Thinking of going from 18s to 17s

[LatentWagen]

You could indeed. That's what I did, anyway.

[LatentWagen]

You could indeed. That's what I did, anyway.

[hadvw]

Speaking of wheels/brakes.. I'd like to try tracking and have a way to swap pads easily (like Brembos, etc).

 

Better off buying a bunch of 18s and doing the CTS-V conversion, or getting the AP Racing BBK and some more (cheap) OEM 17 wheels?

 

Any other way I didn't think of to do this cheaper? Is there a Willwood application that would last a season or two that fits OEM wheels and is cheaper? Bay Area (NorCal), so salt/sand isn't a real issue..

 

Willing to spend some $$ (and know I won't recover too much of it) to try it out before I go all out and buy/build a dedicated car for it..

[hadvw]

Speaking of wheels/brakes.. I'd like to try tracking and have a way to swap pads easily (like Brembos, etc).

 

Better off buying a bunch of 18s and doing the CTS-V conversion, or getting the AP Racing BBK and some more (cheap) OEM 17 wheels?

 

Any other way I didn't think of to do this cheaper? Is there a Willwood application that would last a season or two that fits OEM wheels and is cheaper? Bay Area (NorCal), so salt/sand isn't a real issue..

 

Willing to spend some $$ (and know I won't recover too much of it) to try it out before I go all out and buy/build a dedicated car for it..

[Smithcraft]

Looks like I might be picking up some 17s later today...

 

Who needs brakes, a clutch, and timing belt?

 

SC

[fahr_side]

Speaking of wheels/brakes.. I'd like to try tracking and have a way to swap pads easily (like Brembos, etc).

 

Better off buying a bunch of 18s and doing the CTS-V conversion, or getting the AP Racing BBK and some more (cheap) OEM 17 wheels?

 

Any other way I didn't think of to do this cheaper? Is there a Willwood application that would last a season or two that fits OEM wheels and is cheaper? Bay Area (NorCal), so salt/sand isn't a real issue..

 

Willing to spend some $$ (and know I won't recover too much of it) to try it out before I go all out and buy/build a dedicated car for it..

 

 

 

Lots of 17" wheels fit over the Brembos or an AP 330mm kit like I have. Wheels are way lighter, tires are way cheaper. The price difference in tires adds up quickly.

There are lots of good reasons you could order an STi Spec C in Japan with 17s.

[BoozeRS05]

Wilwood superlite calipers going on my wagon as soon as the weather breaks! Uses stock sized rotors and fit under OEM wheels, so no rotational loss for me and both my wheel setups should fit no problem. I've read that plenty of people DD Wilwood calipers and get years out of them before rebuilding is necessary.

[hadvw]

Lots of 17" wheels fit over the Brembos or an AP 330mm kit like I have. Wheels are way lighter, tires are way cheaper. The price difference in tires adds up quickly.

There are lots of good reasons you could order an STi Spec C in Japan with 17s.

 

I'm specifically looking at OEM 17" wheels, because that's one way to save on $$ - I already have those. If I have to buy new wheels, then 17 vs 18 doesn't matter as much - both will cost $150+/wheel, and I'll need like 10..

[Holla]

I'll echo a lot of the comments that people have already posted.

 

One of the first things I had bought for my car was a brand new set of Rota Gravels, 18x8. I absolutely hated the way the car felt with them. I ran them for maybe three months and they went up for sale. I knew something was wrong when I found myself driving my wife's CRV around town simply because I hated how my car rode with the 18's. They felt like boat anchors, steering was much heavier, and the ride quality was poor.

 

I went to a set of 5x100 sti wheels and couldn't be happier with them.

 

I believe weight has a lot to do with how rims feel on a car. I'd be interested to try a set of light weight forged 18's.

 

I just wanted to add that I did get a set of 18x8 +44 WedsSport TC-105N's that weigh around 16lbs a piece. Night and day difference compared to my old boat anchor Rotas. With a set of Bilsetin BSS coilovers and 225/40/18's my car actually rides nice. Certainly much better than the spec B Bilsteins/pinks and Rota's I used to have.

 

For a normal DD I still think 17's are the way to go though, the lighter the better.

[fahr_side]

225/40-18 is a very short side wall, and that's how I bent three rims, and that's why I gave up on 18s. I can deal with the ride quality but I can't deal with a bent wheel every couple of months.

[TheMonaLisa]

225/40-18 is a very short side wall, and that's how I bent three rims, and that's why I gave up on 18s. I can deal with the ride quality but I can't deal with a bent wheel every couple of months.

 

 

 

Were you running cast wheels?

 

 

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[fahr_side]

Were you running cast wheels?

Yes, I was using Enkei SC-24 in 18x8 and now use Enkei PF-01 in 17x8. Those cast 18s were in pretty much the same price range as the semi-forged or cast and rolled types like Enkei MAT process in 17". I had Federal 595RS on the 18s and have Advan AD08R on the 17s. There really isn't much if any difference in turn-in response between the two, though ride quality is better on the 17" setup and the car was quicker overall on the smaller wheels. I also have a set of cast 17" Enkei SC-23 I've been using on and off for 6 years now, that have done dirt roads, a tarmac / gravel rally, several track days. Five sets of tires with none getting bent.

 

The other thing I will say to the guys who are shopping on looks is this. For the same suspension setup, the shorter sidewall will make the same wheel gap look larger. With the taller sidewall somehow the gap looks smaller.

 

 

http://i464.photobucket.com/albums/rr5/fahr_side/IMG_1207P_zpscx8zwgef.jpg

 

http://i464.photobucket.com/albums/rr5/fahr_side/IMG_3443_zpsd99uqiyp.jpg

[TheMonaLisa]

Yes, I was using Enkei SC-24 in 18x8 and now use Enkei PF-01 in 17x8. Those cast 18s were in pretty much the same price range as the semi-forged or cast and rolled types like Enkei MAT process in 17". I had Federal 595RS on the 18s and have Advan AD08R on the 17s. There really isn't much if any difference in turn-in response between the two, though ride quality is better on the 17" setup and the car was quicker overall on the smaller wheels. I also have a set of cast 17" Enkei SC-23 I've been using on and off for 6 years now, that have done dirt roads, a tarmac / gravel rally, several track days. Five sets of tires with none getting bent.

 

The other thing I will say to the guys who are shopping on looks is this. For the same suspension setup, the shorter sidewall will make the same wheel gap look larger. With the taller sidewall somehow the gap looks smaller.

 

 

 

When the wheel gap is equal or bigger than the sidewall is when it looks bad.

 

I have owned 17s with 225/45 and 18s with 225/40 in both cast and flow-formed variants. I have only experienced bending with the cast 18s. The thicker sidewall on 17s seems to be enough to protect the cast wheels and the flow-formed 18s have never faltered.

 

I agree the ride quality is always better with the 17s but the 18s look so much better with a slight drop.

 

 

 

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[BoozeRS05]

One of the biggest reasons I'm struggling with keeping my 17x9 RPF1s is I can't fit a 45 series tire on them without going down to a 225/45/17. Stock fenders, camber -1 f&r, and I don't want to roll or pull.

 

Right now I have a 235/40/17 on them and the sidewall doesn't look right with the fender gap. It's probably one of the quickest setups I've ever had on the other hand.

 

I'm likely going to run 225/45/17s on my 17x9 RPF1s this year

 

 

Doesn't look terrible in my searching:

[LatentWagen]

One of the biggest reasons I'm struggling with keeping my 17x9 RPF1s is I can't fit a 45 series tire on them without going down to a 225/45/17. Stock fenders, camber -1 f&r, and I don't want to roll or pull.

 

Right now I have a 235/40/17 on them and the sidewall doesn't look right with the fender gap. It's probably one of the quickest setups I've ever had on the other hand.

 

I'm likely going to run 225/45/17s on my 17x9 RPF1s this year

 

 

Doesn't look terrible in my searching:

 

40 series is plenty of sidewall as long as you're 245+ width.

 

I run 245/40/17 on a 17x8.5... the PPS-04's that were on the car in this pic run a little wide. MPSS will be a touch skinnier.

 

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=241404&d=1480386049

 

245/40's would work perfectly with a 17x9.

[BoozeRS05]

I know it would work great on the wheel, but I need to fit the fenders..

 

I'd like to run 245/45/17s in a perfect world, but the 235/40/17s rub the inside fender liners.

[LatentWagen]

I know it would work great on the wheel, but I need to fit the fenders..

 

I'd like to run 245/45/17s in a perfect world, but the 235/40/17s rub the inside fender liners.

 

245/45 is a lot of sidewall, maybe too much for a responsive feel IMO. 45 aspect ratio, means 45% of 245 which = 110mm (55mm of sidewall top and bottom). 225/45 is 101mm, and 245/40 is 98mm. To put it in context, 205/55 is 112mm. 235/40 is only 93mm.

 

With proper offset wheels, and running at a realistic/functional height, 245/40/17 would be no issue. I can only get the 245's to rub if the car has 3+ people in it and I take a corner at 8+/10. Almost never happens. Inside top of the rear tires barely make contact with the plastic body/wheelwell liner. No roll or pull on my fenders.

[fahr_side]

The roads around here often resemble a motocross track so anything shorter than about 100mm is just asking for trouble, especially as mentioned on cast wheels.

 

I ended up with 235/45-17 tires as best compromise. 225/45-17 fits well but after the last round of power mods didn't feel like enough contact patch, and gearing was too short. 245/40-17 is too short and too wide. 245/45-17 would work for diameter but I'd rub for sure on ET45 rims and ET50 is unobtainium.

 

Running 225 section tires on 9J wheels is a bit wasteful and unnecessarily heavy IMO. 8J would do fine.

 

When the wheel gap is equal or bigger than the sidewall is when it looks bad.

 

 

Exactly. fender gap > sidewall height = Jeep look

[TheMonaLisa]

245/45-17 would work for diameter but I'd rub for sure on ET45 rims and ET50 is unobtainium.

 

 

Ah but 18x8.5 et 48 is obtainable.

 

 

 

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[Holla]

225/40-18 is a very short side wall, and that's how I bent three rims, and that's why I gave up on 18s. I can deal with the ride quality but I can't deal with a bent wheel every couple of months.

 

 

Yeah, these tires came with the rims and they are pretty much brand new. I'm in the same situation as Booze though. Right now nothing rubs and nothing has been rolled or pulled. With a 18x8 +42 I can already tell with a 225 tire that there is not much room on the rear 1/4 panel lip for more tire right now. If I ever need new tires for these rims I'll try something a little bigger. If I do bend one I'll just sell them and go back to 17's.

[TheMonaLisa]

I'm looking at something in a 18x8.5 et45

 

 

 

I am currently running a 18x7.5 not sure of the offset but running 225/40.

 

 

 

My question is with the new wheel size I am looking at can I get away with a 235/45. As I think I need to run at least a 45 series tire due to where I live and the fact that I may have dented one of my winter rims a couple of weeks ago and they are also a 40 series tire.

 

 

 

Only if your on stock suspension or have camber.

I had 215/45/18 on a lowered car with stock alignment and it rubbed every single day.

 

 

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[Rhitter]

235/45/18 is very close to stock Outback size. I am around stock Legacy GT height and I rub pretty frequently. Not damaging rub or anything, but a decent amount of rub.

 

I kind of wish I had the Legacy GT gearing so I could run 17s instead. But, not a lot of extreme performance summers exist in 225/55/17....

 

I would drop down a size to 17s if you can. Cheaper tires, more options, etc.

[xtea]

235/45/18 is very close to stock Outback size. I am around stock Legacy GT height and I rub pretty frequently. Not damaging rub or anything, but a decent amount of rub.

 

I kind of wish I had the Legacy GT gearing so I could run 17s instead. But, not a lot of extreme performance summers exist in 225/55/17....

 

I would drop down a size to 17s if you can. Cheaper tires, more options, etc.

 

I never understood drive ratios when i was researching it. How is our gearing different. I know the final drives are different but I dont get how it translates to tire size or accelration as compared to the legacy.

[fahr_side]

Using larger diameter tires is similar in effect to using a taller final drive ratio. Your Outback has a shorter final drive ratio compared to the Legacy to compensate for the taller tires.

[jonnyt88]

235/45/18 is very close to stock Outback size. I am around stock Legacy GT height and I rub pretty frequently. Not damaging rub or anything, but a decent amount of rub.

 

Did you roll your fenders/trim the plastic? I am a tad lower than stock LGT, and will be running stock outback sizes tires this summer. I do plan on rolling the fenders and trimming the plastic some at some point.