new rims, some rubbing, best fix?

[cali yaris]

Got my new rims today, love them.
SportMax #002, 38mm offset, 16 x 7.

Tires are Falkens, 205/50/16

However, I'm getting some rubbing in the front (turns and bumps).
Should I go down to a 195 width tire? or will a height change (to 45 or even 40) make a difference? I don't want to change the rims.

Ideas?

Here's a front view. more pics under the "post your rims/tires" thread.

[Walter]

Originally Posted by cali yaris

Got my new rims today, love them.
SportMax #002, 38mm offset, 16 x 7.

Tires are Falkens, 205/50/16

However, I'm getting some rubbing in the front (turns and bumps).
Should I go down to a 195 width tire? or will a height change (to 45 or even 40) make a difference? I don't want to change the rims.

Ideas?

Here's a front view. more pics under the "post your rims/tires" thread.

Im running 16x7 with 205/40s at a 35mm offset with no rubbing issues at all! The tire size WILL fix your problem.

[Black Yaris]

205/40R16's ar going to throw your speedo off quite a bit

[cali yaris]

well, I don't care much what the speedo says... the tach is more important to me (install next week).

so it seems a 205 with a 40 height will fix my problem. Wonder if 45's would fix it also?

I'm going back to the tire shop tomorrow (America's tire), they have a great policy and will exchange the tires at no cost.

[Edd]

You know, there is a reason that the speedo is the biggest gauge in the cluster...

[kimona]

Well, I think this is what's happening:

Your tire (205/50/16) diameter is only 1.5% taller than stock, and it only fills the wheelwell by an additional 5mm. That's perfectly acceptable... provided you're running the proper wheel widths and offsets.

While a 7" +38mm wheel (with a 205/50/16) is only 3mm closer to your suspension, it unfortunately sticks out 17mm more than stock!

With the Yaris, a +38 mm wheel and a 205/50/16 pushes the wheel/tire package past the outer limits up front. The rear is just fine.

So, what can you do?

In Japan, the guys often run different offsets front and rear on the Yaris. That gnerally isn't an option for us here in the States because we have an extremely limited selection of wheels and offsets, and a one-size-fits-all mentality.

So, you could go with a higher offset wheel all 'round. Certainly, +38 is too low for the Yaris up front. We should probably be putting no less than a +42mm up front. Those few mm's absolutely make a difference!

If you love your wheels that much, then you can play with the tire size to compensate for the offset. Yes, you could probably solve your problem simply by running a narrower and shorter tire.

With a 195/50/16, you'll be shorter than the 205 you're currently running, but only 1mm shorter than stock. But, you'll be pushing the wheel/tire package out 5mm less than with the 205's.

So, 195's should solve your problem... provided you don't lower your car. If you do, then you may have to go with an even shorter tire.

Of course, 195's won't fill the wheel wells quite as nicely as the 205's, and when you start pushing the wheels out, the wheel gap starts looking bigger and goofier! The wheel gap doesn't look that bad when the whells are tucked.

[brickhardmeat]

so what would happen if you applied some wheel spacers? you are saying the fronts are rubbing on the inside? this would set the wheel put a little further make it maybe a +33 with a 5mm wheel spacer, right? I'm surprised you are having problems really. I would have gone with 15's on 205/50/15, but that's just what I did. Are you on DF's?

[Boo]

Originally Posted by brickhardmeat

so what would happen if you applied some wheel spacers? you are saying the fronts are rubbing on the inside? this would set the wheel put a little further make it maybe a +33 with a 5mm wheel spacer, right? I'm surprised you are having problems really. I would have gone with 15's on 205/50/15, but that's just what I did. Are you on DF's?

I think he got rubbing outside, spacer doesn't help.
I bet 195 is your only option..

[brickhardmeat]

Originally Posted by Boo

I think he got rubbing outside, spacer doesn't help.
I bet 195 is your only option..

yep, you are right if it's on the outside, maybe someone else mentioned the inside

[cali yaris]

Yes, the car is lowered. I"m sorry I forgot to state that before. Tanabe DF210 too, a full drop.

the rubbing is on the outside, and yes, I am pretty attached to these rims. The only other offset option for them is... +0 ! No way!

So, I'm off to the tire store to see what they have.

[grampi]

You could probably go with a 205/45 as well. That might give you enough clearance to stop the rubbing.

[cali yaris]

Thanks for the great feedback, everyone. We tried 205/40 and 205/45...but I ended up with some Kumho 195/50's that look just fine and I have no rubbing issues now. I give props to the guys at America's Tire, who spent the time with me today to get it right, and ended up refunding the difference for the slightly less expensive tires... thanks guys!

Whew.... on to the next mod..

[kimona]

Great! I bet the 195's look good on the car too; rather than sticking out a tad past the front fender like the 205's did, the 195's are probably more flush.

If you get a chance, please post a new front view photo like the one you started this thread with.

[cali yaris]

ok, here you go, the new one, then the one that rubbed.
Seems like that bit of change in the sidewall did the trick:


195/50/16 Kumho ECSTA RSX:


205/50/16 Falken 512

[Walter]

I ran nine inch wide wheels in the rear of my old jetta. The way I pulled it off was with stretched tires and rolled (slightly pulled) fenders. This is very common in the VW community.

[kimona]

Hey, look at your photos closely.

If you look at the back of the front wheel well lip, you will see a significant difference with the 195's vs. the 205's.

And, if you look closely at the rims, you'll see more sidewall bulge on the 205's.

[grampi]

So let me see if it have the moral of this issue straight. If the front wheels have an offset of 42 or greater, running 205/50/16s should present no rubbing issues, and if your wheels have less than 42 offset, then you need to go with a 205/45 or 205/40 tire?

[brickhardmeat]

Originally Posted by grampi

So let me see if it have the moral of this issue straight. If the front wheels have an offset of 42 or greater, running 205/50/16s should present no rubbing issues, and if your wheels have less than 42 offset, then you need to go with a 205/45 or 205/40 tire?

depends on the drop and the wheel width also

I would think +40 would have been ok but i have 15's, 16's with a 2 inch + drop and +40 might rub with the 205/50/16 but might be perfectly fine

blackyaris?