Table of contents
Introduction
Nothing sets a car off like the right set of wheels! While it is exciting to choose aftermarket wheels, it quickly poses the question “what wheels fit my car?” All car enthusiasts have to answer this question because you can’t just slap any set of wheels on a car. If you don’t do your homework, you are going to end up with poor wheel fitment, or a wheel that just doesn’t fit at all. Follow along here and we will guide you towards understanding wheel fitment and how to get that proper look!
What Wheels Fit My Car?
Just like any other car modification, you need to have a plan in mind. When car manufacturers design cars, they build the car around a certain range of wheel sizes. What sizes fit is determined on the wheel diameter, width, offset, and lug/bolt pattern. If any of these specs are off, you may experience rubbing, reduced performance, or worse, huge wheel gap.
The best way to figure out what wheels fit on your car is to examine the factory wheel specs, compare it to the goals of the car, and analyze the options available for your specific car.
What Is Wheel Fitment?
When car owners talk about their car’s fitment, they refer to fitment of the wheel to the fender. This is primarily determined by the wheel’s offset. However, tire size and wheel diameter can play a factor towards the aesthetic goal. This is where you will hear car owners talk about things like “stance” and being “flush”. It all relates to how your wheels fit your car, typically while combined with aftermarket suspension.
For some owners, having a wheel that “pokes” out past the fender is the desired look. Personally, I prefer when wheels are almost perfectly in line with the fender as it is a nice and clean look. Regardless of your preference, fitment will be determined by your goals and what wheel offset you go with.
Learn Your Car’s Factory Wheel Specs For Proper Wheel Fitment
From the factory, manufacturers will have information on the wheel specs for the different options for your car. For example, when I was building my Focus ST, I knew the factory 18 inch wheels were 18×8 and had a +55 offset. This is your baseline for wheel fitment with a stock version of your car. Now, we know that if you’re shopping at MartiniWorks, you aren’t keeping your car stock. Chances are you have some aftermarket coil-over suspension or air bags for your car and you’re putting the finishing touches on your build. Lowering a car affects your options for choosing the best wheels for your car as it takes away space in the wheel well.
How Low Will You Go?
Lowering a car improves your vehicle’s handling and makes your car look awesome. Unfortunately, it can start limiting you on options for wheels. The wheels that fit your stock ride height car may not be the best wheels for your lowered car. Alternatively, you can mess around with other aftermarket parts such as fender flares or the tire size.
If you are unclear about lowering a car or don’t know your options, we have a simple to understand guide on how to lower a car.
How Much Do You Want To Modify The Car To Ensure Good Wheel Fitment?
If you want to create a truly custom look, then you may have to modify your car. Enthusiasts will gravitate towards fender flares, rolling the fenders, trim pieces, and other solutions to fit a specific wheel. Personally, I am not a fan of trimming anything off of a car unless I absolutely have to. If I am trimming pieces off, I am going all in. For example, fender flares are common in many builds. However, some people like to go the cheap route with them. Cheap eBay flares and an angle grinder may get the job done, but it won’t look great. A pre-made fender flare kit or custom molded flares is my preferred option. A molded kit is more organic looking and fits the body lines much better.
Evaluate how far you want to go with your build because those dollars add up quick!
What Is The Best Wheel Size For Your Build?
When I was building my Focus ST, I knew that I wanted an OEM+ style of build. I did not want to worry about fender modifications and fitment issues. That’s why I focus on wheel sizes and offsets that for sure fit the Focus ST. The Enkei NTO3M wheels I chose were 18×9.5 with a +40 offset. The specs created a perfect fender fitment with the wheel while providing enough room for the lowering springs I installed. Sticking with the OEM wheel diameter will provide the widest array of options for your car. However, for some builds you will want to move up a size or two in diameter for aesthetic purposes. If you are choosing to move up a couple sizes, make sure to offset the size of the wheel with the right tire size.
What Is Your Budget?
Most importantly, the best wheels for your car need to be within your budget. Now there are some absolutely insane wheels out there. While these wheels are sick and would be a focal point of your build, you’re going to have to pay to play. Unfortunately, high end wheels can sometimes cost over $4000 for a set of four. While I would love to own a set of wheels like that, I know I can’t afford that. Therefore, I typically look at companies like Enkei or Gram Lights. These wheels are renowned in the car community and have tons of style, specs, and finish options suitable for any build!
If you are looking in a mid-tier range of wheels, we rated an awesome selection of aftermarket wheels under $1500!
Wheel Jargon You Need To Know For The Best Wheel Fitment
Offset
Offset is the measurement of the distance of the hub from the true center of the wheel. These numbers will have a “+” or “-” before the number, ie. 18×8 +45.
A positive offset indicates the wheel center will be closer to the outside of the wheel.
A negative offset will have the wheel center closer to the brakes, thus creating a wide lip on the wheel. Negative offsets are common in aggressive stance cars like trucks or wide body cars.
A zero offset is when the mounting surface is inline with the wheel’s centerline. Often, many trucks or rear wheel drive vehicles may have a 0 offset wheel. For example, my Chevelle has zero offset Weld wheels on all four corners. I went with zero offset wheels as it provided the best wheel fitment option for my car.
Backspacing
Backspacing measures the distance of the hub from the back edge of the wheel mounting surface. You will see this measurement in off-road vehicle and classic car projects. However, offset is the modern universal term for measuring wheels.
Bolt/Lug Pattern
Bolt/Lug pattern is the measurement of an imaginary circle formed by the wheel lug holes. The first number is the number of bolt holes the wheel has. The second measurement is the diameter For example, a common lug pattern on cars is 5×114.3. This measurement indicates there are 5 lug holes with a 114.3 mm diameter. If you purchase wheels with the wrong bolt/lug pattern, they will not be able to go onto your car.
What About Tires?
Tires absolutely play a key role in wheel fitment. If you are trying to determine what wheels fit your car, you need to know what tire size you can run. When I built up my Focus ST, I looked at hundreds of photos of different set ups. The problem is that you never truly know how a wheel and tire setup will fit until it’s on. Fortunately, there are solutions.
Tire size calculators provide you with the exact measurements to assist you. This will explain how narrow, wide, short, or tall a tire truly is. Combine that with a wheel fitment tool, and you’re good to go.
If you’re having trouble picking the best tires for your car, absolutely check out our guide to choosing the right tire!
Conclusion
Answering the question of “what wheels fit my car” is totally up to your goals. A show car and a track car will have much different wheel options than a daily driver. Learn about what sizes usually work for your car and what other owners have done to make different wheels fit. Combine that knowledge with your own aesthetic tastes and you’ll be good to go!
Regardless of what route you take for your car, picking the best wheels are going to be a challenge. You will look at hundreds of different wheels and still have no idea what you truly want. The best way to narrow down your choice is to ensure you can get wheels with your preferred specs. Determine the proper lug pattern, optimal wheel specs, and figure out if modification will be needed to fit the wheel size you want. If you take the time to learn about your car and what wheels typically fit, you are sure to have minimal issues with your build.
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