Dodge Challenger Forum banner

Questions about changing tire size?

15K views 22 replies 13 participants last post by  ddeennis 
#1 ·
So I have a 2014 Challenger SXT. Currently I have the 18" rims and tires it came with on.

Personally, I feel like the wheels don't look good on it. I just feel like there is too much extra room in the wheel well.

I am buying a set of 4 245/45r20 tires with 4 20 inch rims.

I can take them to firestone and get them installed and balanced for $12.50 a tire.

Is there anything else i need to do to my car when change to rim size?
has anyone done something similar?

Thank you in advance for the help!
 
#2 · (Edited)
You are correct...

It's because the huge size of the car demands a taller wheel to be proportionate (even with 60's muscle). But you don't need new rims. Just get tires with more sidewall. That will fill the wheel well, and give you a cool retro look. Add white lettering, and it will be b@dazzz. The 18" rims look better than 20"s. If my brakes would fit, I'd get 18"s.
 
#16 ·
It's because the huge size of the car demands a taller wheel to be proportionate (even with 60's muscle). But you don't need new rims. Just get tires with more sidewall. That will fill the wheel well, and give you a cool retro look. Add white lettering, and it will be b@dazzz. The 18" rims look better than 20"s. If my brakes would fit, I'd get 18"s.
I couldn't agree more! If you're really after the retro look, the larger side-wall tires are the way to go! I'm ordering an SRT and if it weren't for the Brembo brakes up front, I'd definitely put 18" or maybe even 15" wheels with even taller side walls!
 
#4 ·
Speedo will be off slightly. If/when you buy a tuner you can easily change that.

I am the opposite of the above. I think these cars need the 20's and handle so much better with them. Especially if you're going to try and fill the wheel well up buy using a larger profile series tire.
 
#11 ·
Last car was 2010 SE with 215/65/17s. Handling was like dancing with a fat girl. Mounted 20" American Racing Torque Thrusts and Firestone Firehawk Wide Ovals 245/45/20. Handling improvement was like night and day. While a wide side wall gives you a genuine Old Skool look, those wide side walls also give you Old Skool side wall squish and sway. Trust me, I was in school during the Cold War. I do wish white letters would come back though, and the real block type, not the white outline. Fitment was a non issue, for the stated size was stock on SRT models that year.
 
#14 ·
I got pics of the 10, before, during and after but am having no luck loading them with a droid, PM me a email or cell and I'll mail/text them.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Decheveria
#18 ·
#19 ·
Here's mine with 20" rims.... I run my 17" rims with snow tires during the winter.
 

Attachments

#23 ·
I put some 245 50 18 pirelli p zero tires on the rear of my car, annddddddd I'm not really digging them, the side walls bulge out well past the rim and since this happens you don't get full contact of tread to the ground.

I played with tire pressure to give the biggest foot print, 37 psi HOT and the tires was hot in the middle compared to the edges, also about 1 1/2 of tread on the edges was not even making contact with the ground- used a infrared heat gun to take temps across the tire.

Went from 37 hot down to 32 hot and this made the foot print about 1/2" wider- gain about/over 1/4" on each edge of the tire.

I continued to play with tires pressure over a few days and doing small burnouts on very smooth finished concrete, I finally arrived at 28 psi cold / roughly 30 hot and layed some black marks and heated the tires up and this gave me about as even as I can get for temps across the tires.

I'm sure I can do some fine tuning to the cold air pressure but I can tell you this, it is in the ball park , 37 hot psi was just roasting the center of the tread.

during my testing of pressure, if the tire is warmed up from a drive and small burn out, it will cool down and air pressure drops about 2 degrees.

Some sites have stated 5 psi swing in air pressure from hot to cold, I have not noticed that much swing since mine is just regular driving with a small burnout about the same as the 1/4 mile track. I'm sure it would have the bigger swing on a road coarse where the tires are being pushed hard.

Never the less 28 cold air pressure and small burnout puts the biggest print so far and the most even temps across the tire.

Since I'm on smooth concrete, you can really see where the 245 tire does NOT make contact to the concrete, I get a measurement of about 7.5" across the tire that actually gets put to the ground.

The outer edge gives up about 1.25" of tread that never makes it to the concrete surface and it looks like about 1" on the inner edge.

I can tell you just because the tire fits, it doesn't mean you are gaining traction, I do know for a fact my 2013 challenger just fries those tire, they don't stick at all.

I was trying to gain traction to get my car ready for the track, I have more traction with the 235 55 18 stock tires.

I can only image what the wider tires would look like ( 255), they would be way way over the rims and bulging even worse then the 245 tires.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top