Justindc2

iTrader: (3)

im thinkin about picking up 18x9.5s....i saw a member here with 235/40/18s on a 18x9.5...any downsides running it stretched??

braille

iTrader: (3)

the downside is you will have less tire contact patch to the ground = less grip than say if you were to run a 265 wide tire. the benefit you get from running wider rims is that you have the opportunity to use a wider tire. the other downside is you can pop a bead if the tire pressure is low enough =( thats about all i can think of now.

teamsprock

iTrader: (3)

Unless you are running a really low offset wheel there is really no point because a 245 tire will fit. However, that combo by most standards is not a significant stretch. There are tons of 240sx guys that run that size and yes there are risk involved but, in my honest opion with that size, it's a pretty low risk.

Tsurugi-san

iTrader: (37)

I'd probably go as far as a 245/40/18 on the 18x9.5's and call it good --- it'll look plenty JDM.

Justindc2

iTrader: (3)

is +23 low enough offset?? i have 255's on 17x9 +38 offset w/ rolled fenders and it occasionally rubs. i just want to avoid rubbing.

hokiruu

iTrader: (19)

i have run some moderately stretched (to me at least, some people are horrified by it) tires. there are downsides. they will break traction easier and more suddenly, and unless you are drifting or want to break rear traction for rotation in racing, this is usually not desirable. the ride is harsher. the steering tends to be a bit more twitchy and prone to tramlining given the same alignment as a wider tire on the same wheel. there are also some benefits, but on the street many are negligible or irrelevant.

+23 is plenty low and will limit your tire and/or even your alignment options. avoiding rubbing is not just a matter of going with lower offset. yes, stretched tires will make your tire sidewall more trapezoidal thus giving more clearance for a given wheel/tire size/offset, and also reduce the overall tire diameter because of the stretch which is also good for clearance, but a lower offset can also cause rubbing problems in new places as well, especially with the rear fenders, and the front fender liner ad where it meets the side skirt.
i have 255/40/17s on a 17x95 +38 and it rubs. next week i will be stepping down to 245/40/17 on the same wheels, and hopefully it won't rub.