*Batman*

That's not true. GS wheels have wider tires so you get more mechanical traction. Also tires are a performance upgrade too. I agree car would still be cushy, but it should corner better and have more grip.

jagtoes

OK if that's what you want to believe then no problem. You can put the same width tire on the OEM rims if you wanted to. It's the tire patch and stiffness that would make the difference. Now if you changed/modified the suspension then you could improve the handling significantly. Springs , shocks , bushings and sway bars would be the fix. The difference in strength of a ES wheel vs. a GS wheel is not a factor in handling . It's only cosmetic and a matter of taste. Go chat with a automotive mechanical engineer and get an opinion.

IronCobra

Actually Batman is correct. The tires are 245/40 vs 215/55. The wheels have had a few effects. First, you feel the road quite a bit more. My wife actually prefers the old tires to these because of that alone. She feels she's lost the "lexus" ride she was use to. Secondly, the car does corner and feel MUCH more planted to the road than before.

Remember, when you eliminate side wall, you also eliminate some side wall flex. This made the car feel sportier and more balanced in my option. I agree with her that the ride did suffer however. I think it is a much better setup than factory, but she perfered the softer ride.

Oh, and I am a Mechanical/Aeronautical Engineer... so I know what I am saying to be true.

Oh, and here is information from Tirerack regarding profle and patch of a tire:
"Not exactly sure what a contact patch is? It’s the part of your tire that touches the ground while you drive. It's a tire’s footprint. And guess what? It's probably not as big as you might think; that's why we're always telling you to keep an eye on your tires' tread depth. A contact patch is about the size of your hand (times four, of course). Not that big considering the weight and movement that those contact patches must support.

Contact patches are dependent on a tire’s aspect ratio (profile) -- low profile or high profile. For example, low profile tires (at left) have a short and wide contact patch that translates to very responsive handling, stability and traction on dry roads and in corners. High profile tires (at right), on the other hand, are long and narrow. They provide predictable handling, a smooth ride and are great in the snow.

If you feel as though you’re not making proper contact with the road, check to see if the tread on all of your tires is still at an acceptable level by using a coin or a gauge. If you notice a problem, you'll want to consider purchasing replacement tires.

As always, you can contact Tire Rack for help—yep, we're all about contact!"

jagtoes

I give you the side wall flex as the issue that will make the ride more harsh and will effect the side wall stiffness/roll. As to any significant improvement to the handling I would like to see the skid pad results. I guess I wouldn't want to give up the ride. If I want a little spirited driving I take out the Ferrari. If you do a spec. comparison on tire rack there is a little difference in sect.width and tread width between a 225-40-18 vs a 215-55-17. The big difference is tire dia. Oh , mechanical engineer , retired.

IronCobra

Might be little difference between a 225-40-18 and a 215-55-17, but the aspect ratio and specs change a bit when you see that we're talking about a 245-40-18 vs a 215-55-17. Overall, the 17" tire side-wall is almost a full inch taller, and the overall tire is taller.

Plus, you're talking about a tire width that is almost 30mm wider.

jagtoes

I wonder how a 245-45-17 would compare to the 245-40-18. Specs are just about the same except for the side wall.

IronCobra

I believe the results would be about the same. Having a 245 vs. 215 is a big enough difference, but when you have a low-profile sidewall as well, you improve both patch contact with the ground, generally softer rubber, and reduce sidewall flex. I'm sure this would account for a reasonable improvement in handling and performance. The ES is designed to be a lux-barge so Lexus engineers designed the wheel/tire system to be included in that. Suspension, weight distro, and power make up about 70% of the equation, but I am pretty certain that the wheel/tire package accounts for the remaining 30%. I think most people try to get away with the cheapest tire on decent wheels and wonder why their handling does not improve.

If you could experience a 30% improvement in performance, handling, and grip, simply by changing to a better wheel/tire setup, I would think that is pretty substantial. Wouldn't you?

jagtoes

Considering my purchase was based on the ride quality it would be counter productive for me to give it up for a little better handling. When we test drove the IS and then the GS it was apparent that there was a significant difference in ride quality vs. the ES. This was our major buying point. I guess it depends on what your requirements are.

IronCobra

I am not arguing that point. My wife actually wants her own wheels and tires back on because if the deterioration of ride quality.

JRey350hou

so really the Story here .... you did what you wanted and thought looked good , not what pleased the wife ( car was for her ) and what she was very comfortable with....lol.
p.s. You owe her extra this Valentine's Day !

IronCobra

Actually, I put the wheels on her car AFTER she asked me to. Didn't think the ride would go down as much, but it did. She loves the look, doesn't care for the ride.

p.s. she always gets extra on valentines day

frankbcnt

Why not change the tires to a little thicker sidewall Michelin mxm4?

MadMax96

That'll throw off the speedometer and odometer - plus might look worse.

sushiboi

iTrader: (1)

The wheels look great! Kind of reminds me of a high-end Camry.

SHRXTC

Looks good!