any way to make 17x7s look flush, without using spacers Options

[lagos]

is there any way that a normal 17x7 wheel will look flush with the body of the car? is there an offset that would do the trick, or do we need the right offset and wheel width ?

[Bigmeanbulldog55]

Some spacers should help out, if they don't enough, then you could put longer bolts in for the lug nuts. I don't recomend putting to much longer bolts on. You can go a good 1/2 inch safely. I'm going to put some 1/4's on my car.

[Coomer]

Simply putting on longer studs on won't do anything, unless you're using spacers.

But the best way to go about it would be to use some wheels with the correct offset(and you'd want staggered offsets to have the same flush look in both the front and rear.) I'm just not sure what exactly the offsets are. I remember a while back though there were some Sparco 16" rims on eBay with staggered offsets that were perfect for Celicas...some guy bought them for his fourth gen, so I'll see if I can track him down and get some info.

[lagos]

but, would offset alone do the trick? i would imagnine that there is only so much ofset that we can have, before you cant put the lugs on safely.

[bufferdan]

The lugs will go on fine with any offset. With spacers though you may need longer lug studs to be safe. Ya, the offset alone would do the trick...but so would spacers (which are way cheaper than new wheels)...but you would probably need longer bolts for the lug nuts to be safely tightened.

This post has been edited by bufferdan: Dec 3, 2004 - 11:37 AM

[presure2]

just need the right offset, it was somewhere around 32--35 if i rember correctly

[Kwanza26]

just need the right offset, it was somewhere around 32--35 if i rember correctly

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That would just about do it. I'd go as far as saying something in the high 20's can fit snug in the rears... while the fronts might require 30's to clear stuff. The only way to do it correctly is to either change the wheels and wheel offset or get spacers.

[lagos]

are you guys sure that i can safely use a 30 offset on the car, or a high 20?

basically, i need new tires and im thinking of a different style of rim too. the original plan was to get 17x8s but they are alot harder to find and cost more then i want to spend on rims right now, so i was hoping that i could get away with a 17x7 if i found the right offset.

does anyone here have 17x7s on their car that look flush with the body, or at least not "pushed in". i always thought that you need 8in width and the right offset to do the trick.

This post has been edited by lagos: Dec 3, 2004 - 2:46 PM

[Kwanza26]

are you guys sure that i can safely use a 30 offset on the car, or a high 20?

basically, i need new tires and im thinking of a different style of rim too. the original plan was to get 17x8s but they are alot harder to find and cost more then i want to spend on rims right now, so i was hoping that i could get away with a 17x7 if i found the right offset.

does anyone here have 17x7s on their car that look flush with the body, or at least not "pushed in".  i always thought that you need 8in width and the right offset to do the trick.
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Yes... you can probably use lower offsets fine. On the rear, possibly even lower than the fronts. I believe 28 or so offset in the rear should be able to clear the rear calipers. That's the only worry on the rear. The wheel should easily clear the rear 1/4. As for the fronts, you gotta clear the fender, the wheel wells while turning, the calipers, etc... so I wouldn't go as low as high 20's in the fronts... but 30's should be fine. I believe the stock 15x7 wheels are 32 or 36 offset.

This post has been edited by Kwanza26: Dec 3, 2004 - 2:52 PM

[presure2]

stock offset is 40mm

[lagos]

id really love to hear from somone that has a low offset on their car. the way that i understand it, is the lower the offset, the less threading there is for the lugs. so there must be a limit, higher then something in the 20s. i could see 35, but im skeptical about a 20 offset that Kwanza26 recomends.

[Coomer]

Nah, offset won't affect how many threads your lug nuts catch on...offset isn't the width of the mounting surface of the wheel.

This link should clear some stuff up.

[jgreening]

There is a picture somewhere that Coomer posted with a white car with 8" rims and a 35 offset that had an almost perfect flush look. Keeping in mind that 1" = 25.4 millimeters (one half of which is 13mm), the correct offset could be as low as 23 (at least for the rears).

See this link:

offset calculator

[lagos]

ahhh, i think i get it. the link coomer provided cleared it up a little.

so, offset is not the thickness of the rims mounting point......its how far away from the center if the rim with the mounting point is, right? and this is what makes them stick out more or less?

[jgreening]

correct. Its the distance, expressed in positive or negative numbers, from the center point of the rim if you were looking straight down on it as it sits on your car. A positive number means the mounting point is closer to the front of the rim than the center point. A negative number means the opposite.

[Kwanza26]

I'm sure you can run high 20's offset. I'm running -9 offset wheels on my Corolla and it's all good (lowered and all). AE86 corollas run stock offset in the low 20's and teens...

[Coomer]

There is a picture somewhere that Coomer posted with a white car with 8" rims and a 35 offset that had an almost perfect flush look.  Keeping in mind that 1" = 25.4 millimeters (one half of which is 13mm), the correct offset could be as low as 23 (at least for the rears).

See this link:

offset calculator
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17x8" rims with an offset of 35.

[lagos]

damn....thata 100% the look im going for!!!

[ghostdog]

17x8" rims with an offset of 35.
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what kind of wheels are those? they look like black racing pro n1's but they don't come in that size

http://www.1010tires.com/wheel.asp?wheelbr...ro+N1+%2D+Black

[Coomer]

Maybe 1010Tires doesn't carry all of the sizes available(because I know there is a 18x9" version as well.)

[lagos]

so now that we got the size figured out. whats the cheapest place to get some nice 17x8s 35offset wheels. im looking to spend under 1,000 with tires...but so far that seems to be an impossible price for 8in wide wheels.

[Coomer]

I'm not sure on that one Lagos. I think most of the cheap wheel/tire packages typically have 38-42 offsets to appeal to the masses(Honda.) I think Rota might offer a wide variety of offsets and widths on their wheels. Other than that though, the only other companies that I can think of with wide varieties of offsets and widths are expensive wheels...Volk, Advan, BBS, Work, etc.

[ghostdog]

so now that we got the size figured out. whats the cheapest place to get some nice 17x8s 35offset wheels. im looking to spend under 1,000 with tires...but so far that seems to be an impossible price for 8in wide wheels.
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yeah I don't think thats going to happen. your looking at 1200 at the very least

5zigen is probably the cheapest brand with those width/offset options

[lagos]

strange thing is that 18x8s seem to be cheaper then 17x8s

[lagos]

here is another question. say i got with 17x8 35offset. what would be the widest tire i can get away with, without having and rubbing issues?

id like to do at least 225-45 or 235-45.

[celicaspeed]

I think that the 225 35 is good but still pushing it thats as far as I would but its safe.

[Kwanza26]

here is another question. say i got with 17x8 35offset. what would be the widest tire i can get away with, without having and rubbing issues?

id like to do at least 225-45 or 235-45.
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I think those are a bit too big... I would go with a 40 series tire... but a 225/35 will be closer to the correct diameter.

[Lacs21]

Hey Lagos

I have been trying to go for that look ever since I got my celica back in 99. I finally bought some rims that might make it work. waiting till friday for them to arrive. They are 18x8 with a 37 offset. I have looked everywhere for an offset lower than 35 but no one makes it. and the people that do make it are I think two pice (expensive) wheels. To get the flushed look I got all 18x8 37offset and then I'm gona add spacers in the back. my other option was spending $2500 for staggered offset wheels with no possiblities of rotating my wheels. I will post pics once I get the wheels on. Later,
Lalith

[jgreening]

here is another question. say i got with 17x8 35offset. what would be the widest tire i can get away with, without having and rubbing issues?

id like to do at least 225-45 or 235-45.

Unfortunately, there are not a lot of good choices of tires in 225 or 245 for our size wheels (tire and rim together). Its much more important to keep the overall tire and wheel diameter as close to stock as possible for gearing issues.

However, its the rim width and not the tire width that makes a tire look wider. Tires expand to fill out the rim. The good news is that most tires in the 215-225 range will fit 8" rims without a problem. Your current tires will probably work if you still have good tread left. If it were me, I would go with 215/40 or 215/45. Check the rim width range on the tires. In 215, most will accomodate an 8" tire (some up to 9") with a measured rim width (ideal) of 7-7.5". If you want to see the rim width range or measured rim width of a specfic tire, you can just click on "specs" when you are viewing a specific tire on the tirerack website.

Hope it helps.

- Jay.

[TTE]

I have 17x8 rims with 215/45/17 rubber . Tires don't look proportional to rim width at all they looked so stretched as size 6 sock on size 13 foot. I would say go at least 225. I just got myself a set of Michelin Pilot sport A/S 235/45/17. As well 215 will not give you any side protection to avoid from scratching rims. I'll post pic as soon as I put them on.

[Consynx]

coom, do you have pics of that front with the 35 offset?
curious if it rubs

[jgreening]

I just got myself a set of Michelin Pilot sport A/S 235/45/17

I would like to see pics of those and know how it handles. They will make your overall wheel (tire and rim) diameter over 3 1/2" bigger than stock. Thats huge. Also, when you are travelling 70 mph, your speedometer will read 60. And, your gearing will be way off.

[jgreening]

I found one tire that comes in a 225/35/17 which would be about perfect. Its pricey though:

Falken GR Beta FK-451

[doGGy]

i have 17x7.5 and 35 offset, and with the 225x45 R17 im rubbing my tires in the back... front is ok...

[97GTinKC]

,,,And pay special attention to the part about:

"If the offset of the wheel is not correct for the car, the handling can be adversely affected. When the width of the wheel changes, the offset also changes numerically. If the offset were to stay the same while you added width, the additional width would be split evenly between the inside and outside. For most cars, this won't work correctly. We have test fitted thousands of different vehicles for proper fitment. Our extensive database allows our sales staff to offer you the perfect fit for your vehicle."

this is why you might want a wider wheel so the tire centerline stays as close to stock as possible as opposed to just getting a 7" wheel with a different offset. but, who knows, it may handle fine...also be aware it can put more stress on the wheel bearings and suspension parts when you radically change offset. you aren't talking about all that much change, just dont get crazy with it.

[TTE]

235/45/17 is too big. It fits on the front only. So I have to drive for a week with 235/45/17 in the front and 215/45/17 on the back. Now I just have to order diff size. What you think 225/45/17 or 225/40/17

[TTE]

Can someone post a link to size,width and profile selection 'couse I just can't find it.

[jgreening]

225/45/17 will work. There are a few people on here with that size. Mina comes to mind. However, they are bigger than stock.

[lagos]

TTE... does the rear just rub with the 235s? i talked to some people that said they trimed the inside of the wheel well to make wider wheels/tires work.