[TE37]

The chance is low but I figure I'll ask everyone anyway....

Anyone riding on 16" rims with their SVT? I do a lot of driving and my SVT is my daily driver. So I'm looking into some lightweight 16" hoping I can get a more comfortable ride with a higher profile tires. Plus, 16" all season tires a way cheaper than 17".

 

[01CobaltTiburon]

I just dunno...

IMHO, it would look, well... kind of silly...

 

[R&DSVTZX5]

I have heard of some SVTF owners thinking about buying 16's factory Focus wheels and using them to put on their winter tires on. It would be cheaper, but would indeed not look right. Of course, its not about the looks.

 

[sudgalvas]

I have 16" tires on my SVT for snow purposes. There are no clearance issues with the brake calipers. However, when I hit a hard bump, the front tires rub the wheel wells. The size of the rubber is 205/50 16. I don't know if it is the deep treads on the Blizaks or just not quite the right geometry for the car.

Anyway, the tall sidewall of the tires does provide for a slightly more comfortable ride, but at a great expense of handling. The car does not look too silly (a degree of sillyness is implied), but I cannot wait for the temperature to allow me to take the damn things off and get back to the Conti's. The car feels like I am driving on sponges or balloons. Zigging and zagging through trafffic and around corners is just no fun anymore. At least I can get where I need to when it is snowing!

 

[Seb656]

Get rid of your 17's [???] [bigcry]

 

[TE37]

I live in the North East and summer here is only 3 months, so having a set of 16"s with all season is much more practical. The SVT is my daliy driver anyway so I don't mind giving up the handling for a bit more ride comfort.

So any 16"s will fit?

 

[sudgalvas]

I live in the North East and summer here is only 3 months, so having a set of 16"s with all season is much more practical. The SVT is my daliy driver anyway so I don't mind giving up the handling for a bit more ride comfort.

So any 16"s will fit?

b

I got my tires and wheels from tirerack.com. They assured me that they had the same offset as the factory wheels (although they could not tell me what the offset was).

I have read that stock 16" alloys will fit on the SVT with no clearance issues.

Check out this thread: http://www.focusfanatics.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2599

 

[VTSVTFan]

16's

I have a set of 16" ZX3 rims on my '03 SVT for the Winter. I bought them on E-Bay for $190 for all 4 plus shipping. I think they are a running auction. Just do a search for Focus Rims and you will see them. You need 16" to clear the calipers. You can also buy them once in a while with the tires but I recall them being the wrong size. I bought just the rims and put 205-50-16's on them (that's what SVT reccomends for winter tires.) I haven't had any clearance problems at all. [thumb]

 

[TE37]

VTSVTFan

What kind of tires do you have on your 16's? I can't find any winter tires with 205-50-16.

 

[essveetee]

FYI, I am running 205/55/16 Michelin Arctic Alpins with no problems. That size was easier to find and I figured a little extra sidewall would be good for airing the tires down just in case I had to resort to it. Overall, the snows work awesome.

 

[jhonda]

I have some 16" kazera kzv chrome rims on my svtf with a H&R cup kit no rubbing at all.
I got falken 215/40/16

 

[hfactor]

I've got 16's on there for the winter w/ Pirelli WinterSport 210's. The ride comfort is only noticable when hitting pot holes, etc., otherwise I don't really notice a difference. Maybe I'm just not one to pay much attention, frankly I prefer a stiffer ride. That's.....one of the reasons that I bought an SVT!

 

[VTSVTFan]

What tires

I have Michelin Arctic Alpins also. I didn't have any trouble getting this size at all. They said there is a shortage on Michelin winter tires this year so I couldn't get the Pilots but these work great

 

[Gwizzy]

If it was just for the winter... check out THIS Thread...

**Otherwise I do know that the stock 16's from a ZTS will fit.... But will they really give you anymore comfort?!?!?[???]

You might want to swap your SVT for something a little more "mild manner" if that's what you're really after![eek]

 

[essveetee]

yeah, I have those rims on my car now. there is definitely more comfort...but really, the stock setup is comfortable. So really, this setup with the snow tires is mushy IMO.

 

[EuroZX3Focus]

Just throw on some 14" steelies and go cruise the parking lots for chicks....LOL

 

[Gwizzy]

Just throw on some 14" steelies and go cruise the parking lots for chicks....LOL

I know you're just j/k...but the smallest wheel that will fit on a SVT is 16" (Due to the large brakes)

 

[VTSVTFan]

16's

One thing I have noticed with the 16's is that you notice the cracks in the road more. I am talking about the ones that run parrallel with the road. They seem to grab the car more and make it "dance". I also notice it rides more like a pogo stick now and doesn't handle as well. I think you would be better off keeping the 17's and buying cheaper tires. Maybe all seasons

Just my $.02

 

[hfactor]

Well, I've always been told that taller rims (tires depending, I guess) follow the cracks in the road like it's their job. As with most things, it's probably tire dependent.

For example, on my car now I've got a set of Kazera 16" cheap rims with Pirelli WinterSport 210's mounted. I, honestly, can corner almost as hard as I could with the ContiSports and have a *slightly* softer ride. It's only noticable on the potholes that would have otherwise bent a rim, etc. Choice of tire has a huge impact on the minutia of road handling quirks, like following cracks, etc.

Performance snow tires or not, though, no 16" tire can beat the handling of a 17" if driven propa', imho.