natty99

iTrader: (6)

Hey guys....sorry that this may be a silly question, but my lack of expereince with aftermarket wheels and their fitments compels me to ask. Please keep in mind that I am NOT interested in wheel spacers, just how to choose a decent offset and how to determine it. So....

what offset would make a 7 inch wide wheel fit as flush as possible with the body? For me, the aesthetics of an aftermarket wheel is not only that it fills the wheel well sufficiently, but that the RIM comes out enough that it fits flush with the body. I'm currently interested in a set of 17 x 7 inch wheels that have a 40mm offset. The stock SE wheels in the rear are so far inside the body, I just can't stand it....

Also, in general, how do you determine the proper offset of a wheel (given a certain width) in order to make the rim fit flush with the car body? Can you pelase comment on where the following wheels will fit with relation to the body (i.e. will they fit flush, stick out, or still be deep inside the body?)

18 x 7.5 wheel with 45mm offset
18 x 8.5 wheel with 45mm offset
18 x 8.5 wheel with 25mm offset

Your input and expereince would be greatly appreciated.

BlackMaxdout

generally, the smaller the offset, the farther inside the wheel well it is going to be. The one you listed as 25mm would be farthest into the well. Stock Maxima offsets are in the mid 30's. The other two that you listed as 45mm, the wider one will stick out farther since the offset is the same, but the rim itself is wider.

Mxrider52

iTrader: (8)

Are you sure that is right? I am sure the smaller the offset the farther it sits out.

Stock SE wheels have a 45mm offset.

I have 35mm offset and they sit pretty much flush with the fender.

BlackMaxdout

oh, I must have it backwards then.

MorpheusZero

iTrader: (10)

This is correct. The less offset, the further they stick out. Stock SE 5 spokes are 45mm.

My fronts are 16*8.5 with about a 35mm offset (I think), and they just barely stick out. I think 18*8.5 with a 25mm offset would stick out a bit too far. 18*8.5 with a 45mm offset would be more flush than stock by about 3/4", but would still sit inside the wheelwell/tuck. 18*7.5 +45 would be more flush than stock by about 1/4" (not really flush at all).

Here's a good diagram to give you an idea of how it all works:



The vertical dot-dashed line is through the exact middle of the wheel.

MaximaSE96

iTrader: (8)

yes the smaller the offest the more "pushed out" the wheels will be....i run +40mm with 16.5 spacers and i dont rub

natty99

iTrader: (6)

Thanks guys for your input, much appreciated.

So i assume the best way to make the wheel flush with the fender is to actually 'fine tune' with wheel spacers. Are there any disadvantages to using wheel spacers in terms of handling and performance? Do they put any strain on the wheel hub?

Thanks again

JeremysBlkMax97

iTrader: (1)

I currently havr 18x7 Axis wheels w/ 45mm offset. So far, I think I would need about +10mm in front and about 15-20mm in back to sit mostly flush with wheel arches and allow clearance for a Z32 BBK, but every wheel design is different. Unless you want to go custom, I would look for a wheel in the 35-38mm range, and space out the rear as necessary once installrd. If you bring the rear wheels out too much though, you will either need to roll the fenders or incur tire damage.


Front wheel:


Decent rear pic:

MorpheusZero

iTrader: (10)

Using anything beyond very mild spacers compromises the structural integrity of your lugs. Usually the consensus is that anything above 5-10mm spacers and you should run longer lugs, otherwise it's unsafe and if you hit a pothole or something, bad things could happen.

Mxrider52

iTrader: (8)

Here use this. Give pretty good examples.

Stock SE wheels have a 45mm offset and are 6.5 inches wide. Just mess with that then go measuring your car to see if you can figure out what you want.

http://marksink.com/tire_wheel_offset/offset.html

MorpheusZero

iTrader: (10)

Pretty sure they're 7" wide?

Apparition

iTrader: (5)

yeah 18x8.5 with a 35-38mm offset would be very nice and then throw maybe a 10-15mm in the rear. 25mm thats overkill..

I had 16x8 SSR Comps 38+ offset with 15mm spacer in the @ss and it looked great.

huyqvu

iTrader: (10)

i have 18x8 club lineas with a 32offset on 235/40/18 and it rubs a bit when i hit a bump. i have about maybe 1.5 finger gap on all four corners.

beefy23b/97

I've got 18x8 30mm 350z wheels and they are almost perfectly flush on rear but a little far out on front, maybe 1/4 inch but look great. if you could get a hold of the staggered offset 350z wheels i think the 32mm offset in front would flush them up.

NmexMAX

iTrader: (22)

How sure are you....

And to the OP... Check the wheel tire forum and there is a very useful calculator there.

The reason I used spacers with the Maxima is because the front and rear are not equally distant from their respective fender wells.

In so many words a 10mm spacer wont do the same for the front as it did for the rear, and in order for them to sit evenly front and rear, you need larger sapcers in the rear and smaller in front. Unless you go staggered, but I wouldn't.

I have 8" wide +40 + 15mm spacer for the rear and 8" +40 + 5mm spacer for the fron

myblzurchn

So would a 17" wheel with a +42 offset look good at all without the spacers? I am considering getting a new full set of Motegi's in that size. (mainly because I will be getting the full set without tires for about $150, so its a great deal non the less) And I guess I could just go the spacer route, I already need 2 new lugs for the front anyway.

Flava_24/7

iTrader: (46)

Im on 18x8.5 +35 and using a 20mm spacer in the rear.