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AWD Wheel Staggering Question

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Old 03-14-17, 02:08 PM
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ArthurF
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Default AWD Wheel Staggering Question

Hi Guys,

I know this has been discussed hundreds of times, but I just want to confirm with some members if what I am running is ok and not going to kill the car.

I would like to fit some nice tires on my wheels size 18 x 10.5 + 25 all around.

Tires front: 225/35/18
Tires Rear: 265/30/18

However, keep in mind these tires will be stretched onto a 10.5 size rim, and I have a feeling that will change the overall diameter, making me unsure whether or not this would work.

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks!

Pic for attention
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Old 03-14-17, 03:04 PM
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Och
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LOL, that poor car is ruined.
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Old 03-14-17, 03:05 PM
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mmarshall
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Whatever you decide on, besides the usual questions of wheel-well clearance and adequate brake cooling, on a car-based AWD vehicle with a center differential, all four tire/wheel combinations have to be the exact same diameter on the outside. That's because if one or more wheels continually roll at a different rate from each other for any given road speed, it will place a load (and heat build-up) on the center differential, which it was not designed to do continually. Check your Owners' Manual...there may be some comments inside on that.
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Old 03-15-17, 08:15 AM
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CleanSC
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There's no definite way to calculate the diameter change (if any) with the stretch beforehand.

It could be measured once it's installed by counting rotations from one wheel to another. Easy test, set up the car, put tape on the rim at 12:00 on all four wheels. Drive for 20 revolutions in a straight line and see where they line up. If they are within a few degrees, you should be fine. You have a center diff that is designed to compensate for this.

As for your camber "situation", you may want to consult with the stancer/poke crowd and not us. This isn't our realm. Mods isn't huge in this particular Subforum tho a lot of us in here are -- perhaps not to that extreme. Try the 2IS subforum here or other wheel fitment forums abroad.

Are you static or on air?
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Old 03-15-17, 02:02 PM
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geko29
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Regardless of the diameter issue (which is a major concern on an awd car), 225 section width on a 10.5" rim is a dangerous stretch--the tire is two full inches narrower than the rim, and a 35-profile only has 3 inches of sidewall total. May as well just cut the sidewall off and glue the tread directly to the wheel.

The 265 is fine.
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Old 03-15-17, 04:33 PM
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Coleroad
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I don't understand choosing a look over function. Stretching tires isn't safe. Ungodly camber isn't safe. It has such a small contact patch braking sucks. That's not even mentioning the awful handling. I get wanting to make your car unique. When uniqueness comes before safety, and function. It just doesn't make sense. Why risk your life, anyone else who's on the road?Why risk your car you care about?
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Old 03-15-17, 04:44 PM
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mmarshall
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Originally Posted by Coleroad
I don't understand choosing a look over function. Stretching tires isn't safe. Ungodly camber isn't safe. It has such a small contact patch braking sucks. That's not even mentioning the awful handling. I get wanting to make your car unique. When uniqueness comes before safety, and function. It just doesn't make sense. Why risk your life, anyone else who's on the road?Why risk your car you care about?
Some negative camber (tires angled out at the bottom) is useful on hard cornering....it makes the contact-patch flat when you have body-roll and side-forces on cornering. But, most of the time, it's not needed, and, yes, to have it to the degree often seen in images is ridiculous.

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Old 04-05-17, 03:09 PM
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Iv heard staggered on awd is bad for the tranny
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Old 04-06-17, 06:21 AM
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Originally Posted by Cole2is
Iv heard staggered on awd is bad for the tranny
Staggered just means wider at one end than the other. As long as the rolling diameter is the same, it doesn't put any additional stress on the transfer case.
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