Tire/Wheel Combo Question

"Kat Callahan" (kyosuke) 07/30/2015 at 08:01 • Filed to: None

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Hey Oppo, I was on my way home from a meeting and I passed by an Up Garage, finding the above SSR 16” wheels in my bolt pattern with brand new Dunlop tires, they were only $500!!!! Alas, when they were put on my car, the tires were just slightly too wide in the rear, although perfect in the front. So disappointing. So I need some help figuring out my ideal wheel and tire combo numbers.

Right now I am running 175/65R14s on my stock GA3 14” rims. The rim width allowed apparently is 4.5j and 5.0j, if I run 15” or 16” rims, what tires should I be adding to them? Remember, the GA3 is lowered too with Tanabe springs, so I’ll probably need a fairly low profile. Clearance was fine on the Dunlops as far as height. No rubbing. Just that darn rear issue with the control arm (the issue was width on the INSIDE, not on the rear fender).

505 - morphine not found > Kat Callahan 07/30/2015 at 08:09

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If the issue was width on the inside, isn’t that an ET (offset) problem?

Other than that, there are tire size calculators on the web, like this one , which’ll help you chose a rubber that will be the same circumference as the stock 175/65R14. For instance the 185/50R16 seems to be only 1,42% different, and you’re safe within 3% difference....

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > Kat Callahan 07/30/2015 at 08:10

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What’s the offset? Because that matters just as much as the width.

Kat Callahan > 505 - morphine not found 07/30/2015 at 08:11

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Honestly, I asked about that. Perhaps I misunderstood the answer. The guy showed me part that was interfering.

Echo51 > Kat Callahan 07/30/2015 at 08:12

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Only 4.5” and 5” wide rims will fit? What are you driving, the dinkiest little eco box that exist? I mean sure, i think the Citroen C1 and similar have rims that small... Normally you want to maintain the same overall tyre circumference/diameter even when switching rims to bigger, which requires lower profiles typically. What size are you currently on, and what size rim, width x height are you planning to run?

Kat Callahan > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire 07/30/2015 at 08:12

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Current offset is 35, I believe. But the acceptable range is 35 to 45.

Kat Callahan > Echo51 07/30/2015 at 08:16

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It’s a Hondo Logo, it’s basically a kei car body with a normal civic engine in it and not a kei car engine.

And I’m currently running a 175/65R14 tire on a 14x4.5j rim. And I was hoping to run a 15x5j or 16x5j rim, but trying to figure out the tire is precisely what I’m asking for help with.

505 - morphine not found > Kat Callahan 07/30/2015 at 08:19

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Could it be, that it’s because you’re riding lower now, there is less tolerance for the offset difference? I don’t know....

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > Kat Callahan 07/30/2015 at 08:20

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What was the offset on the SSR’s? Because you might be able to run a thin spacer and they’d work

Kat Callahan > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire 07/30/2015 at 08:21

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We discussed that. Could we do it mechanically? Yes, but I was informed that it wasn’t considered safe and therefore not legal on the rear wheels. >_<

Kat Callahan > 505 - morphine not found 07/30/2015 at 08:24

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Potentially. He said 185s would work. 195s didn’t. We tried another rim with just as a test that had a 195 on it, and it was too wide, too.

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > Kat Callahan 07/30/2015 at 08:26

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Should be fine, maybe have to get longer studs

http://www.maximummotorsports.com/tech_wheels_sp…

http://www.fourwheeler.com/how-to/1110or-…

505 - morphine not found > Kat Callahan 07/30/2015 at 08:27

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I would say a 185 with 50 profile should be enough rubber for your car, so if it fits the rim, it’s worth at least trying on.... but I know this is a costly game, so maybe ask another specialist shop first?

Kat Callahan > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire 07/30/2015 at 08:30

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That’s fine, but they said the issue was legality. Notice they said it wasn’t considered safe. So it doesn’t much matter if it actually is safe or not. Stupid perhaps, but...

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > Kat Callahan 07/30/2015 at 08:32

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Oh well, could they get you those rims but in a different offset? Or is that the price that they have on the floor models only?

LongbowMkII > Kat Callahan 07/30/2015 at 08:34

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Sounds like you need to get lower offset wheels. I couldn’t see Honda having such a small clearance. But even small width increases can make a notable difference.

When I went to wider wheels on the mk2 the offset was always a concern. In my example, the original wheels were 14x5.5 et +27 and factory upgrades were 14x7 et +8.

Kat Callahan > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire 07/30/2015 at 08:36

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Up Garage is a wonderful recycled parts store. They only have what people sell them. So every time you go in the stock is different, but items are usually gently used and cleaned up, and very low price. So if I wanted SSRs in the right offset, I’d need to order them from SSR. :/

Kat Callahan > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire 07/30/2015 at 08:44

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$280 per wheel. (#)

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > Kat Callahan 07/30/2015 at 08:51

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ouch

Echo51 > Kat Callahan 07/30/2015 at 08:51

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http://www.wheel-size.com/calc/?wheel1=1… Or one of the other numerous calculators for it. Measure how much clerance you have in/out and such, and then play with this. I don’t know the ET of either of your rims, so might wanna check that number too.

Kat Callahan > Echo51 07/30/2015 at 09:00

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I actually did, but I wasn’t entirely sure what the answers meant. Now I know. The ET, if you mean offset, is a range of 35 to 45.

So now I think I understand that to go from 14x4.5j rim with 175/65r14 tire on a 35-45 offset, I’m probably looking at 185/50 (possibly even 45, but maybe that is too thin)R16 with a 45 offset.

Tohru > Kat Callahan 07/30/2015 at 09:07

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By my mental rule of thumb, 175/65/14 = 185/55/15 = 195/45/16.

I would say get the spacers. Just put the stock wheels on for shaken. It might not be letter of the law legal, but is there a huge risk of being pulled over and inspected for 10mm spacers?

Kat Callahan > Tohru 07/30/2015 at 09:14

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No clue, but I’m not in the habit of knowingly breaking Japanese law.

boxrocket > Kat Callahan 07/30/2015 at 09:16

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If you put on the correct spacers (and possibly longer lug studs) yourself, you should be fine. They’d have to remove the wheel to see the spacers, and if they’re not worried about the car being lowered, they shouldn’t worry much about the small spacer.

Hiroku > Kat Callahan 07/30/2015 at 09:16

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http://www.willtheyfit.com/

Here’s a great little site for that. They will even give you a little graphic visualization of the different wheel/tyre dimensions as you enter them.

Justin Hughes > Kat Callahan 07/30/2015 at 09:36

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So let me get this straight...

1. You got these kickass 16” SSR wheels for your cute little lunchbox.

b. The tire, not the wheel, is rubbing one of your control arms, not the wheel arch, in the rear only.

iii. Spacers are illegal in Japan?

I played with some numbers at http://tire-size-conversion.com/tire-size-calc… and it looks like a 175/50/16 might work. It’s exactly the same width as stock and just 0.4% smaller diameter. You won’t even notice a difference in your speedometer.

Gold is the fastest wheel color, by the way.

kanadanmajava1 > Kat Callahan 07/30/2015 at 09:44

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Are spacers completely illegal in Japan? In many countries they are illegal unless they are supplied by either the car or the wheel manufacturer. And are the existance of spacers checked during shaken?

I used to use cheap 5 mm spacers in my Polo (RIP) as I needed couple of mm space between the rear wheels and suspension parts. The spacers were crappy and my steel wheels sunk into them. Finally I made new ones from aluminum. They were a lot better than the cheap ones but of course still illegal as the the rule that I mentioned also applies here. I usually follow regulation quite well but some are a bit too ridiculously limited to follow.

It would be legal to make my own wheel here (there’s basically no regulations for making my own wheels). And if would have made my own wheel then I could make a spacer. Making my own car would be pretty hard and expensive but it would be also legal to make spacers for that one. But making my own or using any other spacers is illegal.

FIC offers some spacers in Japan but the parts of the page that Google could translate didn’t say anything about legality.

Kat Callahan > Justin Hughes 07/30/2015 at 09:47

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1. I didn’t no, I didn’t commit to the purchase, we put them on they didn’t work, so I didn’t buy them.

b. That was my understanding yes from both what I saw and what I felt.

iii. On the rear wheels, apparently? I dunno, I may have misunderstood. But whatever the reason was, I specifically asked about spacers, and was told it was mechanically possible, they even had some there, but that it wouldn’t be considered safe and they legally couldn’t do it.

Kat Callahan > kanadanmajava1 07/30/2015 at 09:51

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Not entirely illegal, no. I was told that if the problem was reversed, that is that the front wheels were the ones with the issues, that spacers would be fine. But spacers on the rear wheels were not considered safe and therefore they could not legally put them on.

Justin Hughes > Kat Callahan 07/30/2015 at 09:52

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iii. I know you want to fully comply with the law. But what is the nuance of the law? Is the law that Up Garage is not allowed to install spacers? Or is the law that spacers on the rear wheels are illegal? If they sell spacers, presumably people buy and use them. If the law is that the company is not allowed to take responsibility for them, it may be legal for you to take wheels and spacers home and put them on yourself. I’m not suggesting you skirt the law, just understand it so that you may be able to get what you want and still comply.

And, by my calculations, 175/50/16 should fit.

Luc - The Acadian Oppo > Kat Callahan 07/30/2015 at 09:55

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Up garage is the place dreams are made of. I wish we had versions of it here in Canada and US.