260rs Wheel Sizes

[Andy D]

after some new 18in rims for my 260. Sizing seems a bit tricky because of the weird offset of the factory rims. Does anyone have non-factory rims on a 260? What size/offset are they? are spacers required?

I don't want to roll guards or change suspension components/geometry just to fit wheels. My best guess at the moment is that I should use 18x9 +20 all round with a 10mm spacer on the rear. I think this will fill out the guards but not foul on the coilovers. Are spacers safe to use, or should i be looking for a +10 offset (bit of a weird size) for the rear.

cheers guys

[darrinspencer]

A common wheel fitment is to use 34 gtr wheels which are 18x9 +30, not that you have to choose that style. The 9 inch rims with +30 offset fill the rears without fouling the coilovers or the outer guards. If you try to fit anything with more offset you will have to roll the guards esp if the car is lowered. +10 with 9 inch rim is starting to really push the boundries. Ignore the factory 260rs wheel offsets as they are different from front to rear.

Have a search, they has been a fair few wheel threads

[Andy D]

Had a search but couldn't find too much about the 260 (lots on the RS4) . So grabbed my tapemeasure and crawled around under the car. distance from rim to coilover on the back looks to be around 30-35mm.

with 18x9 +30 on the rear a offset calculator puts the rim 35mm closer than stock.

Is the rear susp/axel/diff significantly different to the RS4?

Why would Autech-Nissan go to the trouble of making rims with +30(f) and +20® offsets? Is it for clearance or some handling advantage?

Have seen a couple of 260's (on the net and in Hyper Rev) with R34 GTR wheels, but have no idea if they needed spacers, longer wheel studs etc.

just want to get this right so i don't waste my hard earned on wheels that won't fit (esp if they're an odd size/offset that i cannot resell)

cheers

[rb26stagea]

Don't know how helpful it will be, but my rear end is all R33 GTR (same as 260RS??), and I fit R34 GTR rims (no spacers) with no rubbing at all: I have the car running a fullSK suspension kit set at the lowest height. I get the tiniest rub on full lock from the front, but that's it.

[jasevr4]

andy chances are you'll be chucking the 10mm spacer on the front, not the rear

[stasis]

i will be running 235/40/18 for te front and 265/35/18s for the rears.

[260tech]

Why would Autech-Nissan go to the trouble of making rims with +30(f) and +20® offsets? Is it for clearance or some handling advantage?

Have seen a couple of 260's (on the net and in Hyper Rev) with R34 GTR wheels, but have no idea if they needed spacers, longer wheel studs etc.

just want to get this right so i don't waste my hard earned on wheels that won't fit (esp if they're an odd size/offset that i cannot resell)

cheers

Brembo's vs Nissan calipers perhaps? Dunno but from memory, (not there atmo) I have 18x8 +30 on the front & 18x9 + 38 + 3mm spacers on the back with Rays GT7's & 18x235 x 40's all round. Can't remember the brand, maybe starts with "M"?. When I originally imported the wagon it had Toyo Proxes all round, 245/40's front & 265/35's rear with the above mentioned wheels/spacers.

Cheers

[Lil_Bobby_260]

A common wheel fitment is to use 34 gtr wheels which are 18x9 +30, not that you have to choose that style. The 9 inch rims with +30 offset fill the rears without fouling the coilovers or the outer guards.

Ignore the factory 260rs wheel offsets as they are different from front to rear.

I was wondering why the autech wheels on my 260rs have stickers on them saying "front only" and "rear only".

Are R34 GTR wheels staggered offset? Is it more suited to the vehicle to get wheels with the same offset difference as the stock autech wheels?

[Andy D]

Yeah Stagecoach, thats what i'm talking about . Why?

Why are there staggered offsets?

Will it make the car handle weird with non-staggered offsets?

Do I need to keep the staggered offsets with the new rims?

Is this all too hard, and should i keep the factory rims? (my wife says she likes them, but i think this is just to stop me modifying the wagon)

cheers

[Sydneykid]

Yeah Stagecoach, thats what i'm talking about . Why?

Why are there staggered offsets?

Will it make the car handle weird with non-staggered offsets?

Do I need to keep the staggered offsets with the new rims?

Is this all too hard, and should i keep the factory rims? (my wife says she likes them, but i think this is just to stop me modifying the wagon)

cheers

The R33GTR rear cradle used in the 260RS is a different width than the RS4 Stagea cradle. The front suspension in the 260RS is the same as the RS4. Stageas bodies are ~50 mm wider in rear than the front to accomodate the wider rear track (than the front track). To fit the wheels on the rear of the 260RS they had to change the offset, ie; different from front to rear.

Nothing to do with handling, it's all about fitting the wheels inside the guards with the different cradle widths. I have never noticed any difference in handling with minor changes in offset. The steering weight may change if you use largely different offsets on the front, but that's about it.

Be aware of the noticeable deterioration in ride comfort when fitting 18"s and the higher cost of tyres of course.

Cheers

Gary

[rb26stagea]

I'll vouch for the ride comfort call: you'll want to like it really stiff. I have used mine as a daily driver for the last year or more, but it is in no way ideal, as the ride is on the harsh side. Personally I find it all woth it when hitting the twisties, though! Ok, the offset difference explains why my rear wheels stick about 8mm outside the guards ( I have to fit my tyres stretched jap-style to stay legal ). I run 235/18/35, for the record. At least you know R34 rims will fit. I will try to get some photos so you can see how far out they sit: I have never had a roadworthy issue, but the wheel definitely sits slightly outside the guard. However, in Qld at least, the law only states that the tyre needs to sit within the guard, and mine do.

[Andy D]

Thanks Gary/Micah, that explains everything and is exactly what I wanted to know.

Now I can seriously look for those new rims (and try to explain to the wife that the car will handle better and be 'safer' with 18's)

cheers

Andy

[DaveB]

The R33GTR rear cradle used in the 260RS is a different width than the RS4 Stagea cradle. The front suspension in the 260RS is the same as the RS4. Stageas bodies are ~50 mm wider in rear than the front to accomodate the wider rear track (than the front track). To fit the wheels on the rear of the 260RS they had to change the offset, ie; different from front to rear.

Nothing to do with handling, it's all about fitting the wheels inside the guards with the different cradle widths. I have never noticed any difference in handling with minor changes in offset. The steering weight may change if you use largely different offsets on the front, but that's about it.

Be aware of the noticeable deterioration in ride comfort when fitting 18"s and the higher cost of tyres of course.

Cheers

Gary

Sorry bit OT but can you tell me if R33 GTR rims will fit a series *two* RS Four without suspension modifications?

Edited February 23, 2008 by DaveB

[darrinspencer]

Sorry bit OT but can you tell me if R33 GTR rims will fit a series *two* RS Four without suspension modifications?

Yes they will, they have the same width and offset as 34 gtr wheels, just smaller diameter ie 17inch.

Sydneykid- The R33 gtr rear craddle must be approx 20mm less in track than the RS cradle. The autech wheels have an offset of +20 on the rear and +30 on the front.

Andy D- It is going to be hard/more expensive to get different offset wheels. You would have to buy big brand name wheels opposed to cheaper 1 piece cast wheels. I would consider buying the same offset front to rear so that you can rotate wheels easier and have a wider range to choose from. Then if you find you "need" to set the rears further out, 10mm each side, use a spacer. As Sydneykid said, the stagea has a 50mm wider track at the rear, you maynot need to space the wheels further out, esp if you choose 9 inch rims which will help fill the rears.

use this wheel calculator to play around with offsets and widths

http://www.1010tires.com/WheelOffsetCalculator.asp

[Lil_Bobby_260]

What are the factory 260RS wheel dimensions? 17x8?

[Sydneykid]

Sorry bit OT but can you tell me if R33 GTR rims will fit a series *two* RS Four without suspension modifications?

I have them on my S1

Cheers

Gary

[silva33]

Hey guys,

Im considering purchasing different width wheels front to rear.. What is the biggest rolling diameter difference you would recommend without hurting the 4x4 system?

The wheels I am considering are a 8 inch for the fronts and 9 inch to the rear

[260tech]

Hey guys,

Im considering purchasing different width wheels front to rear.. What is the biggest rolling diameter difference you would recommend without hurting the 4x4 system?

The wheels I am considering are a 8 inch for the fronts and 9 inch to the rear

Hi, "it" is quoted somewhere, (maybe in the tyre dimension link earlier in this thread) around 2.5% differential I think. Maybe here? http://www.tyresave.co.uk/tyresize.html

(don't mind me)

[Lil_Bobby_260]

hey guys. what do you think of this dimension of wheels?

18x10.5 +39 and 18x10.5 +27

Being that they run +30 and +20 as standard. What dimensions are they as standard tho? 17x8?

What issues do you forsee? im hoping for a look similar to alex's old white one.

[msports180]

I dont think they will fit. The +39 fronts would deff rub on the struts. And the rears at +27 wud sit nearly 20mm further in and out the R34 GTR rims.

I think the stock autech rims are 17x7?