I am looking at the Volk III rims and wondering should I go with
18x9 or 18x8. What do you guys think???



01 CLS silver w/spoiler
most of the goodies....

 

With 8 inches wide, you'll be fine. I don't know of anyone on this board that has a 9" wide rim???????

 

"FORGET ABOUT IT"... (at least the 9" wheels)


The 19x8" is ok at +51/+52 offset (a member had the setup with 2" drop and they reported that it worked without rubbing. The tires used with the combo were Nitto 555s and were 235/35-19s)

 

Man, the 18x9 would have looked so tight...Oh well my search for a perfect wheel continues....

 

I can't comment on the "look" of that particular wheel... However, if you ever get a chance to look at a 8" wide wheel with a 235/45-17 or 245/40-17 on it, you will erase the "spindly 215/50" look from your mind forever...


I've had people comment on "the steam roller" look...

If you go with the 8" wide wheels, it looks beef...

(Heck, even some 7.5" wide wheels with nice rubber look awfully sweet!)

 

i dunno. i think its possible a 9" wheel with 235/35's would fit with a very high offset +50 at least.


we really don't have many rubbing issues with the inner fenderwell... its more the outter fender lip that gives us problems.

i have 19x8, +45, 235/35's, with well over a 2" drop... and I only rub under VERY HARD cornering or VERY LARGE bumps.

the only spots im rubbing on are all on the outside fender lip...

on the rear i rub on the lil "ledge" that juts into the wheel well where the fender ends (why its not rolled stock like most cars, I dunno?? seems like the way its setup is BEGGING for rust.)


and on the front I rub on a lil peg that sticks inwards from the outside of the fender.


so... point is... 18x9 235/35 +50 or more... you should have minimal rubbing.


the CL seems to have much more inner fender clearance then its platform siblings (TL/Accord)

 

To add some perspective...

A 18x9" wheel with +50 offset would have an extra 12MM sticking inside and outside as compared to an 18x8" + 50 wheel.

Time for some “calcs”:

Add 1/2" (approx. 12mm) to 50mm for the following inside clearance calc:
So, for inside clearance comparisons, the 18x8 with +62 (50+12) offset would be an equivalent for inside fit (I will guaranty that this is not going to work!) After seeing how much clearance was left with my 17x8 +48s, I can tell you that there only a pencil width of room between my inside tire wall and the suspension.

Subtract 1/2" (approx 12mm) from 50mm for an outside clearance calc:
For outside clearance comparisons, an 18x8 with +38 (50-12) offset would have to be sitting on a non-lowered car and would need to have some skinny tires. It could "possibly" work, but if my 17x8 +48s look wide at the rear, then +38 would be sticking out so much (in the rear) that fender rolling wouldn't help -- it would be out that far. IMO, it would also look silly and could actually be dangerous.
Now all I did was take a “working” 18x8 +52 offset and add the 9’s width (in the form of 12 MM to the outside and inside in equal measure). With the calcs, the inside WILL NOT FIT, so the outside fit issue is moot anyway. Perhaps someone will ask why. If I added the entire one inch of the 9” vs. 8” difference as an offset to the outside of the wheel, it would now be the equivalent of an 18x8 +25 wheel AND would stick out an inch farther than my setup. The person better get ready to find a good body shop…

 

WHAT HE SAID

 

Side view of 18x8 +50 on my TL