Rim Widening/Tire Choice Questions

[Rider90]

I'm not too savvy with the whole ??/??/18 sizes except that 18 is our wheel size. I know we have atleast a handful of members here that know it like the back of their hand and could help out with some tire selections. Thanks to TooManyFords and HwyCruiser I was referred to James @ Weldcraft and he can take my MM wheels @ 8" and make then 9.5" for $200/ea. I dug up some old threads regarding the Nitto sizes that are commonly used with a 9.5 rim and was wondering if I would have more choices if I went to a 10" rim? Can I even do that without clearance issues?

I am currently running 255/55/18 KDW2 rears and ever since the addition of a certain power adder these tires are spread across town. Revs Per Mile is an easy fix so a shorter/taller tire won't hurt me but I love the way this 255/55 fills the wheel well and looks pretty mean with a lowered rear end. I would not mind trying a shorter tire or even something near OEM height either.

If anyone here can refer me some sizes that I can search Tire Rack for that would be greatly appreciated. Also if 9.5" is the widest I can go without shock clearance issues.

Thanks.

[SergntMac]

My personal limits are 9.5" wide wheels, and 295/? wide for tires.

[AzMarauder]

This thread could easily transition into what "might" be possible if offset is changed, if rear shocks are changed, etc. etc. I mean, take a look at TooManyFords rear wheels and tires and you can get my drift.

I went to the Marauder Ville III at the Dream Cruise in Detroit last August. I was on a mission to select my mods and I had over 70 MMs I could look at and Lidio and Jerry's vehicles and shops as well. I asked some of the same questions about tires and sort of came to the following conclusion.

Lidio and folks, very early on, tried to come up with the widest rim possible in the OEM configuration (shocks, offset, etc) and keep all of it stuffed under the car. The 9.5" rim was selected. The tire combinations can vary greatly. I like all my tread patterns to match on my car and the tires that fit the bill were the Nitto 555 in 255/45/ZR18 (front) and 295/45/ZR18 in back. The stance and difference between the front and rear tires is very close to OEM. A lot of folk were running he Nitto 555r 305/45/18 drag radial. A great choice for stick, but the tread pattern doesn't match the Nitto 555 up front.

Some folks had fitment issues with these combinations (rubbing on the rear shocks) others did not.

Summary... is a 10" rim possible... (maybe)
Can you get a different offset and get a 10" rim under the car .... (maybe)
Do you want your tires hanging outside the body lines of the wheel wells?

All a matter of personal taste.

But I don't think you are going to be able to take the stock OEM rims and widen them to 10" and go with wider tires AND not have issues. If folks are right on the edge (some have minor fitment issues some squeak by) with the 9.5" rims and 295/305 Nittos.... I just don't see how you are going to be able to add another .5" and wider tires... all in the wheel well.
An aftermarket with a lower offset... and let some of the rim and tire hang out of the wheel well :puke: might be possible.

[Marauderman]

I am like Az and Sarge--^^^^^-I too have the 295 in back and 255 on the fronts---really seems to give the extra road hug your looking for, needless to say the look of so much rubber on the road---.....

[Rider90]

I see....thanks guys

Any other tire sizes I can run in the rear on 9.5" wide rims?

[merc]

This is why Nitto works for our cars.

Rear BFG KDWS 245/55 WR18 Inflated overall height 28.5"
Rear Nitto 555 295/45 ZR18 112W 28.31
Rear Nitto 305/45 ZR18 110V 28.78

Rear BFG KDWS 235/50 WR18 27.2”