Aftermarket wheels or stock?

[SMART]

With the smart fortwo just around the corner, wheel makers are dying to know the appetite of the smartie population for a set of after market wheels.

[rrrucke]

And I'm dying to buy a set along with a slim spare tire like many of my Clubsmartcar.com members have already in Canada. They put it in a tire tote behind their passenger seat. Anyone here thinking of doing the same thing? Thanks, Regina

[sisyphus]

I'd love to get my hands on a set of wheels from a pulse.

[jwight]

Originally Posted by rrrucke

And I'm dying to buy a set along with a slim spare tire like many of my Clubsmartcar.com members have already in Canada. They put it in a tire tote behind their passenger seat. Anyone here thinking of doing the same thing? Thanks, Regina

Not really; the "trunk" is the only useful space for carrying anything in the car. Dragging a spare around just for the unlikely event something happens to a tire is a true waste of space IMO. We're supposed to have the benefit of Penske roadside assistance (they show up in a big yellow truck and haul the car away?) plus our smart will be under our AAA coverage.

John

[Fredvon4]

First change for my Blue/Black/Black will be Black deep dish 3 or 5 or 6 spoke count 17" x 7.5JJ in the 3 lug 112.5mm factory hub design...they will be wraped in 205x45 front and 225x40 rear Toyo or Pirelli soft compound tyres

I plan all four corners lowered on Coil over fully adjustable suspension

[Old smart]

I'm a double voter here: stock wheels and "on the fence." The OEM nine-spokers are fine with me, but I may consider a second pair of OEM nine-spoke 5.5Jx15x175s (rears) for the front if I am dissatisfied with front grip and excessive understeer. I know the 175s will fit the front without fender or wheel well modification because the pulse model uses them sans flares or anything else. Further the difference in offset between the fronts and rears is only 1.5mm (< 1/16") - negligible. ***

With 175s front and rear, I will then have a pair of pressure monitor-less 4.5Jx15x155s kicking around, one to keep for a "garage spare" and one to sell to someone else for a spare of their own.

*** NOT the case with 450 wheels!!

[smarticus]

I plan all four corners lowered on Coil over fully adjustable suspension[Fredvon/QUOTE]

Have you found a source that will fit?

smarticus

[SmartCard]

Certainly stock will do for the first bit, but would like to consider 16" as well. There was a set of optional 16" chromes in the European Smart catalogue that I liked, but it all comes down to price if and when....

[Gortok]

Originally Posted by SmartCard

Certainly stock will do for the first bit, but would like to consider 16" as well. There was a set of optional 16" chromes in the European Smart catalogue that I liked, but it all comes down to price if and when....

Same here. I think I can run on the steelies for quite some time if I have to...I think the 9-spokers stink. (To put it nicely...;))

[SmartyJones]

Originally Posted by Fredvon4

First change for my Blue/Black/Black will be Black deep dish 3 or 5 or 6 spoke count 17" x 7.5JJ in the 3 lug 112.5mm factory hub design...they will be wraped in 205x45 front and 225x40 rear Toyo or Pirelli soft compound tyres

I plan all four corners lowered on Coil over fully adjustable suspension

Will you need to modify your wheel arches to be legal?

Surely 225 wide is a full two inches over stock and fender flares are needed at minimum? Not in Texas, you say? "-)

How about clearance when you're lowered (or not) when you steer hard over a bump, will the front wheels rub?