17" wheels wanted

[kitcat7]

I'm getting fed up with the jittery ride of my 2020 Legende on 18" wheels/tyres and feel that the 17" originals would give me that legendary ride quality I am looking for on todays horrific roads.

Does anyone have a spare set sat quietly in their garage they would like to get rid of please?

Paul.

[7en]

Hi Paul, I switched from 18" wheels to the 17", there's around 10% sidewall difference and I'd say the ride reflects that, being around 10% softer but also losing a slight amount of steering sharpness. It's not a huge amount but it all helps, lowering the tyre pressure can smooth things out a bit too.

I think you have probably come across this info here as I recognise your username, but it's worth repeating if you have the larger 320mm brakes on your car with the Alpine branded discs, the OEM 17" wheels won't fit over the rear brakes. You would have to change the rear hub carriers and swap to 296mm discs, or look at aftermarket 17" wheels.

Another thing to consider is seats, if you fit in buckets well and aren't attached to your particular car it may be a good idea to swap into to a pure on 17" wheels. I've swapped between the two seats a lot and find the buckets generally much softer.

Edited by 7en on Sunday 15th September 15:03

[croyde]

I've recently bought a 2023 base Alpine on 18s and much that I love it, it certainly isn't the magic carpet ride that many reviewers raved about, but as I've come from a 695 Competizione Abarth, I ain't complaining

I've dropped the pressures all round to 28psi which seems to help and doesn't upset the handling at higher road speeds.

Another thumbs up for the buckets, so comfy yet supportive.

[Olivera]

7en said:

Hi Paul, I switched from 18" wheels to the 17", there's around 10% sidewall difference and I'd say the ride reflects that, being around 10% softer but also losing a slight amount of steering sharpness. It's not a huge amount but it all helps, lowering the tyre pressure can smooth things out a bit too.

10% difference in sidewall, but you also need to factor in most of the damping is done by the springs/dampers. So definitely only a single digit percent improvement in ride quality. Hence those that claim to greatly improve ride quality by dropping 1" of wheel diameter are batst crazy.

[Simon Owen]

Olivera said:

7en said:

Hi Paul, I switched from 18" wheels to the 17", there's around 10% sidewall difference and I'd say the ride reflects that, being around 10% softer but also losing a slight amount of steering sharpness. It's not a huge amount but it all helps, lowering the tyre pressure can smooth things out a bit too.

10% difference in sidewall, but you also need to factor in most of the damping is done by the springs/dampers. So definitely only a single digit percent improvement in ride quality. Hence those that claim to greatly improve ride quality by dropping 1" of wheel diameter are batst crazy.

And the OEM dampers are nothing special at all (& that’s probably a compliment) thus the secondary ride quality is not very plush.

[kitcat7]

Well I dropped the rim size on my X5 by 1" and the difference was night and day. I cannot believe all the rave reports about ride quality were on cars with the same setup as mine. It is bl**dy rough! Yes OK, it goes around corners like very little else, but the ride quality is just not there.

How do Alpine manage to get the ride reviews they do, with what I am being told are cheap and cheerful dampers?

[croyde]

I remember taking a 986 Boxster for a week which had 17s and it was comfy.

I specced up a new 987 with 18s and it was a 5 month wait until delivery.

During that time I took out a car with 18s and found it so much harder and pretty uncomfortable compared to the 17s.

Was starting to regret the decision but then Porsche sent me out to a test track with an instructor to use skid pans and a banked circuit. That car had PASM and was a much nicer drive.

So funnily enough I managed to add PASM to the build.

Yep! that one inch made a world of difference.

(You may substitute 18s and 19s instead of 17s and 18s, as it was 2005 and my memory is a bit dim )

[fuzzy-si]

kitcat7 said:

I'm getting fed up with the jittery ride of my 2020 Legende on 18" wheels/tyres and feel that the 17" originals would give me that legendary ride quality I am looking for on todays horrific roads.

Does anyone have a spare set sat quietly in their garage they would like to get rid of please?

Paul.

Have you had the geometry done? My S was very skittish, but after having the wheels made to all point in the same direction it has all but gone. I know its all a bit of a broken record with this message, but you cannot underestimate the difference it makes. Certainly something to do before making any other changes...

[7en]

I think as the car is built for feel and so light, that the difference is quite noticeable. I doubt it's similar to a cumbersome heavy saloon dropping an inch on the wheel size. I'm not trying to debate it though, maybe 10% difference is too generous, I'd suggest to try both and see for oneself. I think one of the most important aspects of ride quality perception is how comfortable you are outside of the suspension, before I sorted my seats I anticipated every bump as wasn't comfortable, but now 'c'est rein' all taken in stride.

I find for the most part on 18" Fuchs or 17" OEM wheels the ride is great, friends and family have commented positively on ride quality with both. It obviously depends on the surface though, for example I think the car deals with most porous surfaces fantastically. It's also great over rounded speed bumps, but sharp angles can be rough especially at lower speeds, then some roads with consecutive uneven bumps on either side can jiggle the car around a bit but it's just part of it's lightweight passive character. On balance, on really smooth roads the car can feel like it's flying/gliding along which feels sublimely graceful.

[Debbiesd]

croyde said:

I've recently bought a 2023 base Alpine on 18s and much that I love it, it certainly isn't the magic carpet ride that many reviewers raved about, but as I've come from a 695 Competizione Abarth, I ain't complaining

I've dropped the pressures all round to 28psi which seems to help and doesn't upset the handling at higher road speeds.

Another thumbs up for the buckets, so comfy yet supportive.

Maybe not ‘magic carpet’ but, I own 3 Porsches , 911 GT3, 911 Turbo and a heavily modified Cayman S it’s def ‘magic carpet ‘ in comparison, I have fitted nitrons to it , huge improvement but ride quality is about the same as standard

[kitcat7]

fuzzy-si said:

Have you had the geometry done? My S was very skittish, but after having the wheels made to all point in the same direction it has all but gone. I know its all a bit of a broken record with this message, but you cannot underestimate the difference it makes. Certainly something to do before making any other changes...

Thanks for the suggestion Si, I would say my geometry is fine as it tracks well and has good feel around the centre position. So no, not skittish, just full of 'bump thump' on the roads we all have to deal with every day. I did a 200 mile trip yesterday on lesser A and B roads in Somerset and Devon and by the time I got home I was shattered from the noise and constant jiggly ride.

If anyone who has moved up to 18's and would like to move their old 17's on, do make contact.

[7en]

I think there's also the option of Protrack One and Braid Full Race A wheels, which in 17" sizes fit over the 320mm brakes if necessary. Alternatively you can buy the OEM 17" wheels from Alpine for around £1k, plus TPMS valves, tyres and fitting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaTuPeFt2iU&t=...

I've contacted Braid in the past and they confirmed they would make the wheels to the OEM ET values and sent me a sheet to measure against the brake calipers, however the video above confirms it.

I'd suggest trying a car on 17" wheels first to see if it makes the difference you're hoping for. As mentioned I find the ride on 17" wheels a bit better, but I don't find they make any noticeable difference to road noise, however road noise is highly dependent on road surface, in general I find the Alpine very good for cabin noise, but I am usually blasting the Focal system.

Edited by 7en on Sunday 22 September 17:07

[Simon Owen]

kitcat7 said:

Well I dropped the rim size on my X5 by 1" and the difference was night and day. I cannot believe all the rave reports about ride quality were on cars with the same setup as mine. It is bl**dy rough! Yes OK, it goes around corners like very little else, but the ride quality is just not there.

How do Alpine manage to get the ride reviews they do, with what I am being told are cheap and cheerful dampers?

It's all relative isn't it, the spring rate and ARB stiffness of the stock car are particularly soft compared to virtually everything else on the market, there is also quite a lot of suspension travel, equally very rare these days on a sports car... thus the A110 feels pretty much unique in the way it drives down a B road which I guess will have resulted in the press comments we all read.

Life110 comments below:

"The standard dampers on the A110 do a good job considering they are basic, cheap, twin tube dampers but exercise the car more and you'll find the body control lacking. Equally, on the A110S these dampers have been increased in force to get that control but at the expense of ride quality in day to day use"

[neon_fox]

croyde said:

I've recently bought a 2023 base Alpine on 18s and much that I love it, it certainly isn't the magic carpet ride that many reviewers raved about, but as I've come from a 695 Competizione Abarth, I ain't complaining

I've dropped the pressures all round to 28psi which seems to help and doesn't upset the handling at higher road speeds.

Another thumbs up for the buckets, so comfy yet supportive.

I recently bought a new GT (on 18s, of course) and have the same experience. It's definitely not the same rider quality as the demonstrator that I drove.