Stock Set-up and 15 x 6.5 Wheels: Too Big?

[Twistiva]

That's a nice rim! Yeah, I can see why you want to go that route. You'll do well with a set of coilovers. That should be the solution to your offset and fender rubbing issue, along with those 165/50R15 tires.

Glad you approve! :thumbs_up:

The sad part is they don't make that exact wheel anymore. Stopped selling them several months ago. They make one that is the same design but they paint the center section of each of the spokes black. I like the silver so if I buy it I'll have to paint the black silver. What a pain.....:cry_smile: Sounds idiotic but that's how that exact wheel was sold; natural metal/machined finish on the raised areas and painted silver for everything else. Don't know why they didn't just leave it ALL a natural metal/machined silver surface. To me, that would have looked SUPERB!

Think I'm gonna go for it. Buy some aftermarket coilovers and see what happens. For me, rolling the fenders is not an option so if I just can't get it to fit I'll have to sell them.

Thanks, guys, to everyone for all your help on this!

[DriverOne]

Re: Stock Set-up and 15 x 6.5 Wheels: Too Big?

That's a nice rim! Yeah, I can see why you want to go that route. You'll do well with a set of coilovers. That should be the solution to your offset and fender rubbing issue, along with those 165/50R15 tires.

[Twistiva]

Twistiva........It would help a lot if we knew exactly which wheels you had in mind.

DriverOne -

Here you go:

http://www.victoriatire.com/wheel_XXR_008%20SILVER

What say you?

[FestYboy]

Driver, AFAIK you can't use the civic strut as it is too short, and the golf struts need a collet spacer in the rear and re-drill in the front to work. the other option is to modify the factory strut perches by trimming them down to the diameter of the screw sets used and running 200 and 175 x10" springs (F/R). the other option i've seen is using 323 (BF) struts up front.

[DriverOne]

Re: Stock Set-up and 15 x 6.5 Wheels: Too Big?

Twistiva, it's good to ask questions. The coilover setup would be necessary on all four corners. Our springs are some 4" across. Coilovers are usually 2.5" across. That means that you could theoretically use the wheels without needing spacers at all. That MIGHT be enough to keep you from rolling your fenders, but I'll take this a step further and suggest that you do not use a 195/45R15, but instead use a 165/50R15. http://item.mobileweb.ebay.com/viewi...assified=false The 7" tire will cause you issues, but this tire is intended for a 6" wide wheel. Since yours is a half inch wider, you will have what is called stretch, because the sidewalls of the tires will extend a quarter inch beyond flush. This is ok, and will give you a better chance of mounting your assembly because you won't have the 7" tire under there, you'll have a 6" tire that the Festiva is a lot more capable of using. See in this image how the tires fit the wheels? That's how they'll fit yours. In fact, the car will sit like that with the coilovers on it if you so choose.

Festyboy, it's the Civic strut mount design that you don't have to alter, isn't it? I know that the Golf mount requires a redrilling.

Oh yeah... Even though your wheels are aluminum, they may weigh more than the steel wheels. It would help a lot if we knew exactly which wheels you had in mind.

[Twistiva]

Dont forget once you get your heavy wheels you will need to go to a stud setup... well maybe not with steelies

Wheels are aluminum.

Why not just buy longer lugs?

Here's what 'thirdman' used: 12mm x 1.50 Conical Seat 27mm lug bolts (stock bolts up front). He didn't report any problems.

Not saying you're wrong, just don't understand your reasoning.

[Twistiva]

what the coil overs do is shrink the size of the spring perch allowing you to push the wheel in further and thus negating the need to roll you fender (to a point).

Any idea as to average cost of aftermarket coil overs?

And, we're talking just about the rears, correct?

Last, any guesses as to my question about how 'thirdman' was able to not roll his fenders?

Sorry for the million questions. I drive 'em, just learning how to work on 'em....

Thx!

[Flyin4stroke]

Dont forget once you get your heavy wheels you will need to go to a stud setup... well maybe not with steelies

[FestYboy]

what the coil overs do is shrink the size of the spring perch allowing you to push the wheel in further and thus negating the need to roll you fender (to a point).

[Twistiva]

i run a 14x6 +35mm with a 185/60 tire, i had to roll the fenders. You plan to run a 10mm wider tire, you will also have to roll your fenders.

Crap. :nightmare:

Don't want to roll the fenders.

How in the heck did 'thirdman' get away with NOT rolling his fenders? From what I can tell in the pix, he didn't roll his? (I PM'd him a long time ago and asked him if he did but never got a response.)

How much would aftermarket coilovers help the situation?

Yeah, if there's no friggin way around it then it is what it is but if new coilovers would solve it, I'm game....

[FestYboy]

i run a 14x6 +35mm with a 185/60 tire, i had to roll the fenders. You plan to run a 10mm wider tire, you will also have to roll your fenders.

[DriverOne]

Re: Stock Set-up and 15 x 6.5 Wheels: Too Big?

Festyboy hit the nail on the head there. It seems I was 5mm off concerning spacer sizing. The picture you posted shows me that the outer tread will rub if there is anything heavy in the car, or if it dips in the road, or under moderate cornering. That's why I suggested rolling the fenders. The goal is to achieve full suspension travel without the tires rubbing. This might warrant a video explanation.

[Twistiva]

By attempting to avoid the struts, you're going to need some fender rolling.

Fender rolling: you really think so? For a wheel / tire combo only 2mm wider than 'thirdman's'? Look at this pix of 'thirdman's' Festy: (hopefully it will post). Plus, look at how much vertical clearance he has between his tires and the wheel wells (though, granted, there's no extra weight [driver, passenger, stuff] in his car in this pix)

ok twist, here's where I'm gonna stop you before you get yourself in trouble. From here on out, you have to think in terms of back spacing, not offset. They are related to eachother, but only in the sense of the both have something to do with where the wheel hub face is.

What you need to know is what's the MAXIMUM backspacing you can fit before you start hitting suspention pieces.

Rright now you want a 15x6.5 +42 (1.66")wheel, that gives you a backspacing of 6.5/2+1.66 = 4.91" birdman uses 15x6 +40 (1.575") which is 6/2+1.575 = 4.575"
the Festy uses a 12x5 +38 (1.5") which is 5/2+1.5 = 4"

The reason i'm taking the width and dividing by 2 is because the offset is the differance from the wheel centerline (half the width). So your +/- offset numbers come from that. if i were to have a 8" wide rim with a +0 offset, you have a backspacing of 4" and if that same rim had a -25mm offset, the backspacing would be just under 3", where a +25mm offset will yield a 5" backspace.

so figure you can have a max of 4.4" backspace in a Festy and work from there. use the spacers to alter the offset #. I get that you need a 29mm offset total which nets a 13mm spacer to fit.

FestYboy -

OK, I'll have to go through your math tomorrow. Not saying your wrong, just want to take some time to get smart on the backspacing stuff; that's new to me. Thanks for posting!

If anyone else wants to chime in, please do! :thumbs_up:

[FestYboy]

ok twist, here's where I'm gonna stop you before you get yourself in trouble. From here on out, you have to think in terms of back spacing, not offset. They are related to eachother, but only in the sense of the both have something to do with where the wheel hub face is.

What you need to know is what's the MAXIMUM backspacing you can fit before you start hitting suspention pieces.

Rright now you want a 15x6.5 +42 (1.66")wheel, that gives you a backspacing of 6.5/2+1.66 = 4.91" birdman uses 15x6 +40 (1.575") which is 6/2+1.575 = 4.575"
the Festy uses a 12x5 +38 (1.5") which is 5/2+1.5 = 4"

The reason i'm taking the width and dividing by 2 is because the offset is the differance from the wheel centerline (half the width). So your +/- offset numbers come from that. if i were to have a 8" wide rim with a +0 offset, you have a backspacing of 4" and if that same rim had a -25mm offset, the backspacing would be just under 3", where a +25mm offset will yield a 5" backspace.

so figure you can have a max of 4.4" backspace in a Festy and work from there. use the spacers to alter the offset #. I get that you need a 29mm offset total which nets a 13mm spacer to fit.

[DriverOne]

Re: Stock Set-up and 15 x 6.5 Wheels: Too Big?

It's all good, and yes, you're right. What you're doing is changing the offset of the wheel by adding spacers. What normally would have tucked under will now stick out. By attempting to avoid the struts, you're going to need some fender rolling. Are you absolutely sure those are the EXACT wheels, and you can't see the car with anything else? If that's the case, I recommend using some aftermarket coilovers to add usable space to your fender wells. Then you won't need such big spacers.