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Will 17's help? S70

posted by  Cincykid on  Mon Nov 18 15:10 CST 2002
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I have a 98 s70 t5 M, and I've been looking at new wheel tire sets. I was thinking i need an improvement over the stock 16in 205/55's. I don't think the bad weather handling is good enough, and I think i drive it too hard. Will 17's make a difference? or should i stay w/16's. I'm not sure what to get and I was just looking for some help.



here is a link to tirerack's volvo wheels


http://www.tirerack.com/upgrade_garage/WheelSearch.jsp?&autoMake=Volvo&autoModel=S70+T5&autoYear=1998








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    Will 17's help?

    posted by  patb on  Tue Nov 19 10:41 CST 2002
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    last visit: Thu Aug 23 03:38 CST 2001
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    Moving to 17" wheels will not affect your wet/inclement weather handling. It will all depend on what tire you are running. In fact, since the proper tire for a 17" rim would fall in the 40-45 sidewall range, you may lose all-season tire options. The only "need" to get 17" wheels is to clear big aftermarket brakes - all the other reasons come down to personal preference.

    I found a cheap set of Volans for my T5 - basically the only reason I have 17" wheels on the car. I like the way they look, too.

    For your needs, I would recommend spending money on better tires than on new wheels. Do some research and find a good all-season. Or, if you plan on seeing a lot of snow, get some good high-performance tires for summer fun and a set of snow tires for the winter.
    --
    '99 S70 T5M, '83 245 DL








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    Will 17's help?

    uid 7387's pic
    posted by  Mueller on  Tue Nov 19 10:37 CST 2002
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    last visit: Tue Mar 27 11:13 CST 2007
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    I have an '98 S70 T5 as well...I replaced the factory 16's with factory R 17" rims. I've had two different sized tires on these rims, 215/45/17 and currently 225/45/17's. The handling is very nice with the 17's, but the ride is much stiffer since you feel the road alot more than with the 16 rims.

    In the winter months, i normally switch back to the stock 16 rims since I feel the skinnier stock tires are better in the rain, than the wider tires.

    Did I mention the handling is nice with the 17's?? I've done one open track at Thunderhill Racetrack and I was very impressed with the highspeed handling of our S70. Don't know if I helped or not :)

    Mike







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    Will 17's help?

    posted by  nyroguls on  Mon Nov 18 18:50 CST 2002
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    last visit: Fri Sep 21 12:35 CST 2001
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    When you say bad weather handling you mean wet, right? Snow handling and rain handling are totally different animals. You don't absolutely need 17's, you really need a better tire. Bridgestone Pole position s03 are supposedly phenominal. 17's with a lower profile will obviously have a stiffer sidewall, so they will improve handling a bit, but nothing absolutely ridiculous compared to the 16's.

    Roguls
    New York, USA








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    Will 17's help? 850 1995

    posted by  steve s on  Mon Nov 18 18:33 CST 2002
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    last visit: Thu Mar 10 02:18 CST 2011
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    what r u using currently? some all-season tires just can't do it all... some max summer tires actually do better in wet than all-season tires.








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    Will 17's help? 850 1995

    posted by  steve s on  Mon Nov 18 18:33 CST 2002
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    last visit: Thu Mar 10 02:18 CST 2011
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    what r u using currently? some all-season tires just can't do it all... some max summer tires actually do better in wet than all season tires.








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      Will 17's help?

      posted by  someone claiming to be David Eisenberg on  Thu Nov 21 09:27 CST 2002 [RELATED]

      I agree with Steve. I changed from all season tires on my stock 15inch rims, to a max performance summer tire. These tires are fantastic. The grip is incredible, and often times, I find myself saying the tires are even better in wet conditions than dry. If I were you, I would probably stick with the 16inch wheels, unless you are looking for a different look. If you do decide to change, and want to unload the 16 inch rims, let me know.






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