04ATL

Hello all,

I am new to the forum and I can use some help. I did search on this topic and did not find an answer.

I have a 2004 TL and I love the A-spec rims. I am rather conservative and could do without the suspension or A-spec kit. I have heard that the stock suspension does not support 18 inch wheels well though. I have heard tires will wear uneven and braking system needs to be upgraded.

If anyone has this set-up or knows if this is true please advise. I do not want to replace tires every 6 months with 18 inch wheels.

260 HP

iTrader: (3)

Using the A-spec wheels on stock suspension definitely will NOT do you any harm.

Final

Thats not true at all. The Aspec wheels will not harm your car. I sit on 19's and stock suspension, and some members sit on 20's.

psheu

Suspension and A-Spec Wheels are 2 different components working independently of each other. the tires wear unevenly will most likely be caused by miss-installation of your suspension. The stock suspension shouldn't affect A-Spec wheels at all. I have the setup you're talking about in my ride. I even have the 6MT factory brembo brakes installed in my 5AT with the A-Spec rims. The A-Spec Wheels mount diretly onto the car without any hassle, adapters, etc. I absolutely love them.

04ATL

Thanks for all the advice. I will be looking to get me some Hyper Black A-Spec rims very soon!

Midnight_TL

This is my car sitting on 04 gun metals with stock suspension...hopefully a little visual helps out with your decision bro

04ATL

Ohhhhhh. That looks nice, what size are the tires on your A-spec rims?

Midnight_TL

hey bro...i'm runnin 245/45/18 on those...yokohama yk520's. 60 k mile warranty....185 a piece....

discount tire is the shiznit! i got the tire replacement insurance also for the price of only 3 tires. they treat ya well at the Northgate Discount Tire in Seattle.

05TLRIDER

Perfect timing 04ATL! I have actually been entertaining the same idea recently, but I wasn't sure how it looked. I wish I could do both, but that would definitely be a nice little chunk of change, that I don't exactly have right now. I might just do the suspension for now and maybe do the wheels next year, or vice versa.

Thanks Midnight_TL for posting pics of your car. That definitely helps. My only recommendation to you is to add the 07 side markers....I actually just put mine on today and they look awesome!!! So much better than the red ones that came on our cars.

Midnight_TL

yea i'm like 89.3% on the fence about getting the rear side markers. i should do a photoshop to see how it'd look. I don't know if it's because i want to be different and keep the red or if it's because i just can't justify spending over 100 bucks on 2 pieces of plastic! haha....thanks alot though for your comment bro....i like that choice of color!

pnoi521

You should be fine. I have stock suspension on my 06 with the 06 A Spec chrome look wheels and my car is fine.

04ATL

Great pics fellas! Thanks for all the help. I have never posted so it is nice to see there are so many people out there willing to help others out! Anybody upgraded their brakes at all or you running stock brakes with the 18's?

Xx06SickspdTlxX

Thanks for the pic its nice to know what my car will look like in a week!

csmeance

if you do decide to buy the a0spec kit, you might be able to make yourself some money by buying the entire kit, suspension and rims together, then selling the suspension as it is pretty hard to find just the suspension.

Midnight_TL

some folks have upgraded to rotora rotors....but the 6-speeders out there have the stock brembo calipers in the front. I kinda want to put the same brembos on the rear discs...wonder if that'd work...?

vatltltl

06 6MT with stock suspension and A-spec wheels...

https://acurazine.com/forums/ramblings-12/how-do-i-get-rid-these-things-154915/

pnoi521

Stock...

04ATL

So no regrets and nothing I should be aware of with the switch to A-spec rims from stock? Is the ride just as smooth? Handling, etc.

psheu

I have upgraded the brake to the factory Brembo. the whole thing run about $1000. (2 new Knockles, 2 new Brembo Rotors, 2 new brake lines, 2 used Brembo calipers. 4 brand new Brembo pads)

Midnight_TL

honestly...i feel like i have much better grip on the road because of the 1 inch wider wheel. i like!

JNX

hello, new to the forums.

we have the 18" a-spec rims on the stock suspension, 2005, and my wife can't stay away from the curbs. i'm on my second set of sumitomos, (don't like them much), and ready to buy new tires. will i have any problems getting wider tires to protect the A Spec rims? and if so, what size would you recommend?

thx in advance.

JNX

JNX

btw, here is our car, pre-wife-scraped wheels.