Im running 9.5 in the rear and 8.5 in the front. iv all so heard of 10.5 rear 9.5 in the front.
Is there a general rule that the front should be only an inch in difference from the rear. Iv never heard of anybody running 8.5 front and 10.5 in the rear
At the same time 9.5 doesn't even look like it would fit in the front?

what are the pros and cons if you could run the 9.5 front 10.5 rear,
as well for 8.5 front and 10.5 rear

 

Stagger refers to the outside diameter difference of the front and rear tires, not with wheel width. You can run any width that fits.

 

well that's something i didnt know so staggered whould be like running a 20in rim in the rear and a 19 in the front?

 

Actually there are two types of stagger , one is in tire height, the other is in width. The Z from the factory has both.

Do you need stagger on the Z? Only in height for proper ABS, VDC/TCS

Stock stagger is 20mm in width between front and rear, the closer you get to non staggered the less understeer you have and the more stagger you have the more understeer you get.

 

For style there is no rule. If you want 8.0 front and 10.0 inches rear go for it.

For handling members might prefer something a little closer. Wheel width is secondary to tire width. Say front 245 mm and rear 275 mm. Once you go past a 30 mm difference, front 235 mm and rear 285 mm for example, you may be driving a under steering monster.

The aggressive thread is filled with 9.5-10.5 examples. Figure cast 19 inch wheels plus tires and you have bumped the stock 350Z about 100 pounds.

 

We got staggers that stagger the human mind:

Front wheels 17 inches - rear wheel 18 inches for example.

Front wheels 8.0 inches - rear wheels 10.0 inches wide.

Front tires 235 mm - rear tires 285 mm.

You can mix-and-match to suit you taste, needs and budget.

 

No, that's wheel diameter. When talking about the Z, stagger refers to the outside diameter of the tires. That's why when we upgrade from 17 to 18 or 18 to 19 or 20" wheels, we use lower profile tires so we can keep the OD close to the same as the OEM setup.

 

Nope, no general rule. Do as you please.

 

How can you say that? If a Z has TCS/VDC, then there are specific rules that you must follow to maintain stagger so that TCS or VDC continues to work properly.

 

im running 9.5 in the rear and 8.5 in the front would it be pointless to upgrade to 10.5 rear and 9.5 in the front ?

 

Unless you want to run wider tires.

 

Good point. I agree with what you said about trying to maintain correct outside tire diameters in order to not negatively affect those systems. I personally don't have TCS.

Again, when I think of staggered setup, I'm thinking in widths, not diameters.

 

+1 that was my original thought to

 

No one mentions the effect on ABS operation or the car’s ECU operations when going outside the manufacturer’s tire diameter specifications.

I agree with DaveZ#3’s statement that the most important consideration in stagger is the tire’s overall diameter. Even if your car does not have TCS or VDC, it does have ABS and an onboard computer that is calculated to the manufacturer’s tire diameter. As Dave mentions, there is a “stagger rule,” and that is the overall diameter of the tires (front to rear) you mount on your car.

terrasmak does a great job describing the important aspects of stagger. I quote his message below:
1) The “height stagger” is a “rule,” set by the manufacturer.

2) The “width stagger” varies depending upon:

• Engine modifications (a more powerful engine requires a wider rear tire to avoid unwanted tire spin under greater acceleration)
• The car’s suspension
• Driving style (Do you prefer neutral-steer or mild under-steer?)

If you have an older stock Z with 285 hp, you need at least 235mm width on the rear. New Z’s with more hp need at least a 245mm tire on the rear. These widths prevent unwanted wheel spin under hard acceleration. Of course you can run wider widths without any problems (the only downside would be more road noise, higher co$t, and less mileage).

The front tire width you choose can vary, and there is no “rule.” The safest setup is going about 20mm less on the front width (terrasmak also mentions this). That keeps your car within a minor (and safer) under-steer. But, many of our members prefer different handling for various conditions, and that is why you see so many differing tire widths.

Hope this helps making your decision,

--Spike

 

Nice synopsis Spike