Draco-REX Posted February 8, 2011 Share Posted February 8, 2011 Ok, getting things nailed down before I pull the trigger and I want to get some concrete answers on fitment. I read the fitment sticky but I'm not sure if I'm putting the numbers together correctly. I'm thinking of 245/40-18 Conti EtremeContact DW summers on 18x8+48 rims. My car is a 07 Spec.B on stock suspension (but it rides on the low side.) This combo is only a tenth of an inch taller than stock, but a little over a half inch wider on both the inboard and outboard sides. Some things I've read say it will fit without rolling, some say I'll have to roll the fenders. Some things say the tires will rub the spring perches, some say not. So, does anyone have this combo on the Bilstein struts? And if so, did you have to do anything to make the wheels fit? Close doesn't count unfortunately. On one of my other cars the difference between rubbing and not was just 3mm. So saying you have a close offset won't help me, sorry. As for the rims, I'm going for looks since this is my DD and long-haul cruiser which spends most of the time on cruise control. So heavy rims might actually help mileage. I'm thinking of either the ASA GT1 or ASA GT2. The price is right, and they have the look I want for this car. I think I'm leaning towards the GT2 at the moment. The Enkei EKM3 was an option, but it only comes in an 18x7.5 which is a touch narrow for the tires I want to run. They are going onto this: http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4114/4894735093_92eac374b3_b.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawn06SpecB Posted February 12, 2011 Share Posted February 12, 2011 I'm running swifts on my bilsteins with a 18x8+48 and 235/40-18s with no rubbing at all. I doubt your slightly wider and taller tire would cause a problem at stock ride height. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draco-REX Posted February 12, 2011 Author Share Posted February 12, 2011 I'm running swifts on my bilsteins with a 18x8+48 and 235/40-18s with no rubbing at all. I doubt your slightly wider and taller tire would cause a problem at stock ride height. Can you fit your fingers between the tire and the front spring perch? A 245/40-18 will be 4mm taller and 5mm closer to the inside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggu Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 Draco, If you need to roll just give me a call and your more than welcome to barrow my fender roller. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draco-REX Posted February 13, 2011 Author Share Posted February 13, 2011 Draco, If you need to roll just give me a call and your more than welcome to barrow my fender roller. Thanks, man. Problem is, I think I'm going to hit the spring perch before the fender. I may end up with the 235/40-18s. They're a touch shorter than stock, but close enough. They're certainly closer than the 225/45-17 winter tires I have on it now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draco-REX Posted February 18, 2011 Author Share Posted February 18, 2011 Well, they're on the way. 245/40-18 Conti EtremeContact DW summer tires wrapped around 18x8+48 ASA GT2 rims. They'll be heavy, but they should do real well on long hauls from OH to MA and back. Let's just hope they fit. I'm told they'll be close, but should just clear the spring perches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draco-REX Posted February 21, 2011 Author Share Posted February 21, 2011 They arrived at work a day early. I've only been able to peek at them, but they look good. Unfortunately, I won't be able to bolt them up until Wed evening. So I won't know if they fit until then. If they do, I'll have pics Thursday evening. can't wait Maybe f I getup early tomorrow I can get them on and off the car before work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draco-REX Posted February 23, 2011 Author Share Posted February 23, 2011 So far, so good. I fit a wheel on the front, and it clears the spring perch! I can just get my finger up to the first knuckle between the tire and perch, but it's more than enough for any flexing that may occur. Unfortunately, it turns out that the recesses in the wheel for the lug nuts are just a hair too small for my impact socket. So I'm going to have to get a thin walled socket or tuner lugs to get them fully mounted to check the fender clearances. Oh and the weather needs to clear up too.. Soon though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draco-REX Posted February 26, 2011 Author Share Posted February 26, 2011 Well, it's 40 degrees out, but I wanted to check the fit on the new rims and tires so I could deal with any issues before summer. I picked up 245/40-18 Continental ExtremeContact DW tires and had them mounted on ASA GT2 18x8+48 rims. I got the whole package from TireRack. I'm on the stock spec.B suspension. These will NOT fit under the regular GT spring perches. I can just get the tip of my finger between the tire and the perch. http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5258/5478900207_6612d706f1_z.jpg These things JUST squeak in under the fenders. At rest, the tires are almost perfectly flush. The Conti EC DWs have a rounded shoulder. Normally I don't like that, but in this case, if I had a more square tire (like a Z1* or RE11) I don't think they would have fit. So I can say without a doubt that this sizing/offset combo will work with this model tire, I can't say for sure if a different tire will fit. I plan to put the Paranoid Fabrications saggy butt spacers on the car when I do my 60K service. When I have the rear shocks off, I'll compress the suspension with the tires on and see if there is rubbing at the extreme end of travel. I went over some dips that I know compress the suspension a lot, ripped around a rotary (roundabout), and did all that I could to get them to rub, and there's not a mark on the tires. I had removed the rubber lips from the rear fenders and after the quick drive I ran my fingers along the metal lip and didn't find any rubber. I may still get the fenders rolled, just as a peace of mind thing since they are SO close under compression. I can't give a complete review since they aren't broken in and the outside temp is below the proper range for this compound. But what little driving I did, I'm very happy with them. They grip well, even with release compound still on them, don't squeal easily, and are rather quiet for a summer tire. I think I'm going to be very happy with these. http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5094/5479502516_0f33257b45_z.jpg The gunmetal paint between the spokes is a bit lighter than the car's DGM. But the shadows and the contrast with the machined face make the color look a lot closer. http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5016/5479505864_c19bc03f04_z.jpg http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5217/5479507702_741e9c13c9_z.jpg http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5257/5478908715_91c4a75d07_z.jpg http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5014/5478910365_0bb60afafe_z.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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