Effectively, the tire/rim setup is part of your suspension. Wider tires is NOT the direct answer to understeer and I agree with what is being said here by the others. If your question is how to eliminate understeer; what you are asking about is not the correct solution to that question.

 

Exactly my point.

Sway bars and springs will do vastly more to reduce understeer than staggering the offset and you won't get the negatives that come with lowering the effective offset. The only real benefit to widening the wheel base is increased high speed stability, which is something you're not going to be able to take advantage of without hitting a track. The negative consequences include reduced steering response, reduced steering feel, more effort in steering, increased tramlining, reduced tire contact patch (compared to an equal width wheel and tire of a higher offset), and accelerated wear and tear on everything between the steering rack and the hubs (which was previously mentioned).

To answer your question though, you do technically have room to fit a 10mm spacer without rubbing, especially at stock ride height.

 

All good info, assuming the first question was ever answered. But it wasn't the question is what CAN, not already does, fit inside the wheel well at stock ride height WITH 10mm of spacing in the front and 5mm of spacing in the rear, again I appreciate your tutorial on suspension but it's not needed what's needed is the knowledge of someone who has tested this cenario so I don't have to.


Nevermind ill call somebody

 

prob a good idea if you refuse to take peoples advice. people who actually are very knowledgeable about this "scenario".

and TBH i doubt youll find someone in the same scenarios. thats a very weird and unheard of scenario. many if not all the people you talk to will say ditch the spacers and do your research for the right size wheels. they will also say that if you plan on doing that, its useless unless you modify the suspension to compensate for as BrFatal was saying: increase in weight, increase in resistance both rolling and turning, and if u plan on going with that S/S combo, that youll need to do more mods

 

I'm so sorry that this is the state of i-club today.

Getting back to your original question, I'm not 100% sure what you can fit under your fender but you will be ~10mm from hitting the strut/spring perch with a 265mm wide (stack height) tire on a 17x7 +53 wheel with no spacer. If you want to stop by and try these wheels and tires and take some measurements you are welcome to PM me.

I also have some 15s with rally tires and 16s with oversize (27") street tires handy to test fit/measure if you'd like.

Here is my favorite forester build thread:
ForeSTAR


he's got a 17x10.5 +20, but he has coilovers and modified fenders so its probably of limited use to you.

 

that is one sexy looking fozzy. OP. get urs to look like that!

 

That car is definitely not using "normal" suspension He pretty much fabricated it himself.




Stage 2 with the next one