Suggested wheels for.....

nikoncanon

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Suggested wheels for dirt and snow. Mostly unpaved roads. Anyone got any ideas.
 
round wheels!

What car do you have?
Generally 15" wheels have more tyre options than 16s or 17s.
I certainly wouldnt suggest 18+

Steel wheels are cheaper than alloy but for dirt, snow I dont think there would be much difference.

Obviously your current wheels are the cheapest option!

So isnt a better question - which tyres?
And if there are no good options for your current wheels then think about swapping to a different size wheel.
 
^ correct. I had to grind the back of the calliper about 3 mm to get 15" to fit.

When I got my new wheels, I went for a more open style wheel thinking that mud, sand (and I guess snow) etc would have a better chance of cleaning itself out than with a more closed wheel e.g. steelie. Of course there may be a reasonable argument that a closed wheel might not let as much crud inside in the first place - but if it does get in it's probably harder to get it out.

Make sure the offset is correct. You don't want the tyre moving any closer to the spring perch.
 
Car makers spend hundreds of millions of dollars on R & D. If 15" wheels would fit, they would have used them!

I don't even want to think about what your insurance company would say if they discovered what you have done!

Leave well enough alone and don't play with your family's safety!

IanC
 
^ I think I have gained enough experience over 45 years of working on motor vehicles to know what I am doing! There is no safety issue at all. :iconwink:

Most Subaru rally cars run 15" wheels as did all the early Liberty / Legacy / Outbacks and Foresters. So there is absolutely no issue with running 15".

I also run slotted rotors and higher performance pads and can stop a hell of a lot quicker than a stock Foz!

Sure, one could go a buy a set of smaller callipers to suit a 15" wheel - the end result is the same.
 
Thanks for that Kevin. Do you feel better now? :poke:

My advice was for Nikoncanon, who may not have 45 years in the motor industry or experience building rally cars.
 
Most rally cars not only run 15 inch rims, but what we also do is build scrappers that mount on to the rear calipers that scrape mud and stuff off the rims. It is not an issue for the fronts- just the rears. This stops the mud and rocks from building up, which eventually brings them into contact with the caliper and then grinding through it. This leads to brake failure and a very high high heart rate.

So yes, you should be able to put 15" rims over the Forrie brakes but often it will depend on which rim you are using.
 
Id love to see a set of gravel stage rims on a Forrie... as long as there is a good offset it should look good... :banana:
 
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like a set of these! probably wont find a stronger rim for a subaru ;) (yes they come in the 5x100 bolt pattern too, not sure why this image has a 4 lug)
pro%20rally%20silver%20%5B640x480%5D.jpg
 
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The WRC cars ran 4 stud rims and hubs. We ran ex Possum Bourne Motorsport rims, which were good, and Falken rally tyres, which were not. Hit one rock right in the middle of front rim. It was as though the centre of the rim had been centre punched, which forced it against the caliper. The rear tyre hit the same rock and tore a hole in the side of the tyre. That was on Day 2, and the end of our rally. A fellow competitor hit a roo on a transport stage. Cruel sport, motor racing.
 
Did you see the incident at Bathurst a few years back when Jim Richards hit one? You'd reckon all the noise would scare them from coming within miles of the place. Then again, kangaroos must be the dumbest animal there is.
 
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