Wheel Sizing, need help

[transient]

Ok, right now i'm looking at some Volk GT-P's in 17x8.0 with an offset of +19. I've got a link to an offset calculator, but I'm not sure of the stock offset or wheel size so I can't use it. I think it's 15x6 @ +40, which would mean that the Volks would have 4mm less clearance than stock rims. Is that enough clearance to install coilovers or am I going to look at some rubbing problems? Also, The tires i'm looking at are 245x45-17, Will 245's fit on an 8 inch wheel?

Btw, I searched my ass off before posting :)

[adey]

AFAIK:
You will be fine with 17x8, but not with 245s.

I'm running 16x7 +35 up front (which is somewhere around 3 mm less clearance than stock, if my head's on straight) with 205/55/16 and don't rub coilovers. I was, however, about 7 or 8mm away from the coils. That's pretty close. if you run 245 up front on those wheels, I can see you rubbing the coilover.
If you have these out back, I'm pretty sure you'll be fine and may have room to spare.

245 will fit on an 8" wheel, but won't look particularly nice; they'll be a bit bulgy.

I was/am clearing JIC FLT-A2s, fwiw. I don't think this makes much of a difference though. I now have 9mm worth of spacers on fronts, and it a) looks much better and b) is much farther from the coilovers.

If you're doing this up front, I'd suggest 5mm spacer or so (lower offset wheel and/or skinnier tire would be ideal, although you may run into fender rubbing issues) ... for rear, you may want to run either 5mm or 10mm spacer anyway, just for "the look". ;) If you have camber adjustment, you can deal with the fenders, though.

[SHINCHU]

adey are those the 16'' BBS janet told me you are selling?? man you should have told me at DS i paid 600 on the spot for max_misawa's SSR's. but im happy so its cool. just curious.

i hope i clear coilovers with those rims. but hey, spacers and camber fix everything. heheh. coilovers are going to be on before DD5. watch out for the slammed on 16'' SSR black mesh gold 240 with mismatch fender style!! im an idiot.

chris
TEAM DUCK SNIPER

[adey]

Yeah, probably what you guys were talking about... they're actually volk racing mesh, not BBS. :) The problem is they're HIGH OFFSET... like honda offset. :( 7" wide with +35 and 8" wide with +38. Oh well. They clear the coilovers, so I'll make do. (Can you say "spacerrrrrrssssss!"?)

[transient]

So what would you recommend for a tire size? I'm not going near spacers, and I'd rather not do anything with negative camber.

[adey]

I'm not a big fan of "fatties" when it comes to tires, and would recommend a 215 or 225 for an 8" wheel. If you want to clear the coilovers, you may indeed need to run 215, although 225 may clear as well.
Again though, keep in mind that this is all speculation and educated guesses on my part from my own experience. I don't know what other offsets the GT-P come in, but if you really want to run 235 or 245 tires, you'd have to get something with lower offset. That would in turn force you to probably roll your fenders.

How much power are you putting out? (I imagine quite a lot to need 245s)... as for your apprehension about spacers, I understand where you're coming from, but don't share the same reservations. I am running 3 3mm spacers on each front wheel, and have had no problems driving hard. I just make sure to torque the wheels down every couple of weeks... and yes, I drive the car pretty darn hard, too.

[transient]

+19 is the lowest offset I can find unfortunately. Although, if you have a reccomendation of some good wheels that come in a lower offset, i'd be grateful. Honestly, I'd really like 16x8's with an offset of 0 or so. I'm prepared to flare the fenders. They have to be good quality wheels though. I'll spend 400 dollars a wheel.

[adey]

Looks are a big factor... I love Advan Kreuzer Vs, but many people don't. :) I also like the SSR Professor SP-1, but not everyone does.
You know who make good wheels, so basically any of their wheels will be a good choice. From Volk's line, you will find the TE-37 in almost ANY size/offset fathomable. If you get into their 2- and 3-piece wheels (GT-series) then you can get custom offsets and sizes. :) They should (might?) do that for the GT-P, though you'd likely have to go through Mackin directly, or one of the bigger volk dealers around.

FWIW I've been looking into SSR Professor SP1s in 16x8 or even as wide as 16x9 with low offsets... while I won't be getting these any time soon, I imagine I'll be looking into offsets of about +20 to about +30 (or even 35) for a 9" wheel. Then again, I plan on running 205s or 215s, not 245s... your tire bulge is what's (going to be) killing you!

[transient]

that seems odd, because a friend of mine has 245's on 8's with almost no bulge, so I'm guessing I could get 225's and have no bulge at all, does that sound right?

[JerkFaceJason]

while we're on the topic, i know next to nothing when it comes to tires, so could someone tell me the proper numbers for a 91 if I was ordering them off of tire rack? you know, X/Y/Z format

[transient]

If you enter in your model number and year into tirerack, they'll actually show you what tires fit your car. The numbers, though, are 195/60/15 for base and 205/60/15 for the SE.

[adey]

Yup! 225 is the "correct fit" for a 7.5" wide wheel. "correct" for an 8" is 235, while 245 and possibly 255 both fit. however, 245 and 255 will bulge... not ridiculously, but enough to make coilover clearance a problem. 225 _should_ be fine, but I can't really see 235 fitting "safely". As I've said in previous posts, I don't believe that 245s (even though "only" 10mm wider than "proper fitment") would clear coils.

As for your tires, jerkface (haha), "proper" size is 195/60/15. 205/55/15 will be SLIGHTLY smaller than stock, meaning speedo will read faster than you're actually going, and odometer will read more miles than you've actually travelled.
similarly, you could get 185/65/15 or 215/50 (or 55)/15 to fit properly as well. But yeah. Stock size was 195/60/15. (SE sport option/alloy wheels was 205/60/15 I think, which also fits, but would be slightly "larger" than stock, meaning slower speedo reading than what you're actually going)... yeswell. hope that helped!

[240 2NR]

I'm currently planning on trying to do 235/40/17's on 17x 8's. 245/45's are going to be huge over stock ever before considering cleanance issues.

As for what tires will fit what rims, check the tire specs. Manufacter's list what wheels sizes are applicable for each tire. All the tires sold at tirerack also have this info listed under specs, which will also give you tread width, section width, rolling diamter, rolling revolutions per mile and other useful dimensions.

[BadMoJo]

245s fite perfect on an 8" wheel. I am running 17x8's right now with 235s and they fit nice, but there is a hair, and i mean hair, of stretch. So a 245 would be perfect.

I am not a big fan of stretching like 215s onto an 8" wheel. Unless you actually need do to it of course.

[DuffMan]

Pretty much any tire on +19 8 inch wheels are going to stick out past the fender. Clearing coilovers shouldn't be a problem, even with the 245's.

[transient]

Oh I don't mind sticking out past the fender a bit; It just means I have to get the fenders rolled, get some wide fenders or fender flares for them.

[Roly]

225/40's or 45's on the 7.5? cause I want to go with 235/40's on the 7.5.

[adey]

Originally posted by BadMoJo
245s fite perfect on an 8" wheel. I am running 17x8's right now with 235s and they fit nice, but there is a hair, and i mean hair, of stretch. So a 245 would be perfect.

I am not a big fan of stretching like 215s onto an 8" wheel. Unless you actually need do to it of course. Remember that 235mm tires from different manufacturers will be different actual widths; some may look stretched on an 8" wheel, others will be "just right" on an 8" wheel. 245 will fit easily, though they won't necessarily clear coilovers on an 8" wheel with +19 offset.

[slideways240]

in response to the original post. you should be able to make it work i have 18x8.5+32 w/10mm spacer and i can get coilovers using the ingalls bolts +camber plates technique. so you should be fine.