flame suit on incase this is too much of a newbie question.
i have a 97 itr that id like to change the suspension set up on come spring
i have limited knowledge regarding wheel/ tire sizing and was hoping for a little lesson or atleast some advice of where i can read up more about it.
my intent is to improve traction and better the appearance.
i already have an idea of what i want to do but totally clueless in terms of sizing it all out so there are no bumps and scrubs.

i want to get a set of j's racing fender flares and mate it with perferably 17's ( i was thinking about getting s2k sized wheels, but am again unsure of the compatibility of its offest and rim width on my car)
i want a mild staggered look with wider tires in the front to be fairly flush with the edge of the flares...

i realize there are many factors to take into consideration but i dont know any of the terms for things such as the wheels hitting the fender lining when steering all the way left and right, caliper clearance...etc

if you could point me in come direction it would be great.

 

You're trying to do things for looks that are just going to mess up the performance. From a performance standpoint, just get some 15" or 16" rims all around, and slap on some supersticky tires (e.g. Falken Azenis RT-615 in 205/50-15 or 215/45-16, Bridgestone Potenza RE-01R in 205/45-16, or Dunlop Direzza Sport Z1 in 195/55-15). Forget about 17" wheels or staggered fitments for street use unless you're willing to degrade performance for the "look" you're looking for, in which case do whatever you want.