I'm curious why a lot of people seem to go with 15" rims? Is there something i'm missing that make a 15 better than say a 17? Thanks in advance.

 

I'll just list some pro's and cons that come to mind:

Pro 15:
cheaper rims
cheaper tires
more sidewall flex for offroad use (and possibly better ride)
more tire protecting rim from damage
possibly lighter setup (depending on wheel and tire combo)
old school look

Pro 17:
room for brake upgrade
better handling (due to less sidewall flex)
better balancing
more modern look

I chose my combo very carefully. I have black 17s and 35s. I chose my rims for weight, look, and finish. IMO I have a good combo of performance, look, and they still have some of the old school look. I also have room for a brake upgrade. I wasn't going to go larger because of the expense and the risk of damaging the rims offroad (or urban wheeling). It's also a compromise between ride and handling performance.

 

What Alec said.

Alot of people go with the 15s so they can air down more when wheeling. Just depends on what kind of wheeling you do, how big your tires are, etc.

 

15" tires are cheeeeeep

 

I want to get 33'' Duratracs, and it is about the same price for 33's on 17'' factory wheels as it is for a set of 5 15'' Craiger's and 33x15 tires. The benefit for going with the 15'' wheels, is a can turn around and sell my old wheels and tires and take the cash to fund a new front bumper. Two mods for the price of one as far as I'm concerned!