So, most aftermarket wheels are going to stick out a little bit---the scrub radius will have changed (more negative I think) and the car's track will have widen a tiny bit.

Have you folks noticed any bump steer or negative steering impact from this?

To mitigate this possibility, I am thinking with a very mild solution: Konig Helium wheels at 15x6.5 Offset +40mm with Vredestein Quatrac 5 tires (a 26 lb. combo.) This will push the wheels out at each side a little less than 1 inch (calculated as follow: stock offset is 53mm plus wider wheels of .5 inch will push everything out in the amount of: 53 minus 40mm PLUS half of .5 inches = 13mm + 6mm = 19mm <----- pushed out 19mm)

This will change the scrub radius from which will lead to some steering feel changes.

What's been your experience like?

Is the steering harder now? Or just as vague and fluid?

Felt any bumpsteer?

 

This video shows a car with Konig Heliums looking very nice:

 

That wheel size is pretty safe. Any negative effects would result from bad tire size.

Start with tires. Find a diameter you want, 15" in this case. Then decide how much width you want. Then how much sidewall you want.

Then find a wheel that keeps that tire away from everything else.

 

Most people seem to be running 195/60/15 or wider.. maybe I should go for that size.. but the handling is actually decent enough even at stock size 175/65/15. It's most unsrpung weight I'm trying to reduce here, the Vredesteins are only 15 lbs. (among the lightest tires out there. )

 

175 is totally fine. Compound is more important than width anyway.

 

I liked my 175s. Great mileage. A little sketchy on the freeway. But if you want a stiffer sidewall you'll have to go wider.

 

Here's what I have decided to do upon learning that the Vredestein Quatrac 5 are discontinued in the 185/65/15 size...

I'm going to mount to Konig Heliums on the tires I have on now, 175/65R15----I'm aware that the tire manufacturers specs a narrower wheel for that size. This tire size is supposed to be mounted on a 15x5 to 15x6 size wheel. It's off by a small amount, I checked with a local tire shop that saids it's OK.

This will save me some money and also, the tires I have on now are almost brand new, they were mounted only in July of this year.

 

That should be completely fine.

 

Thank you sir.