theDirtyRue Posted September 26, 2004 Share Posted September 26, 2004 The hubcaps HAD to go... now, for my question, What size wheels will fit under the fender? Specifically, will a 16x7 wheel fit? If so, what size tires would I need? Thanks, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
applegump Posted September 26, 2004 Share Posted September 26, 2004 I put 16" gold impreza wheels on my Legacy with no problems. The rubber is 205/50 16 and no rubbing so far. Looks cool too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theDirtyRue Posted September 26, 2004 Author Share Posted September 26, 2004 Thanks! How wide were the rims, do you remember? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setright Posted September 26, 2004 Share Posted September 26, 2004 205/50R16 is the correct size. A 7 inch wide rim will be the ideal fit for this tyre width. Make sure the offset is correct too, 48-50mm. And the car will look COOL! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setright Posted September 26, 2004 Share Posted September 26, 2004 I base the width thing on the fact that the minimum wheel width is 70% of the tyre. 85-90% is the sweet spot. Resist the tempation to fit wider tyres, it will not improve the handling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GLCraig Posted September 26, 2004 Share Posted September 26, 2004 i went and bought a set of WRX wheels for my 94 legacy and mounted a set of 205/55/16 tires. No rubbing and now my speedo reads correctly. For some reason it didn't with the stock size tires Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Scooby Posted September 26, 2004 Share Posted September 26, 2004 you can run up to a 225/45/17 on it with no problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theDirtyRue Posted September 28, 2004 Author Share Posted September 28, 2004 BTW, The bolt pattern is 5x100 right? I'm pretty sure it is, but want to doulble check... Hey scooby, What size wheels are on your legacy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MailManX Posted September 28, 2004 Share Posted September 28, 2004 I put a set of WRX wheels on my 93 Legacy and it dramatically improved the handling. They are 16 X 7. Got them from Ebay for $325 a year ago. As a bonus, they came with new tires directly off a new WRX. Yes, the bolt pattern is 5 X 100mm. Another benefit of getting a set of WRX wheels is that the offset is correct for Subaru's. Also, like GLCraigGT said, the slightly larger rubber corrected my speedometer which was wrong with the stock tires. Here's a picture. Sorry it's not closer, but it will give you the general idea: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theDirtyRue Posted September 28, 2004 Author Share Posted September 28, 2004 How do I change the offset if its incorrect? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MailManX Posted September 28, 2004 Share Posted September 28, 2004 How do I change the offset if its incorrect?You can't, it's built into how the wheel is made. The only way to get it right is to buy it right. Here's a link that explains offset and shows simple diagrams: http://www.etddiscounttire.com/wheeloffset.html Note that there is both negative and positive offset. The Subaru offset is from 48 -55 POSITIVE offset, depending on the wheel and tire combination. Staying closer to 50 -52 is probably optimum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theDirtyRue Posted September 28, 2004 Author Share Posted September 28, 2004 Okay, Thanks for anweriung all my questions, I have one more... What if the wheel is close to the correct offset, but not exactly? I guess what I mean is what if it's a 40mm positive offset? The reason is I've found a good deal on some wheels (obviously ). Anyway, I just want to make sure that it's alright to put them on my car. With the offset being 40 and not 50, what will happen? Anything MAJOR? On that link the only thing it said that concerned me was the load bearing thing. The rest seems to be more minor things. Any help is greatly appreciated, I need to know by 3:30 today if possible! Thanks again, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MailManX Posted September 29, 2004 Share Posted September 29, 2004 With the offset being 40 and not 50, what will happen? Anything MAJOR? On that link the only thing it said that concerned me was the load bearing thing. The rest seems to be more minor things. Any help is greatly appreciated, I need to know by 3:30 today if possible! Darn, I'm sorry I missed your 3:30 deadline today. The offset is measured in millimeters, so the difference between 50mm and 40mm is 1 centimeter which is about 4-tenths of an inch. It doesn't sound like much, but that might just be enough to make a tire rub the top of your shock tower. I know that with the WRX wheels and tires on my 93 Legacy, I can't even get my finger between the tire and the top of the shock tower. If you already purchased the 40 offset wheels, I hope they work out for you. If you have not purchased them yet, maybe you could get the dealer (or individual) to give you a 72-hour return clause in case they don't work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GLCraig Posted September 29, 2004 Share Posted September 29, 2004 Another benefit of getting a set of WRX wheels is that the offset is correct for Subaru's. That's interesting, The factory alloys that came with mine have a 55mm offset. If I remember right that's the same as the wrx wheels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setright Posted September 29, 2004 Share Posted September 29, 2004 Touching the strut tower will be less likely with 40mm than 50mm. The higher the number, the further in the wheel will move. So, a 40mm offset is likely to cause rubbing on the fender. Offset is more important than many people - including wheel shops - realise. A 40mm offset will cause a different load on the hub-bearing, and will interfere with your steering and suspension geometry. The car won't swerve off the road or anything drastic, with a 10mm difference, but if you are seeking better handling with the new rims, you need a 50-55mm offset. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevinsUBARU Posted September 29, 2004 Share Posted September 29, 2004 Just as a side note, the 02-current WRX/RS rims are only 6.5" wide while all 98-01 RS rims are 7". Check out this FAQ from NASIOC.com and read away about wheels and tires all day Keep the rubber side down! Kevin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MailManX Posted September 29, 2004 Share Posted September 29, 2004 Touching the strut tower will be less likely with 40mm than 50mm. The higher the number, the further in the wheel will move. So, a 40mm offset is likely to cause rubbing on the fender. Yup - sorry, I had it backwards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setright Posted September 29, 2004 Share Posted September 29, 2004 Wow, Mailman, you must feel hunted by the pedantic Setright! (Gear oil, then this!) ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MailManX Posted September 29, 2004 Share Posted September 29, 2004 ...you must feel hunted by the pedantic Setright! Ha, ha! Good one! Rumors that the Pedantic Setright is extinct are obviously incorrect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setright Posted September 29, 2004 Share Posted September 29, 2004 "Rumours of my death have been greatly exagerated!" Twain Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theDirtyRue Posted September 29, 2004 Author Share Posted September 29, 2004 Thanks for all the info. To let you all know, I didn't get the wheels. I found some more info on the web and saw that its wasn't worth the money i was gonna save (not to me, anyway). I guess I'm looking for some subaru specific wheels... Thanks again, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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