18's offset question - Wheel and Tire Forum

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18's offset question
Wednesday, March 09, 2005 4:03 PM
Ok, what would be the dif. between a 18x7.5 with a 42mm offset and an 18x7.5 with a 48mm offset? (besides the offset) What would be best for my 97 Z24 Cavalier Coupe, the 42mm offset or the 48mm offset? What is the recomended tire size for an 18? Would it be 225/40/18?








Re: 18's offset question
Wednesday, March 09, 2005 4:24 PM
18x8 w/ 35mm offset and a big drop with no rubbing works for me. 225/40/18 tires




Evolution of Cavyboy-->C22t--> C24na--->c24s/c
1995 Cavalier W/2k1 Engine
GM S/C 13.940@99.78pmh w/2.068 60ft
Re: 18's offset question
Thursday, March 10, 2005 7:24 AM
Click my sig to read about what the numbers mean. Basically, the 48mm offset wheels will sit 6 mm (just under half an inch) further into your wheel well than the 42 mm ones. If it were me, I'd buy the 48 mm but you're probably ok with either. Read my installation guide for the details on why you'd choose one over the other.





Re: 18's offset question
Thursday, March 10, 2005 3:08 PM
C24NA you are killin me man.
how are you not rubbing?!?!?!

I believe you and all but I have 17's at 35mm offset and I can not drop nearly
as much as you because I will rub like crazy. Hell I shredded one tire already.





Re: 18's offset question
Saturday, March 12, 2005 7:11 PM
why would you put 17/18 inch rims on a 4cyl your gonna have slower acceleration and its harder on the engine/transmission. C24NA if your running 7psi boost i suppose your acceleration is ok but think how many G's you would pull at a green light with 14/15 inch rims and lo pros. i guess the big rims look cool on a slamed cav/sunfire but in my opinion performance is way better than looking cool cause smoking imports in the 1/2 mile is cool IMHO
Re: 18's offset question
Sunday, March 13, 2005 12:52 AM
I can't speak for anyone else, but I like to..ya know.. turn every now and then.. How many people here have drag-only cars? Definately not the majority.. Big rims can also weigh less than stockers, so the whole 'slower car-harder on engine/trans' comment isn't always true.. So, bigger rim=less sidewall flex=more traction(cornering); wider rim=wider contact patch=more traction(cornering); lighter rim/tire combo=better all around(acceleration/braking etc..)
Low pro's on 14/15's? Now that will end up wearing out parts faster, depending on what your definition of low pro is...




"If life throws you a curve, pop the clutch and drift it!"
Re: 18's offset question
Monday, March 14, 2005 7:22 PM
I also like to turn so i do not have 18 inch rims with wide a$* tires because it is a fact of life that big a$* rims take more time to make one revolution compared to 15 inch. no my car is not at all a fulltime drag car its only a drag car when im driving it. if you think that YOUR jbody has enough horsepower to turn 18 inch rims faster than my ecotech can turn my 15inch, then line up and we'll see cause smaller wheels also deliver more torque and acceleration by the time i take off and your 5-6 car lengths behind me you will not have enough top end power to catch up and that my friend is what ecotech performance is all about. as for 15inch primax po77 rims and low profile Falken ZE 195/55R15 how do you figure that they will wear out parts faster than 18inch rims? i dont understand . anyway you look at it bigger=more needed horsepower to turn/ lower acceleration and faster engine/transmission wear. afterall if chevy/gm put 14inch rims on jbodies they did it for a reason economy/lack of horsepower and reduced engine/transmission wear. perhaps thats why if you put bigger wheels on it will void your warranty if going from 14 to 15 will void warranty on your suspension then going from 14 to 18 will void your warranty on things like your engine and transmission and if your transmission warranty is voided then you may have to buy another one very soon since afterall they are not servicable. lets look at dodge and there 20inch rims is there a problem? no, it has a V8 double the cylinders, double the horsepower [stock jbody] and if the factory rims dont void your warranty even though their like gigantic than the factory probly knows that it doesnt really wear parts any faster because their used for towing and stuff anyway however jbodies are not used for towing or anything else that would cause extream wear or accelerated wear and they are designed this way however throw on 18 and the factory wants nothing to do with it.so when it all comes together what do you want 15inches of performance and reliability or 18inches of good looks and lack of a warranty [that is if your still under warranty if not then why not it doesnt matter how big my wheels are im looking forward to a new engine/transmission]
Re: 18's offset question
Monday, March 14, 2005 11:39 PM
shiftdrifter wrote:I also like to turn so i do not have 18 inch rims with wide a$* tires because it is a fact of life that big a$* rims take more time to make one revolution compared to 15 inch.

Elaborate on what exactly you're speaking of.. Taking more time to complete a revolution, and overall rotating resistance are totally different animals..

shiftdrifter wrote: no my car is not at all a fulltime drag car its only a drag car when im driving it. if you think that YOUR jbody has enough horsepower to turn 18 inch rims faster than my ecotech can turn my 15inch, then line up and we'll see cause smaller wheels also deliver more torque and acceleration by the time i take off and your 5-6 car lengths behind me you will not have enough top end power to catch up and that my friend is what ecotech performance is all about.

Let me first emphasize that the 04 Cavy is my GF's ride, a daily driver at that.. If I was concerned with going fast, I probably wouldn't have 150lbs of audio in the trunk.. Nor the 19's and bags that'll come in the near future.. I've been down the "fast J-body" road, and have no desire to travel the path again.. At least not any time soon.
I am however, more than willing to run you.. Hopefully you can cut a 1.9s 60ft/13.7@101 1/4...(stock weight={3050 w/o driver} w/ $500 in mods..)

By your logic, you could run 4 spare tires(since they're smaller, right? ) and be faster...??

A smaller rim/tire will give you more torque, granted it's a toss-up aswell.. You can't have the increase in TQ(in regards to tire circumference) and NOT expect the topend to suffer.. It's not a linear situation.. Sure you will get off the line faster(0-50) but your 50-90 will suffer.. Gas mileage will also suffer a bit, since your cruising speeds(50-65) may be at a higher sustained RPM than before...


shiftdrifter wrote:as for 15inch primax po77 rims and low profile Falken ZE 195/55R15 how do you figure that they will wear out parts faster than 18inch rims? i dont understand .

Those will have a shorter height than the factory tires(or 45/17's 40/18's 35/19's etc..) They're turning faster than stock sizing.. Thus, you're actually putting more miles on the car WHILE traveling the same distance.. You could've gone 500 real miles, yet racked up 750 on the odometer for example.. So this warranty you speak of, will run out at an abnormal rate anyways..


shiftdrifter wrote:anyway you look at it bigger=more needed horsepower to turn/ lower acceleration and faster engine/transmission wear. afterall if chevy/gm put 14inch rims on jbodies they did it for a reason economy/lack of horsepower and reduced engine/transmission wear. perhaps thats why if you put bigger wheels on it will void your warranty if going from 14 to 15 will void warranty on your suspension then going from 14 to 18 will void your warranty on things like your engine and transmission and if your transmission warranty is voided then you may have to buy another one very soon since afterall they are not servicable. lets look at dodge and there 20inch rims is there a problem? no, it has a V8 double the cylinders, double the horsepower [stock jbody] and if the factory rims dont void your warranty even though their like gigantic than the factory probly knows that it doesnt really wear parts any faster because their used for towing and stuff anyway however jbodies are not used for towing or anything else that would cause extream wear or accelerated wear and they are designed this way however throw on 18 and the factory wants nothing to do with it.so when it all comes together what do you want 15inches of performance and reliability or 18inches of good looks and lack of a warranty [that is if your still under warranty if not then why not it doesnt matter how big my wheels are im looking forward to a new engine/transmission]

You're assuming every potential aftermarket part that will go on this car cannot be taken off before the dealer see's it???? I wouldn't worry too much about that

A Dodge with 20's from the factory will have the same overall tire circumference as the lower package 17's or 18's will.. Same thing goes for when you upgrade rim sizes.. It's called plus sizing.. Go up an inch in rim size, then you go down 5 in the tire sidewall.. This keeps everything happy.

All this crap is relative though.. Look at a top fuel dragster.. What happens when they take off? The tires get taller and thinner(contact patch).. Pretty much all the way down the track.. Since speed=money to them, i'm sure they wouldn't try to slow themselves down by running a inferior tire size.. Since, ya know, smaller ones are better..



"If life throws you a curve, pop the clutch and drift it!"
Re: 18's offset question
Monday, March 14, 2005 11:48 PM
shiftdrifter wrote:I also like to turn so i do not have 18 inch rims with wide a$* tires because it is a fact of life that big a$* rims take more time to make one revolution compared to 15 inch. no my car is not at all a fulltime drag car its only a drag car when im driving it.

I'm sorry, I have to pull this out.. I must've missed it before.. That last sentence is funny as hell by the way..

It's BY FAR not a fact of life.. Like I said before, you could have a 12lb 17" rim.. Lighter=faster(accelleration AND braking, plus there's less unsprung weight).. That my friend, IS a fact of life..



"If life throws you a curve, pop the clutch and drift it!"
Re: 18's offset question
Tuesday, March 15, 2005 10:51 AM
Star Quester: Thanks bro. I just don't have the energy right now to tear this guy to shreds.

Noobs should really learn a thing or two before going and trying to give advice.

shiftdrifter: If you've got the correct sized tires, then the diameter will be the same whether you've got 14's or 18's.

You're right in that putting low profile tires on 15's can make your car a bit quicker on the track but you're failing to mention the myriad of complications that arise from using them on a street driven car.

Finally, I'm running mid 15 second ET's with my 18's on and no power adders. My only performance mod is a cone filter on my stock s-tube. My car holds the road like glue though.

Finally, you should fill out your registry before you end up banned as a troll.





Re: 18's offset question
Tuesday, March 15, 2005 10:31 PM
and dammit, its ecotec not ECOTECH ...... there's no damned H.... pretty lame for a eco fanboy

Re: 18's offset question
Wednesday, March 16, 2005 7:16 AM
Wojtek wrote:C24NA you are killin me man.
how are you not rubbing?!?!?!

I believe you and all but I have 17's at 35mm offset and I can not drop nearly
as much as you because I will rub like crazy. Hell I shredded one tire already.


Rolled the fender lips and secrured the fender liner way back. Also, having an alignment to have your wheels straight will reduce or stop the rubbing when u turn fully to one side.



Evolution of Cavyboy-->C22t--> C24na--->c24s/c
1995 Cavalier W/2k1 Engine
GM S/C 13.940@99.78pmh w/2.068 60ft
Re: 18's offset question
Wednesday, March 16, 2005 1:56 PM
C24NA wrote:
Wojtek wrote:C24NA you are killin me man.
how are you not rubbing?!?!?!

I believe you and all but I have 17's at 35mm offset and I can not drop nearly
as much as you because I will rub like crazy. Hell I shredded one tire already.


Rolled the fender lips and secrured the fender liner way back. Also, having an alignment to have your wheels straight will reduce or stop the rubbing when u turn fully to one side.


You should really clarify that when posting things like your original post here! You imply that you can just put them on and they'll be fine.





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