A Call for the Wheel Fitment Gurus

[musashin]

Alright, so I love the old-school look of bolt-on fender flares. Not widebody overfenders, but fender -flares-.


I've been thinking of shooting for the stars in an insane wheel fitment. I have an opportunity to pick up some 17x9 -13 and 17x9.5 -19 Rota RB. For those of you that dont know, the Rota RB is a Watanabe RS-8 clone. I know it's Rotas, but $750 for them, or $2000-plus for the real thing, at this point, the real thing is just out of the question.



So my basic question is, are the raceonusa flares (which have been measured to be about 37mm front and 42mm rear) a good fit for these? By my very amature calculations, the fronts will stick out about 41mm past the fender, and the rears about 53mm, so it seems like a good fit to me, but I just wanted to opinions of a more informed source.



I do understand that fender flares do not fit easily, and that cutting of the existing fenders will be required.


Thanks! :naughtyd:

[Matej]

You can fit that with stock fenders.

[Jgrand03]

wow this is gonna get locked quickly and red sqaure will insue so im going to be nice and just say wheel whore fitment thread, search or just stop being lazy and find out urself


and since when did rota rbs come in 17s?

[fliprayzin240sx]

Its not gonna be that bad, itll depend on tires your running. From looking at the numbers in my head, they should fit under the flares with a couple mms to spare. Thats why I said itll depend on your tires.

In his defense you cant really flame him or tell him "OMFG why dont you use the wheel fitment thread" because there isnt a whole lot of people using fender flares. Most use over fenders and what not.

[TheTimanator]

I'll try to help you:

I assume you want to have great flitmet aka flush so..... start by searching the forums and look for S13's that have a wheel set-up you consider flush. The fenders have to be factory and rolled only, not pulled. Also, look at there tire sizing and camber as both could be more agressive than what you want to run. Take that size, subtract your fender flare size and thats what width/offset you'll need to acheive the same fitment with the new fenders>

Example:
17x9+20 fits well on S13's with some tire streching/camber/fender rolling. With the overfender sizes you gave 9" -17 offset up front would be ideal which is very close to the size you are considering. Make sense? You can use an offset calculator to figure out the rear...but I think it'll be pretty close

PS- where are you finding these wheels at? Also, I want to do this to my car as well...but I really want the real Wats.

[musashin]

Its not gonna be that bad, itll depend on tires your running. From looking at the numbers in my head, they should fit under the flares with a couple mms to spare. Thats why I said itll depend on your tires.

In his defense you cant really flame him or tell him "OMFG why dont you use the wheel fitment thread" because there isnt a whole lot of people using fender flares. Most use over fenders and what not.

Thanks for your constructive response. I was looking at 245's in front and 265's in the back. Do you think that would be alright?

[musashin]

I'll try to help you:

I assume you want to have great flitmet aka flush so..... start by searching the forums and look for S13's that have a wheel set-up you consider flush. The fenders have to be factory and rolled only, not pulled. Also, look at there tire sizing and camber as both could be more agressive than what you want to run. Take that size, subtract your fender flare size and thats what width/offset you'll need to acheive the same fitment with the new fenders>

Example:
17x9+20 fits well on S13's with some tire streching/camber/fender rolling. With the overfender sizes you gave 9" -17 offset up front would be ideal which is very close to the size you are considering. Make sense? You can use an offset calculator to figure out the rear...

PS- where are you finding these wheels at?

I have done calculations, lots of them. I just wanted the input of people more experienced in this kind of thing. I'd rather not buy something just to have to sell it in order to buy something else.

The wheels are on a group buy on hybridz.org. They're being specially made by Rota to fit s30's with ZG flares. I just think it would be awesome to see an s13 with this kind of setup.

[musashin]

You can fit that with stock fenders.

Yeah, but only with a huge pull, loads of camber, and crazy stretched tires. I'd prefer to stay below -3* of camber, and not to stretch my tires too much.

I guess this is a different kind of fitment than the general zilvian likes.

[TheTimanator]

have been on watanabe's website? They had a S13 with fender flares with sizes very close to what your asking. Let me see if I can find the link.

EDIT: found it:
http://www.rs-watanabe.co.jp/userspage/otousan06-rps13.htm
they are the same width and offset. I have no idea what the fender flare size, however most fender flares are pretty generic so they are probably pretty close.

[musashin]

have been on watanabe's website? They had a S13 with fender flares with sizes very close to what your asking. Let me see if I can find the link.

Wow, thanks for the tip. There is actually an S13 with fender flares with the -exact- width and offset [but it has 16s, not 17s like I would] on the Watanabe website.

http://www.watanabewheel.com/gallery_images/s13_1992_black(16)_l.jpg

[TheTimanator]

ha, i guess you found it. I say do it. I am not of fan of rota's or copies BUT I think it will look great if you do it right.

[musashin]

ha, i guess you found it. I say do it. I am not of fan of rota's or copies BUT I think it will look great if you do it right.

Yeah, thanks man. I appreciate the help. And the lack of red bars by my name.:hsdance:

[JVD]

You can fit that with stock fenders.
You're way off dude. 9" -13mm on stock fronts? I don't think so. Rears would require a big pull too.

[Bushido]

surprised this thread isn't filled with whining about rota wheels yet... i see you caught wind of the group buy on hybridz.org, i'm mulling over getting a set as well.

theres only one way to handle this situation and make it look good:

run 17x9.5 -19 all around
225/40/17
classic datsun zg overfenders
add 20mm spacers and lower+camber

[ayuaddict]

woah rota makes wheels in 17x9.5 -19?

thats pretty fucking cool.

[Matej]

You're way off dude. 9" -13mm on stock fronts? I don't think so. Rears would require a big pull too.
Well I was driving with 18x9.5 -15 on stock fronts...

[ant_s13]

it is very much going to depend on the setup of your suspension and tyres. i have JUN Overfenders (not genuine but moulded from a genuine set) which are supposed to be +30mm front and rear (as per the JUN website, which came up when i did a google search).

i had 18x9+24 w/ 8mm slip on front with 225/40 and 18x10 +11 with 235/40 and they stuck out hence i wanted something different and bought the JUN fenders. i then cut out the guard metalwork, fitted the fenders with the help of a mate. they actually bowed a bit to fit, especially on the front. also, the panel kinked a little driver said since i tucked the loom up very high, not noticeable by eye but made a gap from fender -> flare. so i would say at a guess i actually gained around 40mm front, and 35-40 rear (admitedly i never actually measured).

once i lowered the car as i wanted, and beat the inner front wheel wells for clearance, i ended up with a lot of room in the guards. i ended up eventually ending up with 35mm bolt on spacers front, and 30mms rear. therefore the wheels were 18x9 -11 & 18x10 -19. this was with 'dumped' ride height, and i would assume around 4deg negative camber rear, and 2-3deg negative camber front.

i have now gone even more extreme, cause im doing it to be different here in Oz, but going on the above calculations if you are running more tyre and less camber/ride height, plus slightly less rim width, it should all in all work out pretty well if your flares are of similar sort of dimensions to mine once fitted (35-40mm wider).

not to assume your dumb in any way but just from expereince i would make sure you cut out as much metal as possible from below the flare bolts (nutserts or whatever you use) , and try to bend the metal to the contour of the flare, hence allowing yourself maximum use of the extra width provided by the flare. Also, if you are at all in doubt that you may want to tuck big wheel/tyre under at the back, try to flare the rear guard out before you bolt the flare on to give yourself more room the whole way up the rear rather than just whree the flare itself is. Also, even though it is a little ugly, i would recommend trying to get a small neat piece of rubber to use as a bead and just neatly fit and paint over it to prevent cracking of the joint (i speak from experience with this one, painter said itd be fine and it cracked within hours of being painted i.e. while it was sitting in his shop waiting for reassembley of lights etc!)

[300hp owen]

have been on watanabe's website? They had a S13 with fender flares with sizes very close to what your asking. Let me see if I can find the link.

EDIT: found it:
http://www.rs-watanabe.co.jp/userspage/otousan06-rps13.htm
they are the same width and offset. I have no idea what the fender flare size, however most fender flares are pretty generic so they are probably pretty close.
that looks really cool, I say do it!
but you may want to order the flairs and the wheels, then fit them to the car before you order tires... as you may be in a tight fitment and not be able to run as wide a tire as you hoped, ya never know, no reason to waste $$ on tires when you can get real world fitment checks before ordering tires.

I love the look of that wheel, always have. for the low cost you sure cant bag on rota, thats cheap as hell and thats a beefy design, I'm sure they will be heavier than the O.G. watanabes but hey you are saving a ton of cash... so please buy some nice tires otherwise you suck! ;)

[musashin]

surprised this thread isn't filled with whining about rota wheels yet... i see you caught wind of the group buy on hybridz.org, i'm mulling over getting a set as well.

theres only one way to handle this situation and make it look good:

run 17x9.5 -19 all around
225/40/17
classic datsun zg overfenders
add 20mm spacers and lower+camber

Wait, 9.5 -39 with ~40mm fenders? How much camber would that be? Like -10*? I don't want that extreme. I'd really like low camber, big tires.

[ericcastro]

I run fender flares.


If you are running 17's, your gonna have to cut to make clearence. Which means you will always need fender flares or over fenders. and the car will never really be resellable on a normal market.

So thats the first thing you want to think about.

How much are the flares your running??

cause I picked mine up from a Zcar. online, $200 for the whole set new. Not the "perfect" fit, but they work.

I run 15's with 50series tires. with a passenger and a full trunk, they occationally rub on the freeway.

[ILoveMyRHS13]

Why would you get Rota RBs in 17s? Not old school. If you want old school with the flares, do 15s.

[musashin]

I run fender flares.


If you are running 17's, your gonna have to cut to make clearence. Which means you will always need fender flares or over fenders. and the car will never really be resellable on a normal market.

So thats the first thing you want to think about.

How much are the flares your running??

cause I picked mine up from a Zcar. online, $200 for the whole set new. Not the "perfect" fit, but they work.

I run 15's with 50series tires. with a passenger and a full trunk, they occationally rub on the freeway.

The flares I would be running are around $300. And once I start t mod the car, I wouldn't want to resell it on a normal market. I'd sell it on a forum such as this and others where people know what the deal is.


Also, to ILoveMyRHS13, I think I'd rather go with 16's, but this sizing and pricing is, IMO, too good to pass up. If I feel the need some other time, I can always switch wheels. If my setup will clear 17's, it will most likely clear 16's. Right?

[allntrlundrgrnd]

Uhh Rota doesnt make RB's anywhere near the sizes you mentioned.

13 x 8.0 +4 4h x 100
13 x 8.0 +4 4h x 101.65
13 x 8.0 +4 4h x 110
13 x 8.0 +4 4h x 114.3
13 x 8.0 +40 4h x 100
15 x 7.0 +25/+30/+35/+40 4h x 100
15 x 7.0 +12/+20/+25/+30 4h x 114.3
15 x 7.0 +35 5h x 100
15 x 8.0 +25/+35 4h x 100
15 x 8.0 +12 4h x 114.3
16 x 7.0 +35 4h x 100

[musashin]

Uhh Rota doesnt make RB's anywhere near the sizes you mentioned.

13 x 8.0 +4 4h x 100
13 x 8.0 +4 4h x 101.65
13 x 8.0 +4 4h x 110
13 x 8.0 +4 4h x 114.3
13 x 8.0 +40 4h x 100
15 x 7.0 +25/+30/+35/+40 4h x 100
15 x 7.0 +12/+20/+25/+30 4h x 114.3
15 x 7.0 +35 5h x 100
15 x 8.0 +25/+35 4h x 100
15 x 8.0 +12 4h x 114.3
16 x 7.0 +35 4h x 100

As was said earlier in the thread, these are available through a group buy. Rota is custom making these especially for the group buy.

[zavala]

Uhh Rota doesnt make RB's anywhere near the sizes you mentioned.

13 x 8.0 +4 4h x 100
13 x 8.0 +4 4h x 101.65
13 x 8.0 +4 4h x 110
13 x 8.0 +4 4h x 114.3
13 x 8.0 +40 4h x 100
15 x 7.0 +25/+30/+35/+40 4h x 100
15 x 7.0 +12/+20/+25/+30 4h x 114.3
15 x 7.0 +35 5h x 100
15 x 8.0 +25/+35 4h x 100
15 x 8.0 +12 4h x 114.3
16 x 7.0 +35 4h x 100

subydude A.k.A wheeldude (www.wheeldude.com) sells the rb in 17x8.5 alll day long under the nissan tab on his site for the S13 and S14. go search harder

[allntrlundrgrnd]

As was said earlier in the thread, these are available through a group buy. Rota is custom making these especially for the group buy.

oh snap, any pics?

[musashin]

oh snap, any pics?

None of the finished product yet. I can put some up if everyone wants once they're finished. They won't be out for another two months or so.

[TheTimanator]

they seem to be in production to me:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v407/RudypooChris/7a.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v407/RudypooChris/6a.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v407/RudypooChris/5a.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v407/RudypooChris/4a.jpg

I need to stop coming back to this thread or I'm going to end up buying some wheels that I don't have money for.

[musashin]

Those are prototype models that were sent to him by Rota. That car is owned by the coordinator of the GB. I think the RB may be in production, or at least will be very soon. I'm waiting on the RB-R, which is slightly different, but it makes a big difference IMO.

[TheTimanator]

Those are prototype models that were sent to him by Rota. That car is owned by the coordinator of the GB. I think the RB may be in production, or at least will be very soon. I'm waiting on the RB-R, which is slightly different, but it makes a big difference IMO.

and that difference would be? polished lips perhaps?

[Bushido]

Those are the RB model. ugly convex spoke design.

Apparantly an RB-R model is in the works (copy of watanabe type-r)
the spokes on these are concave, and the lip will be bigger.
I wish they would have been a little more ballsy on the offset since they are catered to S30's, but you can always space them i guess.
http://www.globalarray.net/user/kcelectronics/ZCARS/Differance.jpg (http://www.globalarray.net/user/kcelectronics/ZCARS/Differance.jpg)
RB on left, RB-R on right.

as for your original fitment question, take my previous recommendation minus the spacers and you'll be able to fit bubble tires.

[musashin]

RB-R spokes are concave toward the center, while RB are curved out.

EDIT: I put the same pic as Bushido, haha.

[musashin]

If you think about it, the lip on the RB-R would theoretically be smaller than an RB with same width, offset, and mounting surface thickness. But it's OK, because the RB-R would give the illusion of a larger lip either way, since the spokes are out of the way of the lip.

[Abstrak0ne]

The RB-r has flatter spokes I believe. It looks more like Watanabe's instead of Minimags.

[musashin]

Yeah, check the pic in Bushido's post to see the difference.

[Bushido]

A dude posted his wheel setup in the fitment thread, confirming my recommendation before, 17x9.5-19 +20mm spacer.

the pics below are 235/40 on 18x10.5 -24s, this would be the way the 9.5 -39 wheel would fit... 2mm difference in effective offset.


http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e6/ant_s13sil/Rear%20VS%20XX%20Fitted/VSXXFitted_9_7.jpg

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e6/ant_s13sil/Rear%20VS%20XX%20Fitted/VSXXFitted_8.jpg

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e6/ant_s13sil/Rear%20VS%20XX%20Fitted/VSXXFitted_7.jpg

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e6/ant_s13sil/Rear%20VS%20XX%20Fitted/VSXXFitted_1.jpg

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e6/ant_s13sil/Rear%20VS%20XX%20Fitted/VSXXFitted_9.jpg

Fucking Awesome.


If you're going to fit these wheels, do it right! make them look good!