Wheels Fitting

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I'm always getting asked what wheels can be fitted to which car so here goes :

Basically there is no hard and fast answer to this problem, however I have seen 17 inch rims fitted to most makes and models of car, even 18's or bigger in some cases but it depends on how insane you are and how badly you want to fit the biggest wheels ever. As long as the correct offset is used/correct tyre sizes and the arch can accomodate the wheel/tyre you should be alright but it also depends on how low the car sits and how much suspension travel is required. If you go for more than 15 inches on most cars then there is a fair chance you may need to do some arch modification.

Problems arise with a 17" rim or bigger in most cases because the wheel with tyre is actually larger in diameter than the standard factory OEM wheels and tyres which means that your speedo may be out of calibration and you may experience rubbing problems on wheel arches if not modified. Be sure to check out the tyre article for more tips on tyre sizes. If you’ve read my "Wheel selection" article you already know that spacers can be used to adjust offset and gain that all too important 2mm extra of clearance, so be prepared to put in some work and experimentation if you are fitting 18's on a Corsa or any rims that haven't been fitted before.

The tyre sizes usually used on different sized rims are usually as follows, I emphasize that these are USUAL sizes and not hard and fast rules for ALL cars

It's worth noting that if you fit wheels that have an overall rolling circumference that is greater than the factory OEM wheels normally on your car this will give a slightly lower than accurate speed reading, however the car will register less mileage !?

Modifying arches

Grinding - to modify arches should rubbing occur there are different ways of achieving a result, one of the most effective is to have the return lip on the arch shaved/ground away. Care must be taken to avoid overheating the paintwork and blistering the paint and always rust-proof afterwards. Many bodyshops can do this and will use a special compound on the paintwork on the outside of the arch to keep the heat down.

Hammer - another way is to persuade the lip back with a rubber hammer or similar object !? This is not really recommended but I've seen it done on more than one occasion ! The result is usually acceptable in terms of creating space for the wheel but it will crack the paint around the arch lip leading to problems later on.

Folding - the other way that I know of is using a device designed for this purpose, some wheel/tyre dealers have them. It bolts onto the hub in place for the wheel and has an adjustable length arm, on the end of the arm is a rubber roller that looks like the wheel from a skateboard. This wheel can have its angle adjusted and is rolled around the return lip to gently fold it back without any damage. If you are buying big wheels for your car it's well worth talking to other drivers of the same car beforehand to get a good idea what will and won't fit.

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