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2015 Prius with 17 inch Wheels

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by Max H, Apr 23, 2023.

  1. Max H

    Max H New Member

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    Hi there,

    Max here and I’m new to Prius chat as a poster. I just acquired a 2015 Prius with the stock 17 inch wheels. By way of disclaimer and apology, I realize that after all these years and thousands of threads, I have probably mistakenly posted a thread in the wrong place or redundantly. I’d be glad to be pointed in the right direction with a link for further posts if I’ve made a mistake.

    I occasionally drive another 2015 with the 15 inch stock wheels and it seems like a better ride as well as perhaps slightly better economy.

    I’d be interested in obtaining or trading with someone for a nice stock set of 15 inch wheels. Also, if anyone has any words of caution for additional considerations before swapping I’d be glad to know. As far as I can tell, it’s a simple back and forth swap with no repercussions save fuel economy/ride differences.

    Thanks a lot,

    Max
     
  2. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    Not much going on You just have to have the mag wheel lug nuts for all the wheels and it's a direct swap and we can go back and forth from either or I'm imagining for gas mileage runs for federal testing or whatever they probably run the steel wheels with the covers That's probably the best gas mileage setup I would guess but I wouldn't know I seem to get better mileage with the steelies than the alloys no matter the size and the 15s get the best all around mileage weight the whole nine
     
  3. Ryan Will

    Ryan Will Member

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    If you lived closer, I would GLADLY swap my 15 inch ones for your Persona 17 inch ones. But I'm sure someone who lives closer would be willing to work something out.
     
  4. Johnny Cakes

    Johnny Cakes Senior Member

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    Does changing the wheel change the tire size? If so, wouldn't a speedometer adjustment be required?
     
  5. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    No the overall difference between the 245 45 17 and the 185 6515 look at the outer diameter of both of those tires I do believe they're so close it's not worth discussing right I don't have the tire calculator in front of me but I believe that's why it works out the 45s are just too low for me I have some 205 50 17s mounted on my persona right now and they're okay Little more cushioning etc still lrr tire and relatively cheap but the 185/65 gives you some sidewall to work with I know you corner cutters and autocrossers and serious car enthusiast don't see it like that probably but I certainly do and I carry lots of things in the car shaving corners isn't going to save me anytime on my route and it sure is easy to hit those persona wheels on anything any curb any piece of concrete a rock on a rock road is enough to cause serious strife
     
  6. ASRDogman

    ASRDogman Senior Member

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    It depends on the tires you get.
    If you want to keep the speedometer acurate when going to larger rims,
    you'll get the lower profile tires. If you're going to a smaler rim, you get
    a higher profile tire.
    If you don't care, it doesn't matter. (y):whistle:

     
  7. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    Well with the 17s you'll have very much trouble getting much higher profile than a 55 even in the hole The 45s fit the '50s are good but they're a non-standard size try finding 205 50 17 they generally have to be made so that may not be appropriate for many I have 205-50 17s on my persona. The 215 45 17 are in there pretty good The next size down from 205 50 would be a 195/55 and for most people going from 2:15 to 195 is going to be something that they can't get behind they want the widest they can get on the skateboard let alone a car so it can be kind of tricky and getting taller tires on the 17s and having them not rub etc all you have to do is get your tape measure and look and go from there If you're willing to remove fender liners and all kinds of stuff well then you can probably do anything you want
     
  8. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Our 2010 CDN Touring came with the 215/45R17, and every fall I swap over to 195/65R15 snow tires, no problems.

    @Max H : one thing, you should ensure your car did come from the factory with the 17’s. Those cars have revised suspension, steering mechanism, steering radius, for the 17’s. Going from 17 to 15 is ok, but if yours in fact came with 15 and prev owner swapped to 17, it “may” be overtaxing something.

    That said, lots have gone from 15 (stock) to 17, and survived, lol.

    To verify, the 17 level had other diff’s:

    LED headlights
    Headlight washers
    Levelling gizmo on solid rear axle
    Turning radius of cruise ship…
     
  9. -JnC-

    -JnC- Member

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    I think I drove my Prius five that came with 17" stock wheels a total of 500 miles before I ditched the 17s and got myself the 15 inch wheels. Currently I have two sets of 15", one with all season tires for spring/summer and one with snow tires for winters. Car rides much better, plus you gain the MPGs back, I think I was getting 38~40 mpg with the 17s and mid to high 40s with the 15" on 195/65/15 tires. I dont have TPMS sensors in either. You can have a tire shop transfer the TPMS senors from your current wheels to the new ones if you want or get new TPMS sensors, the only issue with that is that unlike my past Acuras where the new sensors were self learning the Toyota sensors need to be programed by the dealer.
     
    Mendel Leisk likes this.
  10. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Must be nice. My Missus likes the 17’s, so they’re how we roll spring through fall. Get slightly better mpg in winter with 15” Michelin X-Ice lol.

    It’s all relative though; doing maybe 3k kms a year, we’re not going through a lot of gas; doesn’t really impact the budget.
     
    douglasjre likes this.
  11. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    That seems to be the general consensus want 15 in And alloy or steel doesn't matter The steel may come in a little lighter these days whatever but that seems to be the general consensus and apparently if you have the correct wheel covers on it seems to slip stream The wheels nicely.
     
  12. Max H

    Max H New Member

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    Thank you everyone for your valuable input!

    @JNC The TPMS question is one I had. Thank you. I’m a little bummed that it takes a dealer to program them.

    @Mendel Leisk My Prius did come with 17’s stock, so based on what you said it sounds like switching to 15’s doesn’t affect the suspension specs for 17 in wheels. I should keep that in mind if I find someone willing to swap. Do you have a good source for aftermarket 15’s, covers, and lugs? Also, do you run yours without TPMS sensors, and if you do, does that generate a light on the annunciator panel or is it dark?

    I also happen to have a 2008 Gen 2 which consistently gets better mileage. Based on what JnC said, maybe I could get that back.

    Thanks everyone!
     
  13. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Lots have swapped from 15" to larger, they're choice.
    Our stock 17's have tpms sensors, and still working (build date Aug 09), but not sure for how much longer. I swap to 15" Corolla rims in winter with snow tires, no sensors, and light displays.
     
  14. tony_2018

    tony_2018 Member

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    How much Tread left on your 17s? image with a gauge?
     
  15. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    You can buy 15-in Toyota steelies that look like the factory Toyota steelies that would go on this car for like $39 a pop on Amazon I think I even paid that for the 17 steelies and then that'll use regular lug nuts acorn style pick your poison and then you can run the regular kind of base Prius hubcaps right on those 15-in steelies that should be the lightest setup that you can cobble together without spending thousands for something like Pana sports or some other lightweight wheel and they would be costly.
     
  16. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    You can buy 15-in Toyota steelies that look like the factory Toyota steelies that would go on this car for like $39 a pop on Amazon I think I even paid that for the 17 steelies and then that'll use regular lug nuts acorn style pick your poison and then you can run the regular kind of base Prius hubcaps right on those 15-in steelies that should be the lightest setup that you can cobble together without spending thousands for something like Pana sports or some other lightweight wheel and they would be costly.
     
  17. Siward

    Siward Active Member

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    Your 17" wheels are more valuable ($ wise) than the 15". Are you sure fuel economy is worth your swap? I guess if you are looking for ride comfort then it is up to you. The 17" is supposed to have slightly better handling as it has less cushion. You may or may get better fuel economy from the swap depending on wheel weight and rolling resistance.

    I am not sure about the models in the US, but doesn't the Prius have TPMS? You would also need to swap your TPMS sensors or reprogram them. I once thought of downsizing my stock 17" but decided against it in the end. You have to drive a whole lot for the marginal fuel savings to be worth the swap. And I already have 15" steelies for winter.

    I used to drive a 2006 Toyota Corolla Sport and its 15" alloy wheels are very likely a direct fit for the Prius. It also looks pretty close to the 17" Prius tires but just smaller. If you want a smaller Toyota version of the alloys you can consider the 9th gen corolla alloy wheels.
    2003 - 2006 Toyota Corolla S 010 - Toyota USA Newsroom

    Oh. There will be miniscule differences in your speedometer from the differences in tire size. Simply plug your two tire sizes in a tire size comparison calculator.
    Tire Size Comparison
     
    #17 Siward, May 3, 2023
    Last edited: May 3, 2023
  18. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    Yaris wheels too that's the most inexpensive usually . I don't know why they less .
     
  19. xliderider

    xliderider Senior Member

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    The Yaris wheels are 4-lug.

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
  20. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    The place I buy my steel wheels from claims that the wheels on buying from them are supposed to be for the Yaris they keep advertising them this way to all the time in their ad I don't really care what they're supposed to be for as long as the offset the lugs and the JJ part of the rim are correct from accepting my tires and my wheel weights so this is just what the advertiser of the company that sells the wheels always states on their eBay ad and apparently they sell a lot of wheels I've bought about 30 from them of this exact type wheel I don't know why they keep saying that are the newer yarises five lug today? I don't look at that car very often but this is what the company's ad states I don't argue with the people I just tell them send me that 29 or $34 wheel of the stock number I just gave you from your ad and it looks like that picture correct and they say yes and here they come I have them a couple sitting here in the driveway that I'm looking at now they're bent and were replaced with the new ones and they are on the car and driving this is on a Gen 2 '09 Prius five lug that had the 15-in alloys.