For that much money I'd just get a set of forgestars. Specify your desired offset and be done. You'd save quite a bit of money

 

I don't know how you are fitting that high of an offset wheel in 18x11. Maybe with offset lower ball joints as opposed to offset upper control arm bushings? We couldn't fit 275's on a 17x10 with a 52 offset without hitting stuff at full lock. The higher offset will also amplify your pinch weld problems and make you limit the steering further. Then there's control arms, your shock tower, etc. that you hit too. We are running offset upper bushings though, which might be the difference.

 

Well maybe because it’s only 10.5” rather than 11” and I recommended a 7mm spacer or steering limiters is why. I have 18x10+50 CCW that just barely clear and as was stated previously, have used 18x10.5+43 since around 2007 or so. Which the inside wheel lip is in approx the same position on both of those wheels. Most wheels have the same standard lip width, but it could vary some I suppose. Once you start adding spacers or steering limiters all that changes though.

 

I’m fairly certain that Forgestars are heavier, but I’m just letting people know; not buying them myself or recommending them.

 

Ride height, alignment, and offset bushings/ball joints will also greatly impact wheel and tire fitment.

I guess, everyone consider yourself warned, you should take measurements before ordering wheels. We could never fit anything close to a 50 offset wheel on our car, with our set up.

 

Yes, my 18x11s are about 22lbs.

As I stated in the other thread, +38mm offset. They fit great under fenders that have been very aggressively rolled.

 

If I decide to compete in SM I’ll try to remember to flatten the pinch weld and do that ...

 

Hey, ya’ll have been warned!!!

 

? A higher offset wheel will make you hit the pinch weld sooner. The lower the offset, the more turning radius you have before you hit it, but you have to do more fender work. The only thing I don't know is how much the offset lower ball joint option pushes the wheel out, which would mean you could run a higher offset.

And just trying to help people out. It's easy for people to assume something that fits one car will fit theirs, when that's typically not the case when there are so many variables are at play. It would suck for someone to spend $2,000 on wheels only to find out there's no way they will fit unless they change their entire setup.

 

It’s an easy spacer adjustment and not so different than any other wheels I’ve seen being proposed, but really it just depends on many factors. You stick it out far enough and sure, you’re not hitting the pinch weld, but the tires are swinging around way out there. I’m trying to avoid that, but let’s just clarify that nobody should try to emulate me regardless. I’m kind of assuming people at this level have enough sense to understand some basic principles, like not using a lighter to look and see how much gas is in the can. Stuff like that ...

 

17x10 with 45mm clears all internals.

 

I noted 18x10, which has a larger diameter opening than 17” and buys clearance. Again, for all teh noobs; you might need an assortment of spacers and race studs this being racing and all. Again, this is serious stuff.

 

Yeah, I'm pretty sure that's where we ended up with spacers to clear everything, with offset UCA bushings.

 

At this point we're all on the same page w.r.t. wheels; even the stock wheels need a 5 mm spacer when you have the Mazda Motorsports UCA offset bushings to not rub at ~75% of total steering angle. Stock wheels are 18x8, 50+?

 

It’s not like we didn’t have this same argument several years ago when MrRX7Club popped in to say 18x11+45 with 295 tires was easy peasy despite him being fully stock suspension.

I suppose I shouldn’t bother to say that the 17x9 wheels I ran in STX with offset bushings have ... better shield your kids eyes from seeing this ... +63 offset

it seems like somebody doped up the water supply around here or something

 

Well I received the fuel line stuff today and started on that. Probably just going to start skipping on the details and let everyone copy someone else or figure it out on their own.

 

At my ride height they fit with stock pinch welds.

 

the point was that I’m not trying to duplicate what you’re doing in SM for reasons we already discussed. The pinch weld isn’t even any consideration for me unless I decide to use 315 tires. No plans for that initially.


wrt some of the other comments yesterday, it seems like at least a few people may not understand the relationship between backspace and offset. Or even the relationship between spacers and offset either, as hard as it is to believe.

Here’s some facts for you. John V has 18x11wheels positioned at +38 offset (with steering limiters). These wheel sizes/offsets all have the same inside wheel lip position i.e. same backspace. Which also means same inboard clearance. Only the outside wheel lip is changing position in 1/2” increments along with the wheel width change:

18x12.0+25.3
18x11.5+31.6
18x11.0+38.0
18x10.5+44.4
18x10.0+50.7
18x9.5+57.1
18x9.0+63.0
18x8.5+69.4
18x8.0+75.7

If you have a wheel with a +50 offset and install a 7mm spacer between it and the wheel hub, that’s the same as the wheel instead having a +43 offset. So a wheel that might be too deep can be spaced out (within reason and depending on wheel stud length). It’s when you buy a wheel has too shallow of an offset that you’re screwed because there’s no easy or inexpensive way to make it deeper.

On a more (hopefully) positive note, the new MCS shocks should be shipping next week.

 

WYSIWYG: engine fuel system; main filter, flex sensor, inlet hose, pressure sensor down at the main fuel rail inlet, and a ridiculous amount of AN and QD fittings




Red shrink wrapped the hose for added safety. Will also make a new hose between the two fuel rails once I can dig back in there again. The kevlar braided Teflon fuel hose and fittings from Down Blunder are super easy to assemble and highly recommended. Makes me consider dumping the Russell hose and fittings I already bought for the oil lines and replace them with this instead.
.

 

Looks good Mark.

 

When I bought most of those components several years back there really wasn’t any plan on how it was going in. Kind of surprised it worked out as cleanly as it did with just the right combination of fittings and making that one small bracket to tie it all in place.

Also put the fuel tank back in tonight too Must of crawled in and out from underneath the car two dozen times getting it in and everything adjusted just the way I wanted it, what a workout

Cleaning all that stuff up at the back end of the car was another lucky set of circumstances too. It all went back together just using only the OE parts slightly reconfigured and nothing extra.

After a lot of headaches and frustrations with nothing going as planned it’s really nice to have a few things fall into place. Feel like some progress is finally being made.

 

First time the interior is mostly back together since over 4 or 5 years ago, was bellyaching about the cost of the new Kirkey seat covers when I bought them last year, but these black mesh covers & padding are a lot nicer than the original silver cloth/gray vinyl ones that were originally on there from 9 years ago ... still researching harness belts

 

Scrothe Ralle 3 work great! Good price too.

For those who have a nice snug seat though - they say the oem belt works just as well (and it does - even for a chonky fellow like myself.

Also, the want for a kirkey is growing on my end. Lol

 

We use the OEM belts. Once we upgraded the seats, we didn't feel like there was a need for anything more, and it makes it way easier for getting in and out of the car. Probably saved some weight too.

But then again, I started out in CSP in a too-large Kirkey and only a lapbelt...so pretty much anything is better than that LOL

 

I had the OE belts for STX, but what I may end up actually having in the car during competition may vary by location risk factor. Reasonable risk is one thing, but no airbags doesn’t bode well with being stupid. Over the years I’ve seen my share of things happening that didn’t seem possible prior to the moment it occurred. If it seems safe enough it might only be the minimum requirement, but if there are high speeds and solid objects it could be a 6 pt. with FHR/HANS.

those are the Intermediate Road Race seats, not the circle track style some people use
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