John.tempest Posted September 7, 2016 Share Posted September 7, 2016 Hey guys, So chassis work is officially underway. The car is going to be a 600 hp LS 240z with a T56. The back of the car is getting a 9" Ford and the front suspension will be replaced so that I have 5x114.3 bolt pattern on the front. Not sure what shocks I need, so I am open to recommendations but in order for us to start tubbing the back, adding the 4 link suspension, and adding the new axle I need to make a choice on wheels and tires. My initial thought was a set of American Racing Torque Thrust style wheels, but now I saw the Rota Grid wheels. Not to mention that the American Racing are $550 CDN a pop and these Rotas are $330. I am planning on running about an 295 drag radial tire in the rear, so the 17x9s (Hyper black in colour) will work in the rear as literally every part of the rear end will be built around these wheels. My only concern is the front wheels are a 17 x 8 with a 35 offset, and I am not sure if that is going to be too wide for the front and rub against the suspension. The car will have ZG flares on it, but I need some help with wheels (open to recommendations if these wont work)! It will also get bigger brakes on the front, and again probably different front suspension, but I need some guidelines if these wheels are even feasible in the first place, otherwise I am back to the drawing board. I did some looking last night in the forums, but as time is of the essence I am hoping I can get some immediate feedback from some knowledgeable Z owners. I'll add the link below to the wheels: https://www.rotawheels.ca/cart/Product_View.php?id=2 Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John.tempest Posted September 7, 2016 Author Share Posted September 7, 2016 I have done some more research and I just don't think I can bring my self to fit flares on the car. I think it looks too clean to do that. Anybody got wheel suggestions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seattlejester Posted September 7, 2016 Share Posted September 7, 2016 Kind of depends on what you plan on doing with the car, it sounds like it is being built as a drag car. If you are against flaring and it is a dedicated drag car then you can build the tubs inboard and not run flares. The fronts won't clear a 17x8+35 with stock suspension, that is essentially a 17x11+0 (inboard wise) even with coilovers, I think the fronts can only fit a 17x9+0 (inboard wise), you could run a spacer, but I don't know if I would be happy with that if you are dropping the car onto the front with knockoff wheels bolted to a spacer. I would almost be tempted to suggest a smaller wheel, at least in the states there is more selection in the smaller sizes and having a big sidewall can help the initial grip at launch is what I have been told. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John.tempest Posted September 8, 2016 Author Share Posted September 8, 2016 So I can run 17 x 8 with a 35 offset on the front with stock suspension then? You are correct in saying that I am not overly concerned about the back as I can adjust it to what I need it to be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ereschkigal Posted September 8, 2016 Share Posted September 8, 2016 The fronts won't clear a 17x8+35 with stock suspension Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John.tempest Posted September 8, 2016 Author Share Posted September 8, 2016 Sorry, misread that. Hmm... a 15" wheel would be nice on the fronts, or even a 16" wheel on the front, with 17s in the rear. So the +35 offset means the wheels sit in 35mm closer to the hub? Lol, I know lots about wheels and tires, but this whole offset thing and picking matching rims for the front, it is alot more challenging when you want a 10" wheel in the back and only a 6" up front. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seattlejester Posted September 8, 2016 Share Posted September 8, 2016 You could fit a 17x8+35, but I think it would need a 30mm spacer, (basically turns it into a 17x8+5), that is if I remember correctly. I think the max size I have seen was a watanabe at 8.5+4 on a stock fender leaves about a coins width before it hits the perch and you have to run some camber and be careful on tire width, it depends on the wheel manufacturer and the bulge of the tire to a certain extent so I would be hesitant to get that close. + is inboard - is outboard A + wheel will move the wheel inboard so the place the hub will sit further out with the rim actually moving closer to the center of the car. A - wheel will move the wheel outboard so the place the hub will sit is further in with the rim actually moving further out from the center of the car. If you get confused you can look down at the keyboard on the number line above the letter keys. Imagine the front left wheel of the car, - is on the left hand side and moves the wheel out, + is on the right hand side and moves the wheel in. If you plan on keeping stock suspension without flares, then stick with 7 wide with +0 as your standard size. Manipulate from there. You can go inboard a little bit, you can go outboard a little bit, but a lot of factors will come into play like camber, tire size, ride height, disc brake clearance, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John.tempest Posted September 9, 2016 Author Share Posted September 9, 2016 Thank you Seattle Jester! Great post! Explained all my tire woes! Still having trouble finding anything rims wise that I like in a 16" wheel in the front and a 17" in the back. Anybody got any recommendations. I like the watanabe wheels, but to my knowledge there is nobody who sells these in Canada. My other option is I drop down to a 15" in the front and back, but I still am looking for at least a 9" wide rim in the back minimum, prefer a 10". Offset and backspacing is not an issue on the back as the whole back end of the car will be built around the wheels, but the finding matching wheels for the front right now is what is challenging. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John.tempest Posted September 9, 2016 Author Share Posted September 9, 2016 (edited) Ok, I found these online and they are exactly what I am looking for, but with the 9s up front I don't know if they will clear or not. They are a 15 x 9 with a -20 offset. Feedback? http://www.ebay.com/itm/JDM-15-AE86-Datsun-ta22-pcd114-3-Staggered-wheels-240z-watanabe-Z31-s30-Atara-/162153737961 Edited September 9, 2016 by John.tempest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LLave Posted September 9, 2016 Share Posted September 9, 2016 Ok, I found these online and they are exactly what I am looking for, but with the 9s up front I don't know if they will clear or not. They are a 15 x 9 with a -20 offset. Feedback? http://www.ebay.com/itm/JDM-15-AE86-Datsun-ta22-pcd114-3-Staggered-wheels-240z-watanabe-Z31-s30-Atara-/162153737961 Cheap knock off wheels? I would be very hesitant to use wheels of unknown quality, unless the car just wants to sit and look pretty. If you truly intend on building a "600 hp LS", you are going to want to think about safety. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebekahsZ Posted September 9, 2016 Share Posted September 9, 2016 Cheap-my eye! Look at the shipping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John.tempest Posted September 11, 2016 Author Share Posted September 11, 2016 Thanks for all the help guys. I am going to go with the Rota Grid classics in a 15x8 with zero offset on the front and then a 15x9 in the rear with Nitto 555r tires. Hopefully the 15x8s will look good with the front flares and not tucked in too much? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ereschkigal Posted September 12, 2016 Share Posted September 12, 2016 If you mount 265 tires on the 8s it may look filled with fender flares 15x8+0 is not enough for fender flares Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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