MountainSeven

I've had this set of 16 Inch Work Equips for about 3 years now but had them on a different car and they didn't fit that great. Nonetheless, I love these wheels and I kept them anyways. I bought them from a guy in SoCal for $750. He had two FC's in his garage and these wheels were installed at some point on one of those vehicles, so I was sure that they would fit really great on my FC... They came with 225/50/R16 tires. The front pair is 16x8, the rear 16x9. He claimed that they were +26 offset all around(the Work sticker says "Off. 26"). This can't be true because my measurements show 2 different offsets from the front to rear(Front +32.54, Rear +19.05).

He said something peculiar regarding the fitment:
"I had these on my RX7, since I have coilovers i need spacers on them. I do some drifting and my spacers wont hold up, so I have to sell them and get a different offset."
That doesn't make sense to me. If anything, Coilovers allow for a little more space between the wheel and suspension, right? I put my front wheels on, without tires, and they don't look like they'll hit the spring perch. BUT, they DO hit the BRAKE CALIPER BUMP!! Anyways...

I have recently tried to test fit the set on my FC without tires(pictures attached):

The REAR wheels stick out about 5/8" from the fender(Car lifted on jack + jack pushing up axle halfway to normal position[normal position = car sitting on all four wheels]).

The FRONT wheels stick out less than 1/2"(Car supported on jack + jack lifting A-Arm 3/4's of the way to normal position)

(My car: 1991 Series 5 Non-turbo, completely stock with non-adjustable suspension)
The wheels measure: (F)16x8 +32 and (R)16x9 +19. (Front and Rear)
QUESTIONS:
(1.)How much of that front brake caliper bump can I grind away? If I grind it flush with the face it will leak, according to eriksseven. I've searched for answers on this, and so far 1.2mm was as far as anyones safely gone. I need to grind off about 2mm. I really don't want to run spacers. How far can I grind? Are FD Calipers thinner and should I look into doing that swap?
(2.)Is there a good chance of these rims scraping the fenders, springs, or inner wheel well?
(3.)Can I run 225/50/16 tires all the way around or would I have to stretch a smaller size.
(4.)Why do the Work stickers on the fronts say "Off. 26", and the rears have no "Off." number on the sticker? That number means offset, right?
Thanks for any help, and also, should I be posting this in the "Official FC Wheel Fitment Thread"?

These are the links I used to learn more about the caliper bump:

https://www.rx7club.com/2nd-generati...wheels-208496/

https://www.rx7club.com/2nd-generati...aliper-727556/

Club4AG Forum Topics: FC3S Calipers on the AE86 what is needed? how is it done?

This is the page I used to get my offset measurements...
(Shows the differences between "Actual" & "Overall" Widths which is crucial to find your "Centerline" measurement):
Flushstance Offset Page

MountainSeven

In about 10 minutes I'm ordering a set of BFGoodrich G-Force Sport Comp tires.
225/50/ZR16 up front, 245/50/ZR16 in the back and a 3MM spacer for the front. Maybe eventually I'll find an extra caliper to grind some away.
APPARENTLY, there's no alternative to the caliper bump clearance problem. No FD swap, no aftermarket brake setup, no input. Whatevv.
I'll post updates on the tire fitment after installation.

misterstyx69

iTrader: (142)

You can grind the Name off the caliper.(own risk).It has been done.
But if that doesn't work then you did it for nothing.
Try the wheel/rubber combo and then If you need spacers remember that you are going to need to either get the adapter type with the Studs ON them or get LONGER studs.
Also have to worry about the wheels hitting the fender,but if you are that adamant on getting the wheels I can smell a widebody kit in your future!

MountainSeven

At the last minute I ordered 4 Sailun Atrezzo tires instead of the BFGoodrich's. I went with cheaper tires in case of fitment issues. I will have them installed within the hour.

This is a good pic of the bump and wording on FC 4 piston calipers. The left one is stock, the right one has been repainted with the word Mazda ground off, like you mention.

Thanks for the image, beefjurky69.

But...I like the word Mazda, and my wheels clear the lettering, just not the bump.
It has been said that if too much metal has been removed from the bump, hydraulic pressure will cause brake fluid to burst through the metal surrounding the underlying hydraulic chamber, therefore spraying brake fluid all over the effing place. I would also assume this would coincide with an inevitable, if not instant, loss of braking power.
I'm tired of the word bump. I will consider the nouns prominence, protuberance, and chamber as Bump's replacement words.

Heres a pic of a caliper bump that has been ground down(not sure by how much).:

Thanks for the image, Simplex Effect.

Can I put a 3mm spacer on there without longer studs? Do they even make adapter type spacers with studs that are 3mm long? What are the smallest adapter type spacers you've seen? Thanks Styx!

mukurosfc3s

iTrader: (10)

Try auto zone they have. 3mm wheel spacers

MountainSeven

I wasn't able to get a test fit on the wheels yesterday. I am testing one front and one rear wheel to see if they fit alright. The shop was slammed by the time I got off work and got up there. Here is how a rear and front look with tires. There is a minor stretch on the rear, I don't know if I like that because it's going to make the rear tires just a tiny bit shorter(which is why I want 245/50's)
I am heading back up there at 5 today, so hopefully they can test fit them. If not, I will just test fit them in the parking lot. I wanna have these on by the time I pull into the parking lot at Formula Drift ProAm Rd. 2, which is in 2 days. I am just spectating, but last time I was there, there were no RX-7's in the parking lot. There were 2 FC's entered into the event though, and a white FC took 3rd place. Anyways, wanted to represent the FC's haha.



Thanks, I'll remember that. I already have a pair of 3mm spacers waiting for me at the tire shop though. I was asking what the smallest size of attached-stud spacers are(they add a set of studs in between the current studs, but I think they have to be at least a half inch spacing to prevent the stock studs from hitting the wheel).
I'm not going to run those, I'm pretty sure the smallest ones would be way too much spacing.
I was also asking if I can put a 3mm basic spacer(no attached studs) onto my car safely, without having to install longer wheel studs. Someone said those types of spacers can cut through studs over time. Has anyone ever seen this?

Natey

iTrader: (19)

I ran spacers with no studs on my old Miata for years and about a dozen trackdays. Never had ANY kind of problem, and they were 5mm. When I took the Panasports off to sell the car, the studs didn't catch my eye at all (meaning they looked completely unscathed).
I wouldn't worry too much. Maybe pop off a wheel in a couple weeks and look at the stud just to make sure.

MountainSeven

Sooo, I finally got them test fitted. Even with a 3mm spacer, the front wheel spokes ended up barely catching on the caliper monstrosity(bump). Out of desperation, I did what I never wanted to do...I took a sanding disc to the damn thing and shaved off maybe 3mm max, just to give some extra clearance in case of any wheel-flex. It pains me to have had to do that. My FC has less than 80,000 miles on it, and I feel like I just ruined her a little bit haha. Oh well! There are always new calipers to put on if I decide to sell her and get another S5.

The wheels fit, but the rears stick out so much! I almost don't like the way they look. I wish the rears were a +30 offset instead of +19. And I really don't want to modify the body on this RX-7. Does anyone have another S5 for sale? One that I can freely modify and sleep at night? (And not be afraid to scratch the original paint?) This one belongs in a garage, protected from the world. I need one that I can weight reduce and fender flare and hood swap and modify(widebody like Styx said)...etc., etc. Anyways, here are some pics!!
QUESTION: Should I put this setup on? or should I save my money($300 for the tires), sell these wheels(+$700?), and find some 17's with a better offset? I have to know by 8am tomorrow. I am leaning towards keeping them, but I need the RX-7 community to give me their opinion on the practicality, style, safety etc. of these wheels. Do they even look good? Thanks everyone!!

Natey

iTrader: (19)

They look GREAT. If they're not rubbing, I'd keep 'em.

MountainSeven

I ended up keeping the tires and installing the wheels. At first the wheels seemed to stick out too much, but the more I look at them, the more I think they were meant for this car. This FC has been elevated to a whole new level in my eyes. I'm stoked beyond possibility. In my opinion, it still needs to be lowered a little bit to really have a great stance, and I'm hoping that is achievable with very minimal exterior modification.
Here are some before and after shots of the car and the front brake caliper bumps. When I was done grinding at them, I tested the brakes afterwards by stepping on them very hard a bunch of times, harder than I would ever do while driving, and they held up fine. I'm not sure how much I ground off, but I didn't want to grind any further than I had to(do at your own risk of brake loss!). You can see the before and after pics for an estimate(I am running 3mm spacers to help achieve the clearance for the spokes). I will post any updates to this thread if anything happens with the brakes, but I think they will be fine after all the testing I've done.
Thanks for everyone's input and expertise, it makes me very glad to have joined this forum. Here are the pics!:











I am running 3mm spacers, could that small of a spacer be problematic? And I guess they didn't stick out as far as I thought. What would you do for a better fit when I lower it? Fender rolling? Wide-body would be unnecessary now, right?

Thanks! No wheel rub whatsoever. I'm definitely going to keep the wheels. I have all 4 center caps as well so I will be putting those on.

Let me know what you think about them if you want to! Thanks everyone for the input!

misterstyx69

iTrader: (142)

That Nub on the caliper can be taken right off..I am sure of it.
I know damn well I have seen threads in the past where the caliper was altered and that area taken off.Just don't ask me what the thread is called and when I saw it though!..sorry!
IDEA: post the question in SEC GEN Specific and post the pic of the shaved bump.
I know this is a great section..heh,heh!..,but the Specific section has it all!..and NO waiting!
..
By the way,the wheels DO look good!

mukurosfc3s

iTrader: (10)

Man I would give it a 1' drop
Smaller tire up front. Slight stretch
And slap on a 25mm wheel spacer on that bitch. Use to be 16x8 +26. With the wheel spacer is be at 16x8 +1 It'll be pretty. Flush with Ur fender...
Beautiful wheels bt