Best wheel/tire for MKII ITB Jetta

[S2_ITBVW]

I just bought an ITB MKII Jetta and the previous owner has been running Hoosier 205/55ZR14 tires. Not sure of the wheel size, but the bottom line is the tires have been rubbing within the wheel wells and, in fact, have rubbed a hole in the gas tank. What tire/wheel size combination to you all recommend? I would appreciate specifics like offset and/or wheel spacer combinations that you recommend to get the best performance without the tire rub.

Thanks very much for your help!

Dave

S2_ITBVW
[email protected]

[shwah]

Run as much spacer and/or wheel offset as you can without pushing the contact patch outside of the fender "shadow". Makes the car handle better and keeps the tire away from the stuff it is rubbing on.

If you stick with 14" wheels, the 205/55-14 is the right size.

I like the 13" with 225/45-13 Hoosiers myself. Much shorter tire, gets the car lower without messing up the suspension geometry, gives the brakes more 'leverage', gears the car down right to where I want it.

For offset I run pretty close to zero, or a bit further out.

[Sandro]

on my MKI I run the Kosei K1 TS in a 14x6 offset is perfect, I don't need to run spacers front or back. I bought them from Tire Rack when they were on sale payed just under $100 and they weigh about 9lbs

[Bill Miller]

It would help if you posted the specs of the wheel. Probably a 14x6, but who knows what the offset is.

Sandro, what offset are those wheels?

[Sandro]

38mm

http://www.tirerack.com/wheels/WheelCloseUpServlet?target=runWheelSearch&initialPartNumber=TS001S&wheelMake=Kosei&wheelModel=K1+TS&wheelFinish=Silver+Painted&showRear=no&autoMake=Volkswagen&autoModel=Rabbit+GTi&autoYear=1983&autoModClar=&filterSize=All&filterFinish=All&filterSpecial=false&filterBrand=Kosei&filterNew=All&sort=Brand

[Knestis]

Remember that the Hoosiers of any size are wider than other brands...

K

[Bill Miller]

That's an excellent point Kirk. I remember having a set of Kumho V700 205/55/14 stacked next to a set of Hoosier R4's, all mounted on the same wheel, and the stack of Hoosiers was at least 2" taller than the stack of Kumhos. This is a stack of 4 wheels/tires.

[Sandro]

that is very true. With my old wheels I did not need spacers to clear the front spring perch on Kumhos, but with Hoosiers I did. With the Kosei's I don't need spacers even with Hoosiers, but I still always carry a set of 5mm spacers just incase

[shwah]

Just curious. If you have room to run the spacers, why would you not always use them? They are not just useful to move tires from struts, they are useful to widen the track of the car.

[Bill Miller]

Just curious. If you have room to run the spacers, why would you not always use them? They are not just useful to move tires from struts, they are useful to widen the track of the car.


What Chris said.

[S2_ITBVW]

Thanks very much for all of the information. I am going to check the offset of the wheels that came with the car and see how they compare to the Kosei K1 TS. It is also good to know that the Hoosiers are wider.

I'll post what I figure out.

Do the 205/55-14 Hoosier's work well with 6" rims?

BTW, do any of you race at Mid-Ohio or Nelson Ledges?

Dave Ellenwood
[email protected]

[Knestis]

205 Hoos work great on 6" wheels. We run 225s on the front of our MkIII and they work OK too.

K

[Jimmy Griggs]

http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/hnp/pts/2220246875.html

[D. Ellis-Brown]

I run a Jetta MkIII, and use the Kosei Wheels with Kumho 225 /50 -14's....(also the stock Mk III Alloy's) ... but also with wheel spacers, and longer wheel studs, and the inside fender lip rolled under.... Never had a problem with rubbing.....Front and rear.. But I understand the Hoosiers are wider... David Ellis-Brown

[shwah]

That size will work fine. You will have plenty of room. With high quality long studs and rolled under fender lips you should be able to run a 1" spacer as well to widen the track.