18x8.5 on wrx with +45 offset?

[VanillaJuice]

these are the rims i want
GramLights T57-RC

for my 04 wrx...running Crucial Racing springs and eventually Koni Inserts. Would these work out ok? or would there be tooo much strain on my suspension? They also have a 18x7.5 with +48 offset. Im trying to get as wide as possible for the most traction.

[mosc]

besides the info you asked me for in PM (why did you PM me if you were posting this?), I'd urge you to first pick a TIRE size and THEN pick a RIM size. If you pick 225/40/18 or 225/45/17, you really don't need an 8.5" rim. 7.5" or 8.0" will do just fine and you'll want as close to stock offset as you can find. If you pick something else, it gets more complicated and I recommend against it but each to their own.

You can fit 325 wides on there if you really feel like it. Just go with, say, a 17x11" rim at +0 offset and say, a 325/30/17 tire (good luck finding that). Will it help your handling? No, I would say not. The suspension generally doesn't react well to the wheel center being a full 2 inches from where it expects. Also it's very dangerous (they'll be sticking out so far you'll be partially "open wheel" racing) and illegal.

Course, a wide body kit replaces the suspension and widens the fenders facilitating those big meats. There are actually subarus out there with 325 wides. Gotta pay to play

[VanillaJuice]

ok so ## saying i could run an 18x7.5 with a tire thats as wide as an 8.5 inch rim would hold?

[mosc]

no, I am saying that if you want a 225 wide tire that a 8.5" rim is not needed. You can fit a wider tire on the 8.5" rim than you can on the 7.5" rim of course, the question is if you WANT to.

[Black05WRX]

I have Rotas with that same offset no rubbing issues either.

[VanillaJuice]

ive been told the 18x8.5 with +45 offset will fit just fine with 255s if i roll my fenders....so im gonna go with that most likely....or to be safe 235s

[mosc]

again, it has nothing to do with fitting. You can run less offset rims and they will fit, the question is if you WANT to. The suspension performance will be diminished.

If you're going wider for ascetic reasons, maybe that doesn't matter to you but if you're going wider to handle better, you should seriously consider it.

[VanillaJuice]

ok im wanting to run a 255 tire...in ## faq u say within 5mm is just fine. So honestly...i dont see the extra 3mm as being THAT big of a deal..since ill be gaining a little more tire. I know a guy running the same offset on his car and he says it handles much much better than stock. i do appreciate your input tho!

[Black05WRX]

I havnt tracked it but I cant say my handling has diminished much if at all.

[mosc]

Originally Posted by VanillaJuice

ok im wanting to run a 255 tire...in ## faq u say within 5mm is just fine. So honestly...i dont see the extra 3mm as being THAT big of a deal..since ill be gaining a little more tire. I know a guy running the same offset on his car and he says it handles much much better than stock. i do appreciate your input tho!

you are not understanding the concept of width at all. Fittment is about the tire. You just get a rim that works. For instance if you want 255 wide, you should get at least an 8.5 if not a 9.0" wide rim. However, that has nothing to do with the fitting! The offset you need is dictated by the TIRE width, not the RIM width. 255 is 30mm WIDER than 225 so you need about 15 LESS OFFSET for the same fender clearance as 225s

If you want to run 255s on a WRX, I'd advise 33-38mm of offset. You'll be well out of factory spec which will reduce the suspensions performance but they WILL fit. +45 is pushing it. Your tire is way way way wider than stock and your offset hasn't moved enough (course, you prob don't want it to). so I think if you put 255s on those rims, you will get rubbing.

[VanillaJuice]

u think it will rub even if i roll my fenders?

[mosc]

I don't really know, it's a compact car that already uses an excessively high offset so I don't know how much of what's there is really fender well before you get to the frame itself.