1.st gen wheel fitment guide.
Ryan, no problem guy. We all have bad days. It takes a real Man to come back and apologize and that makes you an ok guy in my book anyday.
PS. I sometimes get in such a bad mood, that i don't even want to talk to myself,lol.
PS. I sometimes get in such a bad mood, that i don't even want to talk to myself,lol.
Originally Posted by rx7doctor
Ryan, no problem guy. We all have bad days. It takes a real Man to come back and apologize and that makes you an ok guy in my book anyday.
PS. I sometimes get in such a bad mood, that i don't even want to talk to myself,lol.
PS. I sometimes get in such a bad mood, that i don't even want to talk to myself,lol.
13brew
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 365
Likes: 1
From: Florida
So can anyone answer the question with authority concerning what offset works best with are first gens? If this is going to be a wheel fitment guide then this information is just as important as knowing the 12a cars have 110X4.
RotatingCheesehead
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 132
Likes: 1
From: Orange County, CA
I have a 1979 Mazda RX-7. I have 13 inch ET rims after market on it right now, which look pretty good. I think the RX-7 looks a thousand times better with deep dish, positive offset rims.
I am considering buying some Panasport or Compomotive's ML15xx series wheels (4 x 110).
What I'd like to do is have 15 x 8 on the rear and 15 x 7 on the front.
Will 15 x 8 wheels rub?
I am considering buying some Panasport or Compomotive's ML15xx series wheels (4 x 110).
What I'd like to do is have 15 x 8 on the rear and 15 x 7 on the front.
Will 15 x 8 wheels rub?
Originally Posted by Modified85
So can anyone answer the question with authority concerning what offset works best with are first gens? If this is going to be a wheel fitment guide then this information is just as important as knowing the 12a cars have 110X4.
Anyone that can verify this?
I did a quick search and found an especially useful thread, explaining how to figure out correct offset.
https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.p...t=wheel+offset
https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.p...t=wheel+offset
POWERED BY DINOJUICE
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 244
Likes: 0
From: vancouver wa
sorry to drag a thread back fomr the dead but will a 8inch wide rim fit on all four corners i belive these{http://www.axiswheels.com/wheels/oldskool/oldskool.html }are 0offset wheels so im assuming they will need flares
Originally Posted by wackyracer
Backspace is where it counts. I test fitted a 15x9 epsilons with 4.75 backspace and appx 4.00 front lips in my FB and it not as bad as it seems. It depends on your taste..15x8..5???
Wacky, what happened? Did you buy another garage? Please throw some junks around, it's way too clean for me.
Hey Wacky,
What is the offset on the Panasports that you are running on the front. THEY SEEM TO HAVE A NICE LIP AND DON'T STICK OUT PAST THE FENDERS. Are they 15 or 16 inch?
Sorry about the caps BUT my finger hit the key by accident and I didn't want to retype....
L8R
What is the offset on the Panasports that you are running on the front. THEY SEEM TO HAVE A NICE LIP AND DON'T STICK OUT PAST THE FENDERS. Are they 15 or 16 inch?
Sorry about the caps BUT my finger hit the key by accident and I didn't want to retype....
L8R
Panas are 15x7 with 4.5 backspace. With the epsilons, that set belongs to my RX-3.
and here's another look with 15x10 epsilons with 4.75 backspace.
and here's another look with 15x10 epsilons with 4.75 backspace.
Last edited by Siraniko; Dec 11, 2006 at 11:12 PM.
Originally Posted by rx7doctor
Nothing that a set of those big truck mud flaps couldn't take care of.
Wacky, what happened? Did you buy another garage? Please throw some junks around, it's way too clean for me.
Wacky, what happened? Did you buy another garage? Please throw some junks around, it's way too clean for me.
you got that right. I cleaned out the 2 garages but now, I cant find ****...so its back again to how it was like in your first visit/tour.
15X8 Epsilons work fine on a 1st gen, as long as you don't lower it with aftermarket springs, or the oem ones aren't sagged out. Once I lowered mine, the tires rubbed on/caught on all 4 coners, thus, I installed the widebody to address that issue. If lowered, the fender lips will need to be cut out and flares installed, if not going widebody.
Originally Posted by rolfs_7
WACKY! beautiful RX-3s man!
thanks meng. cant go wrong with having 2 RX-3's and 2 FB's..but one of these days, one of the FB's got to go as Im running out of space.
Wacky,
Thanks for the info on the backspacing. So basically backspacing is more important than offset? I had heard through the grapevine about the backspacing but wasn't sure if it coincides with offset.
L8R
Thanks for the info on the backspacing. So basically backspacing is more important than offset? I had heard through the grapevine about the backspacing but wasn't sure if it coincides with offset.
L8R
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 212
Likes: 0
From: Thunder Bay, Ontario
Originally Posted by mortenf
Well, since a lot of people have been asking about what fits and how lately, i thought i could make a thread about it. I would like others to contribute, so that in the end, we could have a sort of "wheelguide" for the first gen!
To start of in general with some FAQ`s.
Q: What wheels will fit my 1.st gen?
Answer: due to the uncommon bolt pattern and high offset of the 1.st gen from 79-83, there isn`t a lot of new rims out there. There are however ways to get by this!
Q: Wait, wait, bolt pattern? Offset? Please explain!
Answer: OK, here we go. The RX7 is available with two bolt patterns. The early ones are the most uncommon ones, the late 84-85`s had a more common one. The pattern is 4*110 for the old ones, and 4*114,3 for the latest. So what do you have? Well here is a little picture of how to measure your bolt pattern with a ruler, measuring tape etc.
Measure the length between two opposite holes. The easiest is to do it on the rear axle. Its also easier if the wheel is off the car! The result in mm is your bolt circle. You should be able to measure eiter 110 or 114,3. Then count the number of bolts. There should be 4! If not, you are lacking a bolt or you have a transplant axle from another car! The first gen, as said, was only available with 4 bolts!
Right. You should now have measured your way to the mentioned numbers stated above. This is your bolt pattern.
Q: OK, i got the bolt pattern part, but im not sure of the offset?
Answer: You cant measure the offset without the desired rim. Normally this is inscripted in the rim itself, or any good wheel shop should know what offset the rim is. Here is a pic, hope you understand
See? Basically the offset is the distance from the mounting part of the rim to the imaginary center of the rim. The lower the offset, the longer out the wheel sticks. The early RX7`s require a low offset, especially with large wheels.
Q: Aha, i get it. But what size can i get?
Answer: The RX7 originally had 13`s, and at the end of production it went up to 14`s This said, there is no problem going bigger than this. 15`s are common and probably the easiest and the best comfort/performance option. On the oldest RX`s, 16`s will fit with minimal to no rubbing. The newer ones can with up to 17`s. Of course, this depends on what tire size you choose. A good rule of thumb is not to go more than 5% than the original rolling diameter. (the diameter of the rim/with tire)
Larger rims will also fit, there are people running 18`s on the old SA`s. This will require rolling of the fender lips, and/or modification of the inner/outer fender.
Generally, the bigger the tire, the lesser the comfort. Performance wice, for a road car, i would not recommend anybody going over 16`s. The profile of the tire also has a lot to say.
Q: Profile? 15`s? My tires have 205/60-13 on the side. What does this mean?
Answer: Easy one, but for those of you that dont know: 205 is the width of the tire in mm, hence 205 equals 20,5 centimeters (gotta love the metric system). 60 is the profile of the tire. This means that the height of the tire, measured from the rim out is 60 % of the width! 13 is the size of the rim itself (without tire) and 13 equals 13".
Q: Aha i get it. But now im having a hard time finding rims that fit!
Answer: well, as stated in the beginning, the selection is limited if you just search for 4*110. (The 4*114,3 is more common, no problem finding rims here) There are however some solutions. You can for example:
1. Do a suspension swap from a GLS-SE. Not only does this give you a more common pattern, but you also get rear disc brakes and LSD!
2. Redrill the rims. Some vendors offer this service, usually at a fair price.
3. Use 4*108 rims with "loose head" bolts. This requires the use of bolts that has loose heads that allows you to fit 4*108 (Ford etc.) on your 1.st gen. i myself has ran this option for 3 years now, no problems here. Just make sure the boltheads are steel and not copper. (Copper breaks)4. Import wheels from Japan or Australia. For example Simmons can deliver, but the price is hefty, plus shipping. not a cheap option, but you get what you pay for.
5. Ebay. Now and then there are wheels in the desired size on auction. Happy hunting!
To start of in general with some FAQ`s.
Q: What wheels will fit my 1.st gen?
Answer: due to the uncommon bolt pattern and high offset of the 1.st gen from 79-83, there isn`t a lot of new rims out there. There are however ways to get by this!
Q: Wait, wait, bolt pattern? Offset? Please explain!
Answer: OK, here we go. The RX7 is available with two bolt patterns. The early ones are the most uncommon ones, the late 84-85`s had a more common one. The pattern is 4*110 for the old ones, and 4*114,3 for the latest. So what do you have? Well here is a little picture of how to measure your bolt pattern with a ruler, measuring tape etc.
Measure the length between two opposite holes. The easiest is to do it on the rear axle. Its also easier if the wheel is off the car! The result in mm is your bolt circle. You should be able to measure eiter 110 or 114,3. Then count the number of bolts. There should be 4!
If not, you are lacking a bolt or you have a transplant axle from another car! The first gen, as said, was only available with 4 bolts!Right. You should now have measured your way to the mentioned numbers stated above. This is your bolt pattern.
Q: OK, i got the bolt pattern part, but im not sure of the offset?
Answer: You cant measure the offset without the desired rim. Normally this is inscripted in the rim itself, or any good wheel shop should know what offset the rim is. Here is a pic, hope you understand
See? Basically the offset is the distance from the mounting part of the rim to the imaginary center of the rim. The lower the offset, the longer out the wheel sticks. The early RX7`s require a low offset, especially with large wheels.
Q: Aha, i get it. But what size can i get?
Answer: The RX7 originally had 13`s, and at the end of production it went up to 14`s This said, there is no problem going bigger than this. 15`s are common and probably the easiest and the best comfort/performance option. On the oldest RX`s, 16`s will fit with minimal to no rubbing. The newer ones can with up to 17`s. Of course, this depends on what tire size you choose. A good rule of thumb is not to go more than 5% than the original rolling diameter. (the diameter of the rim/with tire)
Larger rims will also fit, there are people running 18`s on the old SA`s. This will require rolling of the fender lips, and/or modification of the inner/outer fender.
Generally, the bigger the tire, the lesser the comfort. Performance wice, for a road car, i would not recommend anybody going over 16`s. The profile of the tire also has a lot to say.
Q: Profile? 15`s? My tires have 205/60-13 on the side. What does this mean?
Answer: Easy one, but for those of you that dont know: 205 is the width of the tire in mm, hence 205 equals 20,5 centimeters (gotta love the metric system). 60 is the profile of the tire. This means that the height of the tire, measured from the rim out is 60 % of the width! 13 is the size of the rim itself (without tire) and 13 equals 13".
Q: Aha i get it. But now im having a hard time finding rims that fit!
Answer: well, as stated in the beginning, the selection is limited if you just search for 4*110. (The 4*114,3 is more common, no problem finding rims here) There are however some solutions. You can for example:
1. Do a suspension swap from a GLS-SE. Not only does this give you a more common pattern, but you also get rear disc brakes and LSD!
2. Redrill the rims. Some vendors offer this service, usually at a fair price.
3. Use 4*108 rims with "loose head" bolts. This requires the use of bolts that has loose heads that allows you to fit 4*108 (Ford etc.) on your 1.st gen. i myself has ran this option for 3 years now, no problems here. Just make sure the boltheads are steel and not copper. (Copper breaks)4. Import wheels from Japan or Australia. For example Simmons can deliver, but the price is hefty, plus shipping. not a cheap option, but you get what you pay for.
5. Ebay. Now and then there are wheels in the desired size on auction. Happy hunting!
RotatingCheesehead
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 132
Likes: 1
From: Orange County, CA
Thank you.
Very good guide.
The one point I would raise in follow up is : offset for one wheel is not the same offset for another wheel.
For example, we've all seen photos of one 1st gen RX-7 owner with 4 x 110 15 x 7 Rikens and zero (0) offset and then another photo of 1st gen RX-7 owners with 4 x 110, 15 x 7 Panasports. The Riken owners have no rubbing. The Panasport owners say that zero offset would rub, so they have +15 or +20 offset instead (assuming same tire 205/50/R15).
I found this sizing website really cool to graphically illustrate offset and the impact with different tire sizes: http://www.bigcustomwheels.com/rt_specs.jsp
We know that for a 12a RX-7, the standard wheel size is 13 x 5.5 with offset of +25.
That data provides a starting point, but it doesn't tell exactly one how wide and how deep you can go without "major tire rubbage".
To me it seems that the question of offset/backspacing for 1st gen RX7s, and the failure to understand it properly, is what can get RX7 owners in a whole world of trouble if they don't know what the hell they are doing when buying wheels - be they from Japan or from Joe Schmo on eBay.
Very good guide.
The one point I would raise in follow up is : offset for one wheel is not the same offset for another wheel.
For example, we've all seen photos of one 1st gen RX-7 owner with 4 x 110 15 x 7 Rikens and zero (0) offset and then another photo of 1st gen RX-7 owners with 4 x 110, 15 x 7 Panasports. The Riken owners have no rubbing. The Panasport owners say that zero offset would rub, so they have +15 or +20 offset instead (assuming same tire 205/50/R15).
I found this sizing website really cool to graphically illustrate offset and the impact with different tire sizes: http://www.bigcustomwheels.com/rt_specs.jsp
We know that for a 12a RX-7, the standard wheel size is 13 x 5.5 with offset of +25.
That data provides a starting point, but it doesn't tell exactly one how wide and how deep you can go without "major tire rubbage".
To me it seems that the question of offset/backspacing for 1st gen RX7s, and the failure to understand it properly, is what can get RX7 owners in a whole world of trouble if they don't know what the hell they are doing when buying wheels - be they from Japan or from Joe Schmo on eBay.
^ Good link
I too agree with what you are saying. We need to create a 1st gen spreadsheet. A nice graph of what fits and what doesn't. The variables could be wheel size, width, backspacing/offset, and tire size.
I think this would answer many questions for FB owners.
Any takers.....
I too agree with what you are saying. We need to create a 1st gen spreadsheet. A nice graph of what fits and what doesn't. The variables could be wheel size, width, backspacing/offset, and tire size.
I think this would answer many questions for FB owners.
Any takers.....
www.ostcbpt.com
Joined: Nov 2006
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From: conn.
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diabolical1
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