# Just attempted to swap factory 18" wheels for 17"'s



## Striker222 (May 9, 2006)

I just bought a set of (4) 17" stock wheels barely used from someone locally. I recently hit a pothole and damaged my two passenger side wheels. So I decided so switch to 17" wheels which aren't as low-profile as the 18".

So the rear passenger side tire went on fine. But when it came to putting the 17" wheel on the front passenger side, the tire really rubs the strut when I spin it by hand. So I put the 18" wheel on the front passenger side to check the clearance and there is barely 1/16" clearance between the tire and the strut. The front driver side 18" gets about a about 1/4" of clearance between the tire and the strut. 

I've read about the strut rub problem on the 17"'s, but bought a set and hoped for the best. But does anyone with the 18"'s have this problem too? Does it just need a wheel alignment? 

I plan to take this thing to my local mechanic and not the dealership for a wheel alignment. I'd rather not have this little incident on my cars record.


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## ShoddyHog (May 17, 2006)

If I hit a pot hole enough to damage the wheels, I'd have the alignment checked no matter what. You may have damaged something else.

I have the 18's and would be interested in your reason for wanting to switch to 17's. I got the 18's because I liked the look better, and after reading the "strut rub" threads, I'm glad I didn't. Yeah, they're a few mm wider, but I'm not going to test the lateral G's in this thing anytime soon...and the 18's lauch just fine for me.

Gerry


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## GTO_400 (Jul 7, 2005)

I would think that the 17 & 18” wheels would have the same overall diameter & width. So ya should not have a clearance issue with the 17s are ya having the same prob. on the other side? Or is it the side ya hit the pothole? My guess would be if the pothole was bad enough to destroy the wheels you probably have some suspension damage also. That maybe causing the strut rub also check the width of the 17's tires they could be aftermarket and just to wide. Just my 2 pennys. hope it works out


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## Xman (Oct 31, 2004)

17s come with 245s. 18s with 235s. That's why the 18s don't have a strut rub problem. I have 17s on mine and drove one with 18s and it seemed to have more of a tendency to understeer.

Definitely get an alignment.


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## Txgoat (Oct 20, 2005)

*interchangable 17/18 inch fatcory wheels and tires?*

slighltly off original subject, but I was considering changing 17's for 18's and was wondering if these factory setups were exactly the same height so it wouldn't effect the speedo. If they are not, is there some computer adjustment necessary?


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## Darryn (Aug 11, 2009)

if you are wondering about the swap affecting the speedo, just measure the roll out on the tires and see the difference.


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## jpalamar (Jul 22, 2008)

There isn't a diffrence. 17s are 245/45/17 and 18s are 235/40/18. The extra rim and less tire even out to such a minor amount of speedo calibration.

If you have issues when swaping, something else is the problem.


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## deezler05 (Oct 9, 2009)

*stock tire option*

i have an 04 gto with the factory 18's and was on the tire rack website and it shows a optional 265/35-18 for the rear. Just wondering if anyone ran these and if there is any changes you need to make for the speedo.. thanks


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## TR GTO (Mar 17, 2007)

jpalamar said:


> There isn't a diffrence. 17s are 245/45/17 and 18s are 235/40/18. The extra rim and less tire even out to such a minor amount of speedo calibration.
> 
> If you have issues when swaping, something else is the problem.


The width is the problem. This car wasn't made to have larger than a 235 up front. That's why all the Monaros are running 235s. The smallest wheel diameter wise and the widest offered on the cars in Australia in the later V8 models use 235/40/18s and the HSVs were using 235/35/19. The VY CV8s actually used the 18" wheels that were available on the GTO. The advertised wheel size when the GTO was first in the works before it was delivered was 225/50/17. I believe this is because this wheel was originally used on the Commodore and I think that was the tire size offered on the wheel. I'm pretty sure that wheel wasn't part of any package with a V8 either.


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## HP11 (Apr 11, 2009)

No one but you mentioned Monaros. That logic is unnecessary in this case and might not even be applicable. The comment you quoted is correct. I've even measured the two (17 vs 18) factory setups side by side. Stock vs stock, there is no width difference nor height difference between the two loaded tire/wheel combinations.


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## silversport (Mar 23, 2007)

interesting as I thought this was the reason for tire rub along with possibly collapsed "bushes."...
Bill


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## svede1212 (Nov 1, 2005)

whatever else you do i'd check your strut mounts. if they are collapsed you're going to get strut rub. unless your alignment is off you shouldn't have rub with either.


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## TR GTO (Mar 17, 2007)

HP11 said:


> No one but you mentioned Monaros. That logic is unnecessary in this case and might not even be applicable. The comment you quoted is correct. I've even measured the two (17 vs 18) factory setups side by side. Stock vs stock, there is no width difference nor height difference between the two loaded tire/wheel combinations.


The tire is physically wider, even though it is only 10mm, but that was enough that I had strut rub on the 17"s but not with the 18"s. Like I said, there was a reason the Monaros did not use this tire width. The main issue is the bulge of the sidewall, which the 18" setup does not have as pronounced.


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## HP11 (Apr 11, 2009)

I'm not questioning what you said. All I'm saying is that I have 17s and have no strut rub. When I did the measurment it was less than 10mm and really not enough to worry about. As others have suggested, there has to be other issues. Remember, the poster hit a pothole hard enough to damage his wheels.


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## chilliwhiggerE (Mar 10, 2009)

I would check for additional damage. I would especially check the strut mounts (they would cause the top of the tire to lean inward) and radius rod bushings (they will burst and leak oil as well as throw off the caster). They are both prone to failure. I'm changing ALL of my bushings except for the A-arms next week (and my differential mount that I got for $420.64 delivered from JHP FYI). I highly recommend the Lovells poly strut mounts. They are only about $30 more than the stock set and much more stout. Could also be a lower ball joint issue which would cause the lower part of the rim to set outward and the top to lean in. I doubt it could be a hub bearing. Just my .05


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