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The "Will This Fit??" Thread (Please Read OP Before Posting)

769K views 7K replies 800 participants last post by  boxingcandyman 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
Disclaimer:
Wheel fitment is a general science that takes into account wheel diameter, width, offset, tire size, suspension setup, and fender modifications. You must also realize that every car is built slightly different, so while one setup may work flawlessly on one 3, another 3 may have fitment issues (rubbing, etc). By posting in this thread, you are asking the community to give you their best guess on what will work for your car. You are hereby acknowledging that we are guessing based on past experience and experiences reported by others, and that in no way have we tried every wheel/tire combination that there is on our own vehicles. Our advice is to be taken at your own risk, and in no way are we responsible for anything that may happen to your vehicle.

FOLLOW THIS FORMAT WHEN POSTING:
Wheel specs (diameter, width, and offset):
Tire specs (e.g. 225/40/18):
Suspension (shocks/struts brand, spring brand, or coilover specs):
Fenders rolled/pulled already? Yes / No
If not... willing to roll/pull your fenders? Yes / No
Additional details (camber settings, intended use, other issues, etc... optional):


Basic Wheel Fitment Info:
Please read the quotes below carefully before posting. 99% of the questions asked here can be answered yourself by reading these and seeing where your intended wheels fit into the listed ranges. If you post asking whether wheels obviously fitting into one of these common ranges will fit your car, you will probably not receive a response other than "read the OP"

Cali_Axela said:
Your Mazda3 or Mazdaspeed3 (and any other late model Mazda, in fact) requires wheels with these basic specs:
- 5x114.3 bolt patten
- 67.1mm hub bore*

* larger hub bore wheels can also be used (e.g. 73mm, a very common hub bore), however hubcentric centering rings are recommended for fitting wheels with a larger hub bore to ensure correct centering.
- Wheel diameter between 16" and 20"*
* the 2.0L i Mazda3 can also fit 15" wheels, but 2.3L or Mazdaspeed3 models cannot. 16" wheels are fine on any normal 3, but a very tight fit over the MS3 front brakes, so it's possible not ALL 16" wheels will work on an MS3. Wheel diameters larger than 20" may be possible, but the paper-thin tire sizes required for proper fitment would make the car very impractical and uncomfortable to drive and it's not recommended at all.

The other two factors in wheel fitment are width and offset. OEM 17" wheels have an offset of 52.5mm and width of 6.5". In general, the wider you go, the lower the offset needs to be in order to clear the suspension components. These two factors, width and offset, are the most variable components of wheel fitment, compared to all the other variables which are pretty much set in stone. Thus, they are the most important to look at closely.

"Safe" upgraded fitment -- these will work with any model, retain the correct speedometer readings etc just like OEM, and work in all conditions with any off-the-shelf suspension height and settings without any fender modification required.

17x7" wheels with an offset between +45 to +54
17x7.5" wheels with an offset between +47 to +50

The recommended tire size for these 17" common upgrades on a Mazda3 is 225/45/17. The recommended tire size for these 17" common upgrades on a Mazdaspeed3 is 235/45/17.

18x7" wheels with an offset between +45 to +54
18x7.5" wheels with an offset between +47 to +52
The recommended tire size for these 18" common upgrades on a Mazda3 is 225/40/18. The recommended tire size for these 18" common upgrades on a Mazdaspeed3 is 235/40/18. The 7.5" is strongly recommended over the 7" for an MS3.


Moderately aggressive fitment -- these are fitments that push the OEM fender envelope, so to speak. Depending on what suspension you're running and how much weight is in your car, you may or may not need to roll your rear fenders to make these work without rubbing. Higher offsets are more likely to work without a roll (e.g. 17x8 +50 will work without a roll on most cars, while 17x8 +40 will require a roll on most cars... but how much they rub depends largely on your suspension setup).

17x8" wheels with an offset between +40 to +50
17x8.5" wheels with an offset between +42 to +48

The recommended tire size for these 17" common upgrades on a Mazda3 is 225/45/17. The recommended tire size for these 17" common upgrades on a Mazdaspeed3 is 235/45/17.

18x8" wheels with an offset between +40 to +50
18x8.5" wheels with an offset between +42 to +48
The recommended tire size for these 18" common upgrades on a Mazda3 is 225/40/18. The recommended tire size for these 18" common upgrades on a Mazdaspeed3 is 235/40/18. The 8.5" is recommended over the 8" for an MS3; you could alternately stretch some 235/40/18 tires (the MS3 tire recommendation for narrower wheels) onto these wider wheels.

Extra aggressive fitment
Wider wheels (9" - 10" can also be fitted, with an offset in the +30 to +45 range, however a very good fender roll, exact measurements or trail-and-error, and even a minor pull will be required. Significant additional negative camber over OEM recommendations will also likely be required in order to avoid the wheels "poking" out of the fenders. Basically, be prepared to do work, not just bolt them on.

Aggressive Fitment Details:

tigermack said:
I am bored and I think... this is quite accurate. I did it myself.

17x9 +40 front/+45 rear on 235/40 - perfect for more than 1.8" drop on the street. MUST rolled rear fenders. 235/45 works, too but it will rub from time to time through bumps even with rolled fenders. Keep in mind that this would probably work best on cars that have camber up front if you want to run wider than 235's.

18x9.5 +45 with 20mm spacers can clear strut, meaning +25, that's on 285/30/18 R-Comps. It'd require tons of fenders work to make it flush.

17x8.5 +38 is probably the lowest offset you want to run on a 8.5" wheel. +40 to +45 would be ideal for most.

For 8"; wide wheels, you can go as low as +35 offset. Tire choice is up to you, anything wider than 7.5", I'd roll the fenders.

So... below would be the lowest offset you wanna get for the following sizes... it will be flush and won't poke.

7.5" +25
8" +35
8.5" +38
9" +42 (+40 pokes a bit, even with camber)

Fender Rolling Info:
Moderate and aggressive fitments will often require rolled fenders to prevent rubbing. Rolling your fenders means heating up and folding the 1/4" "lip" inside the fenders flat against the inside of the fender. Search on YouTube for "fender rolling" to see DIY videos showing how it's done, or take it to a body shop to have it done professionally. Only the rear fenders on the 3 need to be rolled, the fronts are already slightly folded up from the factory which is sufficient in most cases.

cali_axela said:
What's with all the people lately asking if they can fit low offsets (less than +45) and/or wide wheels (more than 8") WITHOUT rolling fenders? The answer will ALWAYS be no. Yes, you need to roll your fenders for these fitments, and no it's not hard.

If you don't want to roll your fenders, you must stick with an offset above +45 and a wheel 8" or narrower, and no wider than 225 tires at the stock OD or smaller (they can not be any taller at all). Just so there's no confusion: yes, this will always hold true, on every model of 3 and with every style of wheel you can ask about, it doesn't matter. Stop asking, you will get the same answer as everyone else (or just get ignored).

If you want to go wider than the safe fitments listed in the OP, you need to roll your fenders... it's that simple. On an MS3 you can usually get away with running 235's (not 225's as mentioned above for all 3's) without a fender roll, using a wheel offset above +48. But that's still kind of pushing it without a roll, especially if you're lowered.

Lug Nut Info:
Your wheel studs accept 12x1.5 lug nuts; no other threading will work. Your OEM lug nuts are 12x1.5 "acorn taper" lugs, and they can be re-used with many aftermarket wheels, provided your wheels have large enough holes. However, if your aftermarket wheels have smaller lug holes (i.e. they are said to require "tuner lugs") this means you need to buy smaller diameter lugs, such as spline drive lugs. You still need to use 12x1.5 lugs, just with a smaller outside diameter -- they will usually come with their own special "thin wall" socket to install them with, too.
 
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#3 ·
Re: The "Will This Fit??" Thread

I dont think the hub bore is big enough to fit on our car. IIRC, the subby hub bore is 56mm and ours is 67.1.. so it physically will not fit on our car. The offset might also be a little bit on the high side for 8" wide.. but spacers would take care of that.
 
#7 ·
Re: The "Will This Fit??" Thread

i think one guy did 9.5 in the back and 8.5 in the front i dont remember. I would think that 10in would look kind of weird un less you mod your fenders a lot. we have toyota trucks on 10s they stick out 2 inches but it's different for every car. and i think offset plays apart in how much the rim sticks out. im not sure but. :hide:
 
#8 ·
Re: The "Will This Fit??" Thread

no you dont want those rims you want theseeeeee........... http://www.wheeldude.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=5711

jk get whatever rims you want guys!! but im trying to get a set of these torques but it has to be a group buy of at least 3 sets for wheeldude to order them..need 2 more people so if anyone is intrested or knows anyone who might be just reply and send me a PM..i love the yamaha black looksssss nicey nice!! IMO
 
#9 ·
Re: The "Will This Fit??" Thread

I dont know why wheeldude doesnt keep those in stock. if he had 18" yamaha black torques when I was in the market for wheels, i would definitely have had a hard decision between those and the ones I have now...
 
#12 ·
Re: The "Will This Fit??" Thread

Nope they will stick out to far and rub. I have 18x9 with 40mm offset and if the offset was any lower or the rim any wider they would be rubbing.
 
#13 ·
Re: The "Will This Fit??" Thread

[quote author=TLJ 3 link=topic=124746.msg2655265#msg2655265 date=1222804801]
Nope they will stick out to far and rub. I have 18x9 with 40mm offset and if the offset was any lower or the rim any wider they would be rubbing.
[/quote]

did you have to roll your fenders?
 
#14 ·
Re: The "Will This Fit??" Thread

Yes I rolled the rear and flared the front just a little bit. I am running 225/40/18 smallest recommended tire for a 9in wheel
 
#16 ·
Re: The "Will This Fit??" Thread

Well you have to realize it will stick out a little bit more than a half in. The rims are already a half in wider and they have a lower offset of 35mm the lower the offset the further they stick out. Mine barely clear you can try cause people told me mine wouldn't fit but by looking at mine I dont think anything more will fit.
 
#20 ·
Re: The "Will This Fit??" Thread

Baseball bat style mack?? lol.

[quote author=twistedclown link=topic=124746.msg2657129#msg2657129 date=1222837098]
My 3 is on prokit and i'm planning on purchasing tenzo dc-5 18x8 with a 45 mm offset. will these rub of should i roll my fenders?
[/quote]

You should be fine if you get 225/40. I believe those come in +48? If they do, that'd be better. If anything, all you'd have to do at most is roll your fenders. Oh, and nice choice of wheels.
 
#21 ·
Re: The "Will This Fit??" Thread

[quote author=sdemo45 link=topic=124746.msg2657140#msg2657140 date=1222837413]
Baseball bat style mack?? lol.
[/quote]

Nah, I got my fenders rolled by that fender rolling tool. The guy did it in the first place didn't use a heat gun and cracked my paint... he also damaged my fenders. I was a little pissed but that's happen when you get side jobs... :(

I got it rolled again by a friend cause it wasn't rolled all the way through.
 
#24 ·
Re: The "Will This Fit??" Thread

I rolled them and flare the fonts a pretty good bit. I used a baseball bat I used a article from super street magazine to do it.
 
#25 ·
Re: The "Will This Fit??" Thread

i have a set of gram lights. i have no idea what size of tires i should purchase without having to roll the fenders.

17x7.5
+40mm offset
5-114.3 bolt pattern
17.5 lbs lightweight

is the stock tires the only size i can get to prevent rubbing?
 
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