V70 wheel and tire size

Post by **GlennG2759** » 15 Feb 2020, 17:42

I have a '06 V70 that original owner purchased with 17" Thor wheels and tire size 0f 235/45. Would my ride be smoother over road irregularities with the more stock 16" wheel and tire size. All new new front suspension and rear shocks and mounts. Getting near time to get tires and would appreciate any input if it be worth swapping wheel size. Thanks G.G.

Post by **abscate** » 15 Feb 2020, 20:27

If you want to roll up you can try my 2005 on 15s

I have my 16 Perfos off for winter too, if you really want to try them out, too.

Post by **Rattnalle** » 16 Feb 2020, 00:54

Noticeably softer. I bought a set of 17" Arakkis wheels because they look nice but I went back to 16" after just a month. Sure different tyres and so on as well.

ignatz · Post by **ignatz** » 16 Feb 2020, 05:24

My 2002 V70 2.4t has 17" Amalthea wheels and Michelin tires. Looks great, but my 2001 V70 2.4t with 16" Metis wheels and Michelin's takes the Pa. bad roads better. The Metis 16" wheel is a little wider and takes a 215/55/16. I said better, not great.
15 incher's would give the softer ride.

Georgeandkira · Post by **Georgeandkira** » 16 Feb 2020, 07:04

Test fit any 15" or 16" wheel to ensure they will clear your brake caliper.
Musca and Lysithia wheels are my favored wheels because they're 15" but more importantly 65 series.
This fascination with low-profile tires puzzles me. They are so vulnerable.

Post by **- Pete -** » 19 Feb 2020, 23:30

The comfort factor is pretty noticeable, even between 16's & 17's. I don't particularly care for the looks of the 15's though.

One small added benefit to running the smaller wheels will be a slightly lower MOI. I reckon it's safe to say that the moment of inertia is lower with the smaller wheel setups. Granted, this is not a huge deal with 4-wheeled vehicles, but it's a big topic amongst motorcycle enthusiasts.

With 4-wheeled vehicles you don't have to contend with the gyroscopic effect of an increased MOI. Improvements in acceleration & braking, though, are a noticeable "woohoo!" The trade-off is the taller sidewalls that don't allow you to carry as much speed through corners. This is ultra important since we all go racing around in our beige Volvo's donning Simpson helmets, drifting around each & every bend.

Out of curiosity the other day, I was taking the snows off our AWD V70 & decided to take the time to weigh them, since I could easily tell that the 16" Metis were lighter than the 17" Thors.

225/45/17 Nokian EnTyre on 17" Thor ~ 43lb and some change

205/55/16 German General Altimax snows on Metis 16" ~ 40lb 10oz.

Obviously the all-season Nokians are a more dense tire than the Altimax's, so that accounts for some of the weight.

Post by **oragex** » 20 Feb 2020, 06:38

Tires have different weight indeed. A cheaper one has more chances to be heavier. But the genuine Volvo mags also had different weights - even comparing same size ones. Perhaps not just the design, but also the type of alloy. But usually all were lighter than cheap aftermarket mags.

Post by **Rattnalle** » 20 Feb 2020, 08:16

The 15" wheels feel much less stable in corners but if you ignore the feeling a bit the actual difference isn't huge as as long as you're driving like it's your own car.

Post by **Rattnalle** » 20 Feb 2020, 08:17

And only the NA will take 15". Turbos 16". Except for the R and police versions which requires 17".

Post by **GlennG2759** » 20 Feb 2020, 09:45

I found a set of "Antlia" 15 x 6.5 on CL.
and probably see if I can sell the 17"
"Thors". Shame, they look good but car drives like a buckboard, and would imagine that little rubber (235/45) has to put a lot more stress on front suspension parts. Hudson Valley NY if any one is interested. Thanks for input.