I never thought there would be much difference in the ride between 17 and 16 inch rims but having just changed to 16" winters, the difference in ride comfort is very noticeable.

The usual hard response to sharp ripples in the road is softened nicely.

Now I know why the special build club hassled SUK to get this setup.

I never thought there would be much difference in the ride between 17 and 16 inch rims but having just changed to 16" winters, the difference in ride comfort is very noticeable.

The usual hard response to sharp ripples in the road is softened nicely.

Now I know why the special build club hassled SUK to get this setup.

For ch***ts sake don't start that debate again!!! I luv my extra 1/2 inch

another convert then.

SUK you need to find a new less harmful job for that trim specifier who's got OCD about fitting large bling wheels

TP

I think part of that difference is due to the winter tyres.

My Greenline has a softer? ride on it's 205/55/16 winter continentals than it did on its identically sized summer Eco continentals.

It also has noticeably less tyre noise as well.

I never thought there would be much difference in the ride between 17 and 16 inch rims but having just changed to 16" winters, the difference in ride comfort is very noticeable.

The usual hard response to sharp ripples in the road is softened nicely.

Now I know why the special build club hassled SUK to get this setup.

Ive never had a set of summer tyres comparable to winters for comfort though - it'll be more to do with the compliancy in the side walls due to the different construction than the 1" difference in diameter imo. ;-) Glad you are happy with them though.

Sorry Andy

Ive never had a set of summer tyres comparable to winters for comfort though - it'll be more to do with the compliancy in the side walls due to the different construction than the 1" difference in diameter imo. ;-) Glad you are happy with them though.

Very happy Lee, thanx matey.

I was kind of thinking softer sidewalls to get a bigger contact patch making the difference.

I did also think they were quieter but thought it may be just imagination.

I'm still on the trail of a cheap way of covering the hub nuts though.

After plan A went south, I may have a plan B. it all depends on a block of oasis and some very dense foam.

For ch***ts sake don't start that debate again!!! I luv my extra 1/2 inch

It took me a minute or two to work out the asterisks - it was the lack of a possessive apostrophe that threw me!

It took me a minute or two to work out the asterisks - it was the lack of a possessive apostrophe that threw me!

Oh dear I didn't notice that at the time Well at least it gave your brain a bit of excercise!

Just to mix it up a bit, can you fit a higher side wall tyre to the 17" rim, this would give a softer ride, bigger diameter tyre and fill the wheel arch a bit more.

Say a 225 65 17, might be easier to find a proper off road tyre then too.

I'm just quietly tittering..............I suspect others are too...........

what have I missed?

Just to mix it up a bit, can you fit a higher side wall tyre to the 17" rim, this would give a softer ride, bigger diameter tyre and fill the wheel arch a bit more.

Say a 225 65 17, might be easier to find a proper off road tyre then too.

Noooooooooooo!

To quote a bit of a singing thing....

"Stop right now, thank you very much"

Hang on a minute...

James, In contrast to the lowering thread, you could do a monster truck yeti

what have I missed?

Another sparring match on the numbers 16 and 17.....in the blue corner we have SUK .....and in the red corner we have.................

I am not going to do it, I just assumed the ride would improve on a larger side wall. Speedo and everything would go wonky.

I am staying on the 17's as lease plan pay for them, comes in handy when you can have tyres for free, so far I am on the third set of four.

Wouldn't it be the same as when we used to change 6.00x16 to 7.50x16 on the old Land Rover?

Edited 26 November, 201213 yr by James I

I agree with the OP

from 17" Spitz to 16" steel winters has transformed the ride comfort and I would also say roadholding........ the car is now just "magic" in the wet

Some new 16" Alloys with some good sensible tyres will go on after the winters come off to replace the 17" Spitz and the "rubber bands" that were fitted from new

I have 17" summers and 16" winters. TBH I cannot detect any difference in ride. Both are perfectly acceptable!

Edited 27 November, 201213 yr by survey

I have 17" summers and 16" winters. TBH I cannot detect any difference in ride. Both are perfectly acceptable!

mine are as different as "chalk and cheese" - done 24,000 miles on the 17" alloys and now almost 4,000 miles on the 16" winters, (autoroute and all types of road surfaces including the Swiss Alps and two weeks in the Hampshire torrential rain that has recently hit the UK).

All together now.............'ere we go............'ere we go..........'ere we go

I thought that was earwig 0, earwig 0, earwig 0........................

I thought that was earwig 0, earwig 0, earwig 0........................

That takes me back, that's an old Les Barker poem from a while back.

Ah - dear Les Barker. Cosmo the fairly accurate knife-thrower, and his lovely assistant Lucille , Susanne, Katerina, and so on!

Brilliant

I am staying on the 17's as lease plan pay for them, comes in handy when you can have tyres for free, so far I am on the third set of four.

Wow, my front tyres lasted 36k on the nearside, 28k offside due to an early puncture destroying that tyre,

Rears are not even half worn yet at 40k! You must have covered some miles.

This is one advantage of the ridiculously wide tyres, more rubber in contact with the road so wear rate is less.

Most I have ever seen out of a front tyre, usualy get 15 to 20k max. Worst ever was a mondeo diesel estate, ate tyres in 11k repeatedly.

The OE summer Dunlops have done 20k, got swapped front to rear at 10k, and still have approx half the useable tread left.

Mind you I am quite light footed most of the time.

I agree with the OP

from 17" Spitz to 16" steel winters has transformed the ride comfort and I would also say roadholding........ the car is now just "magic" in the wet

Some new 16" Alloys with some good sensible tyres will go on after the winters come off to replace the 17" Spitz and the "rubber bands" that were fitted from new

Improved roadholding on winters will be down to tread pattern, depth and compound - not due to being 16s not 17s.

PS: There's nowt much wrong with my 225/50 17 winters IMHO.

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