Lotus Europa Community
Lotus Europa Forums => Garage => Topic started by: skoolsen on Sunday,February 23, 2014, 10:14:45 AM
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Hi
Thinking of buying new wheels for my S2, an wondering what is the maximum backspacing possible, with 15" wheels.
before they hit the coilovers or lower arm?
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Your question got me curious and a good excuse to take a break from yardwork. I took a 15x7 Rota wheel fitted with Nexen 195/45/ZR15 tires from my TCS and tried them on the rear of my S2. The first problem is that the tire is too wide for the S2 wheel well so can't get the normal ride height and normal camber. This may affect my measurements.
The Rota has 4-3/4" backspace. From the edge of the rim to the nut for the lower shock mount bolt, I measure 1/2" clearance. I can't measure the clearance between the rim and the tailing arm without a lift but I suspect the same. Without seeing what rear camber is with these wheels, don't know what the clearance will be to the rear springs. I suspect there will be adequate clearance.
In my case,I believe that I can go to 5" backspace and still have adequate clearance, if I can get a tire to fit. Your experience may be different.
Joji Tokumoto
Fallbrook, Ca
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I have now ordered and recieved 8x15 and 10x15 wheels for my S2. ET -12 front and rear, the rear wheels have 10mm clearance to the lower suspension arm, and hits the wheelarch (ofcourse) with 245/40/15. At the front the wheels do not touch annything, but the tyre hits wheelarch at top and lower bottom, at full turn with 195/45/15. Just informing if annyone else like big wheels
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Some pics
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S1 S2 Europas are designed for, and handle best with, the same size tire all round.
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Im, sure you are right, but i could not resist those wheels.
They are made by Group4wheels .
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Do you have any picture views from the rear. It appears that you have cut out the rear wheel arches a bit. Interesting to see how the tires look from the rear.
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They are ca. 3-4 cm outside the original fenderlip who i had to cut off so the wheels would fit. I am about to start making wider fenders.
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Love the gold, I'm going to do mine same colour, reminds me of P4 ferraris, Muira's...
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The tires are wide. Be interesting to see what fender flares you come up with.
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The golden rims look really great. At first, I didn't even notice that they are 15" wide. Just when I saw the wheels from behind, I saw that they are really big. And I thought, I would be using very wide wheels (front: 215/50/13, rear: 235/45/13).
You will need wide "bubbly" flares or at least spring travel limiters. We had some touching-problems with our old flares.