I've spent the last 5 hours reading posts on wheels.. and I still really understand the terms and stuff.

All I was able to gather was, theres some offset whatever it is.. and a size. Can anyone give a more comprehensive explanation on this? I've also read that if you get rims that are much different from factory specs the speedometer might not be as accurate?

What is the ideal wheel / tire size combo for a 05 coupe 6mt?

thanks for the help

 

Wheels (rims) are catagorized by a few factors. 1- You have the diameter (which isnt rocket scince and if I've lost you already, well then you really need not be looking into rims), 17", 18", 19", 20" etc. 2- You have the width, 8.5", 9", 9.5", 10" etc. 3- Offset, which is the measured space between the mounting surface of the rim (wheel to hub) and the outer edge of the inside (not showing) lip. The offset is a key part of a rim and ultimately determines how far the wheel will stick in or out (within the fenders and lines of the body), how large the outer (and inner) lips will be, and will even change or effect the over-all design / look of a rim under certain conditions. 4- Wheels are then broken down into type and build. You have steel wheels, aluminum, special alloy (forged), and they can be one piece, two piece, three and more. The wheels that are multi-piece allow users to color cordinate them as well as use different metals, whereas the single piece rims are made out of the same material. There's pros and cons to both, and which is right for you will be determined by how and what way you intend to use your car. Show, street, race or off-road use. So with that in mind, is hard to say what the idea setup for a G is without knowing what you want out of them. If you want in your face bold rims for shows and the most attention, wide 20" do the job, but they're not the best choice for street and race use. For street, 18" and 19" work the best. Hardcore racers stick to 17" and 18" for their weight reduction, and readily available tire selections. The multi-piece rims have "eye candy" apeal, while the forged wheels offer superior strength and the one piece rims are more for budgeted people, but then again theres always exceptions to the rules for all types. Its hard to guide you in thr right direction without really know what you're looking for and last but not least, your budget, as I'm sure you know, the skys the limit when it comes to wheels...

 

Oh I almost forgot, when you go aftermarket, you want to stick with the same over-all tire diameter that came with your car, otherwise yes your speed may go off a bit (unless you can mechanically or electronically correct it). Its called "up-sizing" or better know as Plus One or Plus Two wheel sizing. If you do a search online, you'll learn more about it. But the bottom line is, if you have 18" rims on your car and you want to go with 19", in order to retain the same over-all wheel diameter, you need to now take a little away frm the tire side. So if you had lets say a 40 series tire, you could now drop down to a 35. That would be an example of a Plus One tire combo. A Plus Two combo would be going from an 18" rim to a 20" rim, and once again if you had a 40 series tire, now you would need a 30 series tire (in relation ofcourse). Theres more to all this and exceptions to the rules as noted, but this should give you a breif idea on how things work. For more info, hit up sites like tirerack.com or other larger online rim shop. They have great write ups and info. Good luck...

 

Forging is a manufacturing process where the wheel is formed by plastic deformation under great pressure - not a "type." Casting is a solidification process where molten metal is poured into a mold. For the most part, forged and cast wheels are made from aluminum - with the exception of racing wheels where exotic metals are used (i.e. magnesium).

Typically, the differences are:
Forged: lighter and stronger, harder to manufacture
Cast: heavier and easier to manufacture, more complex designs

 

so the stock 19" wheels and tires aren't the optimum diameter and width?

also, will wider wheels give better traction? Everyone seems to be going for wide wheels.. or is it just for looks?

 

Stock diameter IS optimal. Width is kind of skinny. Wider tires will give better traction and slower acceleration (more unsprung weight).

 

thanks doc...
I've gone through all the sites at the sticky looking for a 19" LE28N and none of them seem to carry it. Any idea where i can find them?