quick wheel and suspension help

[turismo29]

My s14 (zenki) is bone stock. I just want to throw some 15" wheels on the stock suspension. Still want the stock look, but with just some gun metal wheel and polished lip. Do not want 17 or 18s since they will create a gap between fenders. Not interested in lowering or coil over since i will have camber/toe issues.

What offset is recommended for the 15" wheels? 15x6 or 15x7?

As far as suspensions goes, what's a good brand to get some stock shock since mine are like over 10yrs old?

This is a (70+ miles) daily commute car and not interested in track or drift performance at this time. Thanks for the help.

[cdlong]

All those "issues" you mentioned are easily fixed or not issues at all. If you're going to do it so half assed, I'd say don't bother. This coming from a guy who likes the "stock" look (see sig).

[joeapple8]

Colorado Springs! I used to be from there! I never save a 240sx on the street when I lived there though :( sad to say... haha I used to work at cyber station inside the Citadel Mall. Any ways on to the answer from OP, you should get some 15x8 mesh wheels I guess? Enkei mesh if you want that polished lip, or just be cheap and get some TE37V haha

[az_240]

Reppin Colorado Springs eh... I used to live right near Palmer Park. Loved every second of it.

To OP I'd just search and see what other people are using and check out the classifieds to see what's for sale.

I think right around a +20 offset should be good without having to do anything to the fenders but you can google those wheel sizes, see what other people are running and decide what look you want to go for.

[joeapple8]

RIMTUCK.com - Wheel Fitment Database (http://rimtuck.com)

[cdlong]

I'm not sure I'd say I'm reppin Colorado Springs, but I can see Palmer Park from my backyard. I'm about a 2 minute walk from the main entrance on Maizeland. Where did you live?

This thread is being oddly helpful for Zilvia.

[enkei2k]

Do not want 17 or 18s since they will create a gap between fenders.

i'm confused. sorry, but won't larger wheels minimize the wheel gap between tire and fender and not create a gap since the rim size will be bigger?.


15s (google pic)
http://memimage.cardomain.com/member_images/12/web/672000-672999/672950_16_full.jpg


18s (google pic, not sure if stock height or not though)
http://www.26liter.us/gallery/albums/userpics/10016/lower_015.JPG

What offset is recommended for the 15" wheels? 15x6 or 15x7?

depends if you want a sunk look or a flush look. x6 and x7 is the width, not offset. personally, i'd go with the wider wheel.

As far as suspensions goes, what's a good brand to get some stock shock since mine are like over 10yrs old?

KYB, Tokico, etc...

[Sam_Well.13]

larger wheel wont minimize wheel gap. if your on stock suspension

all your doing is lifting your car with a bigger wheel.

that burgundy S14 has suspension done to it.

[az_240]

I'm not sure I'd say I'm reppin Colorado Springs, but I can see Palmer Park from my backyard. I'm about a 2 minute walk from the main entrance on Maizeland. Where did you live?

This thread is being oddly helpful for Zilvia.


SW corner of Academy and Austin Bluffs... used to walk to the Austin Bluffs Mall all the time. There used to be this big foam airplane kids would play on. Ahh the memories.

[turismo29]

All those "issues" you mentioned are easily fixed or not issues at all. If you're going to do it so half assed, I'd say don't bother. This coming from a guy who likes the "stock" look (see sig).

I'm not doing it half ass, I just wan some better aesthetic wheels than the stock but still running on stock specif.


To OP I'd just search and see what other people are using and check out the classifieds to see what's for sale.

I think right around a +20 offset should be good without having to do anything to the fenders but you can google those wheel sizes, see what other people are running and decide what look you want to go for.

Thanks, I've seen many people with +20 or +25 or even 0 offset. Correct me if i'm wrong but the stock wheels are like +40 offset? But aren't high offset are better suited on FF cars? If i were to get wheels with that high offset would I suffer in performance?

larger wheel wont minimize wheel gap. if your on stock suspension

all your doing is lifting your car with a bigger wheel.

that burgundy S14 has suspension done to it.

Thanks for the confirmation. That why i'm hesitant to get bigger wheels without dropping the car.

[cdlong]

15x6s is half assed. Stock specifications are stupid, the wheels and tires are too small, the car is too high, and the springs are too soft. Certainly nothing to mimic if you have to opportunity to change it. "Fancy" wheels in that small size will look rediculous. It will look like you just picked up some wheels from an old Honda and threw them on your otherwise stock car. SE's came stock with 16"s and 17"s hardly look huge on an S14, at least get something that big.

Base wheels are 15x6+40 and SE wheels are 16x6.5+40. The high offset for front wheel drive cars is designed into the suspension, there's no handling difference inherent with high offset wheels. Higher offsets are more common with FF cars, but contrary to that, the S2k has a +65 rear wheel or thereabouts. There are some performance benefits to a wider track, but you lose some steering feel the wider you go. My 16x8+30 wheels (R32 GTR) look like they could be stock, but support wider tires. You could easily find a mild upgrade, 16 or 17x8, +20 to +30, that would look good, fit without trouble, and offer a real performance upgrade.

A larger wheel won't maximize the wheel gap either. If you use tires with the same outer diameter, the wheel gap will be the same. Either way, a set of decent springs can be had for $200 or less and will make the car handle less like a secretary-mobile, and more like a performance car. You won't have any toe problems because that's adjustable front and rear, and camber change from a mild drop is minimal. As you'll hear many times here, toe kills tires, not camber. If you get an alignment to fix the toe (like you should anyway with new shocks) you'll be fine. I think my camber was about -.8*F and -1.6*R when I ran Prokits and stock arms. Certainly nothing to complain about, I'd add more front camber if I was back in that situation.

Add the wheels I mentioned above, some springs and tokico or KYBs like Enkei2k mentioned, and get an alignment and you'll have a much better handling car.

[turismo29]

15x6s is half assed. Stock specifications are stupid, the wheels and tires are too small, the car is too high, and the springs are too soft. Certainly nothing to mimic if you have to opportunity to change it. "Fancy" wheels in that small size will look rediculous. It will look like you just picked up some wheels from an old Honda and threw them on your otherwise stock car. SE's came stock with 16"s and 17"s hardly look huge on an S14, at least get something that big.

Base wheels are 15x6+40 and SE wheels are 16x6.5+40. The high offset for front wheel drive cars is designed into the suspension, there's no handling difference inherent with high offset wheels. Higher offsets are more common with FF cars, but contrary to that, the S2k has a +65 rear wheel or thereabouts. There are some performance benefits to a wider track, but you lose some steering feel the wider you go. My 16x8+30 wheels (R32 GTR) look like they could be stock, but support wider tires. You could easily find a mild upgrade, 16 or 17x8, +20 to +30, that would look good, fit without trouble, and offer a real performance upgrade.

A larger wheel won't maximize the wheel gap either. If you use tires with the same outer diameter, the wheel gap will be the same. Either way, a set of decent springs can be had for $200 or less and will make the car handle less like a secretary-mobile, and more like a performance car. You won't have any toe problems because that's adjustable front and rear, and camber change from a mild drop is minimal. As you'll hear many times here, toe kills tires, not camber. If you get an alignment to fix the toe (like you should anyway with new shocks) you'll be fine. I think my camber was about -.8*F and -1.6*R when I ran Prokits and stock arms. Certainly nothing to complain about, I'd add more front camber if I was back in that situation.

Add the wheels I mentioned above, some springs and tokico or KYBs like Enkei2k mentioned, and get an alignment and you'll have a much better handling car.

thanks for the advice, i was thinking of 15x7 with a +40 offset tires, 195/60/15 or 205/65/15 (around there). but will do more research on 16 or 17" wheels,

Suspension, was thinking tokico blues, with either stock springs or some performance spring with a drop of no more than an inch. Shouldn't have toe/camber issues i'm assuming.

My main concern is that too big of a wheel (17 or 18 inch) without dropping the car will make it look funny (fender gap). I want to retain that stock look and not killing tires. I'm leaning more towards maybe 16x7 or 16x8 +20 or +25 offset. What size tires would you go with ?

[az_240]

I'm not doing it half ass, I just wan some better aesthetic wheels than the stock but still running on stock specif.

Thanks, I've seen many people with +20 or +25 or even 0 offset. Correct me if i'm wrong but the stock wheels are like +40 offset? But aren't high offset are better suited on FF cars? If i were to get wheels with that high offset would I suffer in performance?
.

The performance between offsets really will not change much unless you are going to a low setup like 17x9.5 +5... you probably won't notice a difference daily driving on stockish suspension on a +20 offset...it's more for the look. How wide the wheel is and how much camber you run will also effect how it looks on the car.

generally you want to add about 6mm of offset for every .5" wider rim.

So 17x9 +20 = 17x9.5 +26

subtract 5mm for every -1 degree of camber you run.

I'd run at least a 16" rim on a s14 with stock suspension. I'd also try to go lower than +40

[turismo29]

The performance between offsets really will not change much unless you are going to a low setup like 17x9.5 +5... you probably won't notice a difference daily driving on stockish suspension on a +20 offset...it's more for the look. How wide the wheel is and how much camber you run will also effect how it looks on the car.

generally you want to add about 6mm of offset for every .5" wider rim.

So 17x9 +20 = 17x9.5 +26

subtract 5mm for every -1 degree of camber you run.

I'd run at least a 16" rim on a s14 with stock suspension. I'd also try to go lower than +40

what would be the ideal 16" wheels and offset on stockish suspension and stock springs? 16x7 or 16x8 +30 offset? tire size?

last question...what's a good website to buy some new wheels and tires if i were to do it online?

thanks in advance, you guys are really helpful here and i'm learning quite a bit. cdlong and az 240

[az_240]

16x8 +30 or 16x7 +20 should be good but that is really up to you....check pics online to see how you like that look. 225/50/16 should be pretty square on a 8" rim but it's up to you.

Craigslist is probably the best if you are patient and on a budget.

Ebay, classifieds or places on google would be the next choices

[turismo29]

16x8 +30 or 16x7 +20 should be good but that is really up to you....check pics online to see how you like that look. 225/50/16 should be pretty square on a 8" rim but it's up to you.

Craigslist is probably the best if you are patient and on a budget.

Ebay, classifieds or places on google would be the next choices

cool, how about 16x8 with a +0 offset? would that rub against the fenders.

XXR 002 Old School JDM (http://www.xxrwheels.com/sportmax_002.shtml)
i know these are knockoffs, but i'm not racing so it will do for now.

[az_240]

cool, how about 16x8 with a +0 offset? would that rub against the fenders.

XXR 002 Old School JDM (http://www.xxrwheels.com/sportmax_002.shtml)
i know these are knockoffs, but i'm not racing so it will do for now.

You'll want to roll the fenders to fit that. In a straight line it might be fine but if you hit a big enough bump while turning it will go into the lip of the fender.

[turismo29]

You'll want to roll the fenders to fit that. In a straight line it might be fine but if you hit a big enough bump while turning it will go into the lip of the fender.

good to know, so i'll pass on those wheels then, i guess just stick to a more narrow 16x7 and offset like +20 to +30 to clear the fenders.

[cdlong]

thanks for the advice, i was thinking of 15x7 with a +40 offset tires, 195/60/15 or 205/65/15 (around there). but will do more research on 16 or 17" wheels,

Here's how I figure tire sizes. Take the wheel width, add 1" (for the rim lips), myltiply by 25.4 to convert to mm, round to the nearest tire width, then find what cross section will give yo the right outer diameter. Maybe go the other way to find a more common tire size or to stretch or buldge for your preference. My wheels are 16x8 +30 (which works perfectly BTW, aside from some minor splash guard rubbing, which has fixed itself), 8"+1"=9"*25.4=228.6mm. Round down to 225 for a very mild stretch, 225/50/16s are the right diameter for the 240.

Suspension, was thinking tokico blues, with either stock springs or some performance spring with a drop of no more than an inch. won't have toe/camber issues i'm assuming.

Fixed it for you. The only people that ever have toe issues are those that are too cheap/stupid to get an alignment after suspension work. Camber gain is minimal from anything under 1.5" or so. You won't gain enough camber to cause any tire wear or handling issues from drop springs.

My main concern is that too big of a wheel (17 or 18 inch) without dropping the car will make it look funny (fender gap). I want to retain that stock look and not killing tires. I'm leaning more towards maybe 16x7 or 16x8 +20 or +25 offset. What size tires would you go with ?

If you put the right size tires on, the wheel gap won't change and it will look funny either way. Proper alignment=not killing tires. 16x7 would be ok, but good luck finding some that aren't "FWD offset", you'll need a +20 or lower to look right.

[Schassis707]

To the OP get 16" rims and some coils and call it a day. I say coils for many reasons... the main reason is that they can be found for decent price here and will save you money in tthe long run. Ask anyone on here, When you start putting money in your car it will become a habit. You will want to make this certain part of the car better than stock, After that you will want a different part and so on. Save the money until you can spend it wisely. As far as rims go find a style and size you want, And remember that sidewall size can change too.