Datsun Roadster Forum-311s.org

Ok so, Ive spent a few hours looking at the posts regarding wheel sizes and spacers and wheel gap and OMG my head is spinning now.

Instead of hijacking someone elses thread, I desided to just ask the not so simple question once again.

I bought some Rota RB' 16x7 +10 in Hyper Black. The look fantastic (eye candy attached), and I know I might have issues with the caps, but who the heck can tell me what size tires will work on these? My car is running 195/70/14's now.. putting those numbers into a tire calculator I can basicly run something like 215/50/16 without changing ratios much. But will they fit? Whats the offset of the standard steel wheel? Can I really use that for comparison?

205 40 16, maybe? big maybe, +10 may rub the outer fenderwell in the rear. If you lower the car you may have even more issues. There are many "tire and wheel discussions" here.
I really like the hyper black and hyper chrome/silver.
Bolt one on and set it on some wood blocks and check your clearance. Do you want to keep the stock fenders or are you planning on massaging them?

Go here, 2nd page of the thread:
http://www.311s.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.ph ... b&start=15" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
16x7 +12
on 195/60/15 tires

1) the +10 offset puts you even closer to the fenders
2) 215/50/16 is MUCH larger than 195/50/16

Are you planning on running stock, untouched fenders?
If so, the rears won't fit. The fronts will clear, but you will into issues if lowering or running large tires

You can run a lower profile tire, 205/45/16, or smaller.

Wait... i didnt buy any lugs? Doh!

I measured the entire space from the inner fender to the outter fender and its just over 10 inches. So I dont think that will be an issue for overall width. I wasnt planning on changing the rear wheel openings (like flares), but I guess I wouldnt be opposed to rolling the edge at all. Im thinking if i could just find out what the offset is on the standard steel wheels, I could use that and the mesurement of the existing clearance to figure out how wide i can go. As it is I can barely get my fingers between the tire and the body. I took some pictures but they dont really show the relationship well.

Unholy wrote:Wait... i didnt buy any lugs? Doh!

I measured the entire space from the inner fender to the outer fender and its just over 10 inches. So I dont think that will be an issue for overall width. I wasn't planning on changing the rear wheel openings (like flares), but I guess I wouldnt be opposed to rolling the edge at all. I'm thinking if i could just find out what the offset is on the standard steel wheels, I could use that and the measurement of the existing clearance to figure out how wide i can go. As it is I can barely get my fingers between the tire and the body. I took some pictures but they dont really show the relationship well.

The optimum offset is a +15. I have the Rota's in the silver and have them in a 15X7 +12 and they are very close in the rear. Remember measure the space between the leaf spring and the wheel well as the tire will rub on either depending on if you get too high an offset or too low. The +10 will rub a stock rear wheel well so you will have to roll the lip. If you do roll the rears you should be able to fit 205/50 tops. I have a 195/50 on mine and they are a tight fit.

Unholy wrote:. As it is I can barely get my fingers between the tire and the body. I took some pictures but they dont really show the relationship well.

are you talking about the rear stock wheel/tire setup?

send me the pictures and I can post:
alvingogi at gmail.com

I have VTO 15x7 12mm with 205/50 x 15 Had to roll the fenders in the back. (my car has had "repair" in the back, so they might fit a "stock" roadster, but I don't think they will fit.

I would use 195/45 x 16 There are not that many brands available but you can get YokohamaS.drive(Ultra High Performance Summer)

Alvin wrote:

Unholy wrote:. As it is I can barely get my fingers between the tire and the body. I took some pictures but they dont really show the relationship well.

are you talking about the rear stock wheel/tire setup?

send me the pictures and I can post:
alvingogi at gmail.com

Yes, I was trying to estimate based on my stock wheels with 195/70/14s. Pretty danm close already. Hope these pics detail that good enough.

proof that every roadster is different!
195/70/14s are beefy tires

jack it up, mount the new wheel and mock up a tire that is the same width(or less) as current, will it clear?
take some pics!

All my fenders were differrent, I measered to fit with a +7 fit on one side but the other side needed a +12. Also for a 16x7 i wouldn't do a tire that wide, i'd do a 195 or a 185 and just adjust the side wall to get the right diameter.

Related but unrelated... with aftermarket wheels like these, do you need to replace the studs (longer or shorter) and what type of lugs are required?

you don't need to, but again to find out all you have to do is mount the new wheel on and see how many turns the nut can thread on safely

7/16" of stud protrusion, about 9 threads. MINIMUM

pebbles wrote:7/16" of stud protrusion, about 9 threads. MINIMUM

Thanks!

Thinking of putting the same wheels on my wifes 1500.
Any clue what the offsets would be. I'm sure that i will have to go to a narrower wheel in front.
Kevin