Ohlins Fitment with Wider Wheels Question

[derpimpkar]

I just had the Ohlins RT set installed on my car. The factory front 19s just fit, as expected. However, my old EC-7 front track wheels are too wide at 18x11 ET44.

I'd like to run 275s up front and I'll need new wheels to do it. The Apex website says 18x9.5 ET22 are factory fit but I don't think they'll hold a 275. I could get an 18x10 ET25 with a 10mm spacer but I'm not sure if the tire would clear.

Has anyone done this before and can validate the math or recommend a wheel+tire combination for a 275 up front? TIA

[Asiancaucasian]

I run the 18x10 ET25 from Apex with 275 square set-up with Ohlins R&T. No issues. I previously had KW HAS on there with the same tire setup, the KW has a stupid little notch that would just barely gouge on the inner sidewall of the tire. Had to run a 5mm spacer with that.

[derpimpkar]

Originally Posted by Asiancaucasian

I run the 18x10 ET25 from Apex with 275 square set-up with Ohlins R&T. No issues. I previously had KW HAS on there with the same tire setup, the KW has a stupid little notch that would just barely gouge on the inner sidewall of the tire. Had to run a 5mm spacer with that.

ty, now i'm not worried about investing in a wheel and tire but it not fitting.

[MineralWhiteF80]

negative camber is your friend and needs to be part of this discussion.

[derpimpkar]

Originally Posted by MineralWhiteF80

negative camber is your friend and needs to be part of this discussion.

camber plates are on the radar but i prefer to make individual changes at the track.

[MineralWhiteF80]

Originally Posted by derpimpkar

camber plates are on the radar but i prefer to make individual changes at the track.

I'm more talking about if you plan on using these new wheels as a dual purpose street/track setup, or if they are strictly track. If you only plan on running these on the track with a track camber alignment like -3.0 to -3.2*, you can easily fit a 10" wheel and 275 tire (and even wider). But, if you plan on running a -1.75 stock camber for street, then your fitment equation gets more difficult and you are stuck with a narrower setup than you could fit.

Also.... track time and track tires without even having camber plates and wanting wide track tires doesn't really go together. At stock camber setting, almost all tires will be destroyed after one day on the track. I wouldn't be thinking track wheel/tire setup without first having camber plates.

[derpimpkar]

my car is mostly a street car but it's becoming more track focused. i know the value of camber plates but i'm not at the point where i'm ruining track tires in one weekend. i still want to make one change at a time so i can adjust accordingly. i like incremental changes.

if i can fit 275s up front without any changes, that's as wide as i want to go now. worst case something surprises me and i need a small spacer. in the near future i'll add camber plates and remove the spacer if i had added it. the tires will wear better too and i'll adjust to that change.

[M 4 FUN]

My previous M 4 had BBS 19" 10,5 wide front wheels with stock suspension and 25mm offset. It was terrible on the road and the whhels stuck out 1/2".

Camberplates should be used to align the car for it's purpose, not to make wheels fit.

[michael1284]

Originally Posted by derpimpkar

I just had the Ohlins RT set installed on my car. The factory front 19s just fit, as expected. However, my old EC-7 front track wheels are too wide at 18x11 ET44.

I'd like to run 275s up front and I'll need new wheels to do it. The Apex website says 18x9.5 ET22 are factory fit but I don't think they'll hold a 275. I could get an 18x10 ET25 with a 10mm spacer but I'm not sure if the tire would clear.

Has anyone done this before and can validate the math or recommend a wheel+tire combination for a 275 up front? TIA

How are you guys liking your ohlins setup? I'm thinking about pulling the trigger. Any tips on which spring setup?

[derpimpkar]

Originally Posted by michael1284

How are you guys liking your ohlins setup? I'm thinking about pulling the trigger. Any tips on which spring setup?

i love it, the car is _planted_ in turns. the suspension feels more confident past the limit and easier to recover. i'm really excited for the track in april now.

i picked the default spring rates, 90/190. i don't have a frame of reference to pick anything else so i figured start there. it's roughly double from stock, little more up front. on the roadest setting it reminds me of sport plus but crisper. you can drive around town ok on it but you'll never have comfort again. on the trackest setting it's brutal around town. maybe it's your cup of tea but i got tired of it real quick.

be prepared to sort out EDC if you have it. you'll need the delete kit or code it out. less clearance may end up affecting aftermarket wheels/tires too. it did on my fronts and i had to get new wheels/tires.

if you go to the track i feel it's great upgrade. factory suspension isn't bad but there were a few behaviors i didn't like. they're all gone now at the cost of some comfort. i probably wouldn't recommend them if you just wanted the car lowered.

[M 4 FUN]

Originally Posted by michael1284

How are you guys liking your ohlins setup? I'm thinking about pulling the trigger. Any tips on which spring setup?

Springs depends a lot on where you drive and how you like to have the chassi but i run 80/160 N/mm on mine and it works fine for me. Still a bit stiff with 20" wheels on rough city roads but otherwise it's very good. You can't have it all. I did not like the factory spring setup.
iI you buy a kit, make sure you get the latest updated one with the shorter shock body at the rear and 190 N/mm springs. Basically the M2 setup, same stuff. I think it's the MR41 kit.

[mindgame3713]

Originally Posted by Asiancaucasian

I run the 18x10 ET25 from Apex with 275 square set-up with Ohlins R&T. No issues. I previously had KW HAS on there with the same tire setup, the KW has a stupid little notch that would just barely gouge on the inner sidewall of the tire. Had to run a 5mm spacer with that.

What kind of ride height are you set with? I am in the process of trying to dial in this exact setup. The car was really really low when I got it. I raised it up some just to survive in the city on the stock 666m wheels. I now got a set of 18x10 ET25 with a 275 for the track. Was rubbing the tire on the spring even with a 10mm spacer so I brought it up some more last night to ~110mm from the gold height adjuster to the bottom of the preload lock ring. Manual say 118m is recommended but I feel like that is going to be monster trucking fitment wise.

Also picked up some 15mm spacer just in case adding those to the equation in some way would help get to equilibrium haven't tried those on yet.

[derpimpkar]

JR wheels has a good wheel fitment calculator. factory front 437s are a 9" wheel with 29 offset. 10" wheel with 25 offset and 10mm spacer has you improving the tolerance on the inside by 1.5mm which should be ok but maybe the tire was wide. i'd expect a 15mm spacer to be ok.

i ended up going with a 9.5" wheel with 22 offset. that's factory clearance on the inside. i'm only running a 265 up front now. its a slight difference from 275. i lose wheel rotation ability but going to a 10et25 with a ~15mm spacer was going to be _out_there_ in front. i'm hoping i don't need a spacer this way. maybe 5mm at worst. find out this weekend.

[yasplzz]

Here I’ll give you the secret sauce. Ohlins R&T with shorter swift springs that were sent out to 3DM and rebuilt/revalved to the shorter springs and custom spring rates, will have to check spring rates for you. Slammed on BBS FI-R 19x9.5 +27 265/35/19 19x10.5 +35 295/30/19 no spacers. Tracked on Laguna seca and thunder hill no issues I just raise it half an inch prior to track days. Swapping to 275 front 305 rear soon!

[armo]

I must have a unicorn. Running Ohlins R&T (not slammed by any means) w stock wheels and a 12mm spacer up front no issue. Tried a Richland Forged 19x9.5 23et, rubbed on the coilover.

Then tried an Apex Vs5 19x9.5 et22, still rubbed. Tried a 3mm spacer but still tight and a 265 tire rubbed the inner liner. Back on stock wheels.

Any ideas? Seems like I'm stuck w stock sizes up front. Rear fit a 19x11 no problem.

[MineralWhiteF80]

Originally Posted by armo

I must have a unicorn. Running Ohlins R&T (not slammed by any means) w stock wheels and a 12mm spacer up front no issue. Tried a Richland Forged 19x9.5 23et, rubbed on the coilover.

Then tried an Apex Vs5 19x9.5 et22, still rubbed. Tried a 3mm spacer but still tight and a 265 tire rubbed the inner liner. Back on stock wheels.

Any ideas? Seems like I'm stuck w stock sizes up front. Rear fit a 19x11 no problem.

Can you explain exactly where you are rubbing with the 9.5" +19 effective offset wheel and a 265 tire? And also which model and aspect ratio of 265 tire? You are saying you are rubbing the liner with this setup, but not the coilover's lower spring perch, correct?

A 9.5" +23 offset wheel gives you the same outside fitment as the stock 9" wheel with a 12 mm spacer, but it gives you 12 mm LESS inside clearance, which is also the exact same position as the stock 9" front wheel with no spacer.

If you are rubbing the liner, it may be more off an issue with overall tire diameter plus aggressive offset (sticking out too much). If you are running a 265/35 tire, which is typically 26.3" diameter, that is just large enough diameter to rub the fender liner, especially on a slightly lowered car with an aggressive offset.

I would put your wheel/tire options on the car, jack the car up so you can look at the inner coilover/wheel-tire clearance see what your gap measures- The measurement says the same whether the car is jacked up, or on the ground, regardless what camber you are running.

Most people will agree the minimum clearance you want between the coilover spring perch and the tire/wheel is ~3mm (ultimately depends on how much the tire's sidewall moves and squishes during operation though). If you have at least 3 mm, then that is ok.

If you are rubbing only the fender liner, then that can be resolved by heating and reshaping the problem areas, or cutting/modifying them. I just let it self clearance or turn the music up

Here is a front end pic of my KW V3 versus a 9.5" +21 and a 5 mm spacer. I have 13 mm of gap between the spring perch and tire.

[Weytens]

I come from a KW V3 to a R&T. With my OEM 666M and my other wheels 9.5 ET22 i would also rub with the R&T. I had to use a 3mm spacer for enough clearance.

No idea why, but the R&T gives you less clearance compared to a KW set....

[armo]

Originally Posted by MineralWhiteF80

Can you explain exactly where you are rubbing with the 9.5" +19 effective offset wheel and a 265 tire? And also which model and aspect ratio of 265 tire? You are saying you are rubbing the liner with this setup, but not the coilover's lower spring perch, correct?

the inner tire WAS rubbing right above the coilover perch, see attached pic, and the liner but only on full lock. Michelin ps4s 265/35/19

even after throwing on a 3mm spacer it was still super tight. seemed way too close for comfort.

[armo]

Originally Posted by Weytens

I come from a KW V3 to a R&T. With my OEM 666M and my other wheels 9.5 ET22 i would also rub with the R&T. I had to use a 3mm spacer for enough clearance.

No idea why, but the R&T gives you less clearance compared to a KW set....

yes heard this too. frustrating

[Hxngs]

Originally Posted by MineralWhiteF80

Can you explain exactly where you are rubbing with the 9.5" +19 effective offset wheel and a 265 tire? And also which model and aspect ratio of 265 tire? You are saying you are rubbing the liner with this setup, but not the coilover's lower spring perch, correct?

A 9.5" +23 offset wheel gives you the same outside fitment as the stock 9" wheel with a 12 mm spacer, but it gives you 12 mm LESS inside clearance, which is also the exact same position as the stock 9" front wheel with no spacer.

If you are rubbing the liner, it may be more off an issue with overall tire diameter plus aggressive offset (sticking out too much). If you are running a 265/35 tire, which is typically 26.3" diameter, that is just large enough diameter to rub the fender liner, especially on a slightly lowered car with an aggressive offset.

I would put your wheel/tire options on the car, jack the car up so you can look at the inner coilover/wheel-tire clearance see what your gap measures- The measurement says the same whether the car is jacked up, or on the ground, regardless what camber you are running.

Most people will agree the minimum clearance you want between the coilover spring perch and the tire/wheel is ~3mm (ultimately depends on how much the tire's sidewall moves and squishes during operation though). If you have at least 3 mm, then that is ok.

If you are rubbing only the fender liner, then that can be resolved by heating and reshaping the problem areas, or cutting/modifying them. I just let it self clearance or turn the music up

Here is a front [...]

What size is your front tires?

[Weytens]

Originally Posted by armo

yes heard this too. frustrating

With my OEM666 and no spacer with a 265/35/20 Michelin Supersport is was exactly like your picture. With a 3 mm spacer it was enough. Even went on track with it and no problems. The perch is right on the edge of the rim/tyre, so doesn't flex much on that position.

[M 4 FUN]

One thing you can do to make a little more clearance is to use a 7" long spring. That will move the spring platform 1" further up and clear the rim.