15" vs. 17" wheel package
 

My car has the 15" wheel package. I have an opportunity to buy some 17" wheels from another Backdraft. But, the only time I drove a Backdraft with the 17" package it rode much harder, and the steering wheel jerked/vibrated all over the place at any speed over about 35mph. I suppose it could have been a balance problem, but the owner just said that is the way the 17'wheels feel. He had been driving it that way since new. I think he had the big drag tires on the back, but I forget which brand

Is this true? Please weigh in on this and help me decide what to do.

Skip B.

Something was terribly wrong with his alignment or balancing of the tires. That is definetly not the case. 17" are worth the money. If you can pull off a nice deal then by all means get 'em. Or ask him to take 'em around the block for a test before outright buying them.

Skip B. You have a P.M.

Pete

Skip, is it possible that the BDR you drove had the M suspension? The M suspension is much stiffer than the standard E36.

Get the 17 inch wheels, you will love them. The tire availablity of quality tires is great. Your car will ride and handle much better than that with 15 inch wheels and tires.

If they are shimmying, do not buy them. They may not be repairable. They may shimmy forever. Your steering wheel may shake so bad that you think it's going to come apart.

It is possible that the wheel is not round. it is possible that EVEN WITH TIRES THAT ARE KNOWN TO BE FINE ON ANOTHER CAR, they will not be balancable. Is that even a word?:confused: :JEKYLHYDE

Now I'm sure that if they are not supposed to shimmy, someone will chime in here that thiers doesn't.%/

There rear 315 drag radials are awsome.:MECOOL:

I know I'm in for it, for what I'm about to say. Sorry ahead of time!
First- if you want a musscle car affect, go with the 15" and fill up the wheel well with tire, not wheels. Second- if you want a "Hot Rod look" or.... if your going to race it (autocross) ect, go with the 17" (a lot better traction). I have yet to see a cobra with the 17"s that I really like. I'm really into Hot Rods & the bigger wheels, 17"-20".....look great but, not on a cobra. With such a small car & heavy body lines, they look way to big for the car. I have seen many of the 60's factory cars like, Camaro's, Firebird's, ect... that have been Hot Rodded, very low stance & large wheels that look awesome until they get too large, like over 20". The Cuda build on the Discovery channel (I believe) was truly a fantastic bad ass, car when finished but the rear wheels were OVER KILL !!! Anyway, "to each it's own" I say. I'm NOT...knocking you guys that have 17". I just prefer the larger tires on a cobra. If I ever wanted to build a Hot Rod cobra, everything, but the body lines, would be changed. Tires & wheels, interior, chassis, radio & maybe even a HEMI, for a engine ! So, it's all in what you want. Either way, is not wrong. I will say, that if I were road racing, I would have 17" but, I drag race mine & will stay with 15" If Good Year ever comes out with the old LARGE....raised white lettered Good Year tires in a radial......I would buy them in a heart beat !

tfarhood,

I asked about the car I drove having the M3 package and was told, no, only the 17" wheels. I really think it might have been a balance issue. So, I am going to look into the 17" wheels. But, I think I will keep the 15" too.

Skip

GET THE 17s! Mine ROCK! I love them! The ride is smooth and they bite when you get going....looking to switch to Victor Racers when I need new rubber.


Sid

The smaller sidewalls of the 17" wheel/tire package will equate to a harsher ride, but I don't know if that was the case with that other BDR.

Harsh Ride!

It's a sports car not a Lincoln. You are supposed to feel the road. Plus you will not be taking it on trips (after the first year).

The 17 inch tires perform, and feel great. You want a tire that looks "correct" and don't care about handling go with the inch.
But in the BDR the M3 option requires inch wheels to clear the rotors.

What he said! :)
17's are great tires for traction & on smooth roads. 15's look the part & feel better on your A$$

You guys crack me up!

I wrote the original thread in August 2005! I so appreciate your input even a year and half later.

SkipB

17"
 

When I got my car with 17" rims it shook real good at all speeds. I took it to my front end shop that I trust. They checked it out and the car was tracking staight. They then checked tires and front two were way off and rear was alittle off both sides. Some custom balancing to all wheels and the car is 400% better. Yes it's rough on rough roads but no more wheel shake.
17" wheels look and handle great.
tom

Ditto! Long trips? This year will be the third trip to London for the cobra show with 17's!

Sid :cool:

I'm no purist, 17" Boyd Smoothies and sticky Nittos.

Steering wheel "quiver" even after a quality 4-wheel alignment.

The old '60's hot rodder got PO'd and dropped the tire pressure to 18 PSI.

Tracks like Dad's old Oldsmobile, hands-off on the highway, no quiver.

Tire life is not a problem with me, Gunrack is not a daily driver!

UT

I had the 15's. Look'd o.k and the high side wall acts as a good shock absorber to smooth out the bumps.

However, it takes a lot to even make the 17's squeal. The are a bit rougher ride but handle like glue.

Kurt

The best $20 I ever spent was road force balancing the POS BFG T/A's that came on my BDR. They are the worst tire on the road. Knocked out 95% of the steering wheel dance. One tire had over 60lbs, got it knocked down to 25 lbs, minivan with some firestone ??? had 5 lbs.

So Skip, did you ever get the 17" wheels? If so, how do you like them?

Steve

lovehamr,

Nope, at this point I am still on 15s. I just can't quite adjust to the look of the 17s. I know the rubber available is much better, but it gets away from the traditional look. Maybe if I had another car.........? I'll check with my wife about her moving outside so I can put a second Cobra in the garage. I wonder what my chances of success will be? If this works out then I will get 17s.

SkipB