shimbo519

Anybody running that setup with 18 x 7.5 and with a offset of 42? IF you are, did you experience any rubbing? I am hearing mixed replies, some say they do, some say they dont. Please reply. ALso, anybody have a picture of this "tab" that they cut in the rear fender? I have no clue what it is or looks like. THanx.

unbeknownst

I am looking at 18x8's with 235/40/18's, I think a +45 offset. Id like to know as well.

SimTypeS

This is where the trim is at on the driver's side:
www.imagestation.com/album/?id=4292161321

This is what it looks like after it's cut:
www.imagestation.com/album/?id=4292161321&idx=21

This is what the bugger looks like:
www.imagestation.com/album/?id=4292161321&idx=21

accordv6

I've got 225/40 18s on 18*7.5 with +42 offset......I'm lowered on comptechs. They don't rub, if there are 3 people in the back seat it might rub when there is a dip in the road, but other than that I've never had any problems with them. I like the way the 42 offset looks, fills out the wheel well better imo

TopGum

unbeknownst
"I am looking at 18x8's with 235/40/18's, I think a +45 offset. Id like to know as well"

This is my setup. Also lowered w/ ProKit. I needed to trim some but no big deal. PM me if you need more info.

shimbo519

what did you use to cut it?

TopGum

shimbo519,

"what did you use to cut it?"

A Dremel and finishes it off with a utility knife for a smooth cut.

Edward'TLS

I have 225/45/18 on 18x7 with 42 offset, and my car is not lowered. I have already cut the bumper tabs. But even so, the driver side rear tire still rubs the inside fender when there are three heavy passengers at the back when I drive over a big dip on the road.

I don't think 225/40/18 will make any difference, because with the 42mm offset, the side walls of the tires will just not clear the rear metal fenders. So 18x7.5 with 42 offset or/and lowering will only make the rubbing worse.

I believe those with similar set-ups but reported no rubbing simply did not corner their cars hard enough or load up the rear sufficient enough.

Edward'TLS

I have to correct myself. Tires make a big difference whether it will rub or not. I remember some time ago when I shopped for tires, the tire shop guy put a few same-sized but different make tires side by side and measured their widths from the tread face. None of them had the same width. The maximum differece between the widest and the narrowest was about 1/8".

In my set-up, I can tell that the face of the tires sits further out than the face of the rims. So the rims will clear the rear fenders, but the Pilot Sport tires will not.

TopGum

I think there is a misleading assumption here. The part of the fender that rubs is the wrap around from the rear bumper. It makes up approximatly 1/3 of the wheel well. If you line the fender with masking tape ( 11 o'clock to 3 o'clock) and drive, you will see wear the tire rubs. It is NOT the "12 o'clock position" unless your tire/wheel. offset are really out of whack. I drive it hard, I put three adults in the back and the tires do not rub.
Your tires are rubbing because of the +42 offset. If you are not lowered, I think you can make it work.

Edward'TLS

OK, lets get back on topic. The original poster asked if 18x7.5 offset 42 would rub or not. My set-up is 18x7 offset 42 which is close enough. So if I rub, 18x7.5 offset 42 would rub even more.

In my case, I'm using 225/45/18 Pilot Sport. I have not lowered my car. I have already cut the plastic bumper tabs. But I still experience the "scrapping" problem when I drive over big dips with a fully-loaded rear end.

Note that I did not say "rubbing" but "scrapping" here because this is actually my case. In my case, the shoulders of my tires are a fraction of a mm too wide, and they are actually scrapping the rear metal fenders at the 12 o'clock position. I can see very thin rubber shavings hanging all along the tire shoulders which were cut by the metal fender. I have trimmed the rear plastic bumpers far enough that the tires will never touch the bumpers. Given enough time, the fraction of a mm will be shaved off completely, and my scrapping problem will be gone.

However, if I had chosen another make of tire which is a fraction of a mm narrower on the tread face, I would not have any scrapping/rubbing problem at all.

TopGum

Why would you chose a wheel/tire combination that gives you trouble? Those are great tires. I'd hate to see them get cut like that.

shimbo519

hey edward you said ur using 225/45/18...im lookin at 225/40/18 sumitomos...how much of a difference does that make?

bluefrank

Well for one the price is a major difference....225/40/18's are much cheaper.

You have a little more sidewall with the 45 series tire...so your ride should be better than say a 40 series.

The 45 series tire will be a little taller something to consider if your lowering the car.

Edward'TLS

The problem is, as all those who tried finding wheels for their TL's have well awared of, that there is an alarming limited selection of damn-high-offset wheels that will fit our cars. In fact, I have been looking for 18" wheels even before I pre-ordered the car. Finally, a year and half later I found my wheels that fit my requirements : five spokes, light-weight forged, some lips, high quality, and reasonably priced. The only catch is that they are 7" wide with 42mm offset.

After reading all the posts on wheels/tires on this forum, I noticed that 18x7.5" 45 offset would fit ok. In terms of mounting geometry, this is same as 18x7" 42 offset. Well there is always someone who is first to try it. So I did.

The reason I picked 225/45/18 instead of 225/40/18 tires is that I want to fill up the ugly wheel well gaps since I don't plan to lower my car. 225/40/18 tires will only make the gaps bigger and uglier.

Like I said before, the fender scrapping is very minor. Given time, the extra rubber on the tire shoulders will be shaved off, and the tires will clear the fender completely.

Edward'TLS

In terms of the brands, the price difference is huge.
In terms of the sizes, there is around five or less choices for 225/45/18, but around twenty or more for 225/40/18.
In terms of fender/bumper rubbing, I haven't tried 225/40/18; so I don't know.

[TL]Ridah

k...i have a quick question...if i was to get

18x7.5 rims...what offset would i need?

along with that rim size...what tire size do i need?

and im thinking about goin lower with my car...say...myabe one finger gap between the top of my tire and bottom of my body...

would 225/40/18 work? my tire choice is eithe nitto555 or kumho supra ecsta...thanks

bluefrank

TL Ridah....with a 18X7.5 rim I would go no lower than a +45 offset. Idealy +50 offset would be better with a drop.

Remember our cars stock offset is +55 on a rim width of 6.5.

So going and inch wider to 7.5 in combination with a low offset will be trouble.....Don't go below +45 offset :wow:

bluefrank

BTW- 225/40/18 would work

unbeknownst

I just got some 18x7's with a +45 offset. I would not like a 18x7.5 with the +45 probably.... the tires stick about as far out as I would like. Though it does look much sportier now versus the stock rims. I will take pictures soon. I got 225/40/18's as well. Saves money and more choices versus a 225/45 or 215/45's. I really wanted the Yokohama Parada's, or for about $160 more would have gone with the S03 Pole Positions in 215/40/18 to keep the diameter as close as possible. As far as the gap being bigger the the 40 series... it is slighty, but not as much as one would expect, because the 40 series sidewall will not flex down as much as the stock 50 series do.

GaddAMIT

yea I just odered some 18" Konig Absoultes with Nitto 555 tires, 225/40/18, I'll let ya know if there is any rubbing when I get them on wednesday, I pray that they don't! I ordered them from discount tire, they said they shouldn't rub, but you never know, so I will test it out.

unbeknownst

I got my Mille Miglia HT3's with 225/40/18 Parada Spec 2's on and drove around for the first time today. The ride is only slightly rougher, i.e. you can feel the small bumps int he road more, but overall they ride very well. As far as road noise, there is a moderate increase.... one that you can definately tell the difference from the stock tires. I am gonna need some anti-sway bars to compliment the tires because they grip so well yet the car dives a lot when making a hard turn. The tires do not even come close to rubbing, and I am NOT lowered, and the wheel well gap is only slightly increased.