TIRERACK.COM Questions. Anyone with experience using them?

[bushidoboy]

Looking for new rims/tires and was thinking of using Tirerack.com (I know the shipping is a factor)
I did a chat with a tirerack rep via their website, but still wanted to double check "REAL WORLD" experiences from shoppers on this forum.

Question 1: Does the order come with the correct spacers with the package purchase? (shows in the photo, but questioning because sounds too good to be true)
Question 2: Why do they offer "optional center caps"...if so do I need to purchase it separate?

If you had a choice for approx the same price:

20" ASA GT5 Black
(20x8.5 45mm off set, recommed tire size 235/45/20R 27lbs)

or

19" Enkei RAJIN Black
(19x8 50mm off set, recommended tire size 225/55/19R 23lbs)
On these, can I use a wider tire? 235/50/19R?

On both, will they sit close to flush with the outside of the wheel well? I tried to figure out the measurements, but Im more of a hands on person and need to see each on the vehicle. Unfortunately, not too many good rim shops around here with the kind of set up and price Tirerack has to offer. Any genuine help would greatly be appreciated.

 

[flymo]

I have used both tirerack and their competitor discounttiredirect a number of times, with good success.

1) I'm not sure what you mean by "spacers." If you mean centering rings, then my recollection is that both places included them with the wheels. It certainly does not hurt to ask.
2) Again, my recollection is that the wheels I've bought have come with center caps. Also something you should ask about.
3) One other thing you should ask about is lug nuts - the aftermarket rims I bought for our CX5 take a different style nut than the stock rims. Using the wrong nut is bad - as in "a wheel falls off" bad.

Regarding the wheel choice, although I like both, I'd go with the Enkei wheels myself. I'm not a fan of the huge wheels on small cars look, although I know it is popular today. Also, 4 pound weight savings is significant. Regarding the tire sizes that will fit, there is a great thread on fitment at the top of this section. The Enkei wheels have the same offset as the stock wheels, but are a little wider, so the outside line of the tire will be a bit farther outboard than with the stock wheels - and obviously if you go to a wider tire it will be out even farther.

The ASAs have 5mm less offset, so will stick out 5mm farther - about 1/4", not a big deal. But then the wider tires will bring the outside line out a little farther.



Flymo

 

[kjh1127]

I used Tirerack years ago when I bought mounted, balanced steel rims and winter tires from them. Overall, the experience was positive.

However, for about 5% more in cost, I can get the same thing from a very good local tire company, Dunn Tire, which comes with lifetime flat repair (very important to me living in Rochester, NY with lots of construction and poor road quality.

You will be very happy with tirerack, and may be slightly cheaper than anywhere else, but to me a free flat repair warranty sets Dunn Tire apart.

Granted this was 10 years ago, not sure if Tirerack improved their warranty or flat repair, but it's something to consider.

 

[flymo]

Kjh, that's certainly a factor. I have appreciated the online discount houses because they offer a wide selection of rims and tires - it makes the most sense when you're buying both, as mounting and balancing come for free, and you can just pop the tire on. If buying just wheels or just tires, you need a local installer, who will charge you for mounting and balancing, and that shifts the equation significantly.

I don't know of any online place that offers flat repair - how could they?

Flymo

 

[kjh1127]

The place I'm talking about, Dunn's, also included mounting and balancing for free with tire purchase. I guess i neglected mentioning that and thought that was a given for most places these days. Maybe not.

 

[leeharvey418]

The ASAs have 5mm less offset, so will stick out 5mm farther - about 1/4", not a big deal. But then the wider tires will bring the outside line out a little farther.

Actually, the ASAs will stick out 11.35 mm (just shy of half an inch) further than the Enkeis, owing to the fact that they're a half inch wider in addition to having a 5 mm lower offset.

As for how far the outboard tire sidewall will be offset, you have to look at the stated width of the tire (in the tire specs tab on Tire Rack's site) and the mounting wheel width, then add or subtract 0.2" for every half inch change in wheel width versus the reference wheel. For instance, if you're mounting a tire that has a stated width of 9.0" and its reference mounting wheel width is 7.5", it would actually measure about 9.2" wide if you mounted it on a wheel that was 8" wide.

As Flymo mentioned, you'll need new lug nuts for the aftermarket wheels. It's not so much a matter of the wheel potentially falling off as it is that you wouldn't even be able to fit the factory nuts into the counterbores on the new wheels.

The Tire Rack rep will be able to walk you through all of this - their customer service is excellent in my experience, though they tend to be very conservative in their fitment options.

 

[flymo]

Quite right on the stickout calculation, 418 - I should have thought of that.

Regarding the lug nuts, having them fit in the counterbore is one factor, the other is the shape of the lug nut seat - there are cone and ball styles. The lug nut style needs to match the rim style otherwise it will be bad, as described above.

Flymo