puttin wheels on an 02 wrx sedan. i want 18s maybe 17s. i also want them decently wide. but dont wanna deal with goin through alot of trouble to keep them from rubbin. whats bout the biggest i could go with low to mid amount of trouble
8" wide rims support the tires that are at the threshold of rubbing, so you can get 17x8 or 18x8 and fit 225/45or40/17or18 and be safe.
235/45/17 or 235/40/18, both are the same overall diameter so they won't affect your speedometer. Thats about the largest you can go though with an 02/03 sedan. The 245 will need the fenders cut or rolled to fit. You only need an 8" wide wheel if you are going to run a 245, otherwise its a waste. Just use a 7.5" rim, which is what is recommended for a 235.
https://www.hoosiertire.com/rrtire.htm. Thats a good place to start. It doesn't have the 235's on there, but they have 225's and 245's with how wide of a rim they recommend (measure rim) and the range that you can use that tire size on. I thought there was something similar on tirerack, but I couldn't find it.
Make sure the rims you get are the right offset for your car. I got Enkei's for my 03' bugeye that weren't the right offset, and they rubbed when I put lowering springs on. That was with 225/45/17's on a 17x7 rim. Not exactly sure what the correct offset, maybe one of the guru's on here will enlighten us...........
not saying you are wrong, but is there any truth to this? From Unabombers FAQ on nasioc: " Why is wheel offset important? Wheels using improper offsets can cause damage or accelerated wear on suspension components or body panels. Correct Impreza wheel offsets are: Width ........ Offset 6.5" ....... +53 to +55 7.0" ....... +50 to +53 7.5" ....... +47 to +50 8.0" ....... +43 to +47 If your wheel width and offset is within this chart or close (+/- 2mm), your wheels have the proper offset. " I took this advice in my choice of wheel (42 offset on a 8.5 rim). Is my 17x8.5 ET42 going to kersplode my wheel bearings? I think my biggest worry is rubbing...
Yeah, I run 48+ on an 8" rim for autox and I run a 48+ on a 7.5 on the street. It depends on the tire also, more than just the wheel. Not all tires are the same size as listed, especially the Hoosiers. The actual contact patch on a Hoosier is much larger than a normal 245. Don't go with a 8.5" wheel unless you plan on getting large tires (over a 245), otherwise the large wheel is just a waste. You are just paying for a larger wheel that weighs more for no reason. Anything over a 245 and you are guaranteed to be doing fender work to stop the rubbing. You can run 235 on a 7.5", thats as big as you need it. Large tires on the street aren't always the best as they cause a large amount of drag; therefore, you can't accelerate as fast when you are trying to pick on that Honda or whatever you do on the streets. If these are specific for racing only, I can give you other opinions, but from what it sounds like this is just street. Another source of info. http://www.fastwrx.com/wheelsandtires.html
thanks for the input clemson scooby... I know that I'm not taking advantage of all my wheel width and its really just extra weight at this point...but I like the fact that I could put some honkin rubber on there in the future (I'm only running 235 right now, just barely stretched)
You had better be willing to tear up your fenders if you want to put some big rubber on there. With a 245, you can get away with just cutting the inside lip, anything bigger than that and you are doing some serious rolling. The next most important thing when considering a new wheel is weight. Even though the wheel looks cool, how much does it weigh? Unsprung weight (wheels) amplify their weight, additionally, they are a rotational mass. Every pound counts, and thats why I went with the Rota Attacks and Slipstreams. They are the lightest Rota wheels available and are inexpensive because they are Rotas. The Attacks are 17x7.5 (16lbs) and Slipstreams are 16x8 (16lbs). Most chrome wheels are well over 20lbs. My Rota's weigh just as much as the Gram Lights for almost half the price. To drop about 3lbs off of your wheel weight, you have to pay about an extra 1000 for the whole set.
Yeah, I did think about wheel weight to some extent...I knew 18s were out of the question for that reason, plus I wanted to avoid too skinny a sidewall. I really considered rotas but browsing nasioc that was all I saw on most all of the wrxs there. Not that that makes them a bad choice, but I really wanted something I wasnt going to see on every other modded wrx (which I am seeing more and more of every day). Honestly if rota made the p1 in 17", high chance I would have gotten it. I was looking for 04 sti wheels for some time but couldnt find any prices I was willing to pay.
I feel you on the carbon copies of the Rotas. There is an obvious reason though, great performers and a great price. I own one of the most popular style wheels in all markets (slipstream), but I managed to customize mine by sandblasting them and powder coating them gold to match the theme of my car. You are right also, for performers, 17" wheels on the WRX are the best choice. I have seen people on 18" scrap the rim, because the tire rolls over and there isn't enough sidewall to prevent it. Not to mention, what weighs less, rubber or metal?
funny thing is a lot of people assume that my wheels are light because they are 'jdm', but that is not the case. One of these days I will put my wheel/tire combo on a scale vs. my stock wheel/tire and brace for the bad news. I do not doubt the strength or quality of my wheels though, and that was a big plus. Here is a quote from Z1 performance: "Weights are very similar to the CR Kai - ranging from about 18 lbs for the 17's to 21.5 lbs for the 18's. Of course the claim to fame of the Emotion series has never been weight, but sheer strength - these wheels are, without a doubt, the strongest cast series wheel I have ever experienced (I'll share a story later!)" One guy with the xd9's in 18x8 says they are noticeably lighter than his oz prodrive p1's in the same size...no numbers though, ha...