Hi all...I'm looking for a little advice on wheel replacement. I have already decided on Coventry Hornets. But my question is about the staggered setup. To get the Hornets in 18" if I go to a staggered setup the wait time on the rear wheels is 60 days. If I go with the 18x8.5 all the way around I can get them in 2 weeks. What are the pros and cons to staggering? I know that if I go with the same all the way around it gives me more rotation options. Was there a reason that Jag made the 17" revolvers all the same size and the 18" factory wheels were staggered in 98? Thanks for the imput...

 

i think you should be safe with a staggered set up, just dont go too wide.

there is no logical reason the 17's were non staggered and the 18's were.....theoretically it wouldnt make sense in terms of rear fitment. if the larger wide rears fit, then smaller wide ones should fit as well.

it probably didnt make any handling benefits to make staggered 17's

 

Apart from the extra grip provided by the fat tyres on the rear, I always feel that a staggered setup is the most discreet way possible of letting everyone know your car has shed loads of power

 

That made oi larf did that !

 

I looked up Coventry Hornets: nice looking wheels.

As for, “Was there a reason that Jag made the 17" revolvers all the same size and the 18" factory wheels were staggered in 98?”

I wasn’t there when they made the decision but I would guess it was: marketing and cost/profit.

Marketing: I think they would want to sell these cars to all the folks who just like the way it looks, want one as cheep as possible, and don’t want to think about the complexities of wheel and tire sizes.

Marketing: If I were them I would also want to draw in the performance oriented enthusiast. So it made sense to offer staggered wheels/tires in several different stylish diameters and widths – even if these don’t really make much difference in the way it handles for normal driving.

Cost/Profit: To complement the inexpensive but stylish non-staggered wheels offered as standard, if I also offered larger, staggered wheels/tires as an option, then (knowing most performance enthusiasts will pay for it) I would price that option to yield a greater profit compared to the standard package.

Looking at the details (source: http://www.rimsntires.com/specs.jsp):

Standard wheel: 17 x 8, tire: 245/50 – 678 mm tall

18” wheel front: 18 x 8, tire: 245/45 – 677 mm tall
18” wheel rear: 18 x 9, tire: 255/45 – 687 mm tall

The 10mm width, front compared to back, on the staggered setup represents a 4% delta and cannot be detected by eye – likewise with the height (1%).

The 2000 XK8 I bought last year had the staggered setup, and the right front tire was showing cord. Figuring I would prefer any blowout to occur on the back, I swapped the fronts with the backs and drove it to a Jaguar club meeting. Everyone liked the car and no one noticed that the wheels were on *** backwards.

As for handling: at the limit of adhesion in cornering, the staggered setup (with a slightly wider rear tire) would tend to under-steer a little more. It will also afford a little more grip on hard acceleration – probably not a big an issue without the supercharger.

As for what size wheels you should buy, it all boils down to what is important to you and what you are trying to do.

As for me, I wanted to improve cornering and slightly reduce the under-steer, so I bought a set of 4 reconditioned 18 x 9 Flutes and mounted high performance 265/40 Hankook v12s (669 mm tall) on all corners. Once I get a set of height adjustable coil overs mounted we’re off to a track for some driver’s ed and to see how well balanced this is.

Also, an advantage of this setup is that I can rotate the front tires with the rear to even out the wear. These are asymmetrical tires so no-can swap left to right.

As for your 18 x 8.5s, they are 12.5 mm wider than the wheels you have now, so you can mount 255/45s (like what is on the back of the staggered setup) with the confidence it will work. These are 10 mm taller, so you loose a tiny bit on hard acceleration and gain a tiny bit on gas mileage.

I hope this helps.

 

Thanks for the replys...I changed my mind and went with the Coventry Whitley wheels.
18x8.5 all the way around. I will post a pic when they show up and I put then on the car.