OFSET on stock rims - FAST REPLY !

[05m0515]

KristianAE86 Wrote:Also what of-set is the biggest (widening outwards) possible for the Hachi.

Taken from Pazza

"First of all, modding the inner arch for full extreme sizes. The same seams need to be flattened. There is no loom to piss about with. The caster needs to be pulled forward and the front bumper modified to clear and/or the footwell of the car next to the seem needs to be hammered back a bit. The tab that holds the front bumper to the fender needs to go, cut it off the bumper and hammer the metal bit upwards out of the way. Arch liners, throw em away if you dont need to worry about rust. If you do, either throw em away and underseal like a bastard, or try to keep as much liner in there as you can. You will just need to cut away what rubs, trial and error. This will allow anything to clear on lock, but you may not have to do all of this to accomodate smaller wheels but that covers everything you'll ever need to modify up front.

The rear, its just a case of rolling the arch and removing some excess bumper plastic if need be.

As a guide point, for the front of an 86 with -3 degree's camber:

For an externally stock fender (which will need a bit of work on the inside), a good size is around 14x8 -10 to -15 offset with a 185/60/14 tyre. A 195 will fit but again, 185 leaves room to play with spacers. If you really want to push the stock arch, the most ive got under it was a 15x8 -14 offset with a 195/50/15. I had no rubbing really, but it was very close indeed... I've also fitted 14x8.5 -13 offset RS-Watanabe same wheel to a friends Levin (camber was stock but the car was lowered) and so this is the most ive pushed it size wise, again there maybe a few mm play with spacers depending on camber but if youre running this size on stock arches, youre getting close to the limits from my experiance. The Levin would rub occasionally.

For the rear, stock fender (modified inside), again 14x8 -10 to -15 with a 185/60/14 is great, allows you to fine tune with spacers and to slam it too. I ran 15x8 -14 offset on the rear of my Levin, with 195/50/15 tyres and they wouldnt go under stock arches. I think if you run 15's, around 0 to -5 offset is a good size for stock, again lets you fine tune with spacers (see note below, get longer studs for the rear if you are gonna use spacers). "

"For stock, flared fenders. Im still working on this sizing and i'll only tell you what i know to be true due to me actually doing it. Wont tell you things ive heard or read about incase its wrong.

As a guide point, for the front of an 86 with -3 degree's camber and flared, stock fenders (there can be slight discrepancies in size due to each flare being a custom affair):

So far ive fitted, and had no problems with 15x8 -20 offset with 195/50/15 tyres. They looked good but i feel i could of ran around -24 offset or so with little problem. At the moment i run 14x9 -25 offset up front with a 185/60/14 tyre. Ive also put a 195/60/14 up front on that size and it cleared, was very close buuut.. The car never moved off the drive while they were on so ive no idea of any problems, all i know is it tucked. Just. Ive just bought some SSR Mesh for the front of my car. They are 14x9 -28 offset, and its my belief that with a 6mm spacer (and a theoretical -34 offset) and 185/60/14 tyre, they will fit up front. I think this will reeeallly be pushing it, and i'll let you guys know how it goes when they arrive. They cost me $300. Im happy.

For the rear, again ive ran a 15x8 -14 offset with 195/50/15 tyre and it scrubbed, but that was just due to a crappy shortened panhard rod, never got around to buying an adjustable one due to me selling it. I think with an adjusted axle, they would of fitted fine. Looked good too, i'll dig pictures out later of all of this. I now run a 14x9 -19 offset on the rear with a 185/60/14. This doesnt catch under normal driving, only when i have to get up my steep drive. My Panhard Rod is out a touch and has siezed so the axle isnt quite true, this would alleviate some of the rubbing i have when i go up my drive. I have also ran a 195/60/14 on the same rims and again, under normal driving conditions i didnt notice any rubbing, but i feel it was very close.

Just as a side note, from my driving experiance the only tyre sizes worth using are 185/60/14, 195/60/14 and 195/50/15. Anything more is overkill for drift/track use if you ask me. Something also to add, dont run a 6mm or more spacer on the rear with stock length studs. Its a bad thing, i ran and it nearly wrecked my threads due to it, seems the high torsional loads (noticed it after a day of 4th gear stuff) pulled on them and there wasnt quite enough thread engaged to be safe. I dont run rear spacers anymore.

And finally, the great Justin Kikkawa was the first person to help me with rims, what size etc. He told me a golden rule for fitting rims, he goes by it and his AE86 is sick... "Buy the rims, and make the car fit them". Its a good rule ive found!"