[TheReplacement]

I have hideous 14" chrome rims on my 'scort and it NEEDS 15s or better. I am considering my choices. I want the widest wheel I can fit....who has gone there before me? I am willing to roll, trim, etc.

Thanks for the input

 

[LOWETGT]

Try these sights:

http://www.rims-n-tires.com/rt_specs.jsp

http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html

http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/infoTireMath.dos

 

[pextor]

15x6 would probably be it. 15x7 inch wheels are for a 225 tire, which is too wide for an escort.

 

[98EscortDude]

Why wouldnt a 15x7 fit? Im running 17x7 and they fit.

 

[white-lightning]

Why wouldnt a 15x7 fit? Im running 17x7 and they fit.

What size tires and how much drop do you have? I need lower profile tires. I believe I have reached the limits of the stock 14" alloy and tire combo.

 

[98EscortDude]

i have 205-40-17 tires. i have the eibach springs on s/r struts so i think its like a 2 inch drop.

 

[white-lightning]

Ok I have the eibachs on s/rs too so if I get 16x6.5 wheels and 205- 45-16 tires I'll be fine.

 

[TheReplacement]

Why wouldnt a 15x7 fit? Im running 17x7 and they fit.

When you installed your 17s....what offset did you use? Did you have to "roll" the fender lip?

I just tried a set of 16x7s off a Celica in the JY....the offset was wrong, so they would have required a 3/16th min spacer to get them to rotate....
oh, these had 205/55s on them....

 

[98EscortDude]

^ i bought the wheels used from a friend so im unsure what the offset is. It is either +35 or +42. With the stock suspension i didnt have any rubbing issues but when i lowered the car they do rub a little bit so i need to do a little timming to the lip.

 

[Dave94LX]

I am running 18x7" rims with 215/35/18 tires on the blue car. I had to cut out my fenderwell lip on either side to fit them, and they just barely fit between the fenderwell and the strut perch. To go any wider, I would have to go with coilovers, and cut off the spring perches.

 

[TheReplacement]

I am running 18x7" rims with 215/35/18 tires on the blue car. I had to cut out my fenderwell lip on either side to fit them, and they just barely fit between the fenderwell and the strut perch. To go any wider, I would have to go with coilovers, and cut off the spring perches.

That is the kinda help I was looking for. Thank you, sir.

 

[hadoken]

15x6 would probably be it. 15x7 inch wheels are for a 225 tire, which is too wide for an escort.

This is not true. 7" wheels are for around 205 tire width. I have 15x7" rims with a +37mm offset on my car right now, with a 195 width tire. 7" is the max width you'd want for a 195 and around the middle of what you'd want for a 205.

 

[crazycarl88]

15x6 would probably be it. 15x7 inch wheels are for a 225 tire, which is too wide for an escort.

This is not true. 7" wheels are for around 205 tire width. I have 15x7" rims with a +37mm offset on my car right now, with a 195 width tire. 7" is the max width you'd want for a 195 and around the middle of what you'd want for a 205.

i was gonna pretty much say the same thing sort of... i had 17x7.5" with a 42 offset on mine and it rubbed a bit under hard cornering even with spacers, but that was the rims, not tires. the tires were 205's and were just fine, size wise but, long story short, you are gonna run into problems if you go wider than a 7" width rim and 205 tire

 

[kookookachew]

I was fairly easily able to fit 15x7 rims off of a late '80s Mustang GT on my Escort wagon. The rear tires are 205s and the fronts are 185s. I had to fold up the lip on the back fenders, but thats only because my rear springs are sagging.

I think the Mustang rims look phenomenally better than the stock hubcaps.

 

[FordEscorter]

no offense, but it would look phenomenally better if you fixed the rust on your car

 

[kookookachew]

Yeah, I know, but I only payed $150 for it, I'm just hoping it lasts the winter.

I only put the Mustang rims on because they were just lying around and they have almost brand new tires.

 

[FordEscorter]

150? thats a good buy

if the drivetrain is in good shape,

if you have a heated garage, paint it yourself

 

[kookookachew]

The drivetrain is in great shape! Just hit 101,000 original miles. Runs great, doesn't smoke or burn anything, just gave it a complete tune-up.

I do have a garage and thought about painting it, but it needs so much rust work that I don't even think its worth my time.

 

[FordEscorter]

the front can have new fenders put on, the rear and rockers just weld in new metal, bondo it and paint it

 

[kookookachew]

I know how it can be fixed, and I'd love to fix, but like
i said it has alot of rust. the floor boards are almost completely gone, the spare tire area is almost gone, the doors are all rusted through, the tailgate bottom in non-existent, and the front shock towers are getting pretty bad.

I just don't think it would be worth the time or the money that I don't have. Right now it runs and drives good, and if anything breaks I'll fix it, I just don't think its worth dumping alot of money into.

Thanks for the interest though, it is a great little car, as are all Escorts, and maybe if I have some extra money, I'll do some cosmetic work on it.