SG Forester 225/70/R16 wheel width & offset

skep

Forum Member
Joined
Jan 16, 2015
Messages
59
Location
Mornington Peninsular,Victoria, Australia
Car Year
2003
Car Model
Forester xs
Transmission
Manual
Hello everyone!! I am about to lift my XS fozzy with springs and a strut lift and fit larger tyres. I am after the 225/70/R16 setup and have found some 16"X7" wheels with an offset of 40 and just seeing if anyone would know if this would be a plausible setup eg to avoid/minimizing rubbing on full lock?
I havnt found any info regarding a 7" wide rim or smaller offset to accompany the 225 and wonder if the extra 1/2" width be just be balanced out with smaller offset and I don't really want to go down the spacer path! if that makes sence?:cool:
 
Gidday Skep

Before you commit to modifying your vehicle, read this forum:

https://offroadsubarus.com/forumdisplay.php?f=57

and search for specific items in the ORS generally.

Also get written confirmation from your comprehensive insurer that they will cover you with the modifications you are contemplating.

Insurance and legal compliance are two quite different things ... :poke:.
 
And after what Ratbag said, you can modify your Foz but 225 70 16 on your 7x16 et40 won't fit without wheel spacers...
 
ˆNot sure I agree, with a smaller offset (Forester OEM is +48mm), the wheel will stick further out, away from the strut...

I think it would be fine...
 
They should fit in the front but probably not at the rear because of the lift. Springs and strut spacers need to put more camber which makes the wheel come closer to the strut body/spring seat…best is to have a try, and if it doesn't fit, add some wheel spacers !
 
ok thanks for that fellas! I have come across some 16X7 et35 in the states and trying to see if there available here with the extra 5mm offset from the 40 , I jumped on the calculator last night and have worked out that with the new offset of 35 I will be 4mm off the top of the spring seat compared to my 215/65/16 tire now. I see what your saying about the camber,best thing will be to try these wheels and go from there I guess!
 
Just keep in mind that the further out you go more strain is applied to the bearings etc.
 
I have 225/70R16 on my SG. The rears will need trailing arm spacers to stop them rubbing and a heat gun to the plastic fuel filler guard to bend it out of the way a little.

Slightly lower offset wheels will stop the fronts rubbing on the inside at full lock (+40 should do it) but you will still need to remove the guard liners and beat the seam flat.
 
I am probably going to go with the 215/70/r16 but dont know if i will be able to fit diamond snow chains with it being so close to the front spring perch. has anyone tried this setup with stock wheels and 215/70r16. I'm trying to avoid spending more than i have too with new wheels but need to be able to fit chains as well so just trying to figure out if i will need new wheels with better offset for the chains!? trying to deck out this car but been busy as hell. hopefully get the ball rolling soon:p
 
I don't think that snow chains fit with 215 70 16 tires on a SG…but you don't really need any, trust me, I often go in the swiss alps !
 
225/70r16 is LOT larger than the factory 215/60r16, especially in an AT tread pattern due to the extra tread block height. They will slow the car down one hell of a lot and may not clear the spring perches (especially in the front) and will probably rub the front at full lock. I found 215/65r16 a good size in the Dueler 697 AT, no rubbing and performance was not too badly compromised (a taller tyre effectively raises gearing). I still gained around 2cm lift from the tyres alone, coupled with 3cm Kings springs and/or 5cm lift blocks you will gain a lot of height. I just wouldn't go too large in the tyres as they will ruin the car's driveability.
 
I have 2 Forester SGs a 2002 & 2004. The 2002 has raised Kings, KYB struts and lift kit. On road I run standard 215-60-16 and off road I run 215-65-16 ATs. I fitted the FYB specified for this model and I cannot fit snow chains with the 65 series as the spring perch sits lower than the OEM KYB struts and the KYB replacement struts for the series 2 SG. So I have to run my road tyres to fit chains.
My 2004 has the OEM suspension with a lift kit and I run 215-60-16 ATs with snow chains although on this car I could run the 65 series with chains.
I am intending to compare the front struts from the SG1 and SG2 to see if the later KYB strut specified can be fitted to the SG1. I cannot see why the strut would be different between the earlier and later SGs, there are no obvious suspension of body mounting differences that I can see.

If you fit 70 series you definitely cannot fit snow chains even with the OEM strut on a SG1 or 2, it will not clear the spring perch.
 
Last edited:
2016-65-16 , 2015-60-16

Those are really really wide tyres :raz:
 
I ended up with BF Goodrich 215/70r16 in the end and picked up 5 for under 1k which I was happy with. So then I purchased a pair of 9mm snow chains that just arrived and they just fit.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/134591522@N02/20967637523/

hope that worked.

20967637523_a1cf734c80_b.jpg


if they fit in the tread grooves then there is plenty of room but if they sit on top they may touch up everyso often but wont jam under there which is good because I didn't want to have a set of smaller tyres lying around:)
 
Last edited by a moderator:
back to the drawingboard for you havachat!!! haha. The 9mm's just fit enough for getting away with being able to use them, I am unsure if my front struts are stock or have been replaced like the rears had been..
 
Is that picture of the front strut? I had 215/65r16 Bridgestone D697 AT on my Foz and chains fitted fine in the back but rubbed on the bottom of the front spring perch (very slightly). It was driveable though. It looks like you have the facelift SG struts, which have a ring of holes around the spring perch. My 2002 SG didn't have that, I wonder if the strut base is flatter so your chains fit easier?

Front strut clearance, can see where chains have rubbed mud off spring perch angle (these pics were before I got my Kings but that doesn't change perch clearance)
n1c4yu.jpg


Rear arch clearance
2wejdiq.jpg


Front wheel well clearance
35hkdcg.jpg


Rear strut body clearance (heaps)
311l37m.jpg


Hope this was informative
 
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