[Focus man. Focus.]

I have come across the following:

Quote:4 Team Dynamics Pro Race 1, 4 x 108 17"x 7" 38mm offset, gun metal grey, w/ 4 215/45/17 Falken Ziex 512's

Will the 38mm offset work? Should I try and get these wheels? How much should I spend?

I have done a little research and they seem to be selling on US forums for around $450 to $500 for the wheels only. I am waiting on some income tax money and if these are still available would this bee a good buy?

[Dimitri]

http://www.harrisonmotorsports.com/shop/im...1%20Black_m.jpg

Thats a solid rim, go for it, if you get a chance!

[Focus man. Focus.]

Yeah, he replied and said he didn't have pictures ATM and their was MINOR curb rash. From what I have read about these rims they are lightweight and I am not sure how minor curb rash would look. Also he is asking $650 for the set.

Also what about the 38mm offset? How would that compare to the Focuses 42-44mm offset?

[Mystake]

Scorcher000,Oct 27 2008, 05:54 PM Wrote:You got it sharper the better. Though I never could really comprhend this reasoning, but if it's not broken don't fix it.
[right][snapback]275317[/snapback][/right]

think of it in terms of surface area. The weight of the car is spread out over that surface area.

The more tire touches the ground, the more the car's weight is spread evenly.

Call it the difference between for example, what if the car's tires were NAILS?! they'd poke through the ground. Even if the tips were flat. The car's weight is spread over the 4 tips of those nails.

put 4 cement blocks on instead and the weight of the car is spread over the surface area that those blocks have on the ground. Those pounds are spread over a great square inch surface.


I hope it maeks sense, because if it does then that's the principle behind why a narrow tire cuts through snow instead of being above it.


if u want another example... the difference between standing on one water ski and letting ur body sink and standing on a wake board and letting ur body sink.

To cut through the water, the wakeboard has to displace THAT much more water to make room for it to go through. The amount of water that has to be 'shoved' out of the way dictates how much resistance there is.

the ski has to move MUCH less water to get through it. Hence, less water being displaced means less resistance.



... that's about as best as I can explain it in english AND over the internet.

[Tajshjg]

Hello,... just a quick post to say that I am an asshole spammer and will soon shrivel up and die a horrible death. Good day - and oh yeah, all your base be mine.

[Pascale]

Hi there!

I'm at a loss here, and I was hoping to find some help in this thread. This spring I bought a sedan SE 2003 and well, now is time for winter tires... :(

My problem is this: on the car I have 185/65/14's but everywhere I read that standard size on my model is 195/60/15... So, which one is it?

Thanks in advance for your help :)

[ZTWsquared]

(10-21-2010, 12:14 PM)Pascale Wrote: Hi there!

I'm at a loss here, and I was hoping to find some help in this thread. This spring I bought a sedan SE 2003 and well, now is time for winter tires...

My problem is this: on the car I have 185/65/14's but everywhere I read that standard size on my model is 195/60/15... So, which one is it?

Thanks in advance for your help

Unless your 2003 SE had the "sport" option (Zetec motor and 15" alloy wheels) your stock tire would indeed be the 14" ... depending on model and options, a 2003 Focus could have had 14", 15", 16" or 17" tires - and your SE needs no modification to upgrade the size - you just need the appropriate rims. Hope this helped.

[Pascale]

Wow, that is exactly the information I was looking for. Thanks for explaining the differences as well! Yes it does help, thank you again :)

[Mystake]

(10-28-2008, 03:54 AM)Scorcher000 Wrote: You got it sharper the better. Though I never could really comprhend this reasoning, but if it's not broken don't fix it.

rather than drive above the snow, it cuts through it. its all physics..

the wider the tire, the more surface area touches the ground. the more surface area on the ground, the more the cars weight is spread out over that surface area.

hit the brakes, you could float above the snow, or cut through it to the pavement.

[2009SEL]

The way it was explained to me is that snow is the
last place you want floatation.
Sand?, yes, you usually want floatation.
Stay on top - less resistance.
Snow is usually slippery.
Being on top is slippery.
With a narrower tire, you get your finite
weight to bite deeper into the snow.

Make sense?

---

The way it was explained to me is:
snow is the last place you want floatation.

Sand, yes, you usually want floatation.
Staying on top of sand is best.
Snow, on top, is slippery.
A narrower tire gets your finite weight
into the deeper area of snow.
More bit.

And, it worked on my Ranger.

Make sense?


Is it true that it's better to drive on narrower rather than wider tires during winter? ie. 195 rather than 205 because supposedly you're getting better grip
[/quote]

[2009SEL]

The way it was explained to me is:
snow is the last place you want floatation.

Sand, yes, you usually want floatation.
Staying on top of sand is best.
Snow, on top, is slippery.
A narrower tire gets your finite weight
into the deeper area of snow.
More and better bite.

And, it worked on my Ranger.

Make sense?

[ANTHONYD]

17" 205 45s rub.
Mine did until I rolled fenders.

[garythewolf]

l need 2 16" low prof. wheels for my 2003 focus wagon,,anyone have any extras??????

[ST1TCHx]

Thank You!! I'm currently looking for rims for my 2008 Focus SE

[ZTWsquared]

Gary / Stitch - post up in the Buy Items forum if you're actively looking for rims to buy.

[Platinum6316]

One of my old cars, the base model came stock with 155/80R13s, so I got those as my winters. My summers were 195/45R16s
Let me tel you, those skinny tall tires bit the snow like crazy! Of course living in northern Ontario and having studs helped too!

[Drivesthebeast]

As others mentioned above, tires (regardless if they are A/S or actual winter tires) that are smaller in width will absolutely work better for you in the snow. You do not want tires that bulge out enough from the rims that there is an obvious outward slant to the top of the tire (gets wider the further you go out away from the bead of the rim/wheel).

I proved this when I had my 78 Mercury Zephyr, and my dad's friend had a Ford Fairmont Futura several years ago. We both put 15" Mustang wheels on (mine were 15x7 Turbines, his 15x7 10-holes), and we both had similar aftermarket Mustang GT shocks and other parts. My car had 195 width tires, his had 215, and mine actually steered a lot faster, and had better handling reflexes to. That's because I didn't have sidewalls that were buckling/flexing while under load like his were.

I went with the 215/45 17's on the SVT wheels on the Focus, as these were the correct size compared to stock, according to the technical information available at the tire shop I bought them from (right from the Bridgestone/Fuzion/Firestone binders actually).

[Lucster1000]

I'm running 185's in the winter and I notice a difference.