RX469

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Hi all. Was wondering, what's the W I D E S T wheel that can fit on the GX?


Regards,


Sheldon.

Johnny Mo

0260n5.7 just did 20x9.5" on his GX, don't know that you'd want or need to go any more than that.

RX469

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Johnny,

Hi there. Thanks for your post.

Here's my reasoning......most folks who plus size their wheels, usually go to say, 19s, 20s, 22s etc. however, their vehicle can only accommodate so wide a wheel, hence they end up with a tall wheel that's not as wide. A perfect example is the wheels on the BWM X5 those babys are 20"s (stock) and are: 20 x 9.5 front 275/40R-20 & 20 x 10.5 rear 315/35R-20 But when you look at the wheels they look wide and gives the vehicle a dominant muscular stance, as opposed to tall thin looking wheels.

I just recently saw a Cadillac Escalade with 22s and although the wheel well was maxed out it was like looking at a very tall guy with skinny legs because his Escalade could NOT accommodate anymore width. But the BMW was designed to accommodate the width, hence the muscular confident stance.

This is a look I would at all costs strive to achieve ~ my opinion.

Would love to hear ya'lls opinions.

kyee

I agree with you Sheldon. In fact, one reason that I may end up NOT getting the GX will be due to this feature. I've test driven the GX, the X5 4.6is , as well as the Porsche Cayenne. The X5 4.6 comes with massively wide 20" tires, and the Cayenne has an option for 19 and 20 inch rim/tires. The 20's look very agressive. I understand Lexus is not trying to compete in this performance arena, so they don't offer this as an option. It would be nice to be do get something similar aftermarket, though.

I'm also waiting to hear from my dealer about the TRD supercharger. If they can adopt the TRD 4Runner SC to the GX, then that'll push me even closer to the GX. The raw power of the Cayenne was such a thrill to drive, I just feel so wimpy when I drive the GX.

RX469

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Kyee,

Ah! I'm glad someone agrees with me on the "width' issue.

However, Nissan/Infiniti is learning fairly quickly as theri new FX45 also comes stock with massive 20s.

I ~believe~ Lexus is on track as well, but just waaay behind. Because there will soon be an option for 18s TRD wheels on the SC430. And as for "L-Tuned" I think they are nothing but costmetic additions, and nothing ~really~ performance oriented to really get your beloved Lexus up and preforming. Come to think of it, Lexus has nothing to answer to the BMW M & MB AMG divisions.


But having said all of this, which again are my observations & opinions, I would STILL buy the GX over the BMW X or Porche Cayenne. I think the BMWs interior(s) are a bit dated and the X is not exciting. The Cayenne turbo is just waaay too much $$ for an SUV. And the GX is great value for the money! You get the Toyota build & Lexus refinement, quality & reliability which equals value.

As far as the supercharger from TRD for the 4Runner, it can be applied to the GX just as easily. More or less the engines are the same, except for the individual tuning. But remember, you should also address the suspension if you add all this "go fast stuff" to your new ride. But, I believe i'll do the same, though.......add the widest wheels, beef up the brakes, add the supercharger and tighten up the suspension........and be where I want to be..



What's your thoughts....

0260n5.7

All,

I totally agree. FWIW, I spent about 3 weeks researching the fitment on the GX. First, let me say from experience that anything larger than a 295/45x20 would rub the plastic wheel well liners at full turn. Any larger or wider tire may also rub on the suspension. As johnnymo stated I am running a 20x9.5 wheel on the 295/45x20 Pirelli Scorpion Zeros and IMO, its a perfect fit. You probably wouldnt need to go wider. You could get away with a 10" wheel on the same 295/45x20. If you wanted to go with a 22" wheel and lose the sidewall, you could go with a 295/30x22 on a 9.5 or 10" wheel. The pictures in the thread I posted do not represent the true look. The GX now looks stalky. It fills the wheel wells and changes the look of the stance of the vehicle.

The TRD SC for the 4runner, although the same engine for the GX, is not available at this time for the GX. SG of Carson Toyota is looking into it. TRD is also working on an exhaust.

Brakes are definitely in the project once SG says the SC and the exhaust are ready.

HTH

MAC

RX469

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MAC,

Hi there. Wow! Thanks for your interesting post. However, just for the record, collectively I believe we all agree your GX looks awsome with your new wheels. However you're offering us insight onto the fitment of wheel sizes on the GX.

I think the "look" we're trying to achieve is that of a performance upgrade that DO NOT showcasee the wheels instead of the vehicle. However, the TALL wheels with little width to be of proper proportion is definatley a no-no! The BMW X% & INfiniti FX45 were just "real world" examples for everyone to see for themselves.

I personally would like the 20x9.5 fronts & 20x10 rear. As for 22s ~for me~ that's a no-no!

Mac, if possible, can you post pics of the wheels (width) in a bit more sunlight, please.

Yes! I did read that the TRD SC were not available for the GX at this moment and the exhaust is in the works. Drum roll, please, for it's availability!

Thanks for the updates.........

....anymore feedback folks....

SoCalSC4

20x9.5 and 20x10 are do-able, but I would have to ask what tire sizes you intend to put on them...

At the end of the day, the tires are what make a vehicle look aggresssive (especially from the front or rear)- a 295/45-20 is pretty darned wide! Keep in mind, the GX is all-wheel drive (at least I haven't seen one in 2WD yet), so you'll need to match the rolling diameter front & rear or risk trashing the transfer case.

To do this, you'd need 265/50-20 front + 295/45-20 rear... a perfect match for each other. However, all you're doing is reducing the width of the front tire- doesn't sound like that was your plan.

There are other tires out there- our VP has the 275/40-20 and 315/35-20 Michelins on his X5 (they are HREs, naturally). I'm pretty sure this could be done on an RX, I'd need to consult the data I have gathered on the vehicle. Offset is key here, so an off-the-shelf wheel probably won't work. Beynd this tire combination, the 20" tires get REALLY tall:

265/50-20= 30.4"
275/40-20= 28.6"
275/55-20= 32.0"
295/45-20= 30.4"
305/50-20= 31.9"
325/50-20= 32.7"
315/35-20= 28.6"

As you can see, matching the tire diameters up is challenging. The reality is that (unfortunately), the Lexus vehicles do not lend themselves to super-aggressive wheel fitments as well as their European made counterparts... hope this has helped (and not confused!).

Regards,
Bob

0260n5.7

Thanks Bob! Perfect point on the rolling diameter.

All, also just FYI, for another reference and the reason I went with the 295/45x20 tire size:

OEM tire size: 265/65x17= 30.56"

Aftermarket tire size: 295/45x20= 30.45"

or a difference of - 2.80mm or - 0.11"

so the 295x45x20 is the closest to OEM size of all sizes listed. A 265 would also work, but wouldn't it be a little narrow for a 9.5" or 10" wheel Bob?

I also caution, from experience, that anything taller or wider than the 295x45x20, at full turn, would rub on the inside front plastic fender well and without the proper offset, would most likely rub on the strut. As it is, the 295/45x20 has a minimal 1/4" clearance from the strut and at full turn, 1/4" clearance from the inside front plastic fender well.

HTH

MAC

slavik

So, what should be the proper offset of 20x9.5 wheel and 295/45x20 tire for GX? 10?

anthracitetarga

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Why do all of this to an SUV? There is no point in having this "track" setup on an SUV. They are not built to be sports cars? If you want something to put big brakes, tight suspension, etc. on, why not get the GS? I'm not one of those people who hate SUV's (I love our 4Runner), but if you look at out 4Runner, I have put larger tires on it, remove the running boards (ground clearance), etc........ALL OFF-ROAD MODS. Now I know that the Lex isn't meant to go off-roading (although the LX is incredible off-road), it also isn't meant to be dressed up as a ports car. I feel the same way about the X5 and the Porsche. In fact, I'm glad Lexus hasn't tried to make their SUV's sportier. If you want sporty, get a GS (assuming you want room) or an SC. If you want cargo area, higher ride height, etc., go for the GX. I don't mind seeing the huge rims on SUV's though. But hey, to each his own. That's just my $.02.

BTW: Why does BMW put 20's on the X5 if it is supposed to be more sporty than utility? What race car out there has 20 in. rims. I think 18's or 19's are the ideal sizes. Oh well.