15 or 17

[Chirp5957]

what is the difference in running a 15" rim over a 17" rim? i plan on buying some M/T ET streets for my cobra, i will only be using this at the track for the most part and i was wondering what the difference in a 15 and 17 is really?
my friend tells me that a 15 will hook harder off the line because it will have more sidewall?

if thats the case is it really worth spending around 1000 to get new rims and tires for around 15 passes a year?

 

[fastpny]

Aside from any difference in weight between which tire/wheel combo you go with your friend is right, the 15's will have a better bite due to more sidewall. If you are not competitively racing and go all out with full race set up but rather just play at the track every once in a while I don't think it's worth buying the 15's if you already have the 17's. I have 20's on my Shelby and they hook good. A little heavy and I may lose a little gear but it still runs good. That's my take.

 

[Dragu1a]

i know this is an old thread, but i've been curious about this lately. i have 17x10.5's currently running 315/35 555r which is fine for the street, but i've been thinking about getting some slicks for the occassional track event.

how much would a good wheel/tire setup run? and what's an optimal size for a car with decent power?