1/4 inches tall as they sit on the ground loaded, the 245 20's are right at 28 inches tall.
I've got 20" performance tires on chrome rims & 18" Perelli winter tires on a set of aluminum alloy rims. True, 18" winter tires and rims were WAY less $ than just 20" winter tires. Crazy price difference. Great ride on both. The 22's sound awesome.
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