Hi,
I'm upgrading to 18" wheels (after market) (my95 wrx) and need the correct offset .. I have spoken to a few alloy wheel dealers and not one has given the same offset yet!!

Pls advise...

my preferred offset is ET48.

This gives full clearance and a nice feedback weight from the steering.

Many Thanks....

Call up Elite Tyres in Rainham, they do a Prodrive setting and have some very expensive gear to set them up properly.

If you are using 18" wheels on the older cars, the optimal offset for tyre clearance is ET53. The maximum wheel width is really a 7.5" but tou may get extra clearance by using a 7" wheel although this isn't ideal if using a 225 tyre.
You then need to chose the tyre carefully as they will catch on the rear arches if too large.
A 225/35x18 Pirelli PZero will clear, but the same size Bridgestone will not for example.
You would have no problems if using a 215/35x18 tyre though.

Regards

Mike

What Pete and Mike say is correct.
ET48 will do fine.
If you wanted some Speedlines with tyres, i posted a note about where and how much they were from Holland.
Damn site cheaper than a UK dealer!!
£1100 inc vat and delivery!!

TT, but Pete and Mike are saying different things! Care to qualify wheel width and tyre, Pete?

All I would say is that it's very tight in those rear arches and not all tyre brands of the same nominal size are the same actual size.

If it was my money, I wouldn't risk any wheel/tyre combination that I hadn't actually seen on a car and working okay.

Cheers,

Richard.

Thats clear then ... Now i'm completely confused... I take the pionts of the tyre size completely onboard , its the offset's that are confusing me..added to which my scooby runs very low (avo adjust) and thats going to cause me probs... i think i need to find a large dealer who will try a few different wheel/tyre combo's to check for clearance...
Thanks anyway..

Ok... offsets. The higher the number, the more inboard the wheel sits.

I like ET48 as it gives a weight to the steering that is lacking in the standard set up. I like to be able to feel if I am at the optimum slip angles, rather than just hoping because the steering wheel is telling me nothing. Most understeer is induced because people just wrench the wheel road exceeding the slip angle/wheel loading ratio.

225s on a 7". I have now done 30,000 enthusiastic miles with this set up. I have used Toyo, Bridgestone and Continental (never again). I also have a set of Michelin cups on my 18x7s (my second set) which I use for track days. They are perfect.

I did try 225/35 18 Pzeros, but like many people, each of my sidewalls split eventually leaving me stranded on the M40.

Because of the weight of the cars, an early car is best on 215 and the later car is best on 225. A 7" wheel will take either, a 215 on a 7.5" leaves the wheel edge protruding beyond the tyre.

Its not about just what will fit. Its about what make the car good to drive.