So a friend and I were having a discussion on wheel gap today. He had a xB which runs 15's stock, with 185-60 15 tires. He moved to an 18" rim with 205-40 18's. The combined diameter of the new setup should be 0.6" taller total with 0.3 on each side of the hub.

He swears the wheel gap was worse with the 18's than with stock.

I think it is just perception.

The car is gone now, so there is no way to measure the wheel gap.

Who's right, and why would the gap get worst if the diameter of the wheel/tire combo is increased?

 

what does that have to do with a wrx?? lol

your friend is a dweeb. tell him to admit hes trippen and call it a day.

 

Well, it doesn't really have anything to do with a WRX, but I don't have anywhere else to turn

And I know he's a dweeb, but I need proof he's a dweeb.

 

LOL, well, the ONLY thing I could even think of that would make your friend think that way, is the fact that if all else is left bone stock....adding a larger wheel and tire combo will in effect raise the ENTIRE vehicle higher off the ground, thus making it look as though the wheel gap is worse, when in reality the wheel gap has only gotten minimally smaller, but the overall height of the XB(ox) was increased by the larger wheel/tire diameter. So Tell your buddy he's trippin, and if he wants to lose the wheel gap......LOWER the ride height (aka. get lowering springs, not bigger wheels)

Thats why you'll see people driving around with the "87 Cutlass sittin' on 22's" but the car looks like a friggin 4x4.

-Ted