I would really like to fit a 17x8 wheel under my 91 'vert, but most of what I have saw so far was very expensive. Right now I'm going to be cheap and would like to stay around $500 to $550 a set. (i.e. $135/wheel or less). I've seen a lot of styles that I like esp. in the Konig, Enkei, Rota lines, but pretty much everything is available only in 17x7...

So here's the delimma -- How wide of a tire can I get on a 17x7? I like the 225 + range the most, but my problem is I need like a 45-40 series tire (or less) when I get in this area.

I'm not too concerned about width up front because my fenders are beat up and I plan on going w/ the CS widebody fenders as replacements. So I can gain 30mm width up front. My concern there is that if I get a 17x7 wheel, I won't have enough tire to fill up the wider fenders -- I'm concerned it would look a little goofy w/ the tires being far inside the fenderwells.

Where can I get 17x8 wheels for a reasonable price??? Any suggestions?? I've looked at http://www.tires.com , http://www.tirerack.com , http://1010tires.com , etc. but still don't see a huge selection...

Any advice you all can give would be appreciated!! If I'm being too cheap tell me, just don't expect me to change my mind!

p.s. Ultimately my goal is to rewheel and retire for $1000 or less...

 

In my opinion the only way to buy wheels is used, "if" you can find what you want. You can find good deals especially this time of the year

On a 17 x 7, 225 is the widest you want to go, unless your drag'n only, but for cornering, the body roll will be noticable.... If you get into a 17 x 8 you can run 245's.....
You can find wheels and tires for 1k, just keep your eyes open.

BTW: I've never bought used wheels before because I was either to late or I didn't like something about them....It can be tough....

www.wheelwarehouse.com I think thats it...?

or discount tire has sales too

Brad

 

how about 17x7.5? you could get these:

http://www.1010tires.com/wheel.asp?w...model=Heidfeld

 

Yeah, I saw those too... A little on the high end of my price range, but not too bad. I've found several others in the 17x7.5 size that I like better for less $$ so I'd probably go w/ those first. Sounds like I may have to go w/ the 17x7.5s anyway...

In looking at Yokahama's website for their AVS ES100 line, the max I can go on a 7.5 wide is 245/45. 7.5 wide is minimum for this size tire, but it's nice and wide... this introduces a little bit taller tire than stock tho, but probably could live w/ the speedo being wrong or find some different speedo gears or something to correct.

The other option is their 225/45 tire. A little narrower but not much... Easily fits on a 7.5 wide rim as that is mid range. Also retains near stock height tire so speedo should be pretty much the same. Both sizes avail for $109/tire so that's about the right price for me too.

Check out http://www.rotawheels.com/our_wheels.htm -- Currently liking the Tuner, Impact, & Formel the most. Stage 5 is also decent and 8", MSV is fair, and Sub Zero is okay too, but questionable offset... I think all of these are available for $550 / set and although I can't find specific weights on several of these sizes, I THINK most should run in the 20lb or less range for the 17s.

 

www.wheelmax.com

Check out ADR wheels. They have 17s and 18s (from 7" to 8.5" wide) for around $225.... Some even less. I plan to go with ADR myself this summer.

 

Which one of these would fit my car.. 88 SE

Bolt Pattern: 4x100, 4x114.3

- James

 

4x114.3

 

I noticed that some wheel manufacturers make a 5x115 bolt pattern. Obviously a stock 5 lug is 5x114.3, but how much difference does .7mm really make? I'm assuming these are the same pattern? Doesn't really make a difference in the end as everything I'm looking at is a 114.3, but was just curious...




(woohoo post 100)

 

Yeah, I saw some of the ADR wheels -- some pretty cool designs, but again most are 7" wide in the 17" size... There were maybe 2 that were bigger and I wasn't real impressed w/ the design or price of those... (Also not really wanting to go 18")

I think Rota is the way I'm going to go, just need to decide which and what size tire now. Looks like it's time to do some measuring on the car...

 

which rota wheel is 8" wide? is it 8" for 16" also?

 

The Stage 5 comes in a 17x8. Not sure on the 16 sizes, didn't really look at those...

 

For that price, get 16's. Find a staggerd set, 16x7 front - 16x8 rear...with the correct offset. It will ride really nice.

In addition, if you do not have a suspension setup....do it first.

 

I got my car straight off the boat from Japan with a pair of 18" x 255 wheels & Tyres on the back and 16"x215 on the front.

They fit really well and the car looks good enough to f@#$

 

jmseven: That's the original problem, no 16x8 out there that I can afford and like... Everything for our offsets is 16x7 and 17x7 unless I want to pay the big bucks. "For that price" I can get a bigger wheel that imo looks better and will give me as much or more tire.

Also don't really like the idea of a staggered setup... I know some swear by it, but haven't really heard any concrete reasons why it's better or worse -- only different. Would rather be able to rotate freely anyway.

 

The reason for staggered set up is to balance steering with traction:

Skinnies on the front for light steering and fats on the back to stick it to the road.

If you are any good at drifting, the fats provide more thrust than skinnies but add a nasty snap when breaking and regaining traction if the wheels are not alligned.

 

Hadn't heard that before, but sounds reasonable. Actually might go staggered anyway but for a different reason. Want as wide as possible, but don't think I can fit the 245/45 17s in front, but shouldn't be a problem in back (I hope). Probably go 225/40 17s in front... Same price for both so why not get more tire for the money in back right? That's where I need the big grippys anyway.

 

FD wheels.

 

If you like the 5-spoke look, I think the 98 Cobra wheels are a greta buy. They are kinda heavy, at 21 lbs, but they do look really nice. They are available in 17x8 and 17x9, and they bolt right up without any modifications needed (unlike FD wheels), though I would recommend either longer wheel studs or those extended-thread lug nuts for the rear (only go on 6 or 7 threads, instead of 9-10 as it should be), and an adapter for the hub center would be helpful if you're really planning to pull some serious G's.

I had a set of 4 17x8's on one of my 86's, and, MAN, did that car look beautiful. I wish I hadn't sold it.... I was running 225/45's up front (absolutely the widest the front fenders will accomodate), and 235/45's in the rear, though I probably could have gone with 245/40's. If I had gotten 17x9's for the rear, 255/40's would have fit nicely. As it was, the tires I had filled the wheel wells nicely.

The best part was the price. I got them practically brand new (guy bought the car and changed the wheels a week later) for $500. You can buy a brand new set for about $600 from Summit, $700, I think, if you go with 17x9 rears.

Check it out, seriously. You won't regret it.

Ren

 

Yah, I have a set too. Was going to go that route short term to save $$, but not real thrilled about big spacers... Besides the fact that it sort of nullifies the saving $$ idea...

If I could find a reasonably priced way to do it I probably still would. But it seems pretty silly to spend an extra $200 (or more?) on something like this.

 

Ren: Yeah, I've seen those or at least replicas -- not bad, but not quite my taste...

What kind of offset were you running? I was going to try the 245/40 17s up front, but I don't think it will work even w/ wider fenders. Problems seem to come up on the inside of the tire, not just on the outside on the fender lip. I made a cardboard mockup as best I could and it just seemed to hit a lot of stuff.

Probably do the 225/40s up front and 245/45s out back...

 

What is the stock offset for a 5-lug FC??

 

Well the vert wheels are 15x6.5 +40 offset. Not sure if any other 5 lug wheels are different.

The FD wheels are 16x8 +50 offset.

 

yes, i believe all 2nd gen wheels are 40 offset.

 

i gotsum Powercoated white FD wheels on mine...
Black w/ white FD's hmmmm....oh yea 16x8 245/45/16

 

heh...