First time buying Aftermarket rims

[gtabaz]

So this is the First time I'm buying Aftermarket rims and I have NO IDEA what people are talking about when it comes to them. I'm trying to get Volk Racing TE37SL Prototype Blue Staggered Wheel Set 18x9.5 18x10.5 BMW M3 08+ these or some sort of TE-37sl's.
Well I guess what I'm trying to know is what should I be looking for, I've heard alot about off chamber, on sets, off sets, and i have not the slightest clue to what these things mean. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

[Mike]

well, first, those wheels are for a bmw, so they won't fit, although you may just be using that for example.

The best thing to do is go to this site and read the tech articles to get a basic education, then ask any questions you may need further clarification of.

Wheel Tech at Tire Rack

[gtabaz]

Thanks I appreciate it and yeah they were more for an example but planning on getting a set of TE-37's just trying to find out about them.

[XwChriswX]

There are several forum vendors here who carry/can order you a set of TE37SL's. I'm not sure about that particular color, but they would know better. You can send any of them a PM about it. What's best is they know you're looking for a 370, so they'll know what the right size/offsets will work for you.

[GetYourWheels]

Shoot us a PM I will be more than happy to walk you through the wheel buying process.

[OMGWTFBBQ]

You should try contacting RavSpec. They seem to always have a good selection of wheels at good prices. They've sold enough sets of wheels to 370z owners to know what fitment you should choose. And from your location, they're located in New York too, but not sure how far away from you that is. Support some forum sponsors!

Nissan 370Z Forum - View Profile: RavSpec

[TypeOne]

Hit up Mark @ Ravspec... they stock TONS of wheels! They have helped me out so much... good people.

JDM / USDM Auto Performance Parts Wholesale - Specialized in STI, EV0, 350Z - Ravspeconline.com

[TerribleONE]

vivid racing took care of me when I got my TE37s...

[Huck]

Originally Posted by gtabaz

I've heard alot about off chamber, on sets, off sets, and i have not the slightest clue to what these things mean. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

Well, I'm not a tire/wheel expert, but I know the basics. Camber (not chamber) describes how the wheel tilts in towards or away from your car. If you have negative camber then the top of your wheel will tilt in towards your car and the bottom of your wheel touching the ground will be tilted further out /-o--o-\. Positive camber is the opposite. People use negative amber to give them a slightly wider wheelbase and to have better cornering ability.

I don't know anything about onsets, but offset refers to the amount that your wheel comes away horizontally from the car, giving it a slightly wider wheelbase. The higher the number (ie: +54), the closer you wheel is to the center of your car, or the more you wheels sink into the car. More "aggressive" fitments (ie: +15) make the wheel stick out more, and usually look better, especially when the wheels are flush withthebody of the car.


Sent from my iPizzle using magic and new fangled science stuff.

[Waiz]

This is a good post from my350z that should assist anyone who is a wheel noob

Q: What wheel sizes and offsets do I need?

A: Generally speaking, there are a LOT of different combinations that people are running on their Z or G.

Let's get the basics out of the way first: You need a lug pattern of 5x114.3, width between 8 and 11 inches, and diameter of 17", 18", 19", or 20".

Here are some of the more popular wheel and tire sizes (for good reason) that people put on their Z's. There is no "RIGHT" answer but there is a limit to how big or small you can go.

18" combination:
Front 18" x 8.5" , Offset +15 to +25, Tires 245/40/18
Rear 18" x 9.5" , Offset +15 to +25, Tires 275/40/18
(lower offset such as +10 in rear is possible but may require rolling)

Front 18" x 9.5" , Offset +25 to +30, Tires 255/40/18
Rear 18" x 10.5" , Offset +28 to +35, Tires 285/40/18 or 295/35/18
(lower offset such as +23 in the rear is possible but may require rolling)

19" combination:
Front 19" x 8.5" , Offset +15 to +25, Tires 245/35/19
Rear 19" x 9.5" , Offset +15 to +25, Tires 275/35/19
(lower offset such as +10 in rear is possible but may require rolling)

Front 19" x 9.5" , Offset +25 to +30, Tires 255/35/19 or 265/35/19
Rear 19" x 10.5" , Offset +23 to +32, Tires 285/35/19 or 295/35/19
(lower offset such as +23 or wider tires in the rear is possible but may require rolling)

From this, you get the idea of what is required to go with smaller wheels like 17's, (typically lighter, faster acceleration), or bigger wheels like 20's (bigger, heavier, usually makes you feel slower).

Get to know how to use the following tools and you will be able to figure out for yourself the correct offsets and tire sizes you need:

Tire Size Calculator

Wheel Offset Calculator

Certain combinations of LOW OFFSET and/or WIDE WHEELS will require what is known as "fender rolling" or "fender cutting".

If you are not familiar with the term "fender rolling", here is a quick but useful lesson you can learn in a couple of minutes: Go outside to wherever your Z is parked. Run your fingers along the inside edge of a REAR fender just above your tires. You will feel a sharp edge and a flap of metal sticking inward towards the car. Now, go up to the FRONT fender, and feel the inside of the fender again. You should notice that the flap of metal has been "rolled" upwards on the front fenders. This is exactly what fender rolling is all about. The rear fenders will need to be rolled to make room for wide wheels or low offsets, or else your tires may rub on the metal when you take hard corners or hit bumps. Any experienced wheel/tire shop should know how to roll a fender. If you go to a shop that does not seem like they know what they're doing, get out of there

[rebe945]

Originally Posted by GetYourWheels

Shoot us a PM I will be more than happy to walk you through the wheel buying process.

I second that. Eric at getyouwheels will take care of you.

[RavSpec]

Originally Posted by gtabaz

So this is the First time I'm buying Aftermarket rims and I have NO IDEA what people are talking about when it comes to them. I'm trying to get Volk Racing TE37SL Prototype Blue Staggered Wheel Set 18x9.5 18x10.5 BMW M3 08+ these or some sort of TE-37sl's.
Well I guess what I'm trying to know is what should I be looking for, I've heard alot about off chamber, on sets, off sets, and i have not the slightest clue to what these things mean. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

If u are close to Deer Park NY (Exit 51 off LIE), come by ... We got tons of selection and will be able to walk you through the process of picking the right offset and width and tire spec !

I'll mount and balance and setup and if needed get ur alignment done as well

Mark.

[daisuke149]

Originally Posted by RavSpec

If u are close to Deer Park NY (Exit 51 off LIE), come by ... We got tons of selection and will be able to walk you through the process of picking the right offset and width and tire spec !

I'll mount and balance and setup and if needed get ur alignment done as well

Mark.

if you can drop by Mark's spot.. you really should.