Does anyone here know if the enkei nt03 is a direct bolt on in 18" for the Evo X? I've seen conflicting data, some suggesting the need for a 10mm spacer to clear our front brakes. Also, if anyone does have a set on their car, please let me know which size and offset you're using as I'd prefer to stick to my stock 245 size tires.

Thanks in advance

 

when you post the wheel specs you are looking at we can post some help.

 

Here are the options: http://www.enkei.com/size_chart/NT03.pdf

The 18x9.5 +40 is probably the one where people say you need a 10mm spacer.

The 18x8.5 +38 would, obvious, not need a spacer unless you wedged some huge tire onto it.

 

Probably the 18x9.5 et 27mm is my best bet. What thinks you?

 

there's a member on here with that exact wheel, he says had to use a spacer (i think he said 5mm) to clear the stock brakes. he later got a different brake setup that was able to clear without the spacers. I don't remember his name on here though...

 

Is this when I say "you choose the tires first and then get wheels to make them happy" or has that boat sailed?

 

What do you mean?

 

I am also interested in this wheel which set up needs no fender roll, but still has some concave look to it?

 

You will not fit this wheel with a concave look on an evo X.

 

18x10.5 30mm with 275/35/18 tires will fit without an issue as long as you run gtworx or swift spec r springs. We just installed a set on my friends X. No rubbing in the rear or front. Fenders/liners are untouched.

The 18x9.5 27mm require a spacer up front.

 

I mean that the way you choose tires and wheels is that you first choose the tires and then buy wheels with the right width and offset to maximize their performance. Thus, a thread that asks about wheels without ever mentioning the tires is bass-ackwards ... er, I mean, not approaching the situation in the right manner.

If you, for example, plan to stay on 245s (for whatever reason [and there are some good reasons out there]), then we would be discussing the correct offset for the 18x8.5s wheels. Only if you are planning on wider tires would we discuss the 18x9.5s or wider wheels.

 

That's presuming the owner cares foremost about tire performance and/or overall maximum performance of the car. Plenty of people choose a wheel design they like first, because their priority is visual style, and then select from among the available tires for that wheel size. Either is a perfectly valid way to go, they're just different sort orders / filtering techniques based on different priorities.

 

You are absolutely correct that many people think that way and, I suppose, it's equally valid in the sense that doing things that optimize what you want is rational. But please note that this site has separate sub-forums for performance and appearance, and this thread is in the performance-oriented sub-forum.

 

I agree with you which is why I specifically mentioned in my original post that my preference is to use the stock 245 tires. I am not looking to 'stretch' the tires and don't mind going as wide as 9.5" for wheel width as when the time comes to replace my 245s, I would consider a 265 as well (though with the right offset, I have no issue with an 8.5" wheel).

From what I see in this thread, there is no way to go with the NT03 in the 9.5" without the need for spacers to clear the front calipers - I am going to pass on these as a wheel choice then since I am not interested in 10" or 10.5" with 275s.

 

Yes; I am interested in performance first - form should follow function. This car is a daily driver that will see some recreational track / lapping days. I am not racing anyone or anything and if I have to compromise the world to gain one second per lap, I am not interested. I have a race car and motorcycles for that sort of entertainment.