Wheels/Tires: How Wide Can You Go?

[DusterRT]

I'm currently running an 18x9 wheel in front, 38mm offset and 275/40 street tires all around. I've been thinking about getting a second set of wheels for track days but now I'm thinking it would be cheaper to get these wheels widened for the track and get some less expensive wheels for street and rainy season driving.

My question is this; how wide can I go all-around using the same offset for all 4 wheels? I'm not opposed to using spacers to reduce the offset some but I don't think I'd want to do more than 1/4"-1/2" as at that point I'd really start sticking out of the wheel wells. Seems like 18x10 is an easy fit; how about 18x10.5 or 18x11? It will cost about $1000 after it's all said and done to get them widened (up to 2") so I don't want to do that and then wish I had gone wider afterwards..

 

[_M_]

there are plenty running 11 inch wide but going beyond that becomes problematic.

i wish someone would make a nice affordable 18x11. steeda screwed the pooch with the new spyder wheel making it 20x11. how can a company with roots in road racing make a 20 inch wheel, at least offer an 18x11 wheel in the same design

 

[DusterRT]

there are plenty running 11 inch wide but going beyond that becomes problematic.

You don't happen to know any offset specs do you? I'm looking to run the same size all around, the Steeda site leads me to believe their 11" wheel won't work on the front..

http://www.steeda.com/products/steeda-spyder-wheel-black.php

i wish someone would make a nice affordable 18x11. steeda screwed the pooch with the new spyder wheel making it 20x11. how can a company with roots in road racing make a 20 inch wheel, at least offer an 18x11 wheel in the same design

Unfortunately I think it's because the vast majority of wheel customers are more into the bling-factor than the performance..

 

[retfr8flyr]

I don't think you can go wider than 10 on the front. With a 10 1nch wheel you need 7 1/4 inch backspacing to put the wheel just inside the fender. With your wheels if you add 1 inch to the inside you should be fine.


Earl

 

[FnSweet06]

i think 10" wide in the front is the max. Im running an 18x11" rear wheel with no spacers and no problem.

 

[_M_]

You don't happen to know any offset specs do you? I'm looking to run the same size all around, the Steeda site leads me to believe their 11" wheel won't work on the front..

http://www.steeda.com/products/steeda-spyder-wheel-black.php





Unfortunately I think it's because the vast majority of wheel customers are more into the bling-factor than the performance..

sorry if i didnt clarify. 11" is the widest you can go in the rear only. front, 10" is max

 

[_M_]

i think 10" wide in the front is the max. Im running an 18x11" rear wheel with no spacers and no problem.

what 11" wheels are you running? im looking to buy ccw's just trying to avoid that much money right now

 

[akS197]

10.5s fit in the front but the offset has to be +30 or less

 

[almost heaven]

You should also ask how wide is wide enough? Answer depends on what you want to do with the car. Wider may not always be the best.

 

[DusterRT]

Psh. Bigger = bettar!

 

[Kaldar142]

does anyone know if you can run 295s upfront?

For example;

18x10 +41 offset with Nitto NT05 295/35... anyone know if that will clear the front and if not what will it hit?

 

[SoundGuyDave]

For giggles, I test-fit my rears up front, and they cleared. Barely. 18x9.5+50 wheels, with 285/40 tires, had roughly 5mm of clearance between the tire sidewall and the strut housing. That's too close for comfort, as the tire will telescope inward on the wheel during heavy cornering. Another 1/4" of inside rim width would be roughly 7mm, for a net clearance of NEGATIVE 2mm, but if you reduced the offset to +40, you'd have 8mm of clearance, which is right on the edge, if you ask me.

Simple solution is the Griggs GR40WC package with the "315" kit to allow 11" wheels and 315mm tires... Simple, but not cheap.

Rather than going wider, why not stay the same size, and go stickier? The tires are cheaper, and there aren't any clearance issues. Going to a 275/40 NT01, RA-1/R-888 or BFG R-1 will net you much better grip than the 295/35 NT-05. FWIW, the FR500S in the Miller Challenge runs a 255 Goodrich R-1 tire.

 

[Kaldar142]

What if you run coilovers like GC, won't that give you slightly more clearance since the strut housing isn't as bulky?

 

[SoundGuyDave]

The housing is the same, it's just the spring diameter and spring perch that is changed.

 

[DusterRT]

It could very well be a little bigger, as the GC housing is very beefy compared to the stock one.

 

[GQ4Life]

Griggs supension setup is awesome!

 

[marksti]

Simple solution is the Griggs GR40WC package with the "315" kit to allow 11" wheels and 315mm tires... Simple, but not cheap.

Rather than going wider, why not stay the same size, and go stickier? The tires are cheaper, and there aren't any clearance issues. Going to a 275/40 NT01, RA-1/R-888 or BFG R-1 will net you much better grip than the 295/35 NT-05. FWIW, the FR500S in the Miller Challenge runs a 255 Goodrich R-1 tire.

Sorry to kick a dead horse but i just came across this thread...

I did at one point install Koni/Griggs coilovers and tho we didn't pickup any more room for wheels/tires it did let us corner balance the car better and it did shed some muched needed weight off the front.

For the best (biggest) front sizing a Griggs maybe Agent 47 kit would do...as Soundguy said.

Before i went to the slas on my car i tried a few different combos and for the most part fitting a set of 275ish "sticky" tires would worked quite well for me...

BTW maybe try some a6/r6 race tires or sport cups..

Keep in mind going to SLAs from whatever maker..picks up alot more then just room for wheels/tires, it changes the way the front of the car hooks BIG TIME

 

[DusterRT]

Rather than going wider, why not stay the same size, and go stickier? The tires are cheaper, and there aren't any clearance issues. Going to a 275/40 NT01, RA-1/R-888 or BFG R-1 will net you much better grip than the 295/35 NT-05. FWIW, the FR500S in the Miller Challenge runs a 255 Goodrich R-1 tire.

Well I was/am strongly considering some custom wheels..I'd hate to drop $3k+ and find out I could have gone wider!

Mmm, SLA..maybe I'll just sit on my current wheels and sock money away for one of those. Speaking of which I see a number of guys running the Griggs setup but never seen anyone on forums with the A47..has Griggs just had theirs out that much longer?

 

[marksti]

Speaking of which I see a number of guys running the Griggs setup but never seen anyone on forums with the A47..has Griggs just had theirs out that much longer?

I think the Agent 47 has been out awhile now.

That said i had to pick between the two and I'm glad i went the route i did

 

[Kaldar142]

Next time around im going to try running 295s all around, since 285 nittos since to run a little narrow