Tires, Wheels, and Springs

[shark0769]

First off, I just joined and this is my first post. I have a '95 240SX coupe/S14 that I'm just starting to mod.

My question revolves around tire width, hieght, and lowering springs. My car has the stock sized 195/60 15's and I would like to go as wide as possible, without having to make any mods to allow for wider tires. Over on 240sx.org I saw a FAQ stating that many people had gone to 225/50 15's and lowered without rubbing problems. What I'm looking for is for some kind of confirmation that I should be able to go to 225/45 16's without rubbing problems.

The next question is, how far do you think I could lower it? I've been looking at Eibach Pro's and Sports, but am unsure which would be best.

Any info would be much apprieciated. Thanks.

u should have no problem going 225 i would even say you could go 245 but with the drop i dunno i have 245 rears on my car on 300zx tt rims...... but i dunno with the drop how that would all go

[LanceS13]

225/45/16's fit easily...it looks like 245's should fit without a problem all around.  I got 225/45/16's with Eibach ProKit and no rubbing problems.  I've heard the Sportlines aren't stiff enough to justify the extra lowering and bumpstop thumping becomes a problem with spirited driving.  However, I am very satisfied with my ProKits.

245's won't fit in the front my 225's rubbed up front

[Arcane]

what about 17's???   does anybody have them on their car???  would they rub against the wheel well???

[LanceS13]

My S13 handles the 225's fine...and I always thought S14's could handle wider tires than the S13.  I think you (nismos14) have a less than ideal offset.

[shark0769]

 NISMOs14: You've got me a little confused.  In your first post you say that I "should have no problem going 225" but in your second post you say that your "225's rubbed up front ".

 Why do you think that 225's will fit on my car, when they rubbed on yours? Or did yours only start to rub after you lowered it?

You have to remember wheel offset makes a huge difference in whether or not a wheel will fit correctly inside the wheel well without rubbing. Personally I don't know what will work or what won't, but from reading the above posts, doesn't sound like that is being taken into consideration. My $.02

[trashcan]

My S13 was great at 215/45r17 in the front, and 235/45r17 in the rear. When I dropped my suspension all the way, it touched just a little bit, but it was too low to drive safely anyway.  A couple whacks with a hammer fixed that clearance issue.

Patrick

[LanceS13]

240Fan, like I said, nismos14 can't possibly have the optimum offset if he's rubbing 225's.
I have plans sometime in the distant future to put 245 tires on 17x8.5 rims all around...and I'm pretty sure it can be done if the correct offset is used.

[shark0769]

I'm set up 4x114.3 with 40mm offset. Does that change things?

[LanceS13]

4x114.3 is bolt pattern and has nothing to do with offset.  Offset is affected by rim/tire width and wheelwell/suspension clearance.

[shark0769]

Okay LanceS13, you've lost me.  Can you explain it a little further to a rookie, please?

[rabbit23]

we need a faq page or something, it seems like all the same questions come up! but to answer your question. i run 225/40/18's with 45mm offset. no rubbing problems what so ever. i am going to change to 245's in the rear in a couple of months or so. i think i have plenty of room to accomplish this. my car still has stock suspension, i am trying to find a lowering solution, every 240 i've seen doesn't look low enough. but i might have to give up looks to performance and get the eibach prokit. from what i've been reading and researching our 240's suffer from anemia in the suspension upgrade department.

[LanceS13]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Quote: from shark0769 on 10<img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':0'>7 am on Nov. 28, 2001
Okay LanceS13, you've lost me. Can you explain it a little further to a rookie, please?
</td></tr></table><span id='postcolor'>
I'm lazy...so this should answer questions
bolt pattern
offset

[Gold240se]

His stock rim size is 15 inch? He doesn't have the 16 inch option so his rim width is probably smaller too. I don't think a 245 will fit. &nbsp;I 've been told that a 215 is as big as you coould safely go with out the side walls looking too much like this /___\ . The side walls roll more in hard cornering with too wide a tire for the rim. For example the rear tire of a Viper has very little or no tire hang over. &nbsp;I say 215 maybe 225 but that's just me. And if your rims are wide enough. &nbsp;I think it might be 6 inches wide while the 16 inch is 6.5 I think.

[shark0769]

Gold240se - you're correct, the 15&quot; wheel is 6&quot; wide, but I'm getting new (wider) wheels at the same time. You're also correct that the stock 16&quot; wheels are 6.5&quot; wide.

rabbit23 - what year is your 240?

LanceS13 - thanks for the links...cleared it up for me.

Does anyone else have an S14 with wider than stock tires? Certainly there have to be more people out there that have gone wider than 195 or 205. Post what you have and how well it (did or didn't) fit.

&nbsp;Thanks to everyone so far for thier input. I feel like I'm getting close to having enough info to make an intelligent decision.

[rabbit23]

i have a 95 240.

[shark0769]

rabbit23, you run 225/40/18's with 45mm offest on all four wheels, or just the front?

[chinderer]

i have a 96' SE with 225/50-16's on it. &nbsp;I've seen a lot of people running 255s and one or two running 275's (only on the rear of course). &nbsp;When i had my friends 300zx tt rims on mine i had alot of room for biggertires on the back, while i did rub once or twice turning sharp with the 225s on the front. &nbsp;

[chinderer]

One more thing, when i finally pay off my car i plan on getting a turbo and 17x9.5 Konig Monsoons on the back w/ 275/40-17's and 17x8 with 235/45-17s on the front. &nbsp;Hope they don't rub too much.