My new 18" wheels - Advise on tire size & springs

[eclaixp]

Hi guyz!

Been lost for a while but I'm back. I just purchased the following wheels and I hope they fit on my car. I should've consulted here first but I was pressured with little time before they were sold to someone else. Ayhow, these are the wheels specs:

18 x 7.5
42mm offset
4 x 100 & 114.3
They come with blue and red center cap center ring for each wheel.

http://www.laixpress.com/elantraclub/wheel1.jpg

http://www.laixpress.com/elantraclub/wheel2.jpg

http://www.laixpress.com/elantraclub/wheel3.jpg

I need help choosing what tire size and lowering springs I should go with. I'd love to have more rubber without the rubbing + slightly lowered so I was thinking on getting 215/40/18 with H&R springs. Is this a good tire size choice without risk of rubbing? Also, how would I know if I need to buy hubcentric rings? Lastly, where would you guyz suggest that I buy the lug nuts/lock key as well as the tires from? online? ebay? I really would like to stay below $300 budget in tires. Sorry for asking for too much. Thanks for your comments.

[KeWLKaT]

very nice

im pretty sure that a 40 series tire on an 18 incher is too tall

[2loud2k2xd]

you will need a 215/35/18 tire. and then when you lower it, you'll most likely need to add another * of + camber when you get the alignmant, to avoid rubbing the sidewall on the fender lip.

[eclaixp]

Thanks for your replies. Is 215/35 on 18" simliar to having 205/40 on 17" as far as rubber height? Again, I just don't like the thin layer of rubber. Could I use 205/40/18?

[2loud2k2xd]

well if you dont like rolling on "rubberbands", then you made a mistake on buying the 18's. also, the ride quality is going to be way!!! different. and if you hit a big pothole (which i hope you dont ever do), say bye to the wheel and the tire. :D welcome to the world of big wheels.

[eclaixp]

well if you dont like rolling on "rubberbands", then you made a mistake on buying the 18's. also, the ride quality is going to be way!!! different. and if you hit a big pothole (which i hope you dont ever do), say bye to the wheel and the tire. :D welcome to the world of big wheels.

Oh crap! Thanks for the heads up. When you say, ride quality is going to be way!!! different, you mean bad, right? jejeje, So, there's no way I can go with 215/40/18 without rubbing? Anyone else wants to comment? Maybe someone who has 18" with 215/40?

[slow 2K2GT]

nope 35 profile my friend, as for ride quality it isnt all that bad unless your suspension setup is really stiff. I love the way a 35 profile feels on the road it has such a "real time" feeling if you can understand that...

[eclaixp]

nope 35 profile my friend, as for ride quality it isnt all that bad unless your suspension setup is really stiff. I love the way a 35 profile feels on the road it has such a "real time" feeling if you can understand that...

I see you have 18" x 7.5. Can you provide me a link to see pics of your car? Thx!

[2loud2k2xd]

i also forgot to tell you about the offset pattern on the wheels you bought. your are 42mm. mine as well as everyone else that has 18's here are using a 45mm offset. you may rub the strut instead of rubbing the fender lip. and i run a 7.5" wheel also.

[04GTboySC]

those are my current ones but in the 17 size

nice choice dude

[eclaixp]

i also forgot to tell you about the offset pattern on the wheels you bought. your are 42mm. mine as well as everyone else that has 18's here are using a 45mm offset. you may rub the strut instead of rubbing the fender lip. and i run a 7.5" wheel also.

This isn't looking good... So now you are saying that there will be another problem with rubbing the struts due to the offset being 42mm? meaning these wheels are no good for me *sigh*? AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[2loud2k2xd]

This isn't looking good... So now you are saying that there will be another problem with rubbing the struts due to the offset being 42mm? meaning these wheels are no good for me *sigh*? AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

yup. sorry man. but there might be a way around that too. adjust the negative camber on the rear to +1* positive camber from what factory specks call for. then you might be ok. i think specks call for 2*neg camber. mine is at about 3*neg camber. you might need 1*neg camber. this will push the top of the wheel out, away from the strut so you wont rub. but im still not sure if you wont rub the fender lip then. trial and error. but you deffinately do not want to rub any.

[eclaixp]

OK guyz, I don't like how this smell. I checked on the tracking # on this 4 packages. Each box shows they weight 7 lbs. each. I contacted the seller regarding this and he told me that they are aluminum and not steel. However, I am still skeptical. Even if they were aluminun, an 18" rim should weight about 15 lbs but not 7 lbs. Hope I am not being ripped off. Good I paid via Paypal.

[2loud2k2xd]

my 18's weigh in at 19lbs each....no tire weight.

[DAILLESTWUN]

:D ok well here is my set-up. I have 18's, pretty much the same as yours but they are Konig's. Anyway, i think mine are 18x7. My tires are 225/40/18 all the way around. I am lowered in Eibach's. They provide the smallest amount of lowering I believe.

[quickfingerz]

Tires will fit quite differently on 18x7 versus 18x7.5. 40-series tire on a the 7.5 inch rim will be taller.

[DAILLESTWUN]

Huh? that makes no sense. 40 series will be just as tall whether its on a 18"x7" or 18"x7.5" rim The only differences in the rims are the width so it will not affect the height at all.

[quickfingerz]

Tires will fit differently on each setup. Okay, I am speaking of the edge of the tire. On a narrower wheel the tire tread will round more enough to make the edge of the tire (the part that rubs) both less wide and shorter with enough clearance to avoid rubbing.

We always talk about 215/45/17 rubbing but I'll guarantee you that if we installed those tires on a 6" rim (don't do this btw) we would not rub because the edge of the tire would be both shorter and the tread would be less wide. Narrower rims will "pinch" the tire more and pull the edge of the tread inward.

[DAILLESTWUN]

It may do that but not have much of a noticeable difference with .5". You just have to compensate for that with the offset. Just to make sure you don't rub on your spring perch or fender.

[ike]

:D ok well here is my set-up. I have 18's, pretty much the same as yours but they are Konig's. Anyway, i think mine are 18x7. My tires are 225/40/18 all the way around. I am lowered in Eibach's. They provide the smallest amount of lowering I believe.

Hi, What's your offset? Any rubbing? Considering 18" on an 02 . tks.

[DAILLESTWUN]

You know what? I'm not sure, but I'll find out today cuz I actually have to pick up one of them up at the shop. I bent it the other day so it's getting fixed. They are also repolishing the lip and putting a brand new coat of clear coat on it. I'll ask them to check for me.