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Wheel size, and tire fitement. Help!


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Ok so i have begun looking at a future purchase of wheels, and tires. Im looking for a bigger wheel, that would sit flush. And i want it flush, as well as having a meaty tire. These will be only my Summer wheels. Also if i have to run spacers and what not that is fine. So what size wheel, tire, offset and so forth can i run on my 2.5gt.

 

As for suspension my car has manore a-tech sturts, and H&R springs.

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If you want to run a beefy wheel and tire setup, run coilovers. End of discussion. You can adjust ride height, you can raise the back if it's rubbing over bumps, you can change spring preload, you have more space on the inside, etc. Firmer rates will let you keep your wheels away from your fenders, but keep in mind that you're, well, keeping them from moving. Subarus handle rough terrain and inclement weather because they have lots of wheel travel, in addition to great balance and AWD. It's a tradeoff; my cars don't handle demolished roads well. They don't like bumpy gravel. Suspension is meant to keep your wheels on the ground at all times....and stiff suspension can't do that on rough terrain.

 

So, that said, I can run a pretty mean setup on my car with the suspension and fender mods I've done. I don't rub anywhere, over any bump, in any corner, with a 235/40 on a 17x8 ET48. With a 17x8 and a 245/40/17, I buzzed the front fender liners just a touch under hard cornering. That is on, as most people will agree, a pretty heavily modified car.

 

If you are not willing to roll your fenders, don't run 18's.

If you are not willing to roll your fenders, don't run 17x8's or wider.

If you are not willing to roll your fenders, don't run over a 225.

If you are not willing to roll your fenders, don't slam your car with anything other than stockers. Something else might work, but I'm not going to be the person responsible for someone spending hard-earned money and being unhappy.

 

Other facts of the tire world that are very, very important.

 

Tire width is not absolute. This is the most important point I can make. A 225 from one manufacturer is not the same size as a 225 from another manufacturer, or even another tire from the same manufacturer. STi OEM tires, an RE070, that's labeled a 225/45/17, are as wide as most 235's, if not more so. . Their 225's are the same way. A Falken all-season 225 is narrow, a Falken RT615 is wide......I'm talking at least 1/2" difference. Measured section width is the only thing that matters when ordering tires; you can find it on tirerack, vulcan, edge, etc. Ask, and look around at meets, too; you soon see what tires run narrow or run wide. The most important thing is, run what fits your car. There's no reason to cram a 235 on an 8" rim on your DD with no suspension; you'll get less steering feel, more body roll with the increased grip, rubbing, etc. Run a 225 on a 7.5 instead, and save yourself from heartache.

 

I always stick to this idea; you pick the component most important to you, then you make the necessary other mods to keep the car functional/safe along with it.

 

This means compromise. Set A as a requirement, then figure out what it requires in systems x,y, and z. Do them along with A if not prior to it, or you're setting yourself up for failure, damage, unsafe vehicle, etc. Do not halfass any parts that affect the safety or control of the 3000lb+ weapon you're trusting your life to.

 

You want to run wide wheels and tires, or an aggressive setup, etc - better plan on fender mods and stiff coilovers so you can keep them off the fenders, and you need suspension first.

You want to run the car low, you run a narrower wheel or tire setup that will tuck in easier.

You want a cushy ride, you set up your suspension first and then figure out what wheels fit under it.

 

"What fits" is a relative question for each car and its intended use - there isn't an easy answer, which is why we ask so many questions in response. I hate to use a cliche, but when dealing with aggressive wheel fitment especially, if you don't know, you shouldn't be trying it, especially on a small-market car that doesn't have a huge tuner base. Only one way to learn, to be sure - but you need to understand the fundamentals of offset, wheel width, suspension clearance, camber curves, scrub radius, etc. It all matters. I can look at the specs of a specific wheel and tell you exactly where it's going to sit in the wheel well. I can't tell you if it's going to touch your fender under your conditions. You need to understand what the measurements mean to you and how they affect your car.

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If you are not willing to roll your fenders, don't run 18's.

If you are not willing to roll your fenders, don't run 17x8's or wider.

If you are not willing to roll your fenders, don't run over a 225.

If you are not willing to roll your fenders, don't slam your car with anything other than stockers. Something else might work, but I'm not going to be the person responsible for someone spending hard-earned money and being unhappy.

 

LOL :lol: So True.

 

Simple solution, get your woman's hair dryer or buy a heat gun, get a wooden bat and go to town wooo. :munch: Just to let you know pulled fenders and 17x8/9 looks gooood for a BD, total transformation.

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dang Zues nailed it!

very well spoken my friend, end of thread lol

your not gonna get to far without coilovers bmwpride (if thats the look your going for) I have 18x9.5 rims on 255/35/18 Bridgestone RE-11's tires roll and pull were required. and a front 5m spacer. corner balance, camber adjustment, alignment were all done after! (this is on my STI ofcourse not my leggy, not yet anyway hahahahaha)

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ok well with that being said, i dont want to run coilovers. I want to keep my suspension the same, so there will not be an extra agressive wheel then. Now if you all look at my build thread, that is the ride height im staying at. So with that what wheels, can i run that will get me close to flush and i will be rolling fenders.. as well as run a decently thick tire, now if i have to buy a spacer to make this all happen and run a little more neg camber then so be it..
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OK so the measurements of the stock wheels are 16x6.5 and the wheels that im looking at are between the sizes of 17x7, 17x7.5,17x7.75 and the same width but in 18's. Now with that being said would any of those size sit flush with the fenders, and what offset should i stay around...
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