Society Mike - edit: this thread is for posting up INFO and PICS and QUESTIONS pertaining to wheel fitment. Opinions can be left in build threads, not this one. Let's keep this thread clean of the BS and keep it a great information resource!I'll write a little something right now, and add to it later.
Fitting crazy wheels under yourcar is something
most drifters do, or at least
try do here on ziptied. Will it make you drift like Hariguchi? No. And yes. Here's why:
When everyone see's Hariguchi's car what stands out the most? The fucking wide-ness of the stance, and the aero scraping the ground cause its so low. The notched fenders, tucked rims and stretched (hippari) tires.
Having a drift car that looks bad
arse (for all you UK and Aussie members :wink: ) is half the fucking deal
when driving in most competitions. As long as your skills can match it. Since we can't sit in your car ver the internet and give pointers, we'll let you in on how to fit some crazy wheels, and what everyone is running.
As a pre-curser, some things need to be done to the chassis to prep for the new insanity. Firstly, you need to hammer all the pressed seams in the front wheel wells. There is one on the upper fender bar that points downward waiting to cut into your tire. Then there are a couple against the frame rails waiting to gnaw on your inside wheel lip (depending on your size). So flatten them all with a hammer and propane torch.
Tuck up the wire harness that runs under the front fender with some plastic removal and some stretching+zipties.
To roll the fenders, get a propane torch (heat guns take too long for us pirates over at ziptied.com) and a BFH. Beat them flat against the inside of the fenders. Now you areready to roll. Huh huh huh.
To pull the fenders, bust out your friendly fender roller (can rent it from shops if you dont have one). Heat the metal all around the rear fender and slowly pull out the lip, if you heated enough metal around it, the fender will start to pull out following the lip.
I run 17x9 +10 all around on my car right now (PS13). 215/45/17 and 235/40/17. Tucking rear tire about 1/2 way and front just barely tucking tread. My fenders rub my 215's before i even get to full counter. I have plenty of room on the inside to fit a wider tire, but fender clearance.... i would need maybe 0 offset and 20mm wide fenders. Then i could fit 235/40 up front at the current height.
Soon it will be 17x9 +7ish and 18x9.5 +12. 215/45/17 and 225 or 235/40/18 i have to test once i get the wheels.
For S14s, yeah, no problem fitting 235s up front at really low ride heights. S14s have plenty of extra room. You can fit 9.5 +12 on stock fenders no problem (probably running a 215 tire).
On S13.. haha yeah right, you need to pull the fuck out of your front fenders (or get FRP ones) to fit some 9.5 +12s. Problem with running 9.5 higher offset is that the might not clear TC rods, frame rail etc on the inside. As a general rule, unoless you have test fit a lot of wheel/tire combos, have acess to wide fenders, or a bunch of spacers to fine-tune, don't go over 9 inches for the front. Sure it can be done, Forrest put 17x10's up front. I don't know how well it does at full counter though, i still have to see the car up close.
For FC's, i know you can get 9 inches under the front with slightly pulled front fenders. Offset and clearance issues IIRC are about the same as an S13. Again, i have seen it done, i don't recall what exactly they did, but maybe Ranzo or Chris/Tony can chime in about RX7s and what needs to be done and shiet.
Hachis? All i can say is 15x9 -27 and -32. Do it pussies. Get those bolt on arches after cutting the stock ones, and make the damn thing sit on the ground (like Royce's car, Hiro's, and of course the Sexy Knights). Hachi's can take an insanely low offset really well.
Tires. IMO tires are a big personal choice. I like 215/45 up front in a good compound. James likes 235 on his S14 (don't you have FRP fenders, cunt). Both run 9 inch rims. Mike likes 235s up front on his S14 too. I think a lot of it has to do with surface conditions, driver preference, style, etc. I will try the 235s up front someday, but for now, without frp fenders, no way would they fit. I really like the feel of 215 up front on a 9. its stretched quite a it and it responds instantly to my imputs. Plus, it already rubs fenders and makes plumes of white smoke so i think i need to notch my fenders already. We'll see.
A way around those 20mm tire width that i see: firstly, using good comound tires like ST115 or even batter some Bridgestone Potenzas. Secondly, when stretching (hippari) a tire it pulls the sidewallsout, rotating the shoulder and adding a few more mm of contact patch. BJones might be able to help scientifically find this, but i would estimate the contact patch from a 215/45/17 on 9 inch wheel would be about the same as a 225/45 or even 235/40/17 on a 8 inch wheel. What is the difference then? Well, margin of error and response. The stretched tire will have an equal grip lets say, but it will be more prone to lose traction immediately vs. a "proper wheel combo". Soo... don't go run touge at 11/10ths with some 215/40s (trust me...). Either you acknowledge your equipment's shortcomings and drive 7 or 8/10ths or you swap them out for some wider rubber that doesn't lose tractions so suddenly (235/40 on 9 inch).
Again, this is why it comes down to driver preference and style. I personally don't understeer with my set up. My chassis, driving style, tire compound, suspension, whatever it is, i am not fighting any understeer whatso ever, grip or drift. For me I don't think i need to get more front grip (rear grip, yes). But i will experiment more and run some new sizes up there for a comparo.
For STRICTLY FITMENT of wheels, we might reccomend a 215 tire on a 9 lets say not taking into account that you may be fighting the understeer demons. And honestly, there is no way to find out what will really work for you if you don't try it.
I think from here on out i will ask everyone to post their tire and wheel combo, what has been done to modify your car to fit this, and mayeb some pics if you have. Lets see some FCs post, i know a couple people have them and pics shouldn't be hard, they are always immobile!
(i'm just jealous, if i could sell my car, i would get an FC)
*Edited to be more clear (in
red text) , also to add:
I now run 235/40s up front. I liked 215/45, but the 235/40 lasts a little bit longer, doesn't rub TOO many things, and allows for higher entry speeds with more consistency. I did an event with 80mph+ entry and the 215s were having a lot of trouble holding the line and i had an unbearable amount of understeer problems.
