Rims please note

[KingKole02]

Ok don't get it twisted, rims are by far one of the most attractive mods someone can do for their PT. Provides a stunning look, better ride (in most cases) and more handling capabilities.

Do your homework:
17-18 fit the best for everyday drivers, most tolerable ride over bumps.
Tires sizes should be somewhere about 225-235, 45-40, 17-18, make sure you know the cost before deciding to upgrade and not being able to afford to put tires on.

19-20 some won't fit, make sure you find out before you purchase. Be aware that rims this large may be a problem due to width of rim and rubbing on the struts.
Tires I’ve seen have been 225-235, 35-30, 19-20. Remember the smaller the side wall the rougher the ride and more susceptible to rim damage due to potholes ex.

Anything larger, get a lift kit and call yourself a DONK.

Make sure its for a PT:
Standard bolt pattern is 5x100 for our cruisers. Some rim manufacturers make wheels that provide both 5x100 and 5x114. These wheels in particular will have many 10+/- holes in them to install, they may look like they won’t fit to start then rotate the wheel until they line up properly.

Check the offsets:
Most wheels I’ve seen or heard fit are usually 40-45 mm offsets. With some occasions of 38mm. Be sure to find out from the rims manufacturers website or product spec book to check your fitment.

Will it rub? Do I need spacers?:
Some wheel styles will require spacers, regardless of style. If anyone has done a brake job you will understand this. Apparently the stock pads are thinner then any aftermarket or replacement pads you can install. Be sure that you tell the supplier what type of pads you have installed. If you are in any doubt get wheel spacers. Most spacers can be bought at a local shop, with some exceptions.

What are spacers?
Spacers are pieces of metal that go over your wheel bolts, (look like discs) prior to placing the wheel on the vehicle. It allows the rim to stick off the wheel for clearance purposes. Wheel spacers are also used in racing to bring the tire track outward providing better handling. Some spacers will require longer bolts that need to be installed. For example check out the Eibach kits offered for the PT.
Spacers come in verious sizes and thicknesses, be sure to check the application fitments. Some spacers may require you to replace all the wheel hub bolts for them to fit, they also make some bolt extensions that may work aswell without replacing the hub bolts.

Check the center caps:
Some rims come with center caps that keep the bolt exposed. If you find the rims you like do not provide center caps and keep the bolts exposed, get a nice set of lug bolts to place on them. Some rims come with a covering center cap, like our stock chrome mags, this will cover the lug bolts and may not require a nice set of lug bolts which will save you some money.

Other then that, your on your own. This is all the information I have learned looking for wheels for my cruiser. Some here know of my nightmare.


PT Cruiser Wheel bolt pattern: This does match up to what I had held it to, if you need to verify space, use it.

[bobs turbo pt]

good info thanks king !![^]

[fritz_t_coyote]

Great info, thanks KK....
but I gotta raise a couple points:

Aspect ratio of 45-40 series might be comfortable for an 'everyday driver' in FL, but up here in the Land of Potholes I would suggest 55 series as a cut-off for comfort, 50 series is a worthwhile trade-off, and 40 series is asking for pain. There has to be enough sidewall to allow the tire to flex in response to road conditions.

For the sport driver 40 series is the same aspect ratio as the Porsche Cayman S, which handles better then any PT ever will. http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews...sche_cayman_s/

Anything lower is just for looks, or glass-smooth racetracks, and will give poor ride quality on real roads.

===
And a hardware quibble: The wheels are held on by lug nuts, not bolts. Nuts are female, bolts are male, and so, of course, are studs.

Good luck with your quest for New Shoes
[8)]

[KingKole02]

Yes this is a good point Fritz. I was just stating the normal specs I have noticed on vehicles equipped with rims and the tires some manufacturers recommend that would fit the rims sizes.

I will admit, I just put on 225/40/18 tires and I do feel the rode more, however I do live in the land of procrastinators rode service. We do have potholes and bumps and things, sure not as bad as up north, but I have replaced my front (either front fascia and bottom spoiler) once, from a rode hazard like this.

[samson77]

I have 19" rims, 245-35 tires (they came with the car).
No rubbing, good handling,look great, although a bit bumpy on the highway. I live in So Cal so most of the roads are ok.

[SR-PT4]

Wow, nobody has mentioned weight.

Aftermarket wheels can be quite heavy, and heavy is bad, especially when it comes to wheels because now you're talking unsprung weight, meaning the suspension has to control it. This means a potentially harsher ride, slower acceleration, longer stopping distances, etc. The factory wheels, depending on size, style, etc weigh in around 23lbs from everything I've read. Many wheel websites list wheel weights (tire weights too) for products they sell. I've seen a lot of highly styled chrome wheels come in at 27~30lbs, especially in larger sizes.

I have a set of Velox Performance Vx6r wheels on my car, size 17 x 7 and they only weigh 14.5lbs!! They are wrapped in 225/45ZR17 BFGoodrich KDW2 tires, and I love the combination. Handling is superb for what the PT is (I've been on the road course at Buttonwillow Raceway with it) and it stops beautifully too.

[KingKole02]

SR-PT4,
Good point, the wheels I just mounted on are 47+ lbs each with tires mounted. My stocks were about 37-40 I believe.

However if you don't street race, then you really don't need to worry too much about the added weight unless you really find some heavy wheels.

I started this post to help those looking for wheels and all the problems I encountered. I didn't think about the weight factor for my PT.

[purple04]

One more point to mention is that many wheels have a center hole that is larger than the step in the center of the hub. This means that the lugs center the wheel. The factory and good wheels will fit this area and be 'hub centric'. Spacer rings are available to fit the center of the wheel and the hub. And as always, make sure the wheels are torqued properly to 100 Ft. Lbs.

[SR-PT4]

quote:Originally posted by KingKole02


However if you don't street race, then you really don't need to worry too much about the added weight unless you really find some heavy wheels.

I respectfully disagree. For all the reasons I stated (braking, acceleration, ride quality, etc) lighter wheels are better than heavier wheels for any car, any driver. The lighter the car and/or the less power it has, the more noticeable the difference.

And for the record, I'm not a street racer (not saying you accused me of being one, either). I race at the drag strip and hot foot it around the road course.

[KingKole02]

Sr-PT4,
Nah, not accusing you of street racing, however most tuner cars put wheels on to be faster, usually they are lighter. I know a lot of the Turbos here like their speed, and sacrificing that to put upgraded wheels on would not suit them.

In respects to yours, you have good point with lighter wheels. I however just stated that if you find that your wheels are hugely heavier then your stock wheels then that should be a matter of choosing something else.

The weight was not a factor for me, in fact I like the fact that they are heavier, I have a lead foot, these keep me from keep my foot in the floor board.

Also I have a 80lb stereo in the back, so I don’t have the fastest N/A around anymore.
I drive a lot slower now, funny, I never saw all these people looking before, guess I flew by them in the past, lol.