Wheel fitament question

[AbuNigel]

So I want to put a set of 5x112 18x8/9 set of wheels on the bug.
The offset up front is 29 and in the back, 35.

I know i need adapters, obviously, but I'm mainly wondering if I am getting myself into some poke that is past the point of appealing.

What are the narrowest you can get adapters that i can expect to clear my struts etc. while fairly low, and not have obnoxious poke?

[SMG]

That's a really low offset to have to run adapters with. ET50 with a 15mm adapter puts the rear wheel flush with the fender on a 9" wide wheel. A final offset of 45 is about as low as you want to go. Rubbing the suspension won't be a problem.

[AbuNigel]

Originally Posted by SMG

That's a really low offset to have to run adapters with. ET50 with a 15mm adapter puts the rear wheel flush with the fender on a 9" wide wheel. A final offset of 45 is about as low as you want to go. Rubbing the suspension won't be a problem.

i really want to run these eventually
18" 8/9" Monoblock Wheels Fits Mercedes C CLK SLK E SL: eBay Motors (item 190442849520 end time Nov-09-10 09:15:48 PST)

So if ET50 with a 15mm adapter is flush on a 9in wheel, then that would be a final offset of 35mm which would mean whatever adapter i use on the rear wheels, it will be that much poke?

So a 20mm adapter added to a ET35 9in. wheel would be 20mm of poke? Is that a lot? I mean i know that's 2cm, but does every centimeter look really different?

How can i aim for a a final offset of 45 if the wheels are less than that without adapters even on yet?

If i'm not making sense or getting this, forgive me, I'm new to this wheel fitment stuff :P


Then of course comes tire selection...ugh

[SMG]

Yep it makes a huge difference. You'll definitely want to run big stretch on the tires. This is a weird angle but the fender is literally sitting on the tire in this pic:



My wheels for next year will poke 4mm more and it'll be tight for sure. Much more and you're pushing your luck.

[AbuNigel]

so is obnoxious poke inevitable with the wheels i want to run?

And I've heard mixed things about tire stretching. Is it unsafe? I gotta feel ok about my parents driving around in this thing on occasion =\ part of the reason I'm trying to step the wheel game up so it does't look so teenager...

[SMG]

Well now that I re-read your post I'm more worried about the front offset. The wheels are going to poke an awful lot. Tire stretching is definitely safe, especially if it's only a series or two too small.

[AbuNigel]

yea, really sucks these wheels aren't fill and re-drill'able =\
I've seen them on mkiv gti/jettas so i know it's possible, but maybe the OEM ones have a higher offset or something.
maybe i should just get longbeaches..

[SMG]

The OEM ones are probably a different offset yeah. Adapters are expensive, I'd try to avoid using them if you can.

[SMG]

These could work and aren't reps:

FS: 18x8.5 Mercedes AMG Monobloc II [BBS 2-piece] (Very Rare) - Wheel Sanctuary by Wheel-Whores.com

[AbuNigel]

they would work is an understatement...
however unfortunately the real appeal of reps was the price tag =\
once i've bought MY own first car, it'll be another story, but right now my folks are pretty against me throwing so much money into the car...past a certain point at least.
Which is why i want to get nice wheels though.

I could keep spending money on a million different things for the car, or I could spend a lot once, and be content focusing on nothing but maintenance for the rest of it's life.

I got the lows, nice wheels to give it some stance, I wouldn't really NEED to do any more =\

blah.

[SMG]

Adapters are like 300-400 bucks though so if you're trying to be practical that's not the way to do it.

Just get some nice Aristos or Longbeaches or something maybe.

[AbuNigel]

yea you got a point about the adapters...

I think long beaches are the way to go. Beetle's with aristos are kinda played. I've seen bugs with long beaches but not as many. Plus after surfing the tex for a bit seems like i could nab a set for pretty cheap, piece them together if i chose for even cheaper. A guy in CT selling a curbed up 17in long beach for 25 bucks lol and others seem to be selling them by the twos or threes for cheap also.
i got no problem with some DIY autozone wheel refurbishing!

[AbuNigel]

I like the look of this... probably wont actually be this big but o well.
ok, long beaches it is!
pshop: