Wheels that fit the SVX

[David Cohen]

I just bought an SVX with nearly-bald tires on stock wheels, so I'm planning to get 17" wheels and mount 225/45R17 tires on them in the very near future. So far, so good. But now I've done my homework and discovered that there aren't very many affordable wheels out there with offsets of (or close to) +55.

Question #1: I found a 17" wheel I like, but it has an offset of just +40. Should I keep looking? I'm concerned that moving the center of the contact patch outboard 15mm can't be good for the steering (changing the scrub radius), and I figure it would also add unnecessary stress to the SVX's wheel bearings. Who here has tried mounting wheels with offsets less than +48 on their SVX? Is this a Really Bad Idea?

Question #2: At least one person has mentioned that upsizing from 16" to 17" wheels (shortening and thus stiffening the sidewalls) noticeably worsens ride quality. I've also read that going to a wider wheel will improve cornering at the expense of comfort. So if I were to go larger but also narrower -- from the stock 16"x7.5" to 17"x7" wheels -- would that keep the handling and comfort roughly neutral as compared to stock? (As a fringe benefit, I figure a narrower wheel would be more protected from curb rash if I keep the tire width the same.) Has anyone tried this?

Question #3: You'd think there would be a decently-sized market for aftermarket wheels for Subaru WRX STi's, Honda S2000s, Acura NSX's, Mazda RX-8's, Mazda3's and other cars with 5/114.3 (5x4.5) bolt patterns and high offsets. But I have found it annoyingly difficult to find offset/ET specs out there. Has anyone found a good source for this information (and for these wheels)? Looks like a market opportunity...

And then there are the brakes...
Of course, in addition to worrying about the wrong offset affecting the steering/suspension geometry and fender/strut clearance, I have to make sure the spokes clear the calipers. Here's a nice explanation of both offset and caliper clearance, and from another related thread in this forum a diagram and measurements of SVX stock brake caliper dimensions.

At least I have company in overthinking this stuff.

[Motorsport-SVX]

Originally Posted by David Cohen

I just bought an SVX with nearly-bald tires on stock wheels, so I'm planning to get 17" wheels and mount 225/45R17 tires on them in the very near future. So far, so good. But now I've done my homework and discovered that there aren't very many affordable wheels out there with offsets of (or close to) +55.

Question #1: I found a 17" wheel I like, but it has an offset of just +40. Should I keep looking? I'm concerned that moving the center of the contact patch outboard 15mm can't be good for the steering (changing the scrub radius), and I figure it would also add unnecessary stress to the SVX's wheel bearings. Who here has tried mounting wheels with offsets less than +48 on their SVX? Is this a Really Bad Idea?

Question #2: At least one person has mentioned that upsizing from 16" to 17" wheels (shortening and thus stiffening the sidewalls) noticeably worsens ride quality. I've also read that going to a wider wheel will improve cornering at the expense of comfort. So if I were to go larger but also narrower -- from the stock 16"x7.5" to 17"x7" wheels -- would that keep the handling and comfort roughly neutral as compared to stock? (As a fringe benefit, I figure a narrower wheel would be more protected from curb rash if I keep the tire width the same.) Has anyone tried this?

Question #3: You'd think there would be a decently-sized market for aftermarket wheels for Subaru WRX STi's, Honda S2000s, Acura NSX's, Mazda RX-8's, Mazda3's and other cars with 5/114.3 (5x4.5) bolt patterns and high offsets. But I have found it annoyingly difficult to find offset/ET specs out there. Has anyone found a good source for this information (and for these wheels)? Looks like a market opportunity...

And then there are the brakes...
Of course, in addition to worrying about the wrong offset affecting the steering/suspension geometry and fender/strut clearance, I have to make sure the spokes clear the calipers. Here's a nice explanation of both offset and caliper clearance, and a diagram and from another related thread in this forum measurements of SVX stock brake caliper dimensions.

At least I have company in overthinking this stuff.

overthinking is an understatement
if you want a good selection of 17" wheels
we have many on special right now
www.planetsvx.com
have fun....
Put on a good quaility tire and you wont lose
any ride quaility, it may actually improve even
with a 45 series suggested tire.
You can even do certain Mustang wheels on your
car

[David Cohen]

Originally Posted by Motorsport-SVX

overthinking is an understatement
if you want a good selection of 17" wheels
we have many on special right now

You know, it would help if your website listed wheel dimensions like width, offset, and weight.

[Motorsport-SVX]

Originally Posted by David Cohen

You know, it would help if your website listed wheel dimensions like width, offset, and weight.

All the 17" wheels are 17x7s unless otherwise
specified, all the offsets are usually +40 - +45mm
most people just email us if they want to know
the weight, but honestly, most people dont really
care.
I Know the wheels will correctly fit the car, most people
buy rims because of their "looks" and thats why I have
PICS up.
I dont know of any website, even tire rack that tells
you all 3 things.
If you need any further info on any rims, just email
us with the model you like etc and we always reply
with the info.

[David Cohen]

Originally Posted by Motorsport-SVX

I dont know of any website, even tire rack that tells you all 3 things.

Well, I guess if they don't provide the useful info, you shouldn't either

[David Cohen]

I've found the following sites useful in my search for wheels that fit the SVX:

• wheelspecs.com -- incomplete but still useful
• wheelweights.net -- a great resource for identifying lightweight wheels
• sellers like bigwheels.net and 1010tires.com -- they provide offset information for the wheels they sell, and even let you search wheels by offset, although their selections are limited
• manufacturers like rotawheels.com, who provide info about the wheels they make.

I hope y'all who are looking for new wheels find these useful.

edit: Here's one more catalog of lightweight wheels, Import Tuner magazine's 2003 wheel guide

[Motorsport-SVX]

Originally Posted by David Cohen

Well, I guess if they don't provide the useful info, you shouldn't either

its not that simple, but as mentioned before
if there
is a particular wheel you need info on
feel free to email us and we will find out
thanks

[Nemesis Destiny]

...and for the record, I've found that tirerack actually does have a lot more info on the website about the various wheels than they used to. You can actually get weight, offset, and other stats for some of their products.

Though in general, the 1010tires.com website is better (and Canadian [|*|] ), though their customer service leaves a little to be desired.

[David Cohen]

Hurrah, I've done my homework now, and it's paid off. After way too much time looking into what 17" wheels will:

1. perfectly fit the SVX,
2. weigh as little as possible,
3. look really good on our cars, and
4. be reasonably priced,

I've come to the conclusion that the Rota SDR is the rim that fits the bill:

FIT: Rota makes this 17-inch wheel in our stock 7.5" width, in our exact bolt pattern and hub size, and it can be ordered with a +48 or a rare +53mm offset (just 2 mm less than stock!); it's as good a fit as we will find.

WEIGHT: The SDR weighs around 17.5 pounds, which is actually lighter than our stock 16" wheels even though it's a larger rim; it's a light wheel for the price. (To get lighter than this in a 17" rim you're looking at forged racing wheels that cost $300-$500 each). Lighter wheels = a more responsive SVX.

COST: SubyDude currently has these wheels for $650 for a set of 4 or $162.50 each (previously on special for $142.50), I think including shipping. JayDM sells sets of 4 for $595 including shipping. These wheels can also be special ordered from 18racing (which appears to be the direct sales arm of Cosmic Marketing, Rota's US distributor), for $650 shipped.

LOOKS: The subtle curves in these 7-spoke rims will look good on the SVX, and the spokes that come all the way out and blend into the edge make the most of the larger rim size. Here's a quick Photoshop mockup (shows a Champagne gold color that has been discontinued, sorry):

[Ahner]

Price: ~$120 US/wheel
Size: 16x7
Offest: +40
Make: Konig
Model: Trouble
Where To Buy: Various places on the internet (http://www.buywheelstoday.com/products/?id=837)

(My car is also lowered with springs from Motorsport Warehouse)

Going on a year now with these and I've yet to have any problems with bearing, ride quality is hard to judge because of the springs. I don't recall it being any different when it was just the wheels though.

[MrScary]

Originally Posted by Motorsport-SVX

check out this site too

http://www.sportmaxwheel.com/

we sell alot of their rims and Ive used many
on my own Svxs..
if you see any you like drop me an email

www.planetsvx.com

Do you guys have the Sport Max #962? And how much would that set me back?

[Motorsport-SVX]

Originally Posted by MrScary

Do you guys have the Sport Max #962? And how much would that set me back?

we do carry them
what size, 17x7 or 17x9s ? ( I suggest if you are going
to use 17" to make it 7)
color ?
what city are you in to calculate shipping etc.
thanks

[GOT2HAVESVX]

Do you have the sport max 001's for a svx? 16X7 I think. Thats one hot a$$ wheel!

[Motorsport-SVX]

Originally Posted by odepaj

Earl, how much are you selling those for? I also might be placing a big order from you soon .



dustin

Id sell you them for $380 plus shipping if you wanted
them (just the wheels)
they are new take offs in very good shape, only a few
hundred miles on them.

[odepaj]

Originally Posted by David Cohen

Hurrah, I've done my homework now, and it's paid off. After way too much time looking into what 17" wheels will:

1. perfectly fit the SVX,
2. weigh as little as possible,
3. look really good on our cars, and
4. be reasonably priced,

I've come to the conclusion that the Rota SDR is the rim that fits the bill:

FIT: Rota makes this 17-inch wheel in our stock 7.5" width, in our exact bolt pattern and hub size, and it can be ordered with a +48 or a rare +53mm offset (just 2 mm less than stock!); it's as good a fit as we will find.

WEIGHT: The SDR weighs around 17.5 pounds, which is actually lighter than our stock 16" wheels even though it's a larger rim; it's a light wheel for the price. (To get lighter than this in a 17" rim you're looking at forged racing wheels that cost $300-$500 each). Lighter wheels = a more responsive SVX.

COST: SubyDude currently has these wheels for $650 for a set of 4 or $162.50 each (previously on special for $142.50), I think including shipping. JayDM sells sets of 4 for $595 including shipping. These wheels can also be special ordered from 18racing (which appears to be the direct sales arm of Cosmic Marketing, Rota's US distributor), for $650 shipped.

LOOKS: The subtle curves in these 7-spoke rims will look good on the SVX, and the spokes that come all the way out and blend into the edge make the most of the larger rim size. Here's a quick Photoshop mockup (shows a Champagne gold color that has been discontinued, sorry):

can you do a quick photoshop of these on a silver car? i really like them