17's on front and 18's on rear (FD)?
06-13-07, 10:58 PM
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17's on front and 18's on rear (FD)?
Currently I have 18's but the front tires' outer tread rubs on the inner plastic liner of the fender when i turn far right or left. I was thinking about just ordering 2 17's just for the front and going that route. so i would have 2 18's rear, and 2 17's front, does this throw off the handeling or does it wear the tires faster or any thing that anyone knows i should be aware of? thanks.
06-14-07, 08:59 AM
#6
EDIT: Looks like the pics may not be there anymore....
Your overall diameter is still going to be the same (or at least should be), so it won't really change anything. The tire size will dictate more your over/under steer tendencies.
06-14-07, 10:44 AM
#7
Fabes, a 17" wheel/tire combo isn't likely to be any shorter. Just less of the overal diameter accounted for by the wheel.
A 235/40/18 is roughly the same as the 235/45/17 you'd be running.
In both cases, wider but shorter may work better. How wide is your front wheel? 245/35/18 (similar to 245/40/17) may work better.
However, you've got two problems:
One, that offset is pushing it... Ideally it'd be higher.
Two, FD's with aftermarket front wheels generally rub the liner at full lock. It's a fact of life, and not uncommon. Walk up to anyone's car, peer into the well, and I bet you see a hole rubbed in the front of the liner behind the washer/overflow tanks.
A 235/40/18 is roughly the same as the 235/45/17 you'd be running.
In both cases, wider but shorter may work better. How wide is your front wheel? 245/35/18 (similar to 245/40/17) may work better.
However, you've got two problems:
One, that offset is pushing it... Ideally it'd be higher.
Two, FD's with aftermarket front wheels generally rub the liner at full lock. It's a fact of life, and not uncommon. Walk up to anyone's car, peer into the well, and I bet you see a hole rubbed in the front of the liner behind the washer/overflow tanks.
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06-14-07, 11:44 AM
#8
Yup, your main problem is your front offset. It's going to be hard to not run with something that low. Generally, for 18s the ideal is +45 and above, but at least +40. I guess you just have to shoot for a lower profile tire as ptrhahn suggested or get a more preferable size wheel, but not necessarily only a 17 inch one.
06-14-07, 01:08 PM
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You could run 235/40/17 and have a slightly smaller O.D. and thus help alleviate your problems somewhat. Why is this not a viable option?
I don't own and FD, so if you run a 235/40/17 will it cause the wheels to all explode off the car or something?
I don't own and FD, so if you run a 235/40/17 will it cause the wheels to all explode off the car or something?
06-14-07, 03:25 PM
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Some people have run that size but it's nearly an inch too small in diameter....it would look funny IMO and would lower the car unevenly. He already has the 18s so the solution is to buy new wheels or go with a different tire size. 245/35 is typically 0.4" smaller than 235/40 and that 0.2" may provide all the clearance he needs.
06-14-07, 03:42 PM
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Some people have run that size but it's nearly an inch too small in diameter....it would look funny IMO and would lower the car unevenly. He already has the 18s so the solution is to buy new wheels or go with a different tire size. 245/35 is typically 0.4" smaller than 235/40 and that 0.2" may provide all the clearance he needs.
Its really not unheard of.
A lot of sports cars run smaller front wheel/tire diameters. It's purposeful, and effective.
06-14-07, 04:25 PM
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You can also argue that a lot of things CAN be done, whereas we say not to because there is either no point to doing them that way or there is a better way.
06-14-07, 04:45 PM
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On cars that were DESIGNED to run smaller front diameters. You keep referring to other cars and even race cars (like your photo above) every time we talk about the FD. The FD isn't other cars, it's an FD.
You can also argue that a lot of things CAN be done, whereas we say not to because there is either no point to doing them that way or there is a better way.
You can also argue that a lot of things CAN be done, whereas we say not to because there is either no point to doing them that way or there is a better way.
Everytime I bring something up is because there is hard evidence of sports cars being modified in a certain way that fits the needs. Since I would consider an FD a real sports car, as many of you are proud to say, then I find this relevant. This is me providing examples of how other sports cars are modified outside of their stock form to serve a purpose, looking at the bigger picture. Its a race car commonality: rubbing up front, or want to lower the car a lot? Run smaller O.D. since the function of those wheels/tires is to simply turn, not drive the car.
Get over the fact that the FD did not come perfect from the factory, and step into the real world sometimes, you guys. (How i feel sometimes when you guys pull the FD card).
06-14-07, 07:33 PM
#16
No one is saying that running a smaller diameter tire wouldnt work to fix his rubbing problem , but it really isnt the best solution. The problem is that his wheels have too low of an offset.. so instead of just buying 17" wheels so he can run a smaller OD tire (and in the process making the car look silly with too much fender gap up front and unever ride height) , the actualy solution would be to try and find wheels with a higher offset so he can actually run a good sized tire without rubbing. I think you get defensive too easily when people point out why your opinions, while they may work, arent the best option.
Once a car is MODIFIED at all it is not how it was "designed" to be (the end result that made it to the mass consumer market). That 935 started as a basic 911. Nothing that extreme came out of the factory.
Everytime I bring something up is because there is hard evidence of sports cars being modified in a certain way that fits the needs. Since I would consider an FD a real sports car, as many of you are proud to say, then I find this relevant. This is me providing examples of how other sports cars are modified outside of their stock form to serve a purpose, looking at the bigger picture. Its a race car commonality: rubbing up front, or want to lower the car a lot? Run smaller O.D. since the function of those wheels/tires is to simply turn, not drive the car.
Get over the fact that the FD did not come perfect from the factory, and step into the real world sometimes, you guys. (How i feel sometimes when you guys pull the FD card).
Everytime I bring something up is because there is hard evidence of sports cars being modified in a certain way that fits the needs. Since I would consider an FD a real sports car, as many of you are proud to say, then I find this relevant. This is me providing examples of how other sports cars are modified outside of their stock form to serve a purpose, looking at the bigger picture. Its a race car commonality: rubbing up front, or want to lower the car a lot? Run smaller O.D. since the function of those wheels/tires is to simply turn, not drive the car.
Get over the fact that the FD did not come perfect from the factory, and step into the real world sometimes, you guys. (How i feel sometimes when you guys pull the FD card).
06-14-07, 11:26 PM
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No one is saying that running a smaller diameter tire wouldnt work to fix his rubbing problem , but it really isnt the best solution. The problem is that his wheels have too low of an offset.. so instead of just buying 17" wheels so he can run a smaller OD tire (and in the process making the car look silly with too much fender gap up front and unever ride height) , the actualy solution would be to try and find wheels with a higher offset so he can actually run a good sized tire without rubbing. I think you get defensive too easily when people point out why your opinions, while they may work, arent the best option.
Anyways, I'm a pretty firm believer in smaller front O.D. when applicable. Personally to even the ride height (and get the car and thus CG even lower) I lower the rear so the 18s will tuck some tire under the fender, and the front 17s are not tucking as much, still allowing them to turn. Since the rear is technically "lower" but has a larger O.D. it evens out and the stance of the car sits level.
You don't need to see my car to believe me, you can just look at that Porsche 935, its tucking tire in the rear, smaller O.D. at front, and sits level....
...I personally think it looks tough as ****!
06-15-07, 08:50 AM
#18
^^^^
That Porsche's also 20 years old, and a completely different car, so asthetic considerations are different.
I didn't say you COULDN'T run a 235/40/17, it may work OK and as a general rule you want the front lower than the rear, so it won't necessarily upset that.
What I said was, it'll look funny. I say this because I've actually seen it. I knew a guy who, because of the width of his wheels, ran a 275/40/17 rear, with a 234/40/17 front, because in the tire he used, no 235/45 was available, and the wheel wasn't wide enough for a 255/40. The 235/40 is smaller than stock.
What can I tell you? It looked a little funny, like a tractor. I think, frankly, compared to modern cars, that Porsche looks a little funny. Once again, I never post these things because I feel like being a dick, or want to crap on people's creativity, I'm just trying to help. I can remember when I first got the car, lot's of guys who'd owned the car a while offered up opinions earned by experience, like when I over-lowered the car, or when I was rubbing up front and pulling a fender lip, and instead of folding my arms and huffing about my own opinions like a child, or arguing that it wasn't the way it's done on other cars, I took the bloody advice and appreciated the value of it. I've owned one of these cars for 10 years, and I've run virtually every wheel combo there is, not to mention four different shock/spring combos, so I'd really be a dick if I didn't try to offer that hard-earned knowledge to others, wouldn't I?
That Porsche's also 20 years old, and a completely different car, so asthetic considerations are different.
I didn't say you COULDN'T run a 235/40/17, it may work OK and as a general rule you want the front lower than the rear, so it won't necessarily upset that.
What I said was, it'll look funny. I say this because I've actually seen it. I knew a guy who, because of the width of his wheels, ran a 275/40/17 rear, with a 234/40/17 front, because in the tire he used, no 235/45 was available, and the wheel wasn't wide enough for a 255/40. The 235/40 is smaller than stock.
What can I tell you? It looked a little funny, like a tractor. I think, frankly, compared to modern cars, that Porsche looks a little funny. Once again, I never post these things because I feel like being a dick, or want to crap on people's creativity, I'm just trying to help. I can remember when I first got the car, lot's of guys who'd owned the car a while offered up opinions earned by experience, like when I over-lowered the car, or when I was rubbing up front and pulling a fender lip, and instead of folding my arms and huffing about my own opinions like a child, or arguing that it wasn't the way it's done on other cars, I took the bloody advice and appreciated the value of it. I've owned one of these cars for 10 years, and I've run virtually every wheel combo there is, not to mention four different shock/spring combos, so I'd really be a dick if I didn't try to offer that hard-earned knowledge to others, wouldn't I?
06-15-07, 04:36 PM
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if he is rubbing he needs to work on the body and chassis so it doesn't rub. my friend runs 17x9.5 +15 CEs 255/40 all around. he rubs oh well. rubbing is racing. Oh and BTW an FD is just another car. It was mass produced and never hand built = just another car. Hate to burst your bubble.
06-15-07, 07:53 PM
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10-12-07, 08:41 AM
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I Have a set of volk gtc's in mint condition except one thing. One of the front rims is destroyed from a accident. Im thinking about replacing the front rims with 17's and keeping the 18's in rear. I think it would look nice (it looks good on corvette's) and let me lower the car more then 18's all around. I would like to keep the profile of the tire the same in the front as in the rear. Im running tein flex coilovers. The size of volks i got now are 18x10 rear and and 18x8 front. Do you guys think I can fit a 17x9 up front and with what offset. What do you guys think about this?
