Ok, I need some advice so that I can stop spending countless hours up in my brain pondering if this will work or not. So I've got my eyes on the new O.Z. Italia 150s found on Tire Rack. Similar look to the Breyton GTS-R but a little more aggressive which I like. Reading through other posts, the Breyton's clearly seem to work with a 215/45R17 tire even with a lowered stance.

I'm currently on stock suspension but may end up going for some H&Rs sometime down the road. My concern is that the Italia 150s have a +37 offset where as the Breyton's are at +40. I know I should be fine on stock (Example on a Clubby), but would I run in to issues if I were to lower the car by 1 inch? Or is there anything else I should consider with that kind of offset, or am I just making a big deal over a non-issue?

I've read that a lot of people are running 5mm spacers with the Breyton's to clear big brake kits. Since they have a +40 offset, a 5mm spacer would essentially push the wheel out the same as a wheel with a +35 offset, right? So in theory my +37 offset would have 2mm more clearance than those running the Breyton's with spacers?

 

Nope. You will be fine.

Edit. You might rub a tiny bit in the rear but I doubt it.

Changing the offset by 3 mm with a drop of 1 inch should not give you any issues.

Yes, but at least you are doing your research.

Close, you are partially right.

The purpose of a wheel spacer is to push the wheel out, away from the hub, either to achieve more clearance for the brakes, or for looks.

You are right in that adding a 5 mm spacer to a wheel with a +40 offset would result in a new offset of +35.

However, your +37 offset would have 2 mm MORE clearance than the Breyton's WITHOUT spacers, or 3 mm LESS than the Breyton's WITH spacers.

Lets hypothetically say that a wheel with an offset of +40 just touches the brakes. If you put a 5 mm spacer on this wheel the offset will be +35 and it will have 5 mm of clearance. A wheel with an offset of +37 has 2 mm more clearance than the one with the +40.

Now just to confuse you, or help you, depending on how you look at it, the shape/design of the spokes has a lot to do with brake clearances. Depending on the shape of the back of the spokes they brake clearances may be more or less regardless of the offset.

Your Italia wheels may have less or maybe more clearance than they Breytons.

Hope this helps.

 

Awesome, thanks for the reply. All of that makes sense and I guess my theories were sound. W00T! Though regarding clearance I referring more to the outer clearances, such as wheel well/fender rubbing but it sounds like I'll be ok.

But you bring up a good point about the brakes. I'm currently not planning on big brakes, but I don't want to limit myself if I decide to in the future. I guess that's a matter of waiting and seeing and getting a 3mm spacer if needed.

Anyway, thanks for the help and I'll be sure to post some pictures once I get them one since it doesn't seem like anyone on NAM is wearing these O.Z.s yet.

 

No worries. Happy to help.

Please take what I wrote, and everything else you read online with a grain of salt though.

I don't have a Clubman but from what I have seen I am pretty sure 17x7 et 37 with a drop of an inch will be fine.

I look forward to the pictures.

 

I had 215/45-17 Michelin AS Plus on my OZs 17x7 37et and the rubbed in the rear fully loaded in my R56 and with just 1 or 2 people and some normal car stuff they rubbed on my R55. I am not sure how all these people dropping an inch don;'t rub but both of my cars were at stock height.