Ok. I'm trying to get a grasp on what wheel and tire sizes fit on my new 240sx.
Its a beautiful green 1998 SE that I picked up barely a month ago. (Of course some guy rear-ends me and puts it in the shop for a few weeks. D'OH!)
I've got the suspension all planned out, I've just got to go pick it up. I'm going with a set of Eibach Pro-Kit's and some AGX shocks/struts.
Now, I still don't understand all this wheel tire stuffs. I love the look of those fat rear tires, but I can't seem to figure out where to buy or how to go about buying stuff like that.
I'm thinking of 17" up front and 18" out back. After I get the suspension all setup I'm going to take care of the engine. While I do that, I'm going to pick up some 16" drag radials for the track, but for the street (daily drive) I want some nice looking wheels.
I know the Corvette uses this same concept (17" front, 18" rear) with a tire size of 245/45-17 and 275-40-18. I want a look similar to that. Where can I buy tires that fat? And will something that large fit back there?
I've found a place that sells 18" tires with 245/40-18 tires, but I don't think that will give the same width.
Can anyone help elaborate? I hate sounding like a "newbie" but I've just never dealt with "performance" or "speciality tires." I've done plenty of engine work, but never had a car that I cared what kind of "shoes" it wore, so to speak.
Help?
Trying to understand
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Redline240
- Posts: 892
- Joined: Sun Dec 08, 2002 1:34 pm
- Car: 95 240sx
I too have had some difficulty finding some decently priced wide rims. I don't want any bigger than 17's and i'm even considering some lightweight 16's. But i want something wide, like 8.5" wide in front and 9.5" or 10" wide in back. I'm not too worried about it right now as i'm spending all my money on brakes, but i just wanted you to know that your not alone. Most wheel sites don't have rims that wide, and it can be a difficult search. I've found some, but nothing in a reasonable price range...
Redline
Redline
repeat after me:"I dont need 10" wide wheels."
because, well...you DONT. max I would say 9" or so. theres honestly no reason to goto a wider tire than a 265mm width, even for higher-HP applications(400hp or so).
check the FAQ, links, etc and it should point you where you need to go. Read up on how wheel width and things affect your car, and most of all, search.
also, read the "Attention" sticky, because I was really thinking about locking this thread.-chetalso, if your talking about running a dual-size setup, and THEN a set of drag wheels, send me all that extra money please.
because, well...you DONT. max I would say 9" or so. theres honestly no reason to goto a wider tire than a 265mm width, even for higher-HP applications(400hp or so).
check the FAQ, links, etc and it should point you where you need to go. Read up on how wheel width and things affect your car, and most of all, search.
also, read the "Attention" sticky, because I was really thinking about locking this thread.-chetalso, if your talking about running a dual-size setup, and THEN a set of drag wheels, send me all that extra money please.
I've read many posts similar to this one, and it confuses me a bit. There is no secret company making ultra-light racing wheels at bargain prices.
Exclusive wheels are not cheap. Wheels are very expensive to manufacture in the first place, so a company has to pump out several thousand(in some cases, tens of thousands) units before it'll come close to breaking even dollar-wise. And this scenario is for the most common of wheels.
Now take a wheel that fits what? maybe 1 bolt pattern in 3 on the road, and has an offset/width that you guys are talking about. 4(or 5)-4.5bolt pattern, +32(or lower), 8.5" wide(or wider). In order to survive, wheel makers need to build units that can fit a variety of applications(hence, the birth of "multi-fit" wheels). You soon see that this wheel you're looking for is specific to only a handful of cars on the road today(240sx), and most owners of those cars won't pay as much as is needed by the manufacturer to make a profit. It comes down to manufacturing cost. Of course you can always go to a specialty wheel shop that builds custom offsets/widths(Fikse, for example), but then you've just spent as much as you would have in the first place. Hope this helps explain why you won't find bargain-priced lightweight wheels.
Redline240, keep your eye on the 16". Not only will the wheels be cheaper dollar-wise, tires are less expensive, also. Just something to consider.
-Phil
Exclusive wheels are not cheap. Wheels are very expensive to manufacture in the first place, so a company has to pump out several thousand(in some cases, tens of thousands) units before it'll come close to breaking even dollar-wise. And this scenario is for the most common of wheels.
Now take a wheel that fits what? maybe 1 bolt pattern in 3 on the road, and has an offset/width that you guys are talking about. 4(or 5)-4.5bolt pattern, +32(or lower), 8.5" wide(or wider). In order to survive, wheel makers need to build units that can fit a variety of applications(hence, the birth of "multi-fit" wheels). You soon see that this wheel you're looking for is specific to only a handful of cars on the road today(240sx), and most owners of those cars won't pay as much as is needed by the manufacturer to make a profit. It comes down to manufacturing cost. Of course you can always go to a specialty wheel shop that builds custom offsets/widths(Fikse, for example), but then you've just spent as much as you would have in the first place. Hope this helps explain why you won't find bargain-priced lightweight wheels.
Redline240, keep your eye on the 16". Not only will the wheels be cheaper dollar-wise, tires are less expensive, also. Just something to consider.
-Phil
Well, its OK. I finally found an answer on another board.
A 265 or 275 width tire would need to ride on a 10" wide wheel.
See, that was information I was looking for that nobody ever provided. I'm here blidly trying to find out information, and some of the "basics" get left behind. Like I mentioned earlier, I've never had to spec out wheels before. I've always just run the stock set or had a set of drag radials provided for me. This is a new process. Hence, the total cofusion.
But, now some people are shedding light on the subject for me. I'll share what I have learned. (And no, I'm not a 16-year-old kid. I'm 24 and been working on engines for as long as I was able to hand my father a wrench in the driveway. Now I'm actually building my own project and daily-driver, so I'm actually considering the looks, too.)
Tires are bought through a sizing chart that usually reads something like this:205/55-16.205 = width in mm of the tire
conversion (25.4mm = 1 inch)
so, 205mm = 8" wide rubber. So, that would be mounted on a 6.5" or 7" wide wheel.
245mm = 9.6" wide rubber. So, looks like we could use an 8" wide wheel for these.
Those Corvette 275mm = 10.8" wide rubber, so we would almost need a 10" wide wheel to fit these.
So, now I understand that. I didn't know that before, and now I do. Yay for me and yadda, yadda, yadda.
Now onto the next numbers. 245/40-18. The "40" in this application is the percentage (%) of the width that is the sidewall. In this case 40% of 245mm = 98mm = 3.8" high sidewall.
For a 205/55-16: 16" diameter wheel with 205mm/55% of 205mm in width/sidewall height = 8" wide/3.2" high rubber.
Now it all seems to be coming together.
So, I apologize if this post seems to be dripping with sarcasm. That is not my intent. My intent is to, hopefully, clear up some confusion in one area that, in my experience, gets overlooked. So, the next time somebody looks at this they will learn from my confusion.
A 265 or 275 width tire would need to ride on a 10" wide wheel.
See, that was information I was looking for that nobody ever provided. I'm here blidly trying to find out information, and some of the "basics" get left behind. Like I mentioned earlier, I've never had to spec out wheels before. I've always just run the stock set or had a set of drag radials provided for me. This is a new process. Hence, the total cofusion.
But, now some people are shedding light on the subject for me. I'll share what I have learned. (And no, I'm not a 16-year-old kid. I'm 24 and been working on engines for as long as I was able to hand my father a wrench in the driveway. Now I'm actually building my own project and daily-driver, so I'm actually considering the looks, too.)
Tires are bought through a sizing chart that usually reads something like this:205/55-16.205 = width in mm of the tire
conversion (25.4mm = 1 inch)
so, 205mm = 8" wide rubber. So, that would be mounted on a 6.5" or 7" wide wheel.
245mm = 9.6" wide rubber. So, looks like we could use an 8" wide wheel for these.
Those Corvette 275mm = 10.8" wide rubber, so we would almost need a 10" wide wheel to fit these.
So, now I understand that. I didn't know that before, and now I do. Yay for me and yadda, yadda, yadda.
Now onto the next numbers. 245/40-18. The "40" in this application is the percentage (%) of the width that is the sidewall. In this case 40% of 245mm = 98mm = 3.8" high sidewall.
For a 205/55-16: 16" diameter wheel with 205mm/55% of 205mm in width/sidewall height = 8" wide/3.2" high rubber.
Now it all seems to be coming together.
So, I apologize if this post seems to be dripping with sarcasm. That is not my intent. My intent is to, hopefully, clear up some confusion in one area that, in my experience, gets overlooked. So, the next time somebody looks at this they will learn from my confusion.
Exar-Kun wrote:also, if your talking about running a dual-size setup, and THEN a set of drag wheels, send me all that extra money please.
Its not like I have some magic stash of cash; in fact, I'm fairly broke. Yes, I plan on having my own set of drag radials to use. That is an expense that I have been considering for a time and have finally found the means to do so.
Yes, I also plan on running a "dual-size" setup. But, from those who I've been trying to learn from, it will actually be cheaper. 18x8" wheels are going to be more expensive than 17x7.5" wheels. And the tires for a 17" tire seem to be more common, easier to find, and cheaper than those for an 18". So, I will be saving money by running "only" 17" wheels/tires up front and splurging on more expensive 18's in the rear. I think that will give the car a good look to it, and not break the bank.
Again, I apologize if this comes off rude, but I dislike the slant you put on your response to me. You really don't know me and didn't seem very intent on trying to help me, yet you already judged me. If you think I am going to run into a problem, could you explain your thought process and why you think it will be so?
I like the boards here; I've been to several and these seem to actually have useful information. Don't jump to conclusions to quickly; I'm very new to this stuff and am trying to learn as quickly as I can.
Exar-Kun wrote:or they could just check my FAQ and learn all of that....
but thanks for the info, glad you figured everything out!-chet
Thanks. I couldn't figure out why people kept looking at me with blank stares until I figured out that my questions didn't make sense. :pface And I didn't see any of that in the FAQ.
But, yeah, now that I know that I was talking to people about 8" wide wheels and 10" wide tires, I realize that I sounded pretty dumb. :doh
I feel much better now.
You may want to think about running a 17x7.5 and a 18x8.5 235-40-17 and 255-35-18. Thats a nice split setup, and i still want your money.
as far as problems, the largest rear wheel that will fit under the rear wheels, with aproper offset is a 9" or so, depending on wheel offset(and if you plan on running coilovers), so unless you plan on running fender flares your not gonna fit a 10" wheel under the rear, and I really dont think you need anything larger than a 8.5" anyway...
also, I am super-cynical because I see lots of questions on this board and in my e-mail every day that are repeditive and could be answered by doing a little 'net legwork unsing the links I provide in the FAQ and searching.....sorry if it came of as being super-rude.
-chet
as far as problems, the largest rear wheel that will fit under the rear wheels, with aproper offset is a 9" or so, depending on wheel offset(and if you plan on running coilovers), so unless you plan on running fender flares your not gonna fit a 10" wheel under the rear, and I really dont think you need anything larger than a 8.5" anyway...
also, I am super-cynical because I see lots of questions on this board and in my e-mail every day that are repeditive and could be answered by doing a little 'net legwork unsing the links I provide in the FAQ and searching.....sorry if it came of as being super-rude.
-chet
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C-Kwik
- Moderator
- Posts: 8070
- Joined: Thu Aug 01, 2002 9:28 pm
- Car: 2013 Chevy Volt, 1991 Honda CRX DX
I disagree. I've test fit a 18x10" rear wheel on my S14. There is some serious room back there. I run a 17x9 in the rear now and there is plenty of room.
As far as needing wider wheels, put them on your car and you will never want skinny tires again. They look way too damned good. =) But for an N/A car large tires are gonna give you sort of a diminishing return effect. Larger tires are heavier and do cause more aerodynamic drag. And at some point will only offer a marginal increase in grip. Of course that never stopped me, but those are not a big concern for me. Even before the turbo.
As far as needing wider wheels, put them on your car and you will never want skinny tires again. They look way too damned good. =) But for an N/A car large tires are gonna give you sort of a diminishing return effect. Larger tires are heavier and do cause more aerodynamic drag. And at some point will only offer a marginal increase in grip. Of course that never stopped me, but those are not a big concern for me. Even before the turbo.
Thanks guys.
I'm seriously considering a 17x7.5 and 18x8. When I get it all together I'll let you all know for certain. I think those sizes will fit decently standardized tire sizes to keep the price to a minimum (meaning still too expensive, but I'm going to do it anyway ).
I've got to lock the suspension down first. Sway bar/Strut brace, then AGX and some Eibach springs. THEN finally the wheels/tires.
So, it will take me a few months to pull it all together, but it should be a nice mix of properly tuned suspension and some good looks. :pface Hopefully.
I'm seriously considering a 17x7.5 and 18x8. When I get it all together I'll let you all know for certain. I think those sizes will fit decently standardized tire sizes to keep the price to a minimum (meaning still too expensive, but I'm going to do it anyway
).I've got to lock the suspension down first. Sway bar/Strut brace, then AGX and some Eibach springs. THEN finally the wheels/tires.
So, it will take me a few months to pull it all together, but it should be a nice mix of properly tuned suspension and some good looks. :pface Hopefully.