Wheel Offset and Tire Guide

mainewrx09

New member
I am still confused. lol I want this sweet looking rim that is 18x8 but only comes in a +38mm offset. I am keeping my suspension stock and will later add eibach springs. Will that offset be hard on my wheel bearings with that rim width. Or scrub? I will still probably run 225/40/18 on them? They are sweet and are blue and black 2 tone to match my paint.

Any help would be great.

 

scooby RS

New member
i have a quik question, that i should know being a mechanic in all. but i'm not tire professional. i am putting the one ince impreza lift off dirtyimpreza.com. and i am putting 205-75-15 general grabber. i'm just trying to figure out what offset i have to get to clear my struts... i was also looking at 215-75-15 BFG a/t but those are pretty wide. i was also thinking of just putting wheel spacers in..? i don't know just need an oppinion i suppose before i go dropping all the money. i'll make it happen one way or the other.

 

GClark

New member
Stock wheels would work fine. I run 215/65/16 on my car and that's as big as you want to go. Go to the Miata tire calculator and try to get as close to mine as possibe. Go with the Grabbers, I love mine. Perfect for on and offroad.

 

SUBARUDE

Well-known member
i have a quik question, that i should know being a mechanic in all. but i'm not tire professional. i am putting the one ince impreza lift off dirtyimpreza.com. and i am putting 205-75-15 general grabber. i'm just trying to figure out what offset i have to get to clear my struts... i was also looking at 215-75-15 BFG a/t but those are pretty wide. i was also thinking of just putting wheel spacers in..? i don't know just need an oppinion i suppose before i go dropping all the money. i'll make it happen one way or the other.
if this is for your rs then the 205/75/15 grabbers will not fit a 205/70/15 might but i already tried the 205/75/15 grabbers on my 2000 obs with almost 2" in the rear and a 1" in the front on a 38mm offset wheel in the fron they rub just a light but on the rear they touch the strut and the rocker panel in front of the rear tire.your best bet is to run a set of forester wheels which are a 48mm offset in a 17" forester rim the biggest tire you can run is a 215/55/17 and in a 16" forester rim the biggest you can run is a 215/60/16 and last is the 15" forester rim the biggest tire you can run is a 205/70/15.oh and you probably want to pick up some butt sag spacers to add to the rear of your car

hope this helps

 

scooby RS

New member
hey, yah that helped a lot, thanks both of you. i have a set of 17's with a 48mm offset. i just don't know if i trust the spoke design.. it doesn't look very sturdy. i wanted to buy a set of 15' steelies, yah that strut was my initial problem, i have 215 55 16 and they just barely don't rub... if you say the forester rims will work, i'll get a replica steelie for a forester in a 15 and see if i can find an aggresive tire in that size.. any recomendations? again, i appreciate the help.

 

scooby RS

New member
yah i was thinking that to... only thing is they wear like a sun of a b**ch in the summer.. i think i'll end up doing that though, thanks a lot man. i'll put up pics when i finally get it all done. heard any bad things about the jackson racing 1 ince kit?

 

IBratmanI

Subaru Ambassador- AdidaSubarus
That's what both of us have on our OBS's and have no complaints. If Gabe remembers the tire that's on my OBS, those wear damn good, I have been running them all summer and they don't wear too fast

 

SUBARUDE

Well-known member
the jackson lift even with my added spacers has kept everything in subaru factory alignment spec nothing is out of the green which surprised the guy that did the alignment on mine and snows tires don't wear that hard on the gc body style cause they aren't that heavy of a car for the size tire you will be running

 

scooby RS

New member
alright, so i've been doing non stop research since we talked last night. my rims (stock wrx rims) are a 52 mm offset, and you say i need a 48, so i ordered 5 mm wheel spacers (closest i could find) and i'm going to run the 215/60-16 yoko geolanders. and you say i should use the saggy butt spacers with the jackson lift? and you stayed in green without cam bolts? haha i'm sorry for so many questions... just trying to get a grasp on things.. appreciate your help pal.

 

GClark

New member
I don't know how different your RS is from my wagon, and I'm sure Gabe knows, but I just put on my spacers and my 215/65/16 General Grabbers and have had zero problems. Maybe because it's an OBS? I'm not sure... Either way, it's a wicked fun setup and you'll love it. The Geolanders are great tires, you'll have to make sure to come to our next dirty meet to try them out.

 

scooby RS

New member
i think clearance would be no problem... the only problem i think i'm going to run into is the strut itself.. the 215 55 16 that i have on right now... just barely don't touch.. i don't think the 5 mm i'm gunna add to it will clear a 10 percent increase in side wall... luckily i work at vip so i can mount a tire off the shelf onto one of my rims and see if she clears once i get the whole set up installed. i'm hoping i can clear a 65 due to the fact that i want to run grabbers... if not i'm glad i heard someone say the geolanders are a good tire, i havn't heard much but bad from them... but they look like a solid tread design... hell yah i'll come out to the meet lifted or not. what size spacers are you running?

 

SUBARUDE

Well-known member
yes in the green with no camber bolts and the reason gclark can fit the bigger tires is cause the newer obs's have a bigger wheel well and the strut perch is a little higher on the strut.the butt sag spacer are just to give it a more level look and if you carry anything heavy in the back it will help keep anything from rubbing

 

scooby RS

New member
yes in the green with no camber bolts and the reason gclark can fit the bigger tires is cause the newer obs's have a bigger wheel well and the strut perch is a little higher on the strut.the butt sag spacer are just to give it a more level look and if you carry anything heavy in the back it will help keep anything from rubbing
awesome. thanks a lot guys. we'll see how she goes.

 

BoardDad

New member
Ok, looked through threads here, there, & everywhere I could think of. I see different opinions, so I'm not sure what to believe? Will a 195/55/15" steel wheel fit on a 2003 WRX wagon with an otherwise stock set-up?

 

Matt

Well-known member
i dont think the 15 will fit due to the wrx brakes being larger than most....anyone else confirm this?

 

Nigel Prodrive

Dirt surfer
15's Do not clear my 2002RS. Pretty sure they don't clear wrx brakes either...
97.7%n of the 15" wheels out there will not clear WRX brakes, 02+ Foz, Leggy etc.

there are a few motorsport-specific 15s what will clear, but they're rally wheels and you don't wanna know what they cost...figure $150-200 each

occasionally a more 'civilian' type 15" rim will work, but good luck finding em!

I do not know of a single 15" steelie what fits over WRX brakes, and if they existed I'd know...remember my nickname is "Snow Tire Ho."
default_banana.gif


 

Latest posts

Back
Top