FFS, right? Sorry but I've been searching all day and can't find a definitive answer in one place. Hoping to help others out if possible too... I've looked at countless threads and knowledgeable members aren't posting specifics, while randos keep focusing on offset without width in mind. I've looked at threads through the last 6 years. Hoping this helps clear things up for me and others.

So based on info pieces I could gather, I threw together a chart to fill out some of the gaps I'm misunderstanding and these are the values that I can come up with:

Preliminary questions:
What is the *Maximum* value of back-spacing acceptable on a GSL-SE with stock suspension? With Coilovers?
What is the *Maximum* value of hub to lip on a stock-bodied GSL-SE? With rolled fenders?


From the pieces I can gather, these are the numbers I've got:
Minimum back spacing:
Coilovers: 4.5-in (???)
Stock Suspension: 5-in (???)

Maximum value of hub to lip for stock fenders:
Stock Fenders: (????)
Rolled Fenders: ~3.5 (???)

*Edit: Are these the same for front and rears? Anyone?*

I've attached my doc that I'm using to figure things out. If you guys know, let me know and we'll get a flippin' guide in this joint. I thought about buying flares because of how scattered the knowledge is on this

 

4.75 for rear. 5 will fit also but tires will rub on the frame during on hard turns

 

For epsilons, you can mix match the barrels.
Rear:Inner 548. Outer 527 or 528.
Front inner 543 or 548. Outer 522.

 

How about fronts?

 

, the max for front inner is 4.50. If you go any wider, tire will rub against the strut tube.

 

Fat tires = stupidity.

It's a sports car.

 

So is a Porsche, Ferrari, Lamborghini. And they all have wider tires than the stock pizza cutters on an FB.

 

This is a bit of a complicated debate, but all those cars have mega hp, that makes more traction useful, most FBs dont have that problem, and the bigger / wider wheels and tires are much heavier than stock, so the car accelerates slower, takes longer to stop and gets worse milage, not to mention the extra weight makes the suspension have to work harder. Effects handling.

They do look better, but at a cost.

Mr. Green has a point.

 

A simple question just turned into **** lol...9" wide rims yes but less than that shouldnt be an issue even with a stock motor equipped with aftermarket carb and a nice exhaust.

 

Sorry, I was just yanking Ray's chain for his oversimplified opinion.

 

Making a thread that stays on topic on this forum is pretty difficult.

But since we're off topic.... the "sportscar" comment and the "wider wheels are much heavier" arguments are very presumptuous. stock gsl-se wheels are 13lbs a corner (no tire) and there are plenty of CHEAP 15x8 options at 15lbs a corner, using less tire to fill the same tire height. You can get a 205-tire to fit on a 15x8 while slimming the tire wall. I don't think there's gonna be huge negative effects here (unless we're talking drag-widths and tires on all corners).

As to the sportscar comment, unless you are ice racing, stock gsl-se stance could use some track width to improve handling and balance. This is why go-karts aren't shaped like bobsleds.




Anyhow, I test fitted a friends 15x9 0, 195/50 on one of the fronts this weekend without clearance issues. There was 2inches of space at full lock clearing the sway bar, and more back spacing than the stock gsl-se wheel. The 9-width 0-offset sticks about 2.5 inches outside of the stock front fender.


Hopefully this thread helps someone in the future, if they can sift through the garbage comments.

 

How in the heck did you get a 195 tire on a 9" wheel??? I think that would be impossible!

Back to the subject, I know a +35 on a 7" wheel fits very nicely in the front and back. That would be about 5.3" of backspacing.

 

I would say this holds true for most first gens, but not SEs. SEs have much more backspacing

 

lots of stretching...and one of those air exploder things. Definitely not recommended but cool to know that 4.5-inches of backspacing definitely fits

 

Good point.

 

Subscribing to this thread for the vast amount of information that will accumulate here.

 

To my surprise and everything I've read, 15x7 0 with 205-50-15 sticks out of my fenders. Will be needing flares.

 

Hey Crysis,

What kind of wheels did you end up getting?

 

gsl-se suspension, 15x9 +10, 225/45/15 tire.


I raised the car a bit, more clearance between tire now. Rear pokes out more due to no camber, I don't have a photo of the rear.

 

I have another thread on here about wheels/wheel fit on an SE. I too have looked thru all threads started on this subject and feel the same as op. Have done a lot of research on what will & won't work. I know for sure what the oe offset is,it's stamped right in the wheel. Look thru all the SE wheel fit threads and you will find three different wrong specifications posted. I want to run a 15x7 wheel with 205/50/15s all around,maybe even a 55 series tire. It may have been in my thread where a poster said they had installed 15x7wheels with a +40mm offset with no clearance issues ?! This is not a dig at tire stretching as a solution to fitting a specific wheel on a car,personally don't care for that "look",i feel it IS possible to run this size tire all inside the fenderwell front & rear. Have seen pics of non SE 7s running this size with minimal,if any tire contact issue. Have spoken with several wheel manufacturers giving them my exacting measurements. Each comes back with a different offset. Last i spoke to Mariah Motorsports,looking at Panasports,said they had a set in stock to fit my car +22 mm offset-but i could only run 195/50/15 tires without tire contact. Why an 18mm difference in offset?? Not going to run a smaller tire than what car came with and told them that. In response he told me they had an SE shop car with "hammer flared" fenders they run 225/50/15 tires on with no clearance problems... There is a thread here by Jim Rothe that chronicles putting these same wheels on an SE with +33mm offset. He says inside is very close to spring and had to slightly roll fender lips in front at top back of arch at 45 degrees for about 3". Fellow at Mariah said no way those wheels would fit on that car...that was the end of that conversation. I have it figured at +28-30 mm offset will give me what's needed to fit these tires with minimal "mods" but can't find what i want even close to this in period correct wheel. Saw a post on here where a member fitted +25mm Rota RB wheels with 205 tires with pics,appeared pretty close to fender=tire contact on slightly lowered car,looked into these wheels too-discontinued. Really would like to see pics in detail of Panasports or superlight wheels fitted on an SE with specific measurements. Want to get my car painted,but want all this squared away first so i'm not trying to massage a painted car after the fact.

 

I have 16x7 xxr wheels with a 25mm offset. They have 205/45r16 tires mounted on them. I am lowered on coilovers and they clear the fenders fine. I do have about -2.3 degrees of camber on the front though. I also have lots of room from the inner wheel to the coilovers on the front. My fenders have not been touched at all, no rolling or pulling. I have autocrossed and driven my car hard and have not had issues.

 

Thanks for your response. Your car appears to be an SA.Mine is an SE which has different wheel offset than SA,FB. Wheels look good on your car. I don't want to run excessive- camber in attempt to fit a wheel/tire. -camber is great for cornering,i want to drive this car on extended trips...and have the tires last.

 

My car is an sa, but I have a gslse rear end and front spindles/brakes installed. So my offset and fitment would be the same as on your car.

 

sa7 thanks for clarifying.

 

I totally agree, Ray G. These are 32 to 38 yr. old 'classic' cars and deserve to wear 'shoes' that they were born with. If you do not like your OEM (SE) wheels - then either sell your car or purchase something else - like a Porsche, Ferrari or Lambo. Molesting fender-wells or suspension on a Gen-One car would be like pulling your Pit-Bull's teeth out and replacing with implants or dentures.

My 'one-owner' SE is 33 years old and proudly wears its' trademark (pizza-cutter) aluminum wheels, as date-coded for 1984. As some of you already know, my biggest concern is lack of 205-60-14" tires in the marketplace (except for Chinese). I just returned from 1300 mile trip to to Washington State where we went as far south as Eatonville (yes, planned visit to Atkins Rotary Specialties - - atkinsrotary.com - - and I sincerely thank them for parts, hospitality, tour and info), - - as far west as Ocean Shores and east to Wenatchee. My ODO now up to 81,150km. (50,500 miles) - and car never skipped a beat - with 33 yr.old fuel pump. I took new one along for ride - just in case.

It rained for 3 of 5 days and sometimes very hard on freeways - especially during 'white-knuckle' time thru Snoqualmie. My (second set) of tires, Sept.'01, never let me down - whether on dry or wet. The tread is still over 70% and soft. If I could find another set of these Dunlops I would buy them and SIT on them until really needed.

So, you true enthusiasts, who drive only on public roads, should either stay with OEM size wheels and tires or find another brand vehicle.