wheel

Alloy wheels & Tyres
The most populair accessory for cars
in general are the alloy wheels that are
availablein many designs and sizes.
As 99% of all customers today still
choose for alloy wheels because of
their looks, it is interesting to know
that alloy wheels orginally where
developed and still are used in the motor sport.

In Motorsport every gram counts, particulairly with wheels where we have the movement of wheels, that have a high rotating mass. Therefore one kilogram weight reduction in wheels has a much higher effect than one kilogram of the body where only linear forces apply.
The same also counts for tyres.
Lighter wheels & tyres results in:
- A lower rotating mass
- Quicker acceleration
- Better steering repsons
- Increase car agility
Since only 1% is interested in this,
manufactors seldom mention the
weights of their tyres and alloy wheels. Look on Andrew Chan's Calorie chart for weight details of tyres and wheels

Most people combine Alloy wheels with low profile tires. Low profile tires always have a bigger tread width, as a consequence the driving experience will change::
- Precise steering control response
- Better cornering stability
- More sensitive for aqua planning
- Higher steering and rolling resistance
-> higher fuel consumption, lower top speed
All technical details and facts about tyres and wheels can be found in The wheel and Tyre bible

Shock absorbers & springs
Because even a GTI hasn't a very sporty
suspension, I really could recommand a
suspension kit with springs and shock
absorbers. Since those two are a pair, it is
better to replace them both, and not only
the springs which lowers the ride height
around 3-5 cm, but is not effective enough
against body leaning and diving.

All technical details and facts about suspension and springs can be found in The Suspension bible

Strut Bars
To improve the agility of a car you can mount a strut bar between both struts. The very stiff bar prevents body
flex, which results in a all-over better handling. It gives the car better braking, accelaration and
cornerning grip (higher G-Forces).

Be aware that It does not avoid
the car from diving or leaning
in corners.

More technical details that prove
that strut bars really do help can be found on the E30M3 Performance site.

Conclusion
Light Alloy wheels and tyres and sport suspension don't give your TDI more horse power, but they increase the grip and handling of your car, which enables it to drive it faster, more secure and precise through every corner on many roads. Maybe more important than being faster is the fact that it just gives more driving pleasure!

December 2001