Wheel Help Needed: Offset for 16x8"? Center bore?

[OldSkoolFool]

Hi all. I have been researching rim options for the Wedges and have a couple questions. I love the TVR OZ split 15x8" rims but do not love the limited and pricey tire options (225/50/15 right?). My plan would be to get a 16x8" rim instead and run a 225/45/16 (23.97" diameter) tire which is almost the same diameter as the 225/50/15 (23.86" diameter). The 225/45/16 has some more tire options and is more reasonably priced too.

After much rim shopping, I find myself being incredibly interested in many of ESM's (http://www.esmwheels.com/ California, USA) rims as they would compliment the Wedges very nicely. Right now, they have a 40% off deal through the 29th of this month on the rim I am most interested in which is the ESM-009R (http://esmwheels.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=59_64_85_110&product_id=125).

What I have been unable to find is the offset of the TVR OZ rims. 350i rims I thought were 23. Are the 15x8" OZ's the same? The ESM 009R 16x8" 5x112 rim has the option of 20 or 30 it looks like for offset so please advise, which would be the offset to go with? Also, what size center bore is needed?

Thanks!
Shane

[Number 7]

Shane, I've got the offsets of the 3 oz rim sizes at home. Will post in an hour or so

[Number 7]

OldSkoolFool said:

Hi all. I have been researching rim options for the Wedges and have a couple questions. I love the TVR OZ split 15x8" rims but do not love the limited and pricey tire options (225/50/15 right?). My plan would be to get a 16x8" rim instead and run a 225/45/16 (23.97" diameter) tire which is almost the same diameter as the 225/50/15 (23.86" diameter). The 225/45/16 has some more tire options and is more reasonably priced too.

After much rim shopping, I find myself being incredibly interested in many of ESM's (http://www.esmwheels.com/ California, USA) rims as they would compliment the Wedges very nicely. Right now, they have a 40% off deal through the 29th of this month on the rim I am most interested in which is the ESM-009R (http://esmwheels.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=59_64_85_110&product_id=125).

What I have been unable to find is the offset of the TVR OZ rims. 350i rims I thought were 23. Are the 15x8" OZ's the same? The ESM 009R 16x8" 5x112 rim has the option of 20 or 30 it looks like for offset so please advise, which would be the offset to go with? Also, what size center bore is needed?

Thanks!
Shane

You definitely get a better tyre choice with 16 rather than 15 wheels (in the UK anyway). In terms of bore size, the mounting hubs on the Wedges are 63.5mm (2.5"), although in the assortment of the various sizes of OZ rims I have owned, one set had 66.5mm bores, needing spigot rings to fit properly (I can only think that someone had machined them previously for another car). Anyway, offsets: Based on my own use of the following OZ 5 spoke split rims, they are 20mm for the 8 x 15 wheels, 14mm for the 8.5 x 15 wheels and 20mm for the 9 x 16 wheels (currently on my car). You probably know that the PCD is 5 x 112. Unfortunately I don't know the offset for the standard 7 x 15 350i style wheels. You don't say which model of Wedge you have.What I can say is that on my car, the 9 x 16 wheels fit ok front and rear. The fronts have 225 45 16 tyres, with no fouling, and the rears now have 245 45 16 tyres, which don't foul now that the camber has been set properly, although they are fairly close to the lower wishbone. I don't use spacers, but have the Steve Heath rear tie bars does give more tyre clearance. Basically, that is the widest wheel and tyre combo that the standard arches could accommodate.

[Wedgefan]

I have a standard (I think) 350i Lattice in the shed - I'll dig it out tomorrow and measure the offset. I currently have 3 Lattice wheels and 3 OZ five-spokes! (if anyone can help with one of either/both I would be interested!) and my OZ wheels are also slightly too big on the bore - they only centre up when the countersink engages with the wheel nuts .

Pete

[Wedgefan]

Hi Shane - you are correct - the 350i wheel (7x15 OZ Lattice) in my shed has a 23mm offset.

Pete

[OldSkoolFool]

Thanks for the info gents. This helps. Not 100% which model of V8 Wedge yet but will be either 350i, 390SE, 350SE, or 400SE.

Excuse my lack of wheel knowledge but does the center bore really matter as long as it is large enough to fit over the hub? So let's say the hub is 63.5, if the rim has a bore of say 66, the lug nuts will not center the rim on a V8 Wedge? Or is it more just that it is nice to have an exact bore size so it is easier to mount the rim, but not necessarily necessary?

[Wedgefan]

It's vital that the wheel bore suits the hub. It is the bore that properly centres the wheels, not the wheel nuts (lugs). Without the correct bore the wheel will be impossible the balance correctly as it will always fit onto the hub in a slightly different place every time it is removed/replaced. Movement of the wheel on the hub while driving may also bend/damage the studs.

Pete

[simonwedge]

Shane

I've found the following site very useful in determining the viability of alternative sizes. Doesn't cover centre bore though - you will need spigot rings etc. if they're not matched. http://www.willtheyfit.com/

Simon

[Number 7]

As said, it is essential to have the wheels a good centralised fit on the mounting hub. In the case of one of my sets of OZ rims, I had made up a set of 63.5mm to 66.5mm spigot rings to achieve this. Only about £20.

[adam quantrill]

If you are going bigger than 3.5l you might consider getting 9J 16" wheels just for the back. These are available as OZ split rims from the racers, from time to time, and match the original 15" split rims.

You can then put 16" 245 rubber on them, which gives more grip.

You won't go faster in a straight line (top speed) and mpg will fall slightly, but 0-60 improves a bit.

[OldSkoolFool]

All, thanks for the continuation of info. So again excuse my ignorance, but there are at least SOME vehicles where the center bore does not matter and the lugs DO center the rim correct? I have done my fair share of rim mounting/dismounting and feel like most vehicles are like this. The Wedge is just not one of those vehicles?

Is the center bore 63.5 on all 350i, 390SE, 350SE, 400SE? This might sound kind of silly but I might be purchasing rims before officially purchasing V8 Wedge.

For the 245's at the rear, what sidewall aspect were you using or would recommend? What offset then if say 15, 20, and 30 are the only choices? I would most likely just do 8" wide and 225's all around to keep things simple but I am open to options.

Any opinions on the ESM rims? Other suggestions for 16" rims that match the "era" of the car? I need a polished lip and either five spoke or lattice/BBS kind of spoked design.


Thanks!
Shane

[mk2 24v]

The centre bore is purely to locate the wheel before doing the nuts up
Old beetles and old british cars dont have the spigot at all to mount the wheel.
As long as the wheel nuts are done up evenly, the wheel will be on there as true as it would be with a spigot mount

The hub mating face is what holds the wheel on, but thats a whole different lesson

[adam quantrill]

Mine are 245x45x16"s, which are easily available. But yes, having hte same at front and rear is an advantage - I used to wear my fronts down half way and move to the rear for "finishing off", so I could always have the freshest rubber on the front, which I prefer for stability in the wettest weather.

[TA14]

mk2 24v said:

The centre bore is purely to locate the wheel before doing the nuts up
Old beetles and old british cars dont have the spigot at all to mount the wheel.
As long as the wheel nuts are done up evenly, the wheel will be on there as true as it would be with a spigot mount

The hub mating face is what holds the wheel on, but thats a whole different lesson

Yep,

[adam quantrill]

Assuming the nuts never, ever, get loose. Ever.

[OldSkoolFool]

Well, I chatted with the rim folks and they said having a proper center bore is necessary. So now I am not confident which way to go on this regarding some of the comments here and also with experience on some older cars (ex: Datsun 240Z) where the rim does not rest on the hub so it seemed like the center bore did not matter.

Either way, I am planning on ordering a set of rims and want to make sure I get the proper center bore machined. So, is 63.4 what I need for a center bore and that will work for the various V8 Wedges I am considering (350i, 350SE, 390SE, 400SE)? If 63.4 is not what I need, please enlighten me to what it is!

Thanks!

[TA14]

OldSkoolFool said:

Well, I chatted with the rim folks and they said having a proper center bore is necessary. So now I am not confident which way to go on this regarding some of the comments here and also with experience on some older cars (ex: Datsun 240Z) where the rim does not rest on the hub so it seemed like the center bore did not matter.

You'd be hard pushed to find any car where the wheel rests on the hub via the centre bore.

[TA14]

adam quantrill said:

Assuming the nuts never, ever, get loose. Ever.

That's generally how I like my cars to be. Here's a challenge for you - I'll drive a car where the nuts haven't be torqued up properly and you drive one where there are no nuts, bolts or studs and your wheel just rests on the (tapered) centrebore and we'll see who gets the furthest.

[JamesMK]

Re the centre bore - I've read on various PH threads that it is 63.3, 63.4 or 63.5mm. Is that .2mm really critical?

[Number 7]

JamesMK said:

Re the centre bore - I've read on various PH threads that it is 63.3, 63.4 or 63.5mm. Is that .2mm really critical?

James, when I had some rings made up for the 400, they were 63.5 to 66.5 - based on my measurements of the actual parts in question. To answer your question, I did not even realise that my wheels were larger bore than the hub for quite a while - years in fact - as only some of the OZ rims I had were slightly larger bore for some reason. Fractions of a mm wont make any difference, but if you're going to get some made, measure your own car. BTW, 63.5mm equates to 2.5", so that is the correct size.