FAO Mk3 astra owners with 18s

**PhilM** · 09-06-2002 14:30

ive been offered a set of 18s for a very decent price and was wondering what life is like with them, and a 35mm drop. Ive seen and heard of mk3s running 18s with no arch mods - including the car that the wheels r on at the mo - any gen?

**rgv_stu** · 09-06-2002 14:35

aint simon parsons on 18's ??

**PhilM** · 09-06-2002 14:40

nup, 17s, but his m8 rich runs 18s, as does bren

**The Simps** · 09-06-2002 14:46

I might be interested in your Softstars if you do!!

Simps

**Freak** · 09-06-2002 15:02

Back off simps- ive already called first refusal on the softstars on the phone to phil last nite...

**PhilM** · 09-06-2002 15:11

easy boys...

need to work out cost of 18" tyres and the value of the softstars themselves...

**Turbo Chris** · 09-06-2002 16:29

When I had mine (which Bren bought) I put 18"s on, I trimmed the lip of of the rear arches myself and it was fine, it was also dropped 35mm.

Had no rubbing or catching at all once the arches were done but it was'nt that bad before and they were ET40. Tyres are about £100.

**SimonP** · 09-06-2002 20:40

LOL @ Phil!! You are serious aren't you. I've just been over to see Rich actually. We swapped cars for a bit as well. His car is lowered 30mm and he has no problems what so ever.

You'll find that there isn't a great deal of difference in rolling radius between his old 17's and his new 18's. Since we all know that MK3's have no probs with 17's then there shouldn't be a great deal of difference. His tyres are very low profile.

**DaveB** · 10-06-2002 10:34

Tyres are about £110+ I think
Profile is 35 - hence ride is abit harsher and there is less tyre wall.
if offset is lower than 45, and/or wheels are wider than 7" its very likely they will catch every now and then on the rear, more so if you have rear passengers.

Any lower offset and an arch trim is almost guaranteed. and if its lowered with no shocks, and you carry passengers alot, if the offset is bang on they will probly catch aswell.,

**PhilM** · 11-06-2002 21:07

hmmmmm...

the wheels in question r wolfrace ikons on et40, 7.5 x 18.

The car will b goin lower, but (hopefully) on them bilstein "gas" shocks and eibach springs.
The rear seats get used but there not often sat in.

Im not too worried about tyre price

Still a bit worried about harshness and arch contact

**DaveB** · 12-06-2002 08:39

ooh, rich's wheels eh? Whats he buying then?!

on ET40 the arches will need either severely rolling or trimming im afraid.

**Haynzee** · 12-06-2002 09:00

i'm not so sure dave, i was running 7.5x17 ET40s with 80mm drop, with 2 fat vastards in the back (Fenix and PeteR) and had no rubbing. no arch lips were ground off either.

I cant see another 1" making too much difference, even with 215 tyres only a minor amount of rolling might be needed.

I guess it varies from car to car too.

**Fenix** · 12-06-2002 09:42

Bugger they were the 18's i was gonna go for. Places seem to be selling em new with tyres for 750-800 quid.

Far too common for my liking now though.

**DaveB** · 12-06-2002 09:43

IM telling you. it WILL rub, if it dont and u dont trim ur arches u can cover me in salad cream and call me a salmon.

Im speaking from Brens car.
He has got ET40 with 215s and 18s. his rubbed with just tow people - in the FRONT

he has now lowered the car more at the back and chopped the arches right back and they still catch now and then.Thing is, you will find its more likely it will be the actual wheel that catches the arch rather than the tyre., so the wheel will be damaged if it happens.

and dude, ive had a full car - 3fat uns in the back, and my stereo in, over a bumpy road. my car was low low low at the back, mines didnt catch either and thats on standard shocks, but i guess that extra 5mm on the offset makes all the difference.

**Haynzee** · 12-06-2002 09:59

As I say, it depends from car to car, offset rear axel and all that.

where was brens catching? on the outside? i just cant understand it, there was fap loads of room with my 7.5 x 17 ET40s...

**DaveB** · 12-06-2002 10:15

outside of the arch yeah...
hes got about 2mm spare at mo between wheel and arch. thats with absolutly NO inner lip left.

**Haynzee** · 12-06-2002 10:23

is it the same both sides?

**DaveB** · 12-06-2002 10:53

pretty much. maybe abit more on one side that the other. drivers side was worse I think, but we presumed this beacause the drivers side is lower when bren is sat in the car - obviously.

**Haynzee** · 12-06-2002 11:24

you saying bren is a fat bastard? lmao

are you sure they arent 8x18"? that would explain the zero gap?

**DaveB** · 12-06-2002 11:38

dunno.

**PhilM** · 12-06-2002 14:08

they dont rub on richs car - at all - with no arch mods + 5 up...
Si p will comfirm this

Maybe later arches or even tollerances were different, as happened with the nova mk1/2

**DaveB** · 12-06-2002 14:13

well, i reckon they will rub.
Its not a big issue anyway, 10mins with an angle grinder and the rear arch lip has gone anyway

**Turbo Chris** · 12-06-2002 17:41

Brens wheels are 7.5J

I would go for 18s straight away

**Dutch** · 13-06-2002 11:27

Originally posted by Turbo Chris
When I had mine (which Bren bought) I put 18"s on, I trimmed the lip of of the rear arches myself and it was fine, it was also dropped 35mm.

Had no rubbing or catching at all once the arches were done but it was'nt that bad before and they were ET40. Tyres are about £100.

Where can i get hold of 18" tyres at that price? specifically 235/40 & 265/35

Not for my car like but need a speed rating up to 200mph preferably

**DaveB** · 13-06-2002 12:43

those tyres were 215/35.

for a wider tyre the price skyrockets.

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