17x8 rim I've found only has an offset of +38mm or +42mm--so I'd need a spacer for that right, to get it down to +33mm or so? DOes having the same width on the tires in the front as the rear give you any benifit over a smaller foot print in the front?

I must have misread it or something. I got these numbers looking off the tirerack website. It probably was what? 215/40/17? All the rims I've found on that site seem to have an offset in the high 30's to the mid 40's. wonder if i'm going to have to do some more digging...

I plan on making big power in the future and am doing a systematic upgrade on the car. So before I even start upgrading the drive train and what not, i'm going to upgrade my stopping capabilities and suspension first. If my thinking is flawed please inform me. My philosophy: it's better to be able to stop the power before the power is put in and better to drive a dinged up power house before driving a sweet looking snail.

Okay just making sure. So what would be the tire size you recommend?

BTW thanks for you much appreciated help and knowledge!

 

What I was trying to point out was that you can't put a 17" tire on an 18" wheel, you need something like a 215/40/18.

There are distinct handling advantages to running the largest fronts you can get. It'll decrease understeer and give more grip overall. Also the 225/45/17 size has a HUGE selection of tires, more so than almost any other size.

The tire rack doesn't check the fittment on every car with every wheel, they just suggest something as close to stock offsets as possible. To fit the widest possible wheels and tires up front on an FC you need a lower offset. I've run the 17x8 30mm offset rims with 225's for a few years and have never rubbed, with more offset they'd hit the springs. If you call Tire Rack they can look up 17x8's in ~30mm offset.

The 5 lug, 4 pot brakes are more than enough for powerful street cars and even race cars. If you can lock up the tires and don't fade the brakes, a brake upgrade is useless, save your money. It'll actually hurt acceleration and handling from increased weight (usually). Your thinking of suspension and brakes first is a very good one, but having stock brakes with good pads and fluid should be more than enough.

 

Check Thank you!

Guess I need to do some more digging... And I thought I found some rims I would just be ablet o throw on. WedsSport TC005 17X8 +38mm offset... Guess I'm 8mm too large.



So I'd be fine just upgrading the rotors to slotted to prevent glazing and keeping the stock 4 piston calipers? maybe upgrading to steel braided? (200-400 instead of almost 2 grand)...

Thanks for being so patient with me as I'm trying to figure this all out. It's helping me figure out the tires and rims, even though it's making me feel like I don't know anything about cars...

Back to the hunt

 

I'd not waste money on slotted rotors. Whether or not they actually do anything is debatable, especially on the street. $25 NAPA rotors are more than enough. Most racers use that sort of thing without issue. For pas soemthing like Hawk HPS, EBC GreenStuff, Porterfiled R4S or some other aggressive street pads would be good if stopping is a concern. As for brake lines going with SS lines is a good idea, just to replace the tired old ones, their benefits are also debatable, but one might as well go SS if they're replacing them anyway. Mazdatrix has the lowest price I've seen for DOT SS lines.

As for those WedsSport wheels, those are seriously expensive. Some sites let you search by size and offset, others don't. I use Mustang GT wheels off of the last generation car. They're quite cheap, fit perfectly, look good and aren't too terribly heavy. They'll be heavier than the WedsSports, but they'll cost you about as much for a full set as it'll cost you for ONE of the WedsSports. With the 38mm offset you can run a thin spacer to get them to fit, but you'll need longer studs, ARP makes some that fit our cars. For the rear a 17x8 38mm offset should fit fine.

It's no problem, I like to help, how do you think I learnt all this stuff?

 

17x8+38 'should' just barely fit on the front as well with a 225... (people put 225's on the stock +40 wheels), but it is going to be very close to the suspension.

and also, I was under the impression we could run a thin (like 3-5mm) spacer with the stock studs? anyone want to clarify this?

and black91n/a is right about the brakes. either get new blank rotors, or make sure the ones on the car are in spec, and have them machined. then get some nice pads, SS brake lines, and most importantly, flush the brake system with some NICE brake fluid. that will be one of the biggest factors in helping with brake fade... after the actual pads. this brake setup will be very nice - you should not need any more stopping power untill you get some really fat tires in front, or R-compounds.

 

I've set up a 18" x 10.5", +9 before running 295's, and I can't see the wheel fitting anything more than a +15 offset.
There was barely 1/4" of clearance left.
So, even calculating conservatively, I'd say +20 is the deepest a 10.5" can go.


245's is just too tight.
I know some 245's can fit, but the fitment gets way too tight.
Instead of trying to nail down the offset, I'd rather stay conservative and run a narrower tire.


-Ted

 

Well I'm back after the hunt and need final clearence to know this is a good measurement or not. 17x8 with a 28mm are those going to be kosher? (hate to say it but I do not like the look of mustang rims and those are the only ones I've found that have exactly a 30mm offset).

 

28 offset is good for 17x8.

 

.....MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.... now it's time to acquire them.

 

It should fit no problem.
Did you buy the Work Equip on eBay with the gold rivets?


-Ted

 

Nice!
Nice rip! /JDM voice


-Ted

 

I'll like to know if 16X8 with +30 on 205/55 and 225/50 tires will have any problems on a stock 1990 GTU with stock suspension.

 

No problem!


-Ted

 

Thanks

 

would a 17x7.5 with a +40mm offset fit a 90 GXL? and what size tire would work well for them?

 

I think it's too tight.
7.0", +40 is tight already.
There's a lot of 7.0", +42 wheels out there, and that's squeezing it.
You're like 3mm to 4mm deeper than the 7.0", +42, and I think this will hit stuff inside.


-Ted

 

okay im getting some fn01rc's 17x8 front with what offset? they only come +35,+25 as for the rear ill be getting 17x9 +35

 

I like the 8.0", +25 fitment better.
Depending on tire size, you might need to roll the fender lip.
The +25 gives you more clearance on the inside versus the +35.
I think the +35 is just too tight.
8.0", +25 will handle 225/45/17, 235/40/17, 235/45/17 tires sizes no problem.


-Ted

 

ok thanks i like the 225/45 how about the 9" in the rear

 

oopsie well change of plans the rims are HP evos 18x8 all around i think the offsets are +38 will they fit with ebay coilovers

 

Quick question for you guys: I just bought a 'vert, and it's on the stock BBS wheels. I don't like how they look "tucked in" under the fenders, and want to find the appropriate wheel choices for front and rear that will make them more flush with the fenders, but without screwing with the fenders or requiring spacers or coil-overs. I might get coil-overs anyway, but I don't want to absolutely need them. I don't need massive tires, I would prefer 17 inch wheels (I liked the idea of 18s until I saw pictures... I don't like the look) and would be willing to go anywhere from 7 inches to 10 inches wide. I know Ard T2 had a GTUs a while back with 17 x 8 fronts and 18 x 9.5 out back that looked nice, but I'm not sure if the fitment on a 'vert would be the same as the fitment on a coupe.

Any suggestions as to width and offset would be great. Thanks, fellas!

 

17x8, ~30mm offset (between 35 and 25 is ok) all around is good. Use a 225/45/17 tire, there's lots of selection in that size. You can also use 235/40/17's, but there's an increased chance of rubbing. My 17x8, 30mm wheels and 225/45/17's have never rubbed, not even on track with a stock suspension. A 35mm offset is getting awfully close to the suspension with a 8" wide wheel, 30mm is about perfect, and it pushes the wheels and tires out to the edge of the fender nicely, without hitting them.

You don't have that much power with an NA, a staggered setup isn't needed, the 225's are more than capable of handling the power, wider rears will make it understeer a lot more unless you mod the suspension to tune it out. Besides, with equal tires front and rear you can rotate them.

There's no fittment difference on the vert's, they've all got the same room under the fenders.

 

Thanks for the help!

I want to go staggered because I don't have power now, but will have ample power later. I just don't want to roll the fenders or anything like that... Can I go larger than 8 out back, and if so, what's the best offset?