What's needed for sport wheel swap

JIN2012 · 03-13-2020, 10:22 AM

I have a base 2012 going to the 09-2012 sport wheels and my tire guy test fitted one of the front wheels and it was very close to the upper control arm with the car raised. Definitely not enough clearance for a 265 tire I was going to put on. I was under the impression this would fit without any other mods. What do you guys need to do the swap? I'm also going to be dropping it with swift springs but right now it seems like I need spacers and it just seems odd that I would need them just to throw on 265's , even the 245 by the looks of it would probably be touching still.

bunk · 03-13-2020, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JIN2012

I have a base 2012 going to the 09-2012 sport wheels and my tire guy test fitted one of the front wheels and it was very close to the upper control arm with the car raised. Definitely not enough clearance for a 265 tire I was going to put on. I was under the impression this would fit without any other mods. What do you guys need to do the swap? I'm also going to be dropping it with swift springs but right now it seems like I need spacers and it just seems odd that I would need them just to throw on 265's , even the 245 by the looks of it would probably be touching still.

Youll need to upgrade your Upper Control Arms. What profile tire did he put on? I put on 255/35/19 tires on 19x9.5 +20 wheels up front lowered on Swift springs before I installed my FUCAs and had no issue (except for alignment...but thats what the FUCAs were for).

JIN2012 · 03-13-2020, 01:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bunk

Youll need to upgrade your Upper Control Arms. What profile tire did he put on? I put on 255/35/19 tires on 19x9.5 +20 wheels up front lowered on Swift springs before I installed my FUCAs and had no issue (except for alignment...but thats what the FUCAs were for).

Im going to go with 265/35/19 for the fronts and 305/30/19 on the rear. I think it's just that the oem front sport wheels dont have enough negative offset (+47) for them to clear the UCAs on the base. Are 20mm spacers enough ?

JARblue · 03-13-2020, 01:33 PM

You've got something else going on.

There's no difference in the chassis or suspension between a base and a sport model. You can swap either set of wheels on both models - the base wheels on sport model have very tight caliper clearance in the front but they do clear. Sport rims easily fit on a base model - I've seen several base vehicles with no suspension mods running 265/305 tires on the sport rims.

JIN2012 · 03-13-2020, 04:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JARblue

You've got something else going on.

There's no difference in the chassis or suspension between a base and a sport model. You can swap either set of wheels on both models - the base wheels on sport model have very tight caliper clearance in the front but they do clear. Sport rims easily fit on a base model - I've seen several base vehicles with no suspension mods running 265/305 tires on the sport rims.

It had maybe 3/4 inch clearance from the CA with the car raised , we didnt try it with the tire on it but I figured it would rub with the car on the ground. Lugnuts were also not on it so I'm wondering if test fitting it with the lugnuts would have centered the wheel enough to sort out the clearance....

cv129 · 03-13-2020, 04:31 PM

Same spring, shocks, arms, and geometry. It’s a direct swap with no added parts needed.

cv129 · 03-13-2020, 05:16 PM

Got me curious...So I put the Z on the ramp.

This is a 16 Nismo, stock suspension. 255/40/19, stock wheels with 10mm spacer. At the tightest spot, I roughly measured 30mm or around 1.25 in from the tire sidewall to the upright.

The FUCA (sits on top of the upright) and subsequently the top of the upright should move parallel with the front wheel, so if they don’t touch while suspension is at full droop, then they won’t touch when the car is lowered back down.....

Give me some rope though, me no expert at wrenching

cv129 · 03-13-2020, 05:18 PM

Lol and I just realized this thing had been running on a spring spacer.

Me fail

Edit: No wonder this one felt a little stiffer than the others I test drove. Shame of myself

redondoaveb · 03-13-2020, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cv129

Lol and I just realized this thing had been running on a spring spacer.

Me fail

Edit: No wonder this one felt a little stiffer than the others I test drove. Shame of myself

I noticed that and was just going to tell you.

cv129 · 03-13-2020, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redondoaveb

I noticed that and was just going to tell you.

How could I miss that mofo....3 times I took off the front wheels! Twice doing spacers, third time doing the front lights.....

Was like “daym this thing feels closer to my other one with coilovers than I thought it would”

Ok I’m gonna go beat my balls till they turn purple

redondoaveb · 03-13-2020, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cv129

How could I miss that mofo....3 times I took off the front wheels! Twice doing spacers, third time doing the front lights.....

Was like “daym this thing feels closer to my other one with coilovers than I thought it would”

Ok I’m gonna go beat my balls till they turn purple

You should be thanking JIN2012, if it weren't for him you wouldn't have pulled your wheel and taken that pic.

03-13-2020, 10:22 AM	#1 (permalink)
JIN2012 Base Member Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: FLORIDA Posts: 30 Drives: 12' GunMetal 370Z Rep Power: 3363	What's needed for sport wheel swap I have a base 2012 going to the 09-2012 sport wheels and my tire guy test fitted one of the front wheels and it was very close to the upper control arm with the car raised. Definitely not enough clearance for a 265 tire I was going to put on. I was under the impression this would fit without any other mods. What do you guys need to do the swap? I'm also going to be dropping it with swift springs but right now it seems like I need spacers and it just seems odd that I would need them just to throw on 265's , even the 245 by the looks of it would probably be touching still. Last edited by JIN2012; 03-13-2020 at 10:30 AM.

03-13-2020, 01:33 PM	#4 (permalink)
JARblue A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Austin, TX Age: 43 Posts: 36,450 Drives: 11 Z34, 98 E36 M3 Rep Power: 2684440	You've got something else going on. There's no difference in the chassis or suspension between a base and a sport model. You can swap either set of wheels on both models - the base wheels on sport model have very tight caliper clearance in the front but they do clear. Sport rims easily fit on a base model - I've seen several base vehicles with no suspension mods running 265/305 tires on the sport rims. cv129, wideglideleon and ZontheRocks like this. __________________ 2011 370Z 6MT Sport Gun Metallic \| ARC \| CJM \| Ecutek \| FI \| Fujimura \| R2C \| SPL \| Stillen \| TWM \| Z1 \| ZSpeed \|

03-13-2020, 04:31 PM	#6 (permalink)
cv129 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 3,222 Drives: 09 Nismo, 16 Nismo Rep Power: 163995	Same spring, shocks, arms, and geometry. It’s a direct swap with no added parts needed. JARblue and wideglideleon like this. __________________ Setrab \| RE-71 \| SPL \| JRZ \| Nismo \| ARK \| Whiteline \| RacingBrake \| CJM Oil Pan \| Ti shield

03-13-2020, 05:18 PM	#8 (permalink)
cv129 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 3,222 Drives: 09 Nismo, 16 Nismo Rep Power: 163995	Lol and I just realized this thing had been running on a spring spacer. Me fail Edit: No wonder this one felt a little stiffer than the others I test drove. Shame of myself JARblue and redondoaveb like this. __________________ Setrab \| RE-71 \| SPL \| JRZ \| Nismo \| ARK \| Whiteline \| RacingBrake \| CJM Oil Pan \| Ti shield

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