Hello Club Lexus community,
I am looking for some opinions on increasing the overall diameter of the wheel set on my 2014 IS 350 F-sport AWD. Here is some background info:

Original Equipment (OE):
Front Rims:
18" x 8.0" offset +45 Hub Dia. 60.1 bolt pat. 5x114.3
Rear Rims:
18" x 8.5" offset +50 Hub Dia. 60.1 bolt pat. 5x114.3
Front Tire:
225/40R18 profile 3.543" (overall Dia. 25.087")
Rear Tire:
255/35/R18 profile 3.514" (overall Dia. 25.028")

New wheel set that I am considering:
Braelin BR10 (matte graphite, i.e. black)
Front Rims:
19" x 8.5" offset +35 Hub Dia. 60.1 bolt pat. 5x114.3
Rear Rims:
​​​​​​​19" x 9.5" offset +40 Hub Dia. 60.1 bolt pat. 5x114.3
Front Tire:
225/35R19 profile 3.100" (overall Dia. 25.201")
or
225/40R19 profile 3.543" (overall Dia. 26.087")
Rear Tire:
255/30/R19 profile 3.012" (overall Dia. 25.024")
Or
255/35/R19 profile 3.514" (overall Dia. 26.028")

I am interested to hear opinions on the look/style and function of the increased wheel diameter. I would also appreciate opinions on the offset and increasing the stance of the car.

Thanks in advance!
​​​

 

I don't think 19" suits the IS well. It throws off the balance of the car giving too much emphasis to the wheels and too little to the car.

19s are better suited to a car with heavier visual balance like the RC and GS

 

Recent 19x8.5/9.5 set up we did with 235/30 fronts and 255/35 rears. I think the 19" looks really good on the IS.

 

Welcome to the forum fellow Ontarion!

I think 19's is a great choice for the IS...feel free to ignore that second post above.

Given the road conditions around the GTA, I would suggest aiming for more sidewall.
For instance, for the front if you were looking at a 35 sidewall, then I would go with 235/35/19.
For the rear if you wanted a 30 sidewall, go with 265/30/19.
Yes you could go with a 40 sidewall on the front and 35 on the rear, but you'd want to manage the width do it doesn't look odd either.
Being AWD you want to maintain relatively the same circumference front and rear also.

Personally driving with a 235/30/20, the sidewall is not enough to save the rim.
The Braelin BR10 is a nice wheel...personally I prefer bronze (absolutely biased opinion here)

 

[QUOTE=Eric@BDWheels;10757346]Recent 19x8.5/9.5 set up we did with 235/30 fronts and 255/35 rears. I think the 19" looks really good on the IS.

Can you verify that you are running 30 on front and 35 rear? I think this is backwards and this would mean the rear tire is overall larger diameter. Since I am running AWD I need to keep overall diameter the same.

Front: 235 mm x 0.30 = 70.50 mm = 2.776" profile (overall dia. 19"+ 2x2.776" = 24.552")
Rear: 255 mm x 0.35 = 89.25 mm = 3.514" profile (overall dia. 19"+ 2x3.514" = 26.028")

 

i was curious on this as welll-- got AWD, and the stock tires are great for performance but hard on the bumps...i certainly could use the next taller sidewall--but i wasnt sure if it would fit.

I also assumed since AWD the tires should match in height

i am running stock rims (tink 18")

 

I disagree. Sometimes I wish the IS had 19's as an option from the factory. I think that's part of the reason I find the RC more attractive - better wheel-to-car ratio.

Just spitballing here, a setup with 225/35R19 wouldn't be too outrageous. A stock Golf R runs that same wheel size, and you don't hear anyone complaining about the ride being harsh. Again, just spitballing though, I don't have any real experience with it. I say go for it if you really want, as you wouldn't be the first.

 

Thanks Sasnuke!

To clarify the OE 225/40R18 and 255/35R18 have a side wall (profile height) of approximately 3.5" or 90 mm (225 mm x 0.40 or 255 mm x 0.35). If I move up to a 19 inch rims then I either:
1. decrease my profile height to keep the same overall diameter
(e.g. 225/35R19 - profile 3.1" / 255/30R19 profile 3.0" / Wheel dia. 25")

or

2. keep the same profile height and increase the overall diameter.
(e.g. 225/40R19 - profile 3.5" / 255/35R19 profile 3.5"/ Wheel dia. 26")

I agree that keeping the profile is important for protecting the rim. Therefore I want to know if running a 26" diameter tire will fit on my Lexus with stock suspension. The difference in the circumference is approximately 4% which will not concern me on the speedometer.

 

In theory, it should be fine. ShrinkDoc is running an even bigger 26.9" setup. See below:
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/is-...l#post10715996

Granted, theirs is with 225/50R18.

 

I agree, Lexus should have provided more factory options.
My 'summer' car came with 19" wheels, but the factory provided 18" (1 design), 19" (3 designs), and 20" (3 designs) options, or a total of 7 choices. (I bought and run a set of 20" from another owner).

 

[QUOTE=MILLIKEN9;10757441]Likely it's backwards cause I don't think a 235/30/19 exists.
Also a 265/30/18 doesn't exist...that was just a random extra info

 

From your 2 options above, #1 is the ideal scenario. You would reduce the profile height because the rim size increased. But as you're going with wider rims, you would also need to increase the width of the tire as well.
To address the 26" diameter question, I ran 235/30/20 which has a 25.6" diameter, and I am lowered on RSR Downs (over 1 inch drop front and rear...I think closer to 2 inches in the rear)...so running 26" at stock height will be more than fine.
This summer I will be dropping to staggered 18's...8.5 front and 9.5 rear. Still haven't decided on tire sizes, but still have a little more time to go before the winters come off...truly I could use stock F Sport rim sizes and it would be fine.

 

I don't have anything to add on tire sizes but if you have the big breaks up front just make sure to test fit the wheel to make sure clears the calipers. I went with a 8.5x19 +35 for my fronts at first and they didn't clear the calipers with the wheel design so I ended up going with +30.

 

@Eric@BDWheels

May I know what is ur drop set up? Any rub ?

Ur car look so perfect with those wheel and the drop.

 

Customer claims minimal rubbing. She is running BC coils with extreme low springs and in her words "no where near maxed out"