papo

I've finally narrowed my wheel selection to two

First set: 17x8.5+38/17x9.5+38.Tire: 215/45F 225/45R
Second set: 18x8+38/18c9+38. Tire:215/40F 225/45R

Here is the thing for the last three days I've been looking at both the 17" wheel thread and the 18" wheel thread, and I'm having a real hard time choosing which wheel to pick. With the 18's I'll have no wheel gap but be 1/2 an inch higher than the stance I'd have with the 17s. My problem is that i like to ride around with people in my backseat, will this be possible with either of the wheels on coils while having no wheel gap? some one help me out before I /myself.

CIONIDE

iTrader: (1)

I'm guessing for the rear tires on the 18's you meant 225/40, not 225/45.

Both sets are +38 offset front & rear, and the 40 series 18" tires have an outside diameter that is just 1/10" larger than the 45 series 17" tires. The gap b/w the tires & the fenders will basically be the same for both of the set-ups you've given, with the 18" wheels filling out the wheel openings visually by the 1" larger diameter.

Whether you rub or not with people in the backseat will depend on which "coils" (springs or coilovers?) you go with, and how heavy your friends are.

papo

i actually wanted to run 225/45 on 18s so the car would sit a little higher than on 40 sidewall,as for coils i meant to say coilovers(lol). my problem choosing between the 17s/18s isnt the wheel gap it will actually be the ground to chassis clearance, being that on 18s the car will sit half an inch higher (or atleast i believe so).
I was wolfsburg2k1's car on 17s but it didn't justify the look i was going for since he is running a 215/40 which has to small of a sidewall for my liking. so i was actually trying to find someone on a 45 sidewall on a 17" wheel so i could see more or less how it would look.

TCpete

if u dont care much for functionality just go 18s... they fit nicer in the wheel well on the xb

CIONIDE

iTrader: (1)

If you're comparing 17s with 225/45 vs. 18s with 225/45, then yes, you will get the additional 1/2" of ground clearance on the 18s (and 1/2" less gap b/w the tire and fender).


If you go with 215/40-18 tires up front (like you said in the OP), then the sidewall height would be exactly the same as the 215/40s on 17s that it sounds like you don't like. Additionally the 215/45-18 rears that gain the 1/2" of ground clearance in back will use the front axle as a pivot point and reduce your ground clearance at the front bumper. Did you mean 215/45-18 for the front tires, to match the rear 45 series aspect ratio of the 225/45-18 rear tires? I just want to make sure we're both on the same page, so you get the correct info for what you're trying to accomplish.

papo

ah, i get you. so it would be in fact better to stay w/ the same sidewall throughout the front and the rear. im leaning more toward the 17s but im not sure how low i'll have to be to achieve the look i want, while keeping groundclearance to the point where i will be able to drive. only if the wheels i wanted where in 18s :fml:

CIONIDE

iTrader: (1)

225/45-17 tires would give you the same ground clearance as the OEM 205/55-16's but the sidewall height would come down from 4.44" to 4", which is the same 4" sidewall height that 225/45-18 tires would have, but as previously discussed the 225/45-18s would give you that extra 1/2" of ground clearance compared to the OEM 16s or 225/45-17s. I hope this info is giving you what you need to make a decision.

Oh, and due to the adjustability of coilovers, both tire & wheel set-ups would work, but you would be able to lower the body over the tires & wheels 1/2" more with the 225/45-17s than the 225/45-18s.

Are we getting close yet?

CIONIDE

iTrader: (1)

papo, to give you an idea of the look of 17s vs. 18s in the wheel openings check out the 1st pic in my shoes & socks thread:
https://www.scionlife.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=166074

My fronts are 225/45 tires on 17" wheels, and my rears are 245/40 tires on 18" wheels which would be about the same sidewall height as 225/45-18's since my 40 series Falken rear tires run just a little larger diameter than most 245/40 tires. You will notice that the sidewall height looks about the same. (Look at the sidewalls b/w the wheels and the ground.)

papo

hah yeah i know how coilovers work, im guess im jus being a little bithc and want good ground clearance and no wheelgap. when i know it has to be one or the other. i made up my mind im goin with the 17s probably going to pay for them tomorrow morning. thanks alot cionde

YELOSUB

Cionide to the rescue again

CIONIDE

iTrader: (1)

It's my calling.

CIONIDE

iTrader: (1)

You're very welcome.

Actually, coilovers on the 18's with 225/45 tires would give the same tire/fender gap as the 17" set-up, and the additional 1/2" of ground clearance you're looking for; but they would do it at the expense of having the entire car sit 1/2" higher above the suspension/ground than the 17" set-up, which would negate the lowered look that people go for with coilovers as well as the superior handling by lowering the overall center-of-gravity the additional 1/2". I believe this is what TCpete meant when he said "if u dont care much for functionality just go 18s..."

I think you made the right decision, after all, why spend the $$ on coilovers if you don't get the maximum performance (as well as look) that they have to offer?

papo

heh, true. sorry for sounding liek a noob, its the first time im going to be working on/with this car. So im trying to see what i can and cant do, after this i'll be alright. it wasn't like on my old car that i didnt car pulling the fenders to get an over fender look to make the wheels fit lol.

papo

Well the wheel fitment i wanted was sold before i was able to deliver the money so i settled for 17x8+38/17x9+38. I plan on running +10mm spacers all around.
as for tires for the front 205/45/17 and the rear im kinda stuck in the middle 105/45/15 or a 215/45/17
sample of the stretch:

what do you guys think?

D_Unit

With those offsets for the rear, you might as well go with 215/45/17. With a +38 offset, you can easily get away with 215/45/17. I just hope you're not getting "stanced" and "lowered" confused with one another. Anyone can "lower" a car, but "stance" is what we "try" to achieve. I drive my kids around in my XB, therefore, I have no stance. I wouldn't recommend rolling for broke like Neek, but with some nice Tein coilovers, try to go as low as you can, then decide how much spacers you need for a nice stance.