morris

iTrader: (2)

Okay now I have it, more lip means more aggresive offset which may require stretched tire.....

JunctionGS

ahh, once again.. stretched tires and its debate on why...

One of the main reasons why its done is the fact that its to run a more aggressive offset, wider rim on the car. It allows for the sidewall to somewhat "angle" inwards to prevent the tire from rubbing on the fenders. In my case, I run a 19x9.0 + 30 in the front and a 19x10 +35 offset in the rear. Now in "conventional" terms, this setup is considered "professional" w/ major suspension changes needed in order to fit the wheel. However... with the stretched tire setup, 225-35-19 and 235-35-19, I didn't do anything but bolt the wheel on. AND I also added a 5mm spacer on the rears to bring out the rims a bit more. My fenders WERE not rolled, nothing. As you see in the older pics above, the tires fit nicely and we were able to acheive a nice, larger lip for the cosmetics... And now, w/ the air suspension, I am able to bring the car all the way down and not hit the rim or the tire.

I DID drive that GS EVERY SINGLE DAY for almost a year w. that tire setup. for those who know me, I drove up and down CA 100s of times, to Las Vegas from Northern CA on numerous occasions. Now, San Francisco has some really messed up streets w/ all the potholes, MUNI tracks, and what not. Not to mention, the damn driveways. I haven't blown a tire, or what not. I did slightly bend one of the wheels but that was from a REALLY hard hit on a pothole in Downtown SF.

running a "slightly" stretched tires does help apply a bit more of the tread onto the ground. You basically have a tire that is slightly stretched to give all of the tread more contact space.

running a crazy stretched setup hasn't really hurt me that much. The ride quality is the same as the running a "conventional" setup, like my older setups of past.

as for my choice on why I do this? I do like the look of the aggressive fitment of the wheel or what not. What we decide to do on how we do our fitment is pretty much up to the eye of the beholder.

its pretty much up to the owner of the car and what he wants to decide to do.

as for my next setup for the tires? I wanted to get more aggressive but my tire sponsors did not have the specs that I want, so give up free michelin tires or run a "slightly stretched tires" I chose to continue my business relationship w/ my tire sponsor and run not so aggressive of a tire. Next time, I will go get the tire specs I need for my new set of rims... Theres only so much offered in the 20" range...

morris

iTrader: (2)

I dont think anyone was judging, we were just trying to understand the effects and purpose.

JunctionGS

No, I didn't think anyone was judging at all.. I apologize if my post came off like that. just merely stating my opinion on why I use a stretched tire... even if I wasn't running a full JP setup, I would still preferred to run a stretched tire..

as much as grip is concerned, I don't drive my GS to grip roads to an extreme level. I chose the setup of my car and everything revolves around that. Hence the suspension setup as well as the tire set up.

aristo400

Have you ever curbed your rims? Do you parallel park in SF?

JunctionGS

I have never curbed my wheels, and I have to parallel park the car quite often. I live in the sunset district and of course, you have to parallel park there all the time... barely any non-parallel parking spots out there at all...

LS4fun

Congrats!

Wald GS

iTrader: (1)

You don't necessarily have to run a stretched tire to fit a big tire. My offsets in the rear are essentially +15 right now and I had cutsom fender pulling and rolling. The tire is flush with the fender and its not sunk. There is always a way around the stretched tire and my reasoning was the safety issue as well as wanting to protect my rims from a curb.

jtanoyo1

No, it doesn't mean that at all. You only get the lip you want through the design of the wheel center. For example, I can never get big lips with my autocouture wheels, but if I'd opted for the Fabulous Expand instead with the same exact measurements, I would have easily gotten another 2 inches of lip in the rear, everything else being identical.

You don't even really need stretched tires, all you need to find is a tire design that has a flatter sidewall. For example, in my bimmer, my Falkens look stretched compared to the Michelins I have on my Aristo even though they are the same exact size.

When you are talking similar offsets (like +32 and +38 for example), the design of the wheels matter a lot more in determining lip size than the actual offsets. Now when you are talking +38 and -2 offsets, we are playing in a totally different ballgame now hehehehe.

The_Hitman

A little late, but congrats on the purchase. Those are gonna look sweet!

jtanoyo1

Not lip size, Neo. They want to push out the wheel so that the "metal" of the wheel and the "metal" of the fender looks like it's an extension of each other. It's hard to describe but that's the look they are going for. It's got nothing to do with the lip size. Now since most of the VIP guys in Japan create such a HUGE fender flares, the HUGE lips come naturally with their wheels. I mean like my friend who has the IMC widebody kit and he was running 19x10 with 0 offset in the back and the rear lips are so huge I could put my whole palm straight on it and there would still be some space left over!!

Neo

iTrader: (3)

Gotcha. I guess the huge lips are just a side effect and not the reason.

rominl

iTrader: (4)

all you need to do is to be careful. if you are not careful, no rubber can save you anyway

DrewGS4

Absolutely gorgeous rims. Now I definately have to come and see your car in person.

Cadd

I don't know about you.....but when I park in unfamilar territory and it's pitch black out (especially if it's raining), and you have 30% or darker tints, and the spot is tight.........isn't it a biaaaatch to park?