I ordered a set of TD Pro Race 1.2's for my 2004 STI to use next year for winter tyres. I went for the Pro Race's because according to the TD site they could supply them in an identical fitment to the standards wheels I'll be using for my summer tyres (7.5x17, PCD 100, ET53). When I ordered I made it clear what model and year of car it was and the spec of the wheel, and what turns up today - 7.5x17 PCD 100, ET37!

Presumably the offset is so far out there is no way I can accept these wheels - as I understand it it will affect the handling significantly and put extra load on the wheel bearings?

The order was over the phone because the supplier web site wouldn't let me specify all the details, so I have nothing in writing - is this likely to give me a problem (we are talking about £500+ worth of wheels)? The invoice does at least prove they knew it was for a Subaru as it includes a Subaru fixing kit - is ET37 suitable for any Subaru on a 7.5x17 wheel?

 

(7.5x17, PCD 100, ET53). should the et not be 42-50 so 53 seems out
so 37 is well out
i think that 37 is for a 09 STI

 

ET53 is definitely the right offset for stock wheels on an 04 STI.

I'm not sure about the 09 STI - I believe they have 8.5" wheels and a lot more clearance, so a lower offset would make sense.

The Team Dynamics offset options for the Pro Race 1.2 in 7.5x17 with 5 stud fitting are 15, 25, 30, 37, 45 and 53 (see Team Dynamics Racing), so the supplier didn't even get the closest alternative.

I shall be speaking to them first thing tomorrow and will let you know what they say.

 

I don't know if this is much help, but my last set of wheels where ET38 on 7.5j rims and had no problems at all for well over a year.

Aaron

 

I would have gone for ET45 rather than 53. Stock ET is for rim design nothing else. Prodrive STi fitment wheels in the P1 style (PWRC1's) are sold as ET46 for STi and ET53 for WRX's. If you have Brembos, ET53 would make me nervous about calliper clearance !

 

The car does have Brembos. Just how much clearance to they need? (I'd look at the car but it's in Tewkesbury in bits at the moment.) I've looked at one of the ET37s and they have about 40mm clearance from the mounting face to the closest part of the spoke - so I'm guessing ET53s would only have ~24mm. Is this likely to be enough?

I looked at the Rimstock fitment guide, and it doesn't even list the Pro Race 1.2 as suitable for the STI 04 - so I'm getting seriously worried I've been sold a pup.

 

I just got a set for my 06 18-8 et45
fitment guides i have looked at say that STI 04 is same fit

 

Brembo clearance is about spoke design not offset. The mounting face is always flat to the hub (unless you use spacers). The offset is where the mounting face is, relative to the centre of the wheel ie less eg 37 will make the outside edge of the wheel closer to the arch, more eg 53 will take the wheel further back into the arch.

 

Both the retailer (Rimstyle) and the manufacturer (Rimstock) were excellent sorting this out today - and very apologetic about the problem in the first place. It looks like the order got mixed up somewhere between the two, but there was no question that what had been ordered was ET53 and that ET37s were not suitable.

Rimstock did suggest that ET53 would be marginal on brake clearance and suggested ET45 instead, so I've changed the order to ET45s. Thanks for the input on this 53WRX.

They were very apologetic about me having to wait another 2-3 weeks because the wheels are not a stock item - but this is no issue for me as I don't have the car at the moment anyway.

I always think you get the best idea of what a company is like by how they sort out problems - so a big thumbs up to both Rimstyle and Rimstock.