YellowJacket7

iTrader: (2)

Hi all. I am set on getting BBS RGRs for my '94 FD. Unfortunately, it looks like sizes for that wheel change a good bit over time, so some of the tried and true tested model numbers by other members are no longer available. The info on this site is great, and particularly the sizing spreadsheet that has been set up! My current setup is still stock with respect to the engine and the wheels/suspension/fenders etc. Thanks to ptrhahn, I think I have finally found a set that will work, but wanted to get some additional feedback before pulling the trigger.

The closest RGR 18"s I can find that seem to meet the required specs are as follows:
Front - RG782DBK - 18x8.5 (+43mm offset)
Rear - RG704HDBK - 18x9 (+42mm offset)

Based on the handy spreadsheet, if I use the 18x8.5s up front, that offset will leave me with 0.44in. outside tire clearance and 1.06in. inside tire clearance. If I use the 18x9s in the rear, that will leave me with 0.65in. outside tire clearance 0.85in. inside tire clearance. So, I think these should work.

Does that sound wrong to anyone? Any other concerns or things I may not have taken into consideration?

Also, with those rim sizes, I am guessing I should go with 245/35 front and 255/35 rear for the tires?

Thanks for any help!

Brekyrself

iTrader: (30)

Nice choice of wheels, they are very strong and light weight.

Why not run the 18x9 all around with 255/35?

I am not sure however how wide of a wheel/tire you can go with stock shocks. The stock shocks have the very wide springs compared with coilovers that will allow you to run wider tires. I would also suggest picking up 5 wheels, instead of 4 when it comes to these. They are hard to find if anything were to ever happen to one.

YellowJacket7

iTrader: (2)

That is a good point. I had not considered that. I found the front ones first and was so concerned with ones that fit the rear that I didn't even consider putting the 18x9s all around.

I keep finding these discontinued sizes that still may be available on the secondary markets. If I want to keep a square setup, I could do the following with 255/35s all around:

Either the RG704HDBK - 18x9 (+42mm offset) all around; OR

Front - RG704HDBK - 18x9 (+42mm offset) -- +44 recommended, but I have been told +42 work
Rear - RG754DBK - 18x9 (+35mm offset) -- +31 recommended.

Mazdaspeed RX8 ver2

iTrader: (7)

Here's the setup i have for my BBS RG-Rs wrapped in Bridgestone Potenza RE-11's. I'm lowered only on Racing Beat Springs.

18x8.5 +42 wrapped in RE-11 235/40/18
18x9.5 +38 wrapped in RE-11 265/3518

Here's a quick walk around video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LI0s6S7Gu4

I have no issues with rubbing on the FD. I picked up the wheels from a seller here but lives in Japan.

YellowJacket7

iTrader: (2)

That looks awesome! How long ago did you get your wheels? I just never anticipated so many size/offset combinations that have gone discontinued. Neither of those you got are listed on the BBS America website, and only one of those is listed on the BBS Japan website (the 18×9.5 (+38 offset) - RG701).

The following are the list of RGR 18" models that I have been able to unearth (with a 5x114.3 bolt pattern), all of which have been discontinued in the U.S., but some of which may still be available on secondary markets. I am listing the size, along with the FD recommended offset, followed by the specs of the models that have been available at some point:

18x8.5 (FD recommended offset: front +38 / rear +25)
RG700 18×8.5 (+36)
RG782 18×8.5 (+43)
RG786 18×8.5 (+48)
RG750 18×8.5 (+53)

18x9.0 (FD recommended offset: front +44 / rear +31)
RG754 18×9.0 (+35)
RG704 18×9.0 (+42)

18x9.5 (FD recommended offset: front +50 / rear +38)
RG708 18×9.5 (+20)
RG701 18×9.5 (+38)
RG783 18×9.5 (+45)

Sounds like you went with something like a front RG782 / rear RG701 combo. That could work if I don't decide to keep it square : )

Mazdaspeed RX8 ver2

iTrader: (7)

I got the wheels about 2 years ago from OkinawaFD3S. He had a bunch of RGR wheels a year or two ago and if he's still around, i'm sure you can PM him and he can probably get you a set.

Brekyrself

iTrader: (30)

If your going with the same width, 9", there is no reason to go with a different offset. If you grab an extra, 5th wheel, you can swap it front or rear in case of damage etc...

Rocketrob

Can you not run a 275 35 with a 18x9 rear rim?

ptrhahn

iTrader: (9)

275/35 is going to be a little wide for a 9" rim. It's the minimum spec. 9.5 or 10" more comfortable.

P

YellowJacket7

iTrader: (2)

Thank you guys for the continued help. I can be a bit of an idiot, so this has been helpful : )

Most of my assumptions for the preferred sizing has been based on jimlab's sizing spreadsheet sticky'd in the thread at the top of this section. However, I just realized that I had been reading his spreadsheet incorrectly. What I had been taking to be the "recommended" offsets for each wheel size are instead the "minimum" offsets (set to ensure a minimum outside tire clearance). I see now that jimlab suggests getting wheels with as close as possible to the stock offset of +50 all around to maintain stock scrub radius, so long as that large offset doesn't create an issue with inside tire clearance for the larger wheels.

So...with that...returning to my list of possible sizes:

18x8.5 (FD MINIMUM offset needed: front +38 / rear +25)
RG700 18×8.5 (+36)
RG782 18×8.5 (+43)
RG786 18×8.5 (+48)
RG750 18×8.5 (+53)

18x9.0 (FD MINIMUM offset needed: front +44 / rear +31)
RG754 18×9.0 (+35)
RG704 18×9.0 (+42)

18x9.5 (FD MINIMUM offset needed: front +50 / rear +38)
RG708 18×9.5 (+20)
RG701 18×9.5 (+38)
RG783 18×9.5 (+45)

If I want to go with a square setup, it looks like the RG786 18×8.5 (+48) would be ideal (as it is close to stock offset, with a touch more inside tire clearance than the RG750 18×8.5 (+53)), though I believe either would work.

RG782 18×8.5 (+43) all around seems like the third best option, but is a bit further from stock offset. RG704 18×9.0 (+42) all around could also be an option, but is not only further from the stock offset, but is starting to really push it on inside tire clearance for the front (0.15").

If I don't want to go square, I co go either front (RG786 18×8.5 (+48) or RG750 18×8.5 (+53) or RG782 18×8.5 (+43)) with rear (RG704 18×9.0 (+42) or RG783 18×9.5 (+45)).

Now, the question is can whether I find enough available wheels in any of these pairings! As mentioned before, these sizes are all either discontinued or found only on the Japanese BBS website.

Please keep the comments coming if this latest update to my search still doesn't make sense. Thanks.

Brekyrself

iTrader: (30)

The spread sheet helps, but it's not the end all be all. Camber, right height, tire size, and brand will also effect clearance.

I run the RGR's in 18x9.5 +45 with 285/30/18 tires. Based on the spread sheet I only have 0.02" outside front wheel clearance. I'm at ~25" ride height running -1.2' camber in the front and rub VERY little in extreme situations.

If you run those 18x9 +42 based on the spreadsheet you would have 0.15" clearance on the outside front. This is more compared to my setup and should be just fine with a 255 tire.

YellowJacket7

iTrader: (2)

Thanks. Now that I think I have the sizing figured out, the biggest problem remaining is finding the availability of the wheels. I am not sure I can actually find any of the 18x9 +42s.

Given availability, I may be able to do:
Front - RG750 18×8.5 (+53)
Rear - RG782 18×8.5 (+43)

There should be no sizing issues there, but obviously a slight mismatch in offset from front to rear. Any concerns there? Maybe I could do a 10mm spacer to even them up? Or does it not even matter?

That may be the best I can do given what is out there now.

Brekyrself

iTrader: (30)

Are you looking for them new or used?

BBS 18 x 9 RGR Car Wheel Rim 5 x 114.3 Part # RG704HDBK | eBay

gracer7-rx7

iTrader: (16)

^holy crap! $1k each?!

YellowJacket7

iTrader: (2)

Ideally I would like new ones. I have seen the ebay advertisement you linked, and there are a bunch of other wheel manufacturers that include many of the model numbers I listed above on their websites. I have contacted many of them however (including the company in the ebay ad you linked), and it turns out that even though they say they have them for sale, they do not actually keep them in stock to sell. They all say that they have to check with BBS to see if they are actually available to sell to me. I have spoken with BBS directly, and BBS has told me what they actually have in stock, and they do not include those.

BBS does still have a couple of sizes in silver, but I would like the "diamond black." In that color, I believe my best option still available from BBS is front 18×8.5 (+53) / rear 18×8.5 (+43). I am leaning more and more towards doing that with a 10mm Ichiba spacer on the front, effectively making my setup a square setup with 18×8.5 (+43).

Brekyrself

iTrader: (30)

Years ago when I picked up a spare 5th wheel they were 800/ea plus shipping. Quality forged wheels are not cheap!

YellowJacket7 why mess around with spacers? Just go with 18x8.5 +43 all around. They will fit without a problem in the front.

YellowJacket7

iTrader: (2)

There aren't 4 of either available. Only two of each. I have to mix and match if I want a full new set, and have to use the spacer if I want to go perfectly square.

Brekyrself

iTrader: (30)

This person has had these listed for quite some time. It may be worth willing to see if they would ship.

BBS RGR Wheels & Dunlop Tires

kensin

iTrader: (22)

where are you gonna end up ordering these wheels ?
im in the market aswell

YellowJacket7

iTrader: (2)

I feel like that took way too much of my time! But I learned a lot and finally got me a set : )

I ended up getting four of the RG750 18×8.5 (+53). I live in Atlanta and the national BBS distributor is only an hour away in Braselton, GA, so I was able to work directly with them on these wheels (as they are discontinued parts and I was able to pick up directly). Normally they do not sell direct and you have to work through a local store. In that size, they only had 2 in the original DBK color, but still have a bunch (18 or so) that were painted a bit lighter (somewhere between silver and the DBK). Honestly, while you could tell a difference between the ones I got and the true DBK when they were right next to each other, they didn't look that different when held apart. We checked them and they seem to fit great, though I still need to get the tires.

As Brekyrself helpfully pointed out, this same set of wheels (RG750DBK) are also being sold for around $1900 (with tires) by a guy in Chicago. I did write him, and he said he would be open to ship to another location if the buyer was willing to pay for the shipping.
BBS RGR Wheels & Dunlop Tires If the BBS distribution center had not been an hour from my house, I probably would have gone with this option.

The other option would be to go with the other setup I was considering which was to get BBS's last two new RG750DBK -18×8.5 (+53) and BBS's last two RG782DBK 18×8.5 (+43). Turns out the RG750DBK with the +53 offset had a surprisingly bigger lip, so you would probably want to use those in the back and use a 10mm spacer in order to square them up.

Having looked at spacers, these were two of the most expensive, but appeared the best:
Ichiba MZ-52110 - with extended studs; or
KICS-5111W1 - Studded.

Thanks everyone for your help!!! I will post pics once I finally get em on with tires.

YellowJacket7

iTrader: (2)

Thanks again for everyone's input! I finally got a chance to get the wheels on and snap some photos. Pretty happy with my purchase : )

Mazdaspeed RX8 ver2

iTrader: (7)

IMO, perfect wheels for the FD. Looking good!

Narfle

iTrader: (16)

Looks awesome!