Exel wheels (questions?)

Dlovtsur

Member
:
'03.5 Proteg5 (22V)
1. Do Exel (Ennio) wheels require hub centric rings to fit the P5?

2. Will the stock lug nuts work, or will I need aftermarket?

3. Does anyone know another seller for Exel wheels other than Wheelmax?...heard too many horror stories about them.

4. 18's or 17's?.....these are only going to be spring/summer/early fall wheels.

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Thanks for the help.
 
You don't need hubcentric rings. Make sure the offset is 42mm and you will need aftermarket lugs because the lugs they make you purchase don't fit, they are too fat. I wasn't able to find anyone that carries them other than wheelmax. Also be cautious, they sold me a bent rim. I would take them and have the balance checked. If they say that they won't balance out, ask them to check to see if the rim is bent. Wheelmax's customer service leaves a lot to be desired. Also, my experience is with the 17 inch Excel Ennios.
 
hellcat said:
you will need aftermarket lugs because the lugs they make you purchase don't fit, they are too fat.
Thanks for the info.

I'm a little confused here, though. Wheelmax makes you buy lug nuts that don't fit? I assumed the stock ones would be too fat, but why would wheelmax send ones that were too big as well?

Did you get tires as well? If so, what kind were they and how do you like them?
 
Dlovtsur said:
Does anyone know another seller for Exel wheels other than Wheelmax?
Exel wheels are a Wheelmax house brand. They are not sold by any other wheel house. You can buy them with or w/o tires. As for lugs, dunno what to tell you. As for service, have seen a number of horror stories...
 
Dlovtsur said:
So, what should I go with.....17's or 18's?
With 17s, you can run a 40-series tire, with 18s, it's a 35-series. The lower the profile, the harsher the ride and the greater the chance of bending a rim on pot holes, etc.

Some like 18s because they fill the wheel openings better than 17s. Take a look at the P5 with Exels at the WheelMax web site. I'm riding with 17s for the reasons stated earlier. Even then, I bent a wheel in a pot hole.
 
i would pm p5gurly she has had 18" ennios on the car for a while....gorgeous wheels, i wish they came in a dark bronze.
 
The lugs that came with my Exel wheels fit just fine. They came with Kumho Ecsta Supra 712s. But I agree with hellcat to get them rebalanced. Two of my rims were unbalanced when they came in. And to add to the horror stories, I recieved 3 rims after waiting over a month and had to call and wait another week for my 4th rim.

To save you the trouble why not order some Advan Model5s from ARD MP5? :)
 
daKiNeP5 said:
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To save you the trouble why not order some Advan Model5s from ARD MP5? :)
This is why...... "PRICES WILL VARY ON WHEEL DESIGN BUT EXPECT ANYWHERE FROM $1800.00 and up for a set of these wheels ALONE."

If I'm gonna pay to get them rebalanced then what is the point of getting the whole tire/wheel package through them? I'm probably better off getting some tires through Discount or Tire Rack and just buying the wheels from Wheelmax.

What Exel's did you get?

Also, did you need hub centric rings?
 
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I got the TZ-7s. You might as well get tires from tire rack or something. You can get better tires that you want. The only reason I got the package was because I would have to pay double shipping to hawaii and that would be expensive. I didn't need hub centric rings.
 
fyi I just picked up a set of these wheels and with a 21mm 1/2 inch drive craftsman socket and my air impact wrench I was able to use the stock lugs with these. there is no clearance on the edges and I had to line it up perfectly straight and lubed it for protection, but they DO work. by the way, these wheels look way better in person. that picture really doesn't show their color well at all

I see the tight fit as a theft protection mechanism. most likely anyone who tries to jack these wheels won't even be able to get them off since their wrench will be too thick
 
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yep I bent three of those 17x7 Exel Ennios when I had them - one so bad I had to buy a new one

that's why I went up to a 215/45-17 with the rims I have now... more protection

I didn't use hub-centric rings, but it might have helped to get rid of some of the light highway vibrations
 
The one that was beyond repair I hit a pothole coming through a crowned intersection, and came down hard on the edge of the hole... The front got killed, the rear received a nice bend.

The third was bent on the highway, hit some kind of pothole at night

I had 205/40-17s on there and about 32-34 psi, it was just not enough protection... I don't know how people manage running around with 35-series 18s, 19s etc.

I've had a lot more luck with the 215/45-17s I have now
 
nate0123 said:
The one that was beyond repair I hit a pothole coming through a crowned intersection, and came down hard on the edge of the hole... The front got killed, the rear received a nice bend.

The third was bent on the highway, hit some kind of pothole at night
Sounds like what I did a couple of months after I mounted a set of Goodyear F1 205/40s on my ADR Battles. I have one rim left out of the set that's not bent. Agree that 40s and 35s invite wheel damage.
 
44# seems high. Try 37-38. Ride will be better and you should have more than enough pressue for aggressive cornering on the street.
 
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