Dropped a lot of money, ####ed up, please help

[bosljeff]

Okay here's the rundown. I dropped $1K with wheelmax on a tire/wheel package. Love it. They swore it would not rub it does (235/45/17 17x7 45mm offset). You'll notice the offset is very bad, should be 35mm, well until I can get them to exchange, I need some ideas for options.

Front tires rub a little on the flimsy wheelwell engine bay plastic-not too worried I can trim, but the big concern is where the corner of the tire is rubbing on the "cone" of the strut. See red circle on pic.

Now, do aftermarket shocks/struts/springs have less "girth" to pull that "cone" away from the tire?

I don't want to do spacers:

http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=85399

So I need some options until wheelmax miraculously comes through. T

Thank you for any and all ideas.

 

[Rx3]

How about


a) don't drive the car until the exchange wheels come in

or

b) put the old wheels back on, and drive the car until the exhange wheels from wheelmax come in



Seriously, what other option is there?

 

[bosljeff]

Originally posted by Rx3
How about

a) don't drive the car until the exchange wheels come in
or
b) put the old wheels back on, and drive the car until the exhange wheels from wheelmax come in
Seriously, what other option is there?

Well, all of that is assuming wheelmax comes through. I admit, there may be a fraction of fault that falls on me for trusting what I got, but the rest is on them. So, trusting them I mounted them and drove. It wasn't until I picked something up from under my car did I notice the rubbing marks. So, I'm not rubbing so much that it is noticeable driving but....

The problem is that wheelmax could probably stick to their return policy on the invoice stating: "no returns on used merchandise." If that is the case, I am going to kick and scream regarding the fact they swore they would not rub (and the more I look at them they might even be the wrong ####ing rim-wanted hyperblack which is silvery, but these look very "silvery" not hyperblack and the wheel boxes they folded up in the main boxes are not from these rims anyway so I have nothing to refererance).

My old rims (2 of the 4) had a horrible bend in them, and a tire had a ruined sidewall so that set is really shitty as is, might be a trade off to rubbing tires.

So, worst case, I have to keep the setup and make it work, but I dont' want it kinda working.

 

[bosljeff]

So any ideas how to make this work assuming Wheelmax doesn't exchange?

I can possibly get pix, but not till Sat or Sun.

 

[snox135]

Wheel Spacers are not bad for what you want to do. You simply want to give your rims the correct offset. What is very hard on your wheel bearings is when you see people with there rims sticking out of there fender wells.

H&R makes spacers in 5, 15, and 25mm widths. You could get the 15mm's and mill them down to 10 mm, or just get the 5mm and they will probably be enough to clear your strut.

 

[cait sith]

If wheel spacers were that bad on your wheel bearings, people running 235+ width tires would be plowing through wheel bearings every year.

 

[bosljeff]

Originally posted by snox135
Wheel Spacers are not bad for what you want to do. You simply want to give your rims the correct offset. What is very hard on your wheel bearings is when you see people with there rims sticking out of there fender wells.
H&R makes spacers in 5, 15, and 25mm widths. You could get the 15mm's and mill them down to 10 mm, or just get the 5mm and they will probably be enough to clear your strut.

According to them, this is what they have for a 92 Eclipse.

-------H&R Website-------
TRAK+ Wheel Spacers
Bolt Pattern Center Bore Thread Type
5/114.3 67.1 12x1.5

Spacer Width Part Number Sug. Retail
Type

DRS 5mm 10656715 $ 68.95 Pair
DRS 15mm 30656715 $ 119.95 Pair
DRM 25mm 5065671 $ 149.95 Pair

DRS SERIES
10 - 40 mm track widening
This spacer is fitted between the wheel and hub, exchanging the existing wheel studs for longer ones. The wheels are then fitted to the hub/spacer with the existing wheel nuts.

DRM SERIES
40 - 90 mm track widening
This spacer is fitted to the hub with special nuts and it carries new wheel studs for the existing wheel nuts.

Note: All DRA, DRM and DRS kits come complete with all necessary wheel bolts, studs and nuts. These will be used in connection with the existing parts fitted to the vehicle. DRS kit requires the new studs to be pressed into the hubs of the vehicle.
-------------------------------------------
So you think the 5 or 15 would be okay. I want stability and reliability. I don't understand how it could be "bad", but I do still want to drag race and not lose all my tires.

Thoughts, ideas?

 

[bosljeff]

Originally posted by cait sith
If wheel spacers were that bad on your wheel bearings, people running 235+ width tires would be plowing through wheel bearings every year.

So your saying you have 'em? No problems? Do you drag race? What tire/rim you running? Thanks.

 

[snox135]

Wheel spacers got a bad rep. from people using them to give there rims offsets that were never intended for there car. What you are doning is giving your rims the offset they were supposed to have. So the wheel will be in the correct postion with the hub and bearing. It will be no harder than having a +35 offset rim.

Drag racing and wheel spacers have really nothing in common. Drag racing isn't any harder on your wheel bearings then everyday driving. Auto-x and road racing is much harder on wheel bearings then drag racing. Even then with your set up if you go with a 5mm to 10 mm wheel spacer it won't create any problems.

 

[bosljeff]

Originally posted by snox135
Wheel spacers got a bad rep. from people using them to give there rims offsets that were never intended for there car. What you are doning is giving your rims the offset they were supposed to have. So the wheel will be in the correct postion with the hub and bearing. It will be no harder than having a +35 offset rim.

Drag racing and wheel spacers have really nothing in common. Drag racing isn't any harder on your wheel bearings then everyday driving. Auto-x and road racing is much harder on wheel bearings then drag racing. Even then with your set up if you go with a 5mm to 10 mm wheel spacer it won't create any problems.

Well, whether you are "right" or "wrong" that is what I wanted to hear. I will be finding an H&R dealer soon. I just wish they had a 10mm spacer. I don't want mill them down. Ideas as for H&R sites (H&R doesn't sell direct) or other reliable people that sell spacers (preferably 10mm)?

Thanks for all your input, keep it coming.

 

[snox135]

Here is another comany that makes wheel spacers and they also make them for custom applications. Here is a link to buy H&R spacers.

 

[bosljeff]

Originally posted by snox135
Here is another comany that makes wheel spacers and they also make them for custom applications. Here is a link to buy H&R spacers.

Thanks man, you have been a big help.

Now, just for my edification and future purchasing: do new struts/shocks have less girth/narrower diameter? I'm assuming no if I stick with stock springs because the new strut/shock will have to accomodate the stock "girth". I'm hoping yes if I replace spring, and shocks/struts. I hope new springs are narrower. Yes, no, maybe?

 

[jake98gst]

what kind of rims/tires did you get? pics of the wheels on the car, and of the problem? ANy other comments about dealing with wheelmaxx, I may be in the future so I'd like to know.

Thanks,
Jake

 

[snox135]

Originally posted by bosljeff
Thanks man, you have been a big help.

Now, just for my edification and future purchasing: do new struts/shocks have less girth/narrower diameter? I'm assuming no if I stick with stock springs because the new strut/shock will have to accomodate the stock "girth". I'm hoping yes if I replace spring, and shocks/struts. I hope new springs are narrower. Yes, no, maybe?

I can't tell you what the 1g's are for sure. But I would have to say no. If you go to a coil over set up on the front the springs may be narrower. I know 1g's and 2g's have different front suspensions and I haven't dealt with a 1g front end for a long time.

 

[Raph]

5mm spacers.

 

[volrath]

Originally posted by bosljeff
the more I look at them they might even be the wrong ####ing rim-wanted hyperblack which is silvery, but these look very "silvery" not hyperblack and the wheel boxes they folded up in the main boxes are not from these rims anyway so I have nothing to refererance

I just got some "hyperblack" wheels from wheelmax as well. They are very shiny, and are completely silver if you ask me.

They are 45mm offset 215/45/17 and pretty close to rubbing. They might rub if I lower the car... I hope you figure out your issues soon. Wheelmax's customer service seemed pretty good to me. Good luck.

 

[bosljeff]

Originally posted by volrath
I just got some "hyperblack" wheels from wheelmax as well. They are very shiny, and are completely silver if you ask me.

They are 45mm offset 215/45/17 and pretty close to rubbing. They might rub if I lower the car... I hope you figure out your issues soon. Wheelmax's customer service seemed pretty good to me. Good luck.

Well, that info on the hyperblack is good to know. I'll probably just leave that issue alone. However, I found my "notes" from the night I ordered the rims with stuff like salesperson's name, order number, and stuff like that. On it I had written 35mm!! So, I seriously had to have ordered 35. The rims I got come only in 45 or 35, so things seem to be pointing to an error. Maybe not. If I can't get them to do it, I will simply buy 5mm spacers and new lugs (H&R) and pray.

Thanks for the encouragement.

Boz