Hey all. So just done my tax return and am already thinking of ways to blow it. I am contemplating wider rubber and new rims for the Yeti Sled.

Just wondering how wide is too wide. Not so much as a fitment problem, as i have extremely adjustable suspension, and no problen taking a sawzall to my fenders, then bolting on over fenders, flares etc. Im more wondering as a performace trade off?

Is there a point where it gets so wide, that you no longer see improvements in grip?
Hypotheticaly, would you notice extra grip going from say 235 to 295, and would that improvent be linear. Ie the tyres are 25% wider. Would that equate to 25% more grip?
Is extra width with compromised wheel alignments (camber) better than less width with ideal alignment?

Is there a way to work out how much heavier tyres get as they go wider?

I currrently have Gmax Drift 6 in 17x8, with Hankook Z221 235/45 soft. Im thinking of stepping up to maybe a 18x10ish and 265 or wider. Obviously 265 aint gonna fit a Forester with out a lot of jiggery-pokery. So if your gonna go crazy with cutting fenders out and bolt on flares etc, then you may aswelll go as wide as you can. Problem there is that there isnt a whole lot of size options past 265 for Rcomps like Hankooks or Yokos. They basically go 265 straight up to 295. The hankooks do have a 285 though.

And 295 is bloody wide. Like really really really wide. And I dont even know if its possible to go that wide on a forester? Its definitely not practical. It might be so wide my engine will struggle turning the big heavy things. Ive never been much of a fan of hella-stance or whatever. If i was to do such a ridiculous thing, it would be purely for grip performance gains at the track. So it would have to work, and still retain things like suspension bump travel and not rub off all the tread from those expensive tyres.

Im thinking Rays Volk Ze40 Face 3 Gunmetal Blue 18x10+35 5x114.3. With 295/30R18 rubber. (Am i dreaming?) 10inch wide because you can fit anything from 265/35 up to 295/30 on that width rim. (so it leaves options open if i pull the pin on a set of new rims). 35 offset maybe a bit too much inwards? It will be a few mms from my struts and trailing arms etc. But next size out is 20, and that will be too much poke, even with fender flares. So 35 offset with the possibility of 5mm-ish hubcentric spacers if need be. Brake clearance shouldnt be an issue i hope? I have Wilwood 330mm 6pots, which are a forged narrow caliper. (I do like the idea of 18s as that leaves the door open to upgrade the Wilwoods to the 350mm rotor varients) Wheel arch liners will need to go. Fenders will need to be chopped and flares bolted on over. Ride height will probs need to go up a smidge aswell. I will put my 25mm front swaybay on to help control corner roll (and rubbing), and probably have to upgrade the rear from 22 to 24 or there abouts for the same reason.

Just brainstorming at the moment. Thoughts. Is this a retarded idea?

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Doing it for all the wagons out there