Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Wheels & Tires SVT Focus wheels have different offset.

My brother-in-law has a Ford dealership with a new SVT Focus on the showroom. So I went down and pulled a wheel off the Focus and put it on my SVT Contour. Different offset guys; they are furthur out in the wheel well. Some people have said these wheels work on our cars. Sure, they'll fit but don't expect your car to handle the same (been there,done that). I want new wheels and I've seen alot of comments about the Borbet type T's but until someone tells me a wheel will not change the "handling dynamics" of my car I'll stick with stock. Comments?

they also have different width, aren't they? so may be offset is not the same, but is actually correct? have you taken the measurements?

what's the consesus about the maximum safe deviation from stock offset?

not that I need 17" in the pothole capital of the world

Pothole capital of the world? NJ? NJ is not even on the map for the worst roads in the nation.

Thought it depends on who you talk to, NJ definitely is not the pothole capital of the world!

If they sit further out in the wheel well I would think it would improve the handleing capabilities of the car not retract from them. Just so long as you weren't too fare out to seriously interfer with the aerodynamics, drag, of the car. Any online documentation that anyone has on the suject or something I might be able to reference in a library would be helpful.

Buddy, I lived in Lansing, MI for 5 years: I know what I'm talking about. NYC and surrounding NJ area gets the cake.
I'm done w/ OT ramblings now

Lee,

the wheel bearings may go south if you are too much out.
The question is how much is too much.

What sort of offset range do we have with our cars? I know stock is like 47mm, so can we go from 35-45mm potentially? The lower the offset, the less likely for rubbing, right? The Focus wheels then haev a high offset compared to ours?

Suneil

Originally posted by ssmumich00:

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The lower the offset, the less likely for rubbing, right?

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depends where you rub. you can rub against the tie-bar or strut too

I believe you are correct. The Focus SVT wheels are wider. I should have takent a tape measure with me. Here is what concerns me about changing track on any auto. My last contour (non-svt,v-6,5 speed) had 15" and I did a plus one. It sucked; even though I had gone with Bridgestone's latest and greatest the way my car had once handled was destroyed. The after-market wheels were wider than stock and stuck farhter out the wheel wells. I sent it all back to tire rack and stayed within factory specs.

I'm surprised you guys are saying that the SVT Focus wheels stick out more. Judging from pics I've seen with them on SVT Contours, they seem to be the same or even a tad more inward than the stock E0/E1 rims, making them look nice from the side but not quite so nice from the front or rear.

In other words, they don't look as you'd expect the move from 16x6.5 to 17x7 to look.

I'll try and dig up some pics.

Apart from the offset issues, they look awesome. The Contour should have come with 17s.

Kerry

Originally posted by alex_96GL:

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Buddy, I lived in Lansing, MI for 5 years: I know what I'm talking about. NYC and surrounding NJ area gets the cake.
I'm done w/ OT ramblings now

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I agree 100% with you. I currently have 3 bent rims (awaiting new ones at the end of the month). I don't know too many people with aftermarket wheels that haven't bent or cracked at least one. Roads around my NJ town and anywhere remotely surrounding it are absolutely horrendous...

I have these rims on my ride and it handles great I even went as far as to test the handling on my way down to WV a couple weeks after I bought them. I went through SE Ohio too where theres alot of mountain-ous roads and the FSVT rims AND the Aussie bar worked great, what a combo My tires are the BFG KDW P215-45-17's, AWESOME! So to those who say they don't fit or even look out of place....

Chris Arslanyan talked to a SVT engineer a while back and was told that you'd need spacers with the SVT Focus wheels to maintain [insert engineering term here] proper weight distribution of the car, etc.

BAT has the SVT Focus wheels listed at 49 mm, and our stock wheels are 49.5 IIRC. So thats basically the same offset with a 1/2 inch wider wheel. I also vaguely remember someone saying eons ago that the ST200 rims were a 42 offset and 7" wide, but I'm not positive about that.

Someone had posted pics of their SVT with the FSVT rims before the old boards went down, hopefully they'll see this and be able to post pics again .

Well guys I've had my FSVT wheels now for about 3weeks now. They do not stick out more vs the 16's, they are a little more flush with the wheel well. As far as the width i took a tape measure before i had the wheels mounted, they measure 17x7 1/2. People have said that these wheels are also heavy, but its really not much more than the E1s about 2-3lbs. But as for the offset.....i dunno .

more like 6lb weight difference from what I know
I've got my E1 from someone who put FSVT wheels on, so that's what his measurements say.

I'd say that's a lot considering that the weight is mostly distributed towards the outer circumference. that said, I think my 225/50-16 tires are heavier than E1 wheels so that's a hard act to follow for a production wheel

if its 6 pounds difference then...man my sense of feeling is way off! I need to check myself more often now...i'm losing hair and i'm only 22.

Hey Everyone,
Here are some pics from my car showing the offset. If you have any questions, ask away!
Andreas
Contour with FSVT Rims