Hi guys and gals.
I've only had my unmarked TF sports for 4 weeks (a relative kindly wrote my very modified TP wagon off. NEVER lend your car to anyone!!). But already I have worked the suspension over big time. Now I need wheels and rubber. I was wondering if one of you could tell me how wide I can go with 18's. The King springs I used are 'low' setting and have dropped the car 30mm. The plan is to have some Simmons FR-18's made and fitted with SO Bridgestones or PZeros. But I do NOT want to have tyres fouling guards. And I don't want to have to roll the rear guard lips. Bearing in mind that Simmons will make a very precise offset for the car, what width can I go up to without tyre to body contact?

Thanks for any help

really depends on offset. But i'm pretty confident in saying 235 is the max you can go before it starts scrubbing if you wheels sit UP inside the guard. I've had friends with 245's and when there are people in the car or he hits a bump the guards scrape on the tyre. But if you have only lowered it 30mm... you should be able to fit larger than 235's because i don't think your wheels will ever sit UP inside the guard

I don't think 30mm will be enough for the wheels to sit inside the guards. Regardless, if they do sit inside the guards then choonga is probably right, 235's. If they don't, then I'd go with 225's because when I had 235's installed, with weight in the back they would rub on my wheels flares.

Thanks guys. The tyres don't sit right up inside the guards, but are close. Dusciple, looking at the pics of your Ralliart (nice by the way), I would say mine sits about 15mm lower than yours. And I have found that with a medium load in the boot and 3 people up the rears are about 10mm up inside the guards, and the rear suspension will hit the bump stops if I hit a pair of successive bumps at 120k's plus. So I have to allow for excursions by the tyres right up into the guards. So 225's might be safest bet you think??????

I am running VRX rims, 235 tyres all round and Superlow Kingsprings. Don't think I've noticed any rubbin even though I've got a load of people. Hope that helps. :)

Thanks TE. What is the VRX rim width though? I wonder about a 235 rubbing if it expanded out on a bigger rim. I intend running 8's in either 17 or 18 inch diam.

8's is to big for the front wheel arches

i was going to get sum awsum speedy rims but they didnt come in any smaller a size than 18 x 8 so i couldnt get them.

ended up with 7.5's and even they sit flush with the OUTSIDE of the guards on the front arches... im not sure whether to lower because of that so you may have a problem...

8's is to big for the front wheel arches

i was going to get sum awsum speedy rims but they didnt come in any smaller a size than 18 x 8 so i couldnt get them.

ended up with 7.5's and even they sit flush with the OUTSIDE of the guards on the front arches... im not sure whether to lower because of that so you may have a problem...


Have to disagree here. I have 19" by 8"s. They are fine. Fit perfectly.

i got 20 * 8.5 with only 225/35 though i tuck tyre all around and it dosent rub anywhere my rims sit inside the rear arch and it did occasionaly rub on a bit of plastic, but 10min fixed that problem and it's all good now

i'd look at a few ppls modded magnas and see what clearance they have, on the outer lip my car will never rub due to the negative camber and my wheels offset, bit there isnt much room to the L arm i reckon i could just squeeze a 235 in there...

Thanks guys. The tyres don't sit right up inside the guards, but are close. Dusciple, looking at the pics of your Ralliart (nice by the way), I would say mine sits about 15mm lower than yours. And I have found that with a medium load in the boot and 3 people up the rears are about 10mm up inside the guards, and the rear suspension will hit the bump stops if I hit a pair of successive bumps at 120k's plus. So I have to allow for excursions by the tyres right up into the guards. So 225's might be safest bet you think??????
Thanks for the comment. I would look seriously at getting some good shocks (read: Koni Red's or similair) or going for some coilovers. At least with the coilovers you can adjust them to exactly the height you want. I would say with my own personal experience if you don't want any rubbing or have to roll any guards I'd get 225's. If you don't mind rolling the guards (not expensive at all!) then you could easily house 235's.

i got 20x8.5s with 245s all round.. car is silly low and only srubs sometimes..:)

18 x 8.5 with 235/45x18, no rubbing

Thanks to you all for your comments. By the sounds of it I should easily be able to get Simmons to custom offest an 8" rim for me to take a minimum tyre of 225/18, with a 235 plus no guard rolling as a possibility. Thanks again so much to you all :D

18"X8.5" 235/40/18 on kingsprings super lows compressed a bit. the rear tyres are on level with the rear guard and with a full car load wheel is tucked in under the guard and have been over speed bumps and i get no scrubage what so ever.

Thanks Ash. 235's on 18's it is then

Thanks Ash. 235's on 18's it is then
My 235's rubbed. But I do have the Ralliart flares which potrude in a little bit more than the standard guards.

18x8 with 245/40/18 no rubbing yet

18x8 with 245/40/18 no rubbing yet
Put a heavy load in the back or take a few corners spiritedly and see if the rear rubs, mine did.

i got 20x8.5s with 245s all round.. car is silly low and only srubs sometimes..:)
:stoopid:

I had 245, not sure about offset, with superlows and they were rubbing so bad I had to take them off 10 minutes after getting them fitted. They were 8.5. Im getting some new ones next week with a different offset and 8" wide. I'll let ya know then :)

Oh, they were 19's btw

Lordy - what a minefield. Based on what you are all saying it seems to me that there are two sensible options for this 46 year old who has been through this guard-rubbing malarkey enough times to know I don't want to go there again lol - 225's with no guard lip rolling or 235's with guard lip rolling