Need your help in choosing Wheel/Tire size

ozed

ozed

Well-Known Member
21
10
Lahore, Pakistan
Vehicle Model
Civic
Body Style
Sedan
I've got a 2012 Civic LX with a completely stock suspension and 15 inch steelies. I just need some advice concerning the following things:
- the roads where I live aren't too great
- I'd like the wheels to be flush with the body of the car (horizontally, the fender extends well beyond the wheels)

So far from my research I have come to the following conclusions:
- Wheel offset should be near +45
- Wheels+Tires should weigh less than the current combo
- I should probably aim for 16-17 inch wheels, because bad roads
- Tire sidewall height should be between 45-55

If I go the 16 inch route, I was thinking 16x7 wheels with 215/55/r16 tires. With this setup though, the overall wheel diameter increases from 634.5mm to 642.9mm, and the ride height increases 4.2mm. Is that okay? Will this setup be flush with the fenders?

If I go with 17's, I'm not sure if I should run 17x7's, or 17x8's. I'd most likely go with 215/45/r17 tires in either circumstance, but may consider 225/45/r17 as well. With this setup, the overall wheel diameter decreases about 9mm, and the arch gap increases 4.2mm (insignificant?) Also how will this do on bad roads?

All things considered, what should I do?!
 
stock wheel spec is 17x7.5 +45 so if you want to move out to become flush with the fenders, you'd have to either up the wheel's width (which will extend on the inside and out. i.e. moving from a 17x7 to a 17x8 with the same offset will make your wheel stick out half an inch on the inside going toward your strut and half an inch on the outside going toward your fender) or drop the offset. Be careful with this, if you go too wide, you're going to have to drop your offset for sure so the wheel and or tire doesn't hit your struts. I believe that 17x8 +45 will fit perfectly and be damn near flush with the fenders, but you'd have to get someone elses word on that. I running 18x8.5 with +45 in the rear and +35 in the front and also have all my fenders rolled and pulled, so i can't be 100% on it. I do know that there is more clearance in the rear then the front when it comes to the strut hitting the wheel, which is why i had to go +35 in the front and i stayed +45 in the rear. hope this helps a little
 
Stock wheel on the Si is 17x7.5 his LX has a smaller wheel stock.

If you want the wheels flush with the fenders you will need to move to a lower offset, something close to +35. Getting a wheel in 17x8 or 17x 8.5 and depending on tire and if you lower the car you could or could not have issues with rubbing. 225/45/17 is a tire size that will fit everything from 7" to 9" wide and it maintains the outer diameter very close to stock. Your speedometer and odometer should be off by less than 1% with that size. You could certainly run a 215/45 but it would be a little short.


Look through this thread to get ideas of size and how they look:

http://9thcivic.com/forum/threads/rims-wheels-on-your-9th-gen-civic-show-me-some-pics.3815/

And here for fitments that work:

http://9thcivic.com/forum/threads/wheel-fitment-charts.7620/
 
You can run 17x7,17x7.5, or 17x8, between +35 and +48 offset. 215/45/17 will be good for the 7" and 7.5" thick wheels. 225/45/17 and 235/40/17 will be good for the 3 sizes.
 
I really appreciate the help guys, I'm now thinking of running 17x8 +35 wheels with 225/45/17 tires on stock suspension. The car is regularly driven with 7 passengers (not ideal, we have no other choice), but hopefully no rubbing right?
 
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