Hi,
I'm thinking of going for 17x7 wheels, and was wondering what the best offset is? Any suggestions?

Cheers
Joe

[Edited on 27/4/05 by hearnia]

On your MK ?

Are you sure - really sure - about that ?

If you fitted 17" wheels, what size and type of tyres would you be fitting ?

This is where I advise you to fit the smallest wheel diameter you can get away with. On an Indy, that will probably be 14" because you can't fit 13"s over the back calipers. But that's ok -you'll still be able to fit decent tyres - Yokos or Avons.

Of course, you might be more interested in appearance than grip and handling

I'll get me coat...
JF (traditionalist wheel size faction)

I appreciate what you're saying, but I cant make my mind up. I have seen a few with smaller wheels, and a few with 17's and wasn't able to make my mind up on what appearance I prefered.

I have my eye on a set of big brakes (not that they need to be that big) and 17's are the only size that will fit them comfortably.

I would be going for either pirelli p zero corsa tyres, or something similar, barely road legal tyre really.

Opinions are greatly welcomed.

Cheers
Joe

hi joe.

try these.
i have them on my indy.

brand new and unused 6 X 14 compomotives (look like CXRs, only with a centre cap, and weigh 6.3kg each) shod with 185 60 14 yokohama A539 rubber.

they are four stud, 108 pcd and et 33 offset (ford fitment).

check this thread for pictures.

http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=14292

£384 + carriage.

kindest regards,

dom.

I have to agree on size. Fitting 17" with low profile tyres is not perhaps the best option. if you want big brakes (take it from me even the standard Sierra ones are well up to the job) then 15" will allow the latest Wilwood 4 pot kit to fit. The Wilwood rep suggested non vented discs 240 or 260mm seem to be the best option for "7" style cars as the bigger vented ones take too long to get to working temp even on the track.

Also check out the extra weight of 17" wheels.

I would go for 15" with a 55 or 60 ratio tyre next time round.

I'm going to take your advice and go with some 15's. I was looking at the wilwood set up anyway, as Rally Design are local to me and offering a good price on the kit.

Now I just have to choose a style!!!

The CXR's are good and very light. Taste is something you could loose sleep over...

Our CXR's

complete with Toyo Proxes R888 take the total weight to 15Kg/corner.

[Edited on 27-4-05 by Hellfire]

quote:

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Originally posted by hearnia
Hi,
I'm thinking of going for 17x7 wheels, and was wondering what the best offset is? Any suggestions?

Cheers
Joe

[Edited on 27/4/05 by hearnia]

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Rescued attachment 7.jpg

I am currently on the look out for a good set of 16"s for my Avon. My problem is trying to get something to clear my princess calipers

I know some (viper for one) have fitted 17"s but the general opinion on here seems to be that handling will suffer.

I like the look of these myself ...Wolfrace Street Octane £395 per set in 15".



Cheers,
David

they were the wheels i wanted. damn guy ordered the wrong ones in
Altho now i think i like the ones i hav better!!

Agree with paul, 17s jus look better my opinion.
Paul, wat wheels did u get??

I Went with these

quote:

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Originally posted by flak monkey
I like the look of these myself ...Wolfrace Street Octane £395 per set in 15".



Cheers,
David

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With tyre each wheel weighs 3 stone tho
Did u go for the black?? Wud look great with ur car, bit dark maybe with mine. Thts y the guy didnt get me them, cause apparently they dont make them in shadow chrome anymore

I bought some of the Wolfrace Street Octanes today in 15" with 195/50 yoko a048r tyres. Should be here in a couple of weeks!

A man with taste!

fyi, although 17s may be too big to give spot on handling, they don't have to be heavy.

pro race 1's with 205/40/17 R888's weigh 16.2Kg per corner

don't go for the pro race 1.2s though, as the chunkier rim adds a significant amount of weight.

i love those cxr's though hellfire. i fancied some, but i didn't have a sawn off to rob the bank. can't help thinking they look better in 17" though

tom

17 inchers just look ridiculous on these sorts of cars!
They also make one wonder as to the owner's/driver's comprehension of suspension/traction and their competance with the car's build as a whole with respect to the above.
All IMHO of course.

come on rorty, spit it out, say what u r really thinking!

seen plenty running on 17"s at stoneleigh today, ok they don't give it the true 7 look that 13"s do but 17"s do look rather nice and if you can afford to budget them into the build and want that size then go for it.

all IMHO of course

I would go for 15"s myself on an Indy. I saw plenty at stoneleigh with 17's aswell but i thought they looked stupid.

Adam

i have 15's on mine

quote:

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Originally posted by john_p_b
i have 15's on mine

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quote:

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Originally posted by john_p_b
i have 15's on mine

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well going on the fact that the argument seems to be between tiny 13's or huge 17's i think having 15's makes me a well balanced individual

quote:

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Originally posted by Rorty
17 inchers just look ridiculous on these sorts of cars!
They also make one wonder as to the owner's/driver's comprehension of suspension/traction and their competance with the car's build as a whole with respect to the above.
All IMHO of course.

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quote:

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Originally posted by richardR1

quote:

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Originally posted by Rorty
17 inchers just look ridiculous on these sorts of cars!
They also make one wonder as to the owner's/driver's comprehension of suspension/traction and their competance with the car's build as a whole with respect to the above.
All IMHO of course.

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Fail to see the link between personal preference over rim size and competence with a car's build as a whole. And yes, before you ask, I am building mine on 17's.

Simple principle which applies to all of us - my car, my money, my choice

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loads of us have used 17" wheels and i still think they look good even tho iv used 15" this time but its a bit of an insult judging the quality of build by the size of the wheels

Suprisingly for someone choosing to run 17's I do have a reasonable grasp of the compromises of running that size of wheel, particularly with reference to unsprung weight and the lack of warning when approaching the limits of adhesion. However I do think that these drawbacks do tend to be exaggerated to a certain extent by the advocates of the smaller rims. The fitment of larger rims certainly doesn't mean that a car is going to handle like a basket case.
In my case the car is being built as a fun road car, and as such the public highway is not the place to be exploring a car's on the limit handling, be it on 17's or skateboard wheels. I hope therefore to have fun safely on my ridiculous wheels, and if the need arises to push it that bit further, rest assured it will be on a set of 13" minilites with Dunlop moulded slicks off the Mini in my Avatar

quote:

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Originally posted by OX
loads of us have used 17" wheels and i still think they look good even tho iv used 15" this time but its a bit of an insult judging the quality of build by the size of the wheels

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quote:

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Originally posted by richardR1
Suprisingly for someone choosing to run 17's I do have a reasonable grasp of the compromises of running that size of wheel, particularly with reference to unsprung weight and the lack of warning when approaching the limits of adhesion. However I do think that these drawbacks do tend to be exaggerated to a certain extent by the advocates of the smaller rims. The fitment of larger rims certainly doesn't mean that a car is going to handle like a basket case.
In my case the car is being built as a fun road car, and as such the public highway is not the place to be exploring a car's on the limit handling, be it on 17's or skateboard wheels. I hope therefore to have fun safely on my ridiculous wheels, and if the need arises to push it that bit further, rest assured it will be on a set of 13" minilites with Dunlop moulded slicks off the Mini in my Avatar

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Maybe if I stick it backwards through a hedge you will have to reassess your conclusion and put me in the 'haven't got a bloody clue' category!

I'm going to fit 21" alloys

quote:

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Originally posted by Benzine
I'm going to fit 21" alloys

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hi peeps.

hope everyone is well and enjoying the fantastic sevening weather!

i had a very nasty accident in a car with 17" rims, partly caused by the fact that my driven wheels lost traction and broke away without any warning. admittedly, i had a bike engine in the car and i was a novice at the time, but you cannot escape the fact that a lack of tyre wall flexibility was a major contributor. i spoke about this very subject at the time, but some people never learn.
why do track sevens and formula1 cars run high tyre walls?
even rally cars run 15s on forest stages.
this fashion for massive rims comes from touring cars. they weigh a good deal more than a seven and need larger wheels to accomodate larger discs. sevens don't need big brakes, so they don't need big wheels, period.
loads of sevens are actually over braked, especially at the back. why else would people be fitting brake bias valves?
this argument has little to do with whether a car is run on the track or on the road.
i was travelling at 40 mph when my accident happened, and i certainly wasn't "exploring the limits of adhesion" or doing anything else crazy.
you are actually endangering your life when you put a bike engine into a car that weighs 450 kg and then fitting 40 profile tyres.
apart from the issues of rotational inertia and the effect that has on braking and the gyroscopic effect of big heavy wheels and the effect that has on steering.
rorty has a very important point to make, in that the fundamental principle of design is that "form follows function". he has been diplomatic enough to say in my humble opinion (imho), so why the tough guy attitudes?
i, too, would question the integrity and safety of a design, if it contained obvious flaws. you would have to be ignorant not to.
so give rorty a break. he is only concerned about your safety, as am i. i, for one, would not want anyone to go through what i went through last year, and i'm sure none of you guys would either.

kindest regards,
dom

[Edited on 2/5/05 by type r1]

[Edited on 2/5/05 by type r1]

oh er!

i think folks are maybe getting carried away here. rorty has imo come across as being rather harsh on those who do fit 17"s on their cars. i think everyone knows 17"s do effect the way the car will handle etc etc but i think what some ppl maybe need to realise is not everyone is building a 7type for track use or country lane thrashings etc.

my 2p worth anyway.

quote:

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Originally posted by john_p_b
oh er!

i think folks are maybe getting carried away here. rorty has imo come across as being rather harsh on those who do fit 17"s on their cars. i think everyone knows 17"s do effect the way the car will handle etc etc but i think what some ppl maybe need to realise is not everyone is building a 7type for track use or country lane thrashings etc.

my 2p worth anyway.

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dudes.

if you're planning on using your seven for doing the weekly food shop, rather than blatting around on b roads, it doesn't really matter how you set the chassis up, does it? just be sure to stick to the a roads and motorways and try to avoid going faster than 30 mph around roundabouts.
should be fine then.

kindest regards,
dom.

dom ,you make me laugh.the big wheels can hardly be to blame for the 10 miles that you got to do in your car before bending it and to say you wernt giving it any beans when it spun out brings tears of laughter to my eyes,you make out that they have no grip at all when in fact they do have plenty of grip and they can be caught and drove sideways just not as nice and easy as 13" or 15" wheels.
this of course,in the lame ass way,is all IMHO

so then o mighty sages of all things handling, if i were to be looking to get a set of 13/14" minilite splitrims, what size tyres should i be looking at putting on them? what size rims should i be looking to get?

iirc, the 185/70/13s that were on the donor give a rolling radius within 3/4 mm of 205/40/17s but would guess they would need to be slightly lower profile side walls, to take some of the wallow within the tyre out. what about width? i've picked up that narrow is best for the wet, but what about dry?

i am your clay, mould me
not with your hands though
tom

Just remember this is a debate and we are all entitled to our own opinions as long as you dont go bigger than 15"!

Anyone want a set of 15" octane black with 205 r888 rubber!!!!

Was the first, but now just one of many!!!

ox and indykid.

no offence intended and none taken.

kindest regards,

dom.

[Edited on 2/5/05 by type r1]

I think one or two people are getting a little carried away with the notion that 17 inch wheels are a sure recipe for death and carnage unless you drive to Asda on tickover. Both the Elise 111R and the VX220 Turbo run 17 inch wheels on 45 series tyres and whilst not as light as a BEC they are fundamentally light and very powerful cars. They also happen to be praised highly for their handling prowess.

I have also used a Williams Clio for the last 8 years for sprints, trackdays and road use on 17's and found it very easy to control on the limit. It was also a second a lap faster round a sprint at Elvington than it was on the same day on standard 15 inch.

I think everyone should be allowed to make their own choice without others questioning their decision.

But maybe one day I will see the light and buy those CXR's you seem to have had for a while type r1.

richardr1.

point taken.

not real cxrs unfortunately. would love a set of them, though!

kindest regards,

dom.