I also didnt listen and put some wide rubber on my FD and am paying for it. The fronts dont like a much wider tire but the rears can handle a pretty wide tire as long as a few things are considered. First of all the size tires and wheels I run are 255/35/18 up front on a +40 wheel offset. Stock type struts and HKS lowering springs. I had first went with H&R springs but it was just too low up front. Pulled my fender lips down, broke the paint and rubbed in the fender well also. It didnt rub unless I was turning hard into a driveway or onto a road but when it rubbed it cut up the tire and trashed my fender lips. Even rolling the fenders will only help say 80% of the rubbing. I changed the springs out to the HKS springs but it still rubs a little. I think I am doomed unless I change the tire size or change the struts to coilovers so I can run more offset and stick the wheel inside the wheel well further. That means selling the front wheels and buying something like a +42 or +45 etc. You cant really do that with stock springs and struts because the diamter of the spring is too big and the tire will touch the spring. Coilovers use a smaller spring diameter and will accomidate more wheel inboard towards the struts and springs. This is the route I will be going I think. The REARS fit great with 285/30/18's also with a +40 wheel offset. I think it makes a significant difference that they are 18 and not 17 inch wheels. The extra inch of wheel diameter does help it clear the trailing arm because of the angle the trailing arms sits. I would not try it with a 17 inch wheel with stock trailing arms. The M2 trailing arms will free up enough room because they are thinner than stock and probably accomidate the 285 17's. Ride height is also a consideration but even with lowering springs I have used and the offset of the wheels the rears are fit fine with no problems and no rubbing what so ever. By the way the wheels and Volk TE-37's 18x8.5 in front and 18x9.5 in rear with bridgestone S-03's 255/35/18F and 285/30/18R. good luck.

 

I got boned this way as well. Tire rack sold me 17x8" +38 SSRs for the front, and i don't think thats enough offset. The rears are 17x9 +45, and i would have used a 17x8 +45 front if I had it to do over again.

 

FWIW, I've been running 255/40-17 all around, on 9 x 17, 45-mm offset SSR Integral A2s with H&R springs. Over a year and no rubbing problems.

 

zoomzoom - I will check to see how much clearance I have on my trailing arms next time I have my car on a lift. Do you have a pic of the 285 rear? thanks!

 

I do but I am in NJ at work and wont be home for a couple weeks. My car is at KDR in PA and will get it back soon I hope. I can snap some pics to show you if I pick it up this week. Just remind me in a week or 2. I had some on the forum but they have since dissapeared. Guess the host deleted them. They were in the Wheel/tire section on the sticky.

 

I have 285-30-18 with 18x10 +49 on the rear of my fd with no fitmet or rub problems (they come close to the link and the fender well but don't rub). The front are a different story 255-35-18 on 18x9 +42 and brrrrrmmmm IS the sound of the fender being pulled out . Luckly it wasn't to bad and was able to roll the fenders, so far they haven't rubbed again but I am more careful now (not that I wasn't before but even more now). I will try to post a picture of zoom zoom's car later today but hear is mine. I will try to get a better one later.www.rx good luck Jeff

 

Can you elaborate on this

 

More understeer, and slower acceleration, is what Max is referring to. Try a search. Lots of info on this board.

 

Make sure your car is on an ALIGNMENT LIFT, so that the suspension is loaded. That's the only way to see the clearance from the trailing arms. Actually you don't need a lift just crawl underneath, and check the inside rim lip clearance away from the rear trailing arm.

 

the picture of zoom zoom's wouldn't post.

 

I'll try a couple of mine. It has Eibach springs and Koni yellow shocks with the rear on the lowest setting 1 1/2" total and the front on the middle 1 1/4" total drop.[IMG]http://[/IMG]

 

another, sorry about the poor quality. Some day I need to figure out how to do this right!! [IMG]http://[/IMG]

 

jr426

 

jr426, what wheels are those? They're NICE! Like the tires too! Glad you didn't skimp, and went with the S-03s

 

Yeah, the front would be better at 9 x 17, 45-mm offset or 49-mm offset...Nice wheels! Are they Volk GTNs?

 

Love the "look" of wide tires in back It is overkill though. Look at the contact patch the 285s make statically with a 50/50 weight distribution, 2750-lb Rx7. The rears tires only have "dirt" just barely past the last set of outer grooves! The outside shoulder edges do not touch the ground! I presume the "unused" outer portions of the 285s "could" be used during road course track events or autocrosses

If you ever walk past a 2002 Porsche 996 Carrera 4S. Check out the 295/30-18s (on 11 x 18) that car has. That car NEEDs 295 tires. The engine sits at the ***-end of the car, thus loading the rear tires STATICALLY, so you'll see dirt near the outside shoulders of the 295 tire

 

Yeah, watch out for diameter (rubbing) problems if you go 245/45 or 255/40. Those may be too big for the front depending on your suspension setup.

-Max

 

You are absolutely right, 285 would not be used to the max hell I'm not using my 275 completely (see pic). 285s would look bad *** but like you said its overkill.

Even with my 17s there is enough clearance with the stock trailing arm, I-arm and toe link to fit probably 295s (see pic) For now I will stick with the 275s or even go down to 265 so I can get the SO3s but if I ever have a few bills to burn I will slap 285 out back



BTW 911 GTS has 235 front and 315 out back (80mm diff)

 

 

trailing

 

contact patch

 

same

 

It also has a rear-heavy weight distribution (42/58?), so it needs wider tires out back. The FD does not have weight distribution like that.

I have had my car setup to understeer a lot and it is no fun on the street. The front just pushes too much, most notably on light to moderate acceleration through or out of a turn. It sucks that way -- no fun. A little bit of understeer is probably ideal for the street for most drivers (me included), but a lot of understeer is an entirely different story.

It does look like you have enough room for wider tires. I wish tire companies made 285/35-17. That would be a great size for FDs. I'd say your current tires are pretty much done!

-Max

 

Yes, they are GT-Ns. 285s are a bit overkill but they had 0 miles on them in that picture so they didn't have a chance to "get dirty" yet. I am keeping an eye on them and will realing as necessary (have 0.8 degree negitive camber on rear). No point in putting that big of a tire on just to use only the inside half. One thing I have learned from my rim buying experance is that Mackin does not know proper fittment for RX7s, it was a 4 month nightmare to get my rims.

 

We could have helped you here