Yikes… I’ve never run 20” wheels, or anything past a 22 offset.

Ahh… Umm... Yes! I know… Ask davidv… he’ll know what to do.

--Spike

 

Good choice on the 245/285 combo - exactly what I was going to suggest (or a 275 rear wheel), though I like larger tires as well.

 

30k+ sarcastic comments(posts), thanks n e wayz!!!

 

Alright, since there's a few of you tire experts on here... I have a question concerning wimpy snow tires. I fell into a great deal on some 235/35/19 tires. I was wondering if there was any reason why these wouldn't work on my winter wheels (19x8 and 19x8.5)? Yes, I know it's not aggressive at all. And no, I don't plan on driving my Z in the snow but **** happens and I want to be ready. Thanks a lot!

 

^^ Nope...

I realize you are more concerned about ice than snow (so 19" wheels would be OK in your area if you never drive North during the winter months).

But, 235/35/19 is a little short for the front, and way too short on the rear. I think this setup would mess-up your ABS (something you need on icy roads in Missouri). I've driven in an ice storm in Missouri, and it's the "worst."

--Spike

 

I have been extremely happy with the 245/285 setup. I am also very happy with the wheel and tire combination - great traction/grip (other than in snow/ice - obviously), low road noise, and great comfort.

I went ahead and installed an Eibach Pro kit and the drop was perfect. I just had my fenders rolled today and I plan to add some spacers to widen her stance a bit.

Again, I wanted to thank everyone for their help. Here's a picture of my "work in progress".

 

^^ Wow! Your car looks great!

Yes, I think spacers will add a slight improvement, but don’t “go crazy” here. The car looks very good as it is.

The cherry blossoms also look wonderful (Am I correct? They are cherry blossoms?)

If they are cherry blossoms, don’t let George Washington near your car with his hatchet. We all know about his predisposition to using a hatchet on cherry trees.

--Spike

 

Thanks Spike for all of your help!

I wasn't satisfied with the weak offsets, so I ended up going with Ichiba 38mm spacer in the front and 30mm spacer in the rear and I've been pretty happy.

Fronts:
245/35 19
19x8 +30 offset wheel
38mm spacer
Eibach Pro Kit
Rolled Fenders (absolutely necessary - about 2mm clearance)

Rears:
285/35 19
19x10 +30 offset wheel
30mm spacer
Eibach Pro Kit
Rolled Fenders (absolutely necessary - about 3mm clearance)

The rears don't rub at all - even on the Tail of the Dragon at ZDayz running it pretty hard in the turns. However, the front will once and a while when driving REALLY aggressively.

BTW, handling once I set the wheels out a little further with the spacers is AMAZING for mountain roads, etc. I will have spent less than $2000 (including labor) for wheels, tires, springs, spacers & camber/toe kit - I think she looks pretty good for a poor man's Z.

Not to continue whoring my Z , but if you want to see the setup with spacers, me driving the Tail of the Dragon at ZDayz - http://www.photoreflect.com/pr3/ViewAlbum.aspx?a=715503

I'm running some pretty negative camber right now, so I'm considering adding an Ichiba or Kinetix camber & toe kit for the rear when I get my next set of rear tires - mainly so that I don't go through those expensive 285's any faster than my heavy right foot needs to. I'm thinking that the camber & toe adjustments might force me to step down to smaller spacers (maybe 30mm front & 25mm rear) since I don't have a lot of space left to work with.

 

Oh, and the blossoms are Dogwood trees. Very popular in our area.

 

Looks great, i'm still a fan of wider fronts and slight stretch for street use. Its a hell of a lot better than some people do.

 

Thanks for the update and the lesson in botany. People in the Midwestern States see blossoms and immediately think cherry trees. I’ve learned something.

I’m surprised that you needed to roll the front fenders. Since the front wheels turn outside the fenders, did the front “fender rolling” include opening a greater diameter space to allow turning the wheels lock-to-lock?

--Spike