Hello Everyone- this is my first post. I've been following the forum for quite some time and I must say that all of you offer great insight on the Cadillac Escalade. I recently purchased a Black 05 Escalade about 2 months back and I love it. I've done many searches on this site in regards to wheel size and ride quality. I want to go with 24 inch rims but I'm very concerned that the ride will be far to bumpy/harsh. Some people say that it's fine while others say that anything past 22's is just too much. One thing that I've noticed is that it seems like 22's on this truck just dont seem big enough in person. They look nice, but they just don't command attention like 24's do. But I don't want to sacrifice the ride just because I want my truck to look good on big wheels. Please provide me with your most honest opinions- I need them!!! Im stuck between 3 wheel choices- Black Asanti AF 117, Black Lexani VP2 3pc or Chrome Foose Speedster 6. I'm not sure if the extra cash is worth spending on the Asanti's but they are pretty sharp. Fellow Cadillac owners- what do you think????

You will get more informative info on ride roughness etc. from someone who has 24's and can tell you from knowing but..
My thoughts were exactly like yours when you mentioned you don't want to sacrifice ride just to have the vehicle look good with big wheels.
You will want to consider where you live in relation to weather (winter/summer) and the road conditions ( smooth/rough ).
Basically with a bigger rim the less tire/rubber there is.
Less rubber = harsher ride. How harsh is what you consider bearable.
I bought the Escalade EXT because I can use it to haul things but I also wanted a comfortable ride in a truck above all else.
I looked long and hard at getting bigger rims but living in the Northeast I was not looking to go any bigger than 20's because I did not want to sacrifice the ride quality.
I eventually settled for better tires ( Bridgestone Revo's ) on my stock rims and have been very happy.
Just my thoughts and info for you to consider.
Good luck and welcome..

You can't go wrong with any of those 3 rims ;) Those are the best rims you can get for your truck. But I heard there is a chrome problem for foose wheels. You might also consider the http://www.superbuytires.com/wheels/model/OZ+Racing/Comanche/ (OZ Comanche). They are expensive but I think they are 3 peices.

Thanks for the replies guys, it's such a tough decision. I feel that if I'm going to spend the money on wheels I want to get it right the first time. Is there anyone at all out there that has experience feeling the difference between 22's and 24's?

Also does anyone know the exact wheel specs for 22's and 24's when ordering? Bolt Pattern, Offset etc?? I'm assuming that the wheel size is 22x10 or 24x10 and tire size is 305/45 and 305/35 respectivley but other than that I'm in the dark. In the past I've had experinces with my other cars ( which never sat on anything bigger than 19's ) where I ordered the rims and the rim shop got me the wheels but at the wrong fitmet and wanted to cut the rotors/trim the lugs etc... I'm not going to walk down that avenue on the Cadillac.

if you get 24's and don't lower it, you wont sacrifice much ride quality. as for me, i couldnt stand the huge wheel gap with my 24's so i had to drop it knowing that my car would drive much stiffer. i agree with you, 22's look a bit small for such a big car. if you can live with the wheel gap, go with the 24's. you should also consider doing a brake upgrade if get bigger wheels. fyi, get 3 piece wheels instead of 1 piece - cast metal ones. they are lighter and much more durable. hope this helps!

You and others on this forum who ask this question need to decide whether you want to roll in style or exotically. If you put 24's on your lac, you will reduce the ride quality a lot compared to the stock 17's that came on your truck when you drove it off the dealer lot. It depends on the wheel, size, tire, etc., but a lot of people who put on 24's get rubbing including myself, but I don't mind because the lade is NOT my race car. No one should be taking corners fast in an SUV anyways. Thats all I got to say... :)

SMG just wondering where are you getting your wheels from? I am also from NJ and just curious to see where you are getting ya wheels.

if you want to get it done right the first time than get 24's. If you get 22's now than you might regret it later on. Try to search your wheels on google ( brand and model ) to find out the offset. Better yet, try to find a picture of an escalade with that wheels on it.

It all depends on the roads you drive on, if the roads you drive on are smooth you will have no problems, if your roads are rough, or if they have pot holes your ride will be harsh. My Escalade is a work truck, it is off road several times a week at construction sites, and I drive through a lot of snow in upstate NY, that is why I have the stock 17's with Revo tires.

SMG just wondering where are you getting your wheels from? I am also from NJ and just curious to see where you are getting ya wheels.
Eastcoast Autosports in Harrison, NJ usually has the best prices. I like to compare prices to www.superbuytires.com which I think has pretty competitive prices and Eastcoast always comes in lower. I must say though, if you want a 100% professional job and don't mind paying out the a** then Action Tire in Lodi, NJ is the place to go.

if you get 24's and don't lower it, you wont sacrifice much ride quality. as for me, i couldnt stand the huge wheel gap with my 24's so i had to drop it knowing that my car would drive much stiffer. i agree with you, 22's look a bit small for such a big car. if you can live with the wheel gap, go with the 24's. you should also consider doing a brake upgrade if get bigger wheels. fyi, get 3 piece wheels instead of 1 piece - cast metal ones. they are lighter and much more durable. hope this helps!
I'm thinking that I can live with the wheel gap- at the beginning at least. I've lowered every car that I've had so far and swore I would never do it again but I've seen how nice the truck looks with the 2/3 drop... I want to go with black wheels but for some reason I think that only chrome will look right if the truck is at the stock height? What do you guys think? Does anybody know where to get 24" Asanti's for less than 1500 per? I liked the Foose Speedster 6 a whole lot but I don't want the chrome coming off of them!!!!

no

Hello, I just purchased a black EXT 2005 and want rims, not sure if I want to go 24's; considering 22's. How does your ext ride with 22's?Hello Everyone- this is my first post. I've been following the forum for quite some time and I must say that all of you offer great insight on the Cadillac Escalade. I recently purchased a Black 05 Escalade about 2 months back and I love it. I've done many searches on this site in regards to wheel size and ride quality. I want to go with 24 inch rims but I'm very concerned that the ride will be far to bumpy/harsh. Some people say that it's fine while others say that anything past 22's is just too much. One thing that I've noticed is that it seems like 22's on this truck just dont seem big enough in person. They look nice, but they just don't command attention like 24's do. But I don't want to sacrifice the ride just because I want my truck to look good on big wheels. Please provide me with your most honest opinions- I need them!!! Im stuck between 3 wheel choices- Black Asanti AF 117, Black Lexani VP2 3pc or Chrome Foose Speedster 6. I'm not sure if the extra cash is worth spending on the Asanti's but they are pretty sharp. Fellow Cadillac owners- what do you think????

Yo my friend owns a rim shop in Union NJ Beyond Image Motorworks. Theycan get you some banging deals on 22's 24's 26's whatever you want. They deal direct with Asanti, Zenetti, Dvinci, Symbolic etc....

908-304-4747
ask for John

tell them you spoke to Rob on the forum. They will show you the love prices!!

I also live in Northern NJ and have 22' Foose Speedsters on my EXT,
with the higher profile tires, not sure the size. The roads around here
suck and IMO I think you'll regret getting 24's. I got set up at Action
Tire on Rt 46.

Frank

I have 24' on my lade, and the ride is definately harder. If the roads where you live are bad, i don't recommend the 24's. After a lot research , i bought the Enkei f6 forged. These wheels only weigh 40lbs a piece! Most 24" wheels weigh about 52 to 55lbs ea. The other great thing price $695ea compared to $1000+ on other wheels. Enkei has a 4 year chrome warranty! They are the only ones that make 24" forged wheels that i know of. I got through www.wheelkings.com they are very knowledgeable . ASk for Howard, and let him know you are from the forum.. I hope this helps you out!

evryone that posted on this thread with 24's, did all of you do a big brake conversion? i have some 22" giovannas and im not gonna lie i do regret it now i wish i went woth the 24's. i want to upgrade but im concerned about bending the wheels, if i need to chsnge the brakes and ride quality.

i got 24s with the baer brake kit I love the looks and the ride,brakes perfect, almost like the porsche cabrio, just need to replace parts faster(tie rods, ball joints, pit arms...) , but it is covered under my warranty so i am happy

i debated between 22's & 24's for a while the best advice i can give is for you to drive your vehice with each set and you decide which ride quality suits your needs. i did this at my local tire and wheel shop which step up and competed with online shops to earn my business and i decided without regret that i wanted 22's and i strongly encourage you to at least increase your rotor size to 14" over stock 12" rotors this will help greatly. good luck

Yo my friend owns a rim shop in Union NJ Beyond Image Motorworks. Theycan get you some banging deals on 22's 24's 26's whatever you want. They deal direct with Asanti, Zenetti, Dvinci, Symbolic etc....

908-304-4747
ask for John

tell them you spoke to Rob on the forum. They will show you the love prices!!

please note I posted the wrong number....

here is the correct one 908-686-3501

i have 24s on a 05 lade and i love it sure its a lil stiff but i did the 2/3 drop also check out the new nitto 315/35/24 tire awesome and more meat on the ground.. need a set of 24s i have some for sale.... 4257722996

i got 24s with the baer brake kit I love the looks and the ride,brakes perfect, almost like the porsche cabrio, just need to replace parts faster(tie rods, ball joints, pit arms...) , but it is covered under my warranty so i am happy

Fast66,

I also went with a big brake system(AP racing) and love it. Brembo hadn't released their kit when I did mine. I've used Baer's systems in the past on my 95 T-Bird with excellent results. They have excellent technical support, and reading the pad break-in and rotor seasoning tips helped a bunch.http://cadillacforums.com/forums/images/smilies/biggrin.gif

All of you that have big wheels and have that much unsprung weight on the vehicle you will need the big brakes in a panic stop,been there done that!

SYNERGETIC,

Yes it's not a sports car I've owned one of those already and when I want to go fast in corners I take my motorbike to the track for track days but.......,

I DO LIKE THE CORNERS IN MY SUV!
Lowered with aftermarket sway bars and bigger meat underneath does some amazing things to a 6000lb truck.

I just got back from vacation and WOW- all the replies from all you guys. Thankyou I appreciate the feedback tremendously. I've been thinking long and hard about this and knowing myself I'm probably going to go with the 24's because the truck looks so good with that size wheel. But the smart thinker in me says to go with the 22's because the ride will be a bit better and for those of us in the Northeastern United States, we know how the roads can get. Especially in NYC :bomb:. For some reason 24's on the Escalade are simply jaw dropping when you see one pass you on the highway. It would be golden if I had the opportunity to drive/ride in an Escalade with 22's and 24's both at stock height and lowered 2/3. But chances are that will not happen and I'll have to make the purchase based on feedback from you guys which has been great information across the board.

ILLNALI,

I think I've heard of the shop in Union that you're speaking of. If I go with the black Asanti's I will consult him for sure. I DO NOT want to pay $1,500 per wheel for those things so I welcome any opportunity for a discouted price. In fact I'll see him no matter what I purchase to see what price range he can offer.

The worst things that I've expereinced in my past automobiles when dealing with aftermarket wheels are steering wheel shimmy ( Even after numerous tire balances ) and a much harsher ride after the car was lowered ( which I don't think is something that can possibley be avoided ). Many of my friends have a 35 profile on their cars the only difference being that they have cars not a truck. Hopefully I can see for myself ahead of time before springing 7 or 8 grand next spring.

You guys are great on this forum, thankyou :thumbsup:

if you get 24's and don't lower it, you wont sacrifice much ride quality. as for me, i couldnt stand the huge wheel gap with my 24's so i had to drop it knowing that my car would drive much stiffer. i agree with you, 22's look a bit small for such a big car. if you can live with the wheel gap, go with the 24's. you should also consider doing a brake upgrade if get bigger wheels. fyi, get 3 piece wheels instead of 1 piece - cast metal ones. they are lighter and much more durable. hope this helps!

will i neeed to do a brake upgrade if i get some 3 piece forged wheels (gfg trentos) right now i have some 22" giovannas and i can feel the difference when i brake. if i get new wheels its either gonna be 22's again or 24's and this time im gonna get forged.

I stayed stock because i do not want to give anything away to ride. My Friend who owns an 04 ext and did the 22 momos regrets it because of the harsher ride. It is up to you. With bigger rims i have heard of some front end problems (ball joints wearing out, etc.) So if your keeping your lade for a long time i would consider that as well.

I'm on 24's and thinking about going to 26's very soon. 22's are just way too small and especially on an ESCALADE!! You went big with the actual car, now go big with the wheels. :)