Good, bad, what?

I need to space my wheels out just a little to prevent slight rubbing with my new tire/rim set up.

Let me know what you think of 'em.

Thanks

I've got 1/4inch spacers on the back of my 93 TSi and I love them. Doesn't make that big of a difference, just makes the back stand out a little more than the front for a more aggressive look. Your tire/rim setup now must be rubbing the shocks, I'm assuming? If you move them out with a 1/4 inch spacer, you should be fine if they're not rubbing too much as it is right now. Just make sure the outside will clear also.

THanks. Where did you get yours? Online? If so, what site?

Steel or Aluminum?

WHat size tire/rim set up do you have?

Yes, they are hitting on the "cone" part of the front struts and a little inside the wheelwell on the flimsy plastic area near engine bay when I turn sharp.

Thanks for your help.

They are bad, they create more stress on the wheel bearings=premature wear. But what the hell, sacrafice everything for the sake of looks.

Spacers will cause more load on the bearings but not enough to really make that big of differance. Unless your bearings are on the way out already.

Originally posted by Amar1995
They are bad, they create more stress on the wheel bearings=premature wear. But what the hell, sacrafice everything for the sake of looks.

Click to expand...

Trust me, I do some ricey things, but this is for function: Wheelmax swore to me that the 15x7 45mm offset 235/45/17 tires would not rub, so I now that they are, I need to fix it somehow.

i have them on my fd wheels, good prices on jc witney (sp?) for them. just don't go to wide on stock lugs, make sure you can get a good 6-7 solid full turns on the lug nuts when they are on

Wheel Max is the worst company ever. I bought a set of rims off of them and they also swore to me that they would fit with no problem i went with the excel P-5 (Black center crome 2" lip) they said that they would fit not problem i put them on and look at the distance between the front Calaper and the rim spindal and its like 1/8" away way too close don't u think. They said they couldn't do anything for me and that was the last time i heard from them. Now i've been looking at H&R wheel spaces but my tires are exactly parallel with my body if i put spacers on i'd look like a ghetto ass TSi and i don't want that. IMO if anyone was going to buy from Wheel max only do it if you have a honda or something they don't know shit there. SO i feel ur pain man wheel max sucks. Also the "Powdercoated" center isn't powdercoated its painted and they are already after only 4 months chipping off were the lug nuts are.

i took off some lugs off of an old van to put pontiac rims on my car before, when my tires blew... i used them like that for 4 months, and never had any real problems, the rear decided to crap out instead on stock

Originally posted by Amar1995
They are bad, they create more stress on the wheel bearings=premature wear. But what the hell, sacrafice everything for the sake of looks.

Click to expand...

As long as you don't exceed 35mm, maybe 30mm offset with the wheels, it's fine.

'Racing not recommended with wheel spacers'.

Originally posted by aovsi
As long as you don't exceed 35mm, maybe 30mm offset with the wheels, it's fine.

'Racing not recommended with wheel spacers'.

Click to expand...

What do you mean? So, since I have 45 mm offset I'm in trouble or something? Please clarify.

If I shouldn't do spacers, what do you all recommend? Since they are rubbing on that flimsy plastic in the wheel well by the engine bay I guess I could trim?

but as far as the strut (the other place I am barely rubbing), do aftermarket struts have less "girth" to them?

Thanks everybody.

Originally posted by bosljeff
THanks. Where did you get yours? Online? If so, what site?

Steel or Aluminum?

WHat size tire/rim set up do you have?

Yes, they are hitting on the "cone" part of the front struts and a little inside the wheelwell on the flimsy plastic area near engine bay when I turn sharp.

Thanks for your help.

Click to expand...

I actually got them from a friend, he has an '03 Mustang GT, and when he went to put them on his car, he put the rims on, and he didn't feel safe with the amount of the stud left for lugnuts. On my car, they fit perfectly and there's no problems, and the load is hardly anymore than what it was. However, they're only 1/4" thick, but enough to notice them I've had them on the car for a year now, and no problems whatsoever.

btw: stock rims w/205/55/16

Originally posted by bosljeff
What do you mean? So, since I have 45 mm offset I'm in trouble or something? Please clarify.

If I shouldn't do spacers, what do you all recommend? Since they are rubbing on that flimsy plastic in the wheel well by the engine bay I guess I could trim?

but as far as the strut (the other place I am barely rubbing), do aftermarket struts have less "girth" to them?

Thanks everybody.

Click to expand...

+45mm offset with 235 tires is kinda retarded. 1/4 inch spacer will yield 6.35mm. That would make your offset +38.65mm. One inch = 25.4mm.

Wheels with +35mm offset would be best.
Definitely get aftermarket shocks.
+35mm offset wheels are 10mm further outwards, away from the car than +45mm offset wheels.

Oh, and you might need longer wheel studs, obviously.

Dsm.org is f*cked up, I can't find the link to the offset page.

Do a search here for few offset threads.

Originally posted by aovsi
+45mm offset with 235 tires is kinda retarded. 1/4 inch spacer will yield 6.35mm. That would make your offset +38.65mm. One inch = 25.4mm.

Wheels with +35mm offset would be best.
Definitely get aftermarket shocks.
+35mm offset wheels are 10mm further outwards, away from the car than +45mm offset wheels.

Oh, and you might need longer wheel studs, obviously.

Click to expand...

Shit!!!

When I was ordering rims, I was making sure I wouldn't rub etc, and wheelmax swore to me to go to a higher number offset i.e. 45 mm to ensure no rubbing. Obviously just the oposite is true. It looks just fine, but with this minimal rubbing, I don't know what the hell to do.

I assume I can't do a return/exchange with wheelmax, but I can try I suppose. Ideas?!

Trimming, less "girthed" struts? HELP

Please help me out here. This has got ####ed up fast. I just dropped $1K for this tire/wheel package and it is not going so well now. My research seriously backfired.

Help!

"There are no returns on used or damaged merchandise."



Well, the tire/wheel package I bought is certainly used, so I am pretty much ####ed with wheelmax switching rims for me.

Now what. Since I am rubbing on the "cone" on the lower part of the strut, what struts out there have a narrower assembly?

I am also rubbing on that plastic trim. I can't tell when I'm driving, but I think only when turning and it doesn't have to be at wheel lock either. Ideas?

Please help me out guys. I want to race this thing and if spacers are very bad for that, I don't know what the hell to do.

Thank you so much for any and all help.

When did you buy the wheels?
Call them and tell them they gave you WRONG offset wheels and they're rubbing, even though they were ASSURING you they would fit JUST RIGHT. Don't give up.
Call them repeatedly if they keep refusing you, ask to speak to the supervisor/manager.
Don't scream at them.
After 10 unsuccessful attempts, scream at them.
Then if it's still unscuccessful, file complaints.

Originally posted by aovsi
When did you buy the wheels?
Call them and tell them they gave you WRONG offset wheels and they're rubbing, even though they were ASSURING you they would fit JUST RIGHT. Don't give up.
Call them repeatedly if they keep refusing you, ask to speak to the supervisor/manager.
Don't scream at them.
After 10 unsuccessful attempts, scream at them.
Then if it's still unscuccessful, file complaints.

Click to expand...

Invoice date is 10/13. Whether or not they base "used" on when I put them on and they take my word for it, who knows? I'll keep trying to call. Part of it may be my fault for not noticing sooner, but with what they told me, I should have trusted them.

I'll keep on calling. Worst case, I found some H&R spacers for a very good price.

Anything else....?

Make sure you get longer studs if you get spacers. And hubcentric rings won't hurt.

http://www.1010tires.com/hubrings.asp

Don't give up yet, keep telling them that they KEPT ASSURING you the wheels will be a perfect fit, othewise you wouldn't have gotten them.

Stock steel wheels are +46mm offset. With wider wheels you need offset that moves the wheels outward, away from the car.

Originally posted by aovsi
Make sure you get longer studs if you get spacers. And hubcentric rings won't hurt.

http://www.1010tires.com/hubrings.asp

Don't give up yet, keep telling them that they KEPT ASSURING you the wheels will be a perfect fit, othewise you wouldn't have gotten them.

Stock steel wheels are +46mm offset. With wider wheels you need offset that moves the wheels outward, away from the car.

Click to expand...

Allright, so give the moron (me) a quick lesson: The lower the number, the farther the wheel (and thus the tire) moves AWAY from the car, right?

Thanks. I'll look into those rings too. So they basically help "center" the wheel? How do I know what size I want?

Originally posted by bosljeff

Thanks. I'll look into those rings too. So they basically help "center" the wheel? How do I know what size I want?

Click to expand...

Offset info: http://www.tirerack.com/wheels/tech/offset.htm

The pic shown in the link is positive offset, which is our cars.

For hubcentric rings, you need to know the centerbore of the wheel you're buying and the diameter of the hub on the car (67.1mm). 67.1mm on car (inner) ring size, outter size is the bore on the WHEEL.

Originally posted by bosljeff
Shit!!!

When I was ordering rims, I was making sure I wouldn't rub etc, and wheelmax swore to me to go to a higher number offset

Click to expand...

Well who would you believe? some guy who just wants to put your moola in the cash register or a bunch of people who owns and knows the cars? Who should know more about your car? you or Wheelmax?

Always know offset info before you go to the wheel/tire store. With my last car, I had several tire shops basically try to tell me that I don't know my car and they do. Needless to say, none of them got my business. Knowing is a great way to weed out the shops you don't want to deal with.

Speaking of knowing... I am suprised offset info isn't in the FAQ. There are some info for the 2G's but hardly any for the 1G... you'd think it'd be the other way around with the 1G being much older. I searched here and DSMtalk and the VFAQ. The only thread that's anywhere near helpful was here but it doesn't show up in search results any more.

H&R spacers are about the best out there. I've used them before and I would again... if I have to. Spacers should really only be used as a last resort... for your case, it does sound like you're at the last resort.

Originally posted by aovsi
When did you buy the wheels?
Call them and tell them they gave you WRONG offset wheels and they're rubbing, even though they were ASSURING you they would fit JUST RIGHT. Don't give up.
Call them repeatedly if they keep refusing you, ask to speak to the supervisor/manager.
Don't scream at them.
After 10 unsuccessful attempts, scream at them.
Then if it's still unscuccessful, file complaints.

Click to expand...

Or how about you just call your credit card company and dispute the charge.

Originally posted by PaulPDX
Well who would you believe? some guy who just wants to put your moola in the cash register or a bunch of people who owns and knows the cars? Who should know more about your car? you or Wheelmax?

Always know offset info before you go to the wheel/tire store. With my last car, I had several tire shops basically try to tell me that I don't know my car and they do. Needless to say, none of them got my business. Knowing is a great way to weed out the shops you don't want to deal with.

Speaking of knowing... I am suprised offset info isn't in the FAQ. There are some info for the 2G's but hardly any for the 1G... you'd think it'd be the other way around with the 1G being much older. I searched here and DSMtalk and the VFAQ. The only thread that's anywhere near helpful was here but it doesn't show up in search results any more.

H&R spacers are about the best out there. I've used them before and I would again... if I have to. Spacers should really only be used as a last resort... for your case, it does sound like you're at the last resort.

Click to expand...

I wrote a decent information about wheel offset info and hubcentric rings info. But it seems to have disappeared.

Maybe someone should write a tech article for dsmtuners tech section.

Originally posted by bosljeff
Good, bad, what?

I need to space my wheels out just a little to prevent slight rubbing with my new tire/rim set up.

Let me know what you think of 'em.

Click to expand...

Sorry the adventure's been such a hassle. For the little bit of clearance you need, spacers will be fine. You'll forget they were in there within a month.

Originally posted by Defiant
Sorry the adventure's been such a hassle. For the little bit of clearance you need, spacers will be fine. You'll forget they were in there within a month.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the sympathy. I'm still trying wheelmax. I actually found my "notes" I made the night I ordered them (total price, salesperson etc) and I wrote down 35 mm. So, now that memory serves better, I actually did order 35mm. These rims came in 35 or 45 and it looks like i got robbed. I hopefully can fight it....

If not, it looks like H&R has the best spacers although only in 5, 15, or 25. Not 10 like I want but anything is better. Then I'll order some hubcentric rings to line everything up.

A little pissed, but student loans are coming and I can get this fixed.

You think I'm okay to drag race with spacers?

Thanks for everything everyone.

Boz