Issues with changing wheels on a Prime XSE from 19" to 17"

If I may: one poster (who got 16" rims) here reported needed the hidden weights shifted, to avoid brushing the calipers. My take-away, 16" is pushing it; you may get lucky, or not.

 

I appreciate that. I imagine there are differences in the interior dimensions of 16" wheels that would make some of them incompatible.

I Iooked for reports or even just photos of someone having tried Prius V wheels on a Gen 5, but found nothing. I'm specifically thinking of this:

 

Exactly. And yeah, I'd go for a compatible Toyota rim if possible. I've used 15" Corolla steel rims on my 2010, and recently switched to Plug-In Prius 15" rims. Good to know the hub opening is exact fit, and the lug nut seat style compatible. Probably more desirable if-and-when selling too.

 

I had prius wheels on my Corolla.


I think they looked nice and were probably a bit lighter than the stock 16" wheels. I'll reiterate that the extra sidewall made living in a world of rough pavement much nicer and the Defenders worked in rain much better than the Dunlop Enasaves. The downside is that I kept the wheels and tires which fit no other vehicle I own now. I hoping I hear about someone nearby who needs another set of wheel and tires. I also still have a spare set of wheels and tires from a Golf a sold seven years ago, these things accumulate.

Now I'm running through the second set acquisition process again. Maybe I'll learn to stop doing this about the time we get flying cars.

 

I like the look of the wheels! As an XSE does that have the glass roof and, if so, how were you able to mount the rack on the top?

 

Yes, glass roof.
Search "naked" roof rack, Thule has one $800-1000. I got this one for $200, Amazon

 

Awesome. That's great to know. I think the Toyota branded rack states specifically not compatible with glass roofs.

 

Certainly, the speedometer calibration can be adjusted for different tires, even if it may not be user-accessible.

 

I'm really happy with the 17" wheel covers on mine

 

Not sure where cc103acs got tire info? His little red wagon maybe.

Common sense even exist??? As long as the height is the same no change to speedo. It is about the rotational mass. So if wheels weight the same... same mpg. As for the 17 handling better than a 19 with a larger profile tire.. negative. Show me or name one sports/hyper car that has a higher profile tire and why don't they use 65 and 70 series tires in track racing when handling is needed. Figure out why yourself. Drag racing yes as the sidewall will wrinkle and help launch the car. You can't. Why do they make wheels out of lighter materials like carbon fiber versus concrete? Rotational mass. Put work boots on. It takes more energy to run then in your sneakers. Yes. I might rethink buying a new prius to not get categorized or labeled.

 

Nope. Not sure what the other poster said, but this is incorrect. Lower profile wheel/tire combos have greater rolling resistance than somewhat higher profile wheel/tire combos, all other things being equal (diameter, weight etc.). That is the reason the LE/SE priuses (which have 60 series tires) do better in fuel economy / efficiency than the higher trims of prius and prius phevs (which have 50 series tires).

Yes, this is correct. Lower profile wheel/tire combos, all other things being equal, will typically out corner and out handle higher profile wheel/tire combos. That said, higher profile wheel/tire combos ride far better than lower profile wheel/tire combos on imperfect, real world roads. But, on the near perfect asphalt of race tracks, if you are willing to give up efficiency, low profile tires do indeed corner better.

 

Weight has little to do with mileage in a Prius. More weight requires more energy to accelerate, but it also delivers more regeneration energy on deceleration.

 

Two rim/tire combos, “weighing” exactly the same, one 17” rim and the other 19”, the latter will likely have more rotational inertia, due to the mass being further from centre of rotation.