I just picked up this 14 ex and couldn't stand the stock wheels. (pictured) Got some ro-ja formula 7's (18x8) for 300 bucks with tires from a buddy. I didn't realize the deal I got at first. These are very light and forged 2 piece as well. The paint on the spokes is an almost exact match for the body.

The question is: I never measured the hub/wheel size so I only have the proper conical lugs holding them on. Will this cause a problem? The car does not shake at all, and will never see more than a rip around an exit ramp. Should I be concerned with hub spacers?

Car looks funny now because I hadn't rolled the car yet to settle the suspension. It's not low, but they are almost proportional to the wheelwells I think. Not my favorite rim, (those damn rivets!) but it's made so well...What do you think?

 

The car won't go any lower and the suspension is already settled from factory... in fact it will increase a little as the aspect ratio of the wheels/tires has changed.

As for your lugnut question this is a good read for you:
http://www.tirerack.com/wheels/tech/...jsp?techid=102

 

It's possible for the tire size to make up for the wheel size, making the overall size the same. The OP didn't mention tire size. But yeah, changing wheels won't affect the suspension "settling" or whatever.

And yes, proper lug nuts are important. They might not loosen right away, but they will over time if they're not the proper type. Using the wrong ones will also damage the wheels, since the edges of the nuts will dig into the wheels.

 

Get a good set of locking lug nuts, the straight cut ones that engage full contact with the type of lug sockets that the wheels are made with. OE nuts are 60 degree beveled.

You want ninety (90) ft lbs of torque on the nuts and recheck after about two Kms or 1.25 miles after you start rolling on them to ensure the nuts are tight.

 

Thanks for the input. My speedometer is 1MPH off verified via GPS. That was never an issue. The tires are sized so close it's not worth mentioning. And yes, the car did settle after it rolled back and forth. It had just been set down from the jack. The wheels sit much better in the wheelwells now. Not low, but just properly. I am using the 60degree beveled lugnuts as I'm supposed to. (97emsedan, my OEM lugs are acorn style on my car. Careful what you pass on)

But my question still stands. Will not having the rings to seat the rim on the hub properly going to be a problem?

 

How can an already settled spring settle even more? It settles because of the weight of the car being on them not by changing the wheels!

As for your question you just need to make sure you have the correct lug nuts on holding your wheels and that is all you need everything else will be fine!

 

I know the springs compress when weight is on them. The wheels do not sit exactly the same when you set the car down off a jack as compared to after its rolled back and forth a few feet, after you set it down.

I'm sure I have the right lugs so I guess I'm good to go. Thanks

 

Sorry bud but that makes absolute no sense...

Also you aspect ratio is also a little off considering you are running the incorrect tire size for your car on that wheel. Your aspect ratio is off by + 2.06%.

 

"Acorn style" can refer to different types of lug nuts, I remember seeing that when I was researching what lug nuts to get for my wheels.

I'm curious myself about the hub ring. The wheels on my '09 Si don't have the proper hub ring either; when installing the wheels, I slowly tightened each lug nut by a little bit to get them to sit in the center. It'd be easier to install them if I had the proper rings but I don't know if anything bad would happen without them.

 

I would not drive the car on rims not secured to the hub with centering rims. I have a friend that runs them on his summer rims, they came from the store he got the rims from.

Check with the store you got your rims from and get those rings before you drive that car on those rims. Better safe than sorry.

 

The measured actual height is rarely the advertised height exactly. Factor in the tires only have 70% tread and you are left with 1mph off at 60 MPG GPS verified in my specific instance.

 

I took them off to measure. I didn't get them from a store, but the old vernier caliper will solve the problem for me. Haven't gotten around to it yet but I will have rings when I put them back on. Thanks.

 

^^ It makes complete sense to me. I know mine always needs to re-situate itself a bit after i`ve individually jacked all 4 corners up off the ground. Especially if the car was in gear or the ebrake was set.. it will have bound up just a bit somewhere...