JimmyJimboJet

i'm gonna go with 17"wheels all around, just wondering how wide i could go, wheel-and-tire-wise, on a 3rd gen with stock fenders, front and rear? thanks in advance

SleepR1

Anyone want to bring Jimbo up to speed on the perfect 17-inch wheel/tire fitment

Nathan Kwok

Well that depends if you consider rolled fenders stock . For totally stock fenders, everyone together now, 255/40 on 17x9 wheels with 45-50mm offset. Tada! If you roll your fenders you can go to 9.5 wide and 275 tires, with the right offset you may not even have to roll the fenders but its not a certain thing.

JimmyJimboJet

wow, that's a lot bigger than i expected....that's all the way around or just front or rear er what? thanks for the quick replies guys

SleepR1

Thank you, Nathan!

Yes, I run 255/40-17 Yokohama AVS Intermediates on 9 x 17, 45-mm offset SSR Integral A2s all the way around. I have H&R sport springs, stock Showa R1 shocks, and Eibach sway bars fr/rr. I have absolutely NO RUBBING.

FWIW, I run a conservative, -1.2 degrees of negative camber fr/rr...

Performance is astounding...pretty much overkill on the public off/on-ramps, and just what you need on the autocross and open-track circuits

JimmyJimboJet

thanks for the info sleep.

SleepR1

Jimbo,

If you want to go really wide with stock style coil springs and stock fenderlips, you can try 9.5 x 17 with 50.4-mm offsets. You'll need to go with Complete Custom Wheels though, as there are no Japanese aftermarket wheel makers that will have this size and offset available for the FD Rx7.

You'll still be limited to a 255/40-17 tire size (limited by overall tire diameter NOT tire section width), but you can pick the widest of the 255s, as each manufacturer has their own idea of how wide a 255/40-17 should be

IMO, the widest 255/40-17 R-compound tire is the Kumho V700 Victoracer. This size ends up being 10.8 inches wide on a 9.5-inch wide rim. This is AS wide as a typical 275/40-17!

The problem with going wider than 255/40-17 is that 265/40- and 275/40- 17s are all taller than the stock 225/50-16 (which is ~24.9 inches). If you go taller, you run the risk of rubbing the front fender lips with the taller tire size's outside shoulder blocks (inboard and outboard), when the suspension compresses while turning left or right.

JimmyJimboJet

well i was looking at S-03s, SSR Comps in17x8.5 front and 17x9.5 rear, with Apex'i N1 coilovers all around.........i would most likely be doing the suspension and wheels/tires at the same time, this winter sometime. and rolling the fenders wouldn't be a problem for me...and i would be keeping the stock 16 inch wheels, new rubber on them and using them for autoX or drag or opentrack or whatever.

SleepR1

JimmyJet,

If I were going to put road tires on my SSR Comps, I'd go 235/45-17 (fr) and 255/40-17 S-03s.

If the Apex'i N1 coilovers are 2.5-inch outer diameter, I'd go full-bore and get CCW P4 Mesh in FIVE 10 x 18 (2-inch offset) with 285/30-18 Kumho Ecsta 700 tires--four to go all the way around, and the fifth to serve as a full-size spare if you're driving to/from open-track events.

You can use the stockers as road wheels/tires...

JimmyJimboJet

what are the CCW P4 Mesh'sesessses?...

man, what a mess to say that word.

SleepR1

John Purner (CCW founder) made a P3 Mesh wheel center originally for a 16-inch wheel diameter. When he began making 17-inch wheel diameters, he continued using the P3 mesh wheel centers. They became an issue with larger brake calipers and rotors (not to mention looking "goofy"), so he fabbed larger wheel centers (still in a mesh design), termed "P4".

Apparently John's up to his old antics, as P4 is currently used for EIGHTEEN INCH CCW WHEELS Perhaps if enough people complain he'll make a "P5" wheel center?

Note that larger wheel centers mean more weight...so there will be a compromise (life's just full of trade-offs!).

You're wondering what "P" means...if I had to guess...I would say "P" is for "P"urner...well wouldn't you name wheel designs after the first letter of your last name?

Turbo_Rotary

I wanted to know the same thing, except for a FC. What's the widest wheel and tires I can go with for the rear if I have Tein HA coilovers and I rolled the fenders (for 16 inch wheels). I don't really care too much about the front because I'm going to get the Mariah Motorsports E-Production fenders and I can just ask them. I already tried the search function, but it didn't come up with anything.

bkapold@aol.com

On an FC John @ CCW made some 17x 9's up front and 17 x 10's rear for some guy that works across from him...I'm not sure of the offset but needless to say that wide. Kevin Wyum has CCW's on an FD that are 17 x11's in the rear and 17 x 10's or 9.5's up front....He has 315 stuffed under there..What a site!

I have 17 x 9's on my FC and there is no rubbing..If your into track/auto-x might I suggest 245's x 4...It works great....You wil have to role the front fenders though....my .02 Brad

Turbo_Rotary

Cool, thanks for the info Brad.

DamonB

A fellow RX-7 buddy just bought CCW 18x10's for all four corners. The fenders aren't rolled and he uses the same offset at all four corners. Unfortunately I already forgot what he said the offset was

He had to run coil overs up front to provide clearance, and the rears try to rub the sway bar when jacked up; at ride height there are no issues. He runs ASP and outran the Z06's without suffering any rubbing problems. And the car looks mean with 18x10's....

SleepR1

The offset was probably 2-inches (50.8 mm).

JimmyJimboJet

I'm not too sure about 18's....they would look gigantic on such a small car...anyone have any pics?

R1Outcast

Mine are 275 - (40 or 35...I forgot ) in the back.

Low profile tires are hard to find in this size...but at least my rims don't get bent when I run over a pot hole.

R1Outcast

Oh, and they're 17's.

bkapold@aol.com

I love black wheels like yours.. I have a dark gray color now...

and I think that offset is either 40mm or 35mm...Buy CCW wheels, for the money there is nothing better.....Brad

SleepR1

10 x 17 CCWs are tough because the rears need wheel spacers to clear the rear trailing arms...this precludes rotation...10 x 18s are much better...

Johnsrx7

I am running 17x8.5 with 245/40r17s up front and 17x10 with 26540r17 out back on stock suspension and stock fenders on my FD with no problems. However, I have Fikse FM/10s that were custom made for the car. AS for the offset, I don't remember, however if you call Fikse or Rishie, they can tell you.

R1Outcast

Mine are actually painted black. They were all silver but since they're two-piece, it was easy to keep the black and silver separate. I've seen them all black (no silver lip) but it kind of looks like you're riding on four spare tires .

bkapold@aol.com

the all black look has really got'n out of hand with the Honda, Neon, crowd....Its really an F-1 and Cart thing, but all cool things must come to an end.. The black w/ polished outside like yours is my favorite .....Cheers!!!

I just bought some new O-Z Superlegarra's in gray for the street (17 x 9) 15.5lbs) and I really like them so far. It gives an RX-7 more of a DTM look if you follow me? I'm a Euro guy at heart and will always have them....