2012 Focus Wheel/Tire Guide

[friction]

Originally Posted by Eurofordfan

In talking with a professional wheel / tire shop -- and the principal who I consider to be a pretty decent source of accurate info -- he said go out of your way to stay with the stock ET value. He had had direct experience, decreasing the ET value (i.e. decreasing the back-set) on his shop vehicle. It went from tracking really well, to a circumstance of very poor steering.

In my direct experience on my own cars, it only makes a huge difference in steering feel and tracking if you change the offset drastically. like changing your offset by 2 inches to get that hellaflush look.

Most folks would not even notice a difference if the offset changed 10-15mm. I havent done the math but im guessing the track width alone on all the new 2012 focus tire options varies by at least that much or more.

a little lower offset if you are upgrading wheels is not a big deal. You get a wider track width. If you are having tracking issues, check your alignment, it may be within spec but that hardly means its accurate or straight.

[Eurofordfan]

Originally Posted by friction

In my direct experience on my own cars, it only makes a huge difference in steering feel and tracking if you change the offset drastically. like changing your offset by 2 inches to get that hellaflush look.

Most folks would not even notice a difference if the offset changed 10-15mm. I havent done the math but im guessing the track width alone on all the new 2012 focus tire options varies by at least that much or more.

a little lower offset if you are upgrading wheels is not a big deal. You get a wider track width. If you are having tracking issues, check your alignment, it may be within spec but that hardly means its accurate or straight.

I agree that up to 15mm change in ET is probably not a problem.

[cacophonous]

sticky?

[Dr. Woo]

Agreed that this should be a sticky. Take that stupid "bordumb" thread out of the stickies and put this one in its place.

So what is the center bore for the third gen? 64.5mm?

[WhiteT5]

Originally Posted by Dr. Woo

Agreed that this should be a sticky. Take that stupid "bordumb" thread out of the stickies and put this one in its place.

So what is the center bore for the third gen? 64.5mm?

Center bore on these cars is 63.4 mm.

Originally Posted by friction

In my direct experience on my own cars, it only makes a huge difference in steering feel and tracking if you change the offset drastically. like changing your offset by 2 inches to get that hellaflush look.

Most folks would not even notice a difference if the offset changed 10-15mm. I havent done the math but im guessing the track width alone on all the new 2012 focus tire options varies by at least that much or more.

a little lower offset if you are upgrading wheels is not a big deal. You get a wider track width. If you are having tracking issues, check your alignment, it may be within spec but that hardly means its accurate or straight.

Correct. I sell wheels for a living (I work for Enkei). I deal with all sorts of people that want all sorts of results from their wheel/tire setup. As long as you're keeping width reasonable and offset stays relatively high, you will be just fine. You'll start running in to handling problems if you get to a point that you're having to stretch a tire on to get it to sit under the fender or if you're having to add 3 or 4 degrees or negative camber to get the wheels/tires to stay under the fender.

[elwood125]

[QUOTE=Dr. Woo;3991542]Agreed that this should be a sticky. Take that stupid "bordumb" thread out of the stickies and put this one in its place.


+2 on that one !

[elwood125]

Originally Posted by WhiteT5

Center bore on these cars is 63.4 mm.



Correct. I sell wheels for a living (I work for Enkei). I deal with all sorts of people that want all sorts of results from their wheel/tire setup. As long as you're keeping width reasonable and offset stays relatively high, you will be just fine. You'll start running in to handling problems if you get to a point that you're having to stretch a tire on to get it to sit under the fender or if you're having to add 3 or 4 degrees or negative camber to get the wheels/tires to stay under the fender.

I just noticed your sig, and the car you oredered sounds like mine. And I have Enkei's on my FoFo ... Great combo ! Get lots of compliments on my wheels all the time

[Dr. Woo]

Originally Posted by WhiteT5

Correct. I sell wheels for a living (I work for Enkei).

RPF1s IN 5x108. RIGHT MEOW. Tell your bosses it's absolutely imperative.

[WhiteT5]

Originally Posted by Dr. Woo

RPF1s IN 5x108. RIGHT MEOW. Tell your bosses it's absolutely imperative.

Haha. We can do almost anything if there is enough demand for it. If a vendor comes to me with an order for 60 or more of a special bolt pattern wheel, 5x108 RPF1's for example, I can usually make it happen. I'd probably recommend the 17x8 +45 for the Focus, which weighs in at just 15.6 lbs.

[Dr. Woo]

Originally Posted by WhiteT5

Haha. We can do almost anything if there is enough demand for it. If a vendor comes to me with an order for 60 or more of a special bolt pattern wheel, 5x108 RPF1's for example, I can usually make it happen. I'd probably recommend the 17x8 +45 for the Focus, which weighs in at just 15.6 lbs.

If only I had 14 friends who wanted them too. Wouldn't want to go any higher than 17 anyway – might even prefer sticking with 16 and putting them on some meaty summer rubber. And they'd have to be in satin bronze, which of course would be a custom job anyway.

A man can dream. I'm probably gonna have to stick with Rota.