My rims are worn out. They are 19" chrome. I have Continental GT tires on.

I'm looking for the right balance between traction and comfort. i live in NJ and want to have the right ratio price/quality for those big potholes we have around here in Spring.

So what do you recommend:
a) should I stick with 19" and if so what tire size and brand?
b) should i go back to 18" and if so what tire size and brand?

For either choice, what could be a good rim choice so I could shop the combo?

Tahnk you very much in advance for your help

 

The simple truth is that dollar for dollar, 18" rim will always give you better traction and comfort over a 19" rim.
The "Big Rim" world is completely based on looks, and in the marketing world, "looks sell cars". You agree to accept poor ride quality, higher tire costs, and less traction with each step up in rim size.
A key factor so few look at is the weight of the rim. The lighter the better. This is also why you will not see chrome on high performance rims as it adds significant weight with no increase in strength.

As for tires, I live by the summer set/winter set system. Summer tires are my primary until temps fall to near freezing, then the winters go on. Summer tires will outperform All-Seasons even in rain, just not when things start to freeze.

 

Thank you very much CleverName for the answer. Definitely helpful.

 

Loungaga,
What size rim was the original? IMO not much difference between 18 and 19. I feel the main differences are staggered or not, directional or not, performance or touring. Traction is based on the tire rating, tirerack has a great chart that anyone can understand, that is why I liked it, simple and clean.
I have had non staggered on my XF, this allowed me to rotate to all four corners which increased life of the tire, chose touring or performance which gave me the softer sidewall and kept the original ride quality.
I now have an XJ with staggered with performance and directional. Ride quality has changed and I can not rotate without dismounting and moving left rear to roght rear left front to left front.
Hope this helps.

 

Keep in mind that while this is true when comparing rubber compounds, "traction" as it is applied to the actual driving experience covers many more areas of consideration.

Footprint is another key. As the outside diameter of a tire will remain the same regardless of rim size (if sized properly), the smaller rim and taller sidewall will allow the tire to "squash" or "balloon" into a larger front to back contact patch. This can add several square inches of tread to asphalt contact, where the real importance lies.

Conformity: Speaking of "squash" and "balloon", another overlooked area is the ability of a tire to "conform" to a irregularity in the road surface. Tires for big rims often require higher pressures and tend to have harder reinforced sidewalls to assist in avoiding rim damage. A 1 inch tall rock could easily lift the entire (or majority of) footprint off the asphalt as it rolls over it. Once again the more compliant tread of a smaller rim would have the tendency to form around the rock (like poking your finder into a balloon). Although traction is diminished, some grip remains, which can be a life saver if this rock is encountered in a high speed corner. A secondary benifit is that the ballooning is also acting as a impact absorber, dealing with minor irregularities without your shocks intervention.

Weight of the tire and rim combined is a third element in traction. Commonly referred to as "un-sprung weight", this falls under a simple law of physics..."Mass and Inertia". The higher the mass, the more difficult your suspension will have dealing with it. Big heavy rims and tires carry so much mass that when asked to move (say by an impact with obstacle or pothole) the force needed is huge. Often this is where bent rims come from because the mass could not deflect upwards fast enough. And, if it were able to deflect the suspension must now attempt to divert that upward motion and return the tire to the ground. Obviously with high mass this takes more time and energy, so your tires footprint is off the ground longer than that of a light-weight equivalent.

In my opinion, for nearly all possible situations, big rims hurt your ability to stay adhered to the road. If you note in my first post I did say "dollar for dollar", because I have seen some very light "Big Rims", but they came at an frightening cost and only address one of the known issues.

Sorry this turned into a longer dissertation than I expected, And I'm sure most of you already knew most of these details, but I offer it friendship, and in hopes that others may at least start to question the reality behind the "Big Rim World". Pure Marketing to "Looks".

Looks may sell, but lack of traction kills....

peace,
Vince