18" wheels on the s30 240z?

[s5fc3s]

has anyone tired mounting 18x8, 18x10 wheels on a 5 lug z, coilover sus, and flared?

tire size is 225 35 18 front, 285 30 18 rear, and calculating the height results in:

24.20" front OD, and 24.73" rear OD, well within the 24.75" stock height on the 195 70 14s, but nearly twice as wide (at least in the rear).

any comments? is it possible?

please email me:

s5fc3s@yahoo.com

[2ManyZs]

I only have one question. Why?

Here's the reasons it not the best idea.

1. Cost

2. Weight

3. Modifications needed to make them fit

4. Ride quality will suck

5. Harder on the suspension and chassis of a 30 year old car

6. You'll need to modify the brakes or you will be replacing parts like crazy.

7. Harder to turn with no power steering.

Those are just the main reason... there could be more, like how they look for one thing, just because 15's and 16's look good, bigger is not always better.

Is it worth an extra 2K dollars (or more) just to have bigger wheels than the next guy?

[ZmeFly]

for what you would pay for just the wheels and tires for the car i would be able to get my current wheels and the best set of tires i could buy and still have money left over to do a few more mods

it just isnt worth it for cost, time and the lot.

[s5fc3s]

truth be told, 17 is no larger than i would want to go. on the wheels, and thusly have a slightly meatier tire.

i was offered a set of 18 wheels, forged and about 20-21 lbs each (so fairly light, for the size (18x8, 18x10)), so i had brought it up in this forum to wonder about actual fitment.

the backspacing is slightly more than 5" per wheel, and since my car is already at the shop, adding flares wouldn't be tremendously hard to do.

so the question remains:

if the brake work has been done, a 5 lug setup is utilized, and the shocks are already coilover, does anyone think it will not fit? keeping in mind the original 24.7" OD of the 195-70-14 tire.

the questions is not why? but rather will it fit?

whether or not it happens is another story altogether. but on an aside, plenty of people run 17" wheels. 18" is not a tremendous leap by any means. if one is running an rb26dett, common sense and all thought of financial sensibility has been tossed out the window anyway. so please help me find out the factual information of the feasibility of running the above 18" sized wheels.

[zed240au]

cant see the wheel size being a problem but on my 71 240z the widest with wheels set well in they being 15 x 8 the best width we could get was 245 this was with the spring perches raised so as to clear the wheel and tyre so i really think you would struggle to get 285 under the real of a 240z

that is with out going to flares of some sort

Mick

[s5fc3s]

thanks for writing. the imsa flare kit (can be seen at zcarparts.com) in the rear is supposed to be able to accomodate up to a 12" wide rear wheel.

so 18" by 10" wide ought not be a problem.

i was just curious as to whether or not anyone had done it yet, and if they had any input.

so it seems that because of the plus sizing of the tire, but the reduction of the sidewall, ought to make it work, but in real life, we all know that ought to, and actually working are worlds apart.

any other thoughts on the matter? also, how much do people think their 14" and 15" wheels weigh anyway? i would guess nearly 20 pounds anyway, since they are cast, and of an older generation of fabrication technique.

[2ManyZs]

It's not always about the weight of the tire and wheel package in total, it is a concern about the rotational inertia of the wheel and tire package. You have to take into account, the suspensions of these cars weren't built to take the stresses these bigger wheel and tire combo's can put on the wheel bearings and spindles.

5 inches of backspacing is going to be about what you would probably need. I've got a set of 15x8's (came with the car and not my choice) that have 5 inches of backspacing with 195/65's. They are about 1/4 inch from rubbing the stock spring and perch.

So with coil overs, you should be OK.

[Alfadog]

well BLAH to you conservatives BLAH!

I can't say if they will fit or not, but chances are with some flares it'll look great With an RB26DETT swap I'm assuming you don't care TOO much about handling (it will be more of a fun/show car am I right???) so the extra rotational inertia won't be too much of a hassle I would assume?

I say go for the stock black bolt on flares because they look so damn fine. But I like that old Japanese look with fender mirrors etc. and a lot dont so whatever works eh

Any pics of your project?

[zed240au]

he if you like flares i say go for it luv that california zed look with the jim cook racing wing could up date it with a fast and furious aluminuin wing would look trick i cant see the problem with 18" wheels myself think they would be trick anyway my commodore comes with 15 rims standard and they fitt 18 to them all the time im running 17

At the end of the day the overall diameter not going to be that differnt to orginal i mean 245 by 50 on 15 rims is close to orginal so you go to 245 by 35 on 18 going to be close any way

You have to modify these zeds to keep them alive i reckon i mean they where modified before they left the dealers air con changed stereos who wants to have a standard orginal you cant drive only look at better to modify and have fun but have to be honest mine was too far gone to be orginal so modified was much more fun

all the best mick

[Zpeed]

just got to say 18s on a Z looks crayz, but you can't really get the car low enough for some reason, as you can with 16s....

[That Ozzy Guy]

Originally posted by Alfadog

well BLAH to you conservatives BLAH!

ROFL

Here's a Z with lipped guards, 18" rims and 255 rubber.

Looks are a personal thing so like it or not, it looks good.

[That Ozzy Guy]

:stupid:

It would be good to attatch the pic wouldn't it. Here tis