Please help with tire sizing

[ghosts14]

I am researching some tire sizes for a '96 240.

If I went with 18 x 8.5, would the offset be +32 to make the wheels flush with the fenders, front and rear, or am I totally off base.

I am having a hard time finding wheels with offests so low, mostly what I have seen are are 40 and 45.

[matic 240sx]

yes, its going to be very hard to find some.  you might was to go with spacers.. not those ghetto plates you buy at autozone real spacers...  its bolted on to your hub and it has new bolts sticking off of it.

[adey]

Speaking of this, is there a chart anywhere that shows what wheels will fit on our cars?? Like an excel file w/ wheel diameter, width and offsets that will fit on our cars without hammered out fenders/additional flares/widebody kits??

That would be reeeallllyyy useful.

anyone who knows how to do some basic math, use excel, and with a lot of time on their hands wanna put this together? <img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=';)'> &nbsp;come onnnnn I know you're out there...

[adey]

Oh yeah I forgot the most important part of my question. <img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':)'> &nbsp;

Will I be able to fit 215s on a 7" wide rim? what about 225s? is 205 the "ideal" size for 7" and what happens if I don't use the ideal size for a rim?

[luey02]

Ideal rim width is 85% - 90% tire width. &nbsp;215mm tire is good for 7" rim.

ghost, that's a wide rim and that offset is good, I think it's even on the safe side. &nbsp;I have an s13 so I'm not 100% positive.

Adey, if you tell me what the distance is between stock inner tire and springs, I'll show you how to calculate... also stock offset and stock rim width...

[adey]

first of all, FARK TRIPOD for not hosting my avatar. <img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':)'> &nbsp;haha... secondly, you are a very kind person for offering the service. <g> &nbsp;I will measure the distances when I get my stockers off.

When you say the diff between inner tyre and inner spring, do you just mean the distance from inside of tire (facing car side as opposed to facing outside) to the inside of spring, or am I completely off?

[CounterfeitSilvia]

http://www.mindspring.com/~toy4two/offset.html

http://www.tolan-hoechst.com/cars/tirecalc.htm

This should help for the offset calculator. I was hoping to get the same size wheels you are looking at for my S14 also. So, let us know how it works out for you and what you decided to do about the offset.

[luey02]

i hate buying a rim costing 2k and have to worry about whether it'll fit or not... &nbsp;I can't measure it cuz I'll be putting on coilovers...and when lowered it's gonna be different! &nbsp;this &nbsp;sucks!

[CounterfeitSilvia]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (luey02 @ April 04 2002,10:41)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">i hate buying a rim costing 2k and have to worry about whether it'll fit or not... I can't measure it cuz I'll be putting on coilovers...and when lowered it's gonna be different! this sucks!</td></tr></table><span id='postcolor'>
Go by a tire shop and see if they have a similar size for you to can get a test fit. Especially chains like "Discount Tire" should be able to help you out. Play the "I looking to order a set or wheels from you guys and wondered if you had something close that I could test fit". It might be worth a shot.

[ghosts14]

Thanks for all the help with the tires. &nbsp;Some one had mentioned spacers. &nbsp;Where can I find these? &nbsp;and what is the stock offset for a 1996 240 se. &nbsp;Are 18's to big for my car, sould I just go with 17's?

CounterfeitSilvia, thanks for the calculators, they are very helpful.

[ghosts14]

one more thing, the stock size on a 96 is 16 x 7, right?

[ghosts14]

one more thing, the stock size on a 96 is 16 x 7, right? But what is the stock offset.

[JpS]

ghost, learn how to use the edit function.

buy anyway, 18's would problably fit, but 17's would have several advatages:
1)cheaper wheels
2)cheaper tires
3)less rotational mass=better acceleration