Got my 20s with 285/50 installed. Ride is about the same as with the stock 255/70/16. But it seems like some of the bite it out of my slow speed braking.

Before when slowing down and then putting a a little more pressure on the brake you would fell it bite down, kind of like a lttle extra oomph in braking power.

I expected a difference with higher speed stops but did not think I'd notice at slow speeds.

Is this normal with the heavier wheel/tire package?

If so people with those 24-26 wheels are giving up a hell of a lot for the looks.

OK so I drive some more and realize there is not that much difference.
Carry On.

 

This is normal for larger wheels. The larger the wheel, the heavier, and the more it take to stop. A lot of people who get larger wheels <20", get a brake upgrade to help stop quicker. I am fine with the current brakes on my 20" wheels. Anything over that, and I would upgrade the rotors and pads.

 

with the 20's you shouldn't have that much difference in braking power...you shouldn't be able to notice it anyway...._motes

 

If I remember my sources right, Car and Driver did a braking test on an SUV (Tahoe I think) with stock 16" rims and tires and then a 20" wheel package. Braking was about 10% longer with the upgraded wheels. Doesn't sound like a hole lot, but at 70 mph that is about an entire car length! Even at half that speed it would be the difference between getting broadsided in the front wheel versus the driver's door.

I upgraded mine to 18" wheels, but with the tires I picked my overall diameter was equal to stock. Overall weight felt about the same compared to my stock steel wheels, but I didn't put them on a scale for anything accurate. If I remember correctly 18" wheels are about the largest you can go to and still match the factory overall diameter unless you go with some rubber band tires on 20". I upgraded my brakes to sloted rotors and HPS pads. Never did any tests to quantify the braking distance though to see if this help. At a minimum it should help to reduce fade under hard braking as the HPS pads are better than stock under high heat.

 

Yeah I remember reading one of those comparisons and it was pretty dramatic at higher speeds.

I could have save a few pounds on each wheel by going with forged, but finding chrome plated forged 20's for $150 each probably wasn't going to happen.

Height for my stock combo (255-70-16) was 30''

Could have went with 295-45-20 for 30.4''

But I wanted to fill the wheel wells a little more height wise and
got 285-50-20 for 31.2''

Ideally I think a 22'' wheel is better looking for a 2wd but the prices are too high still for the extra 2'' IMHO.