Thinking of replacing the factory 15" rims and tires with something a little more exciting. My local shop recommended 17" rims with 205/40R17 tires. Is this a good size, and those of you using 17" rims, how differently does the car handle.. assume it would be way more responsive and planted on the road? Gas mileage would likely suffer a bit due to wider tires but I'm ok with that.. more interesting in having the car corner and stop well, and of course look good too.

Next question then is what type of rims to get.. are there offsets I should consider, etc? Obviously need a 4 bolt so that already limits the selection a bit.

Any assistance is greatly appreciated! Thanks!

 

205/40R17s have really thin sidewalls, to compensate for it their sidewalls are usually stiffened to reduce flex under load (not good for absorbing bumps) and don't offer much wheel protection if you're in an area with horrid pot holes.

I'd recommend a 16 inch wheel with a width of either 6, 6.5, or 7 inches as well as a 205/45R16 tire BUT that's just my personal preference since the tire isn't nearly as thin so your wheel will still have decent wheel protection and you aren't sacrificing as much ride comfort for just for the sake of looks. Offset wise with a 205 you'll generally want to stick with +42 or numerically higher offset at stock ride height (+45 or higher if lowered); some can get away with running +40 with 205s but it varies car to car and requires little to no modification.

The Fit's bolt pattern is 4x100 just in case you didn't know.

 

205/40x17 will work fine if you keep offset between 45 and 52 mm. Any less than 45 mm is a problem. If you have a Fit with 195/55x15 your 205/40x17 will match the diameter so the odo and speedometer won't be affected. The heavier tire at same diameter will affect mpg and acceleration but cornering will improve. All this is based on no lowering.

 

I've been thinking of the same sort of swap, considering Konig Illusion 17x7 that are +40, and possibly some Buddy Club N+ coilovers. Any advice? Will I need to consider rolling the fenders if I drop it more than an inch or so?
--
Barry, '08 BBP Fit Sport M/T

 

For stock ride height at 40 mm offset you'll definitely need to roll fenders for 205 tires but not for 195/40x17; If you drop you need to stick with 45 mm minimum offset and 195 tires.

 

hi MIDAC-FIT, did you ever upgraded the rims? do you have the LX rims available for sale? I am looking to buy a set. Can you let me know?

Thanks,