S13 Wheel Guide
This is the definitive wheel guide for the Nissan S13. In this article, we will take a look at fitment, popular wheel choices, and the compromises you might have to make. Wheel fitment is one of those things that will make or break your car. Bad wheel fitment can not only make your car look bad, but also drive terrible. When you are selecting wheels for your S13 you have to first decide on the ‘stance’ you want. Do you want your wheels to be flush with the bodywork without excessive camber? or do you want to slam your car to the ground and run a ton of camber?
S13 wheel fitment
The S13 can fit a wide range of wheel sizes with optimal sizes varying between 15 to 19 inch, 6J to 9J and an offset anywhere between +0 to +45. The standard lug pattern is a 4×114,3mm but there are conversions available to change to a 5×114,3mm lug pattern. This will give you more wheel options, especially if you are looking for 18 inch or larger rims. The 5 lug upgrade also opens you up to some easy S13 brake upgrades.
What do the numbers on a wheel mean?
let’s take a quick look at what these measurements mean using 17×8 ET35 as a example.
In this example 17 refers to the diameter of the wheel in inches. A higher number thus means a larger wheel.
8 refers to the width of the wheel, also expressed in inches. A higher number means a wider wheel.
ET refers to the position of the mounting surface relative to the centerline of the wheel. An ET of 35 means that the mounting surface is 35 milimeters outwards of the centerline. A higher ET number means that your wheel will stick out less. You can also get a negative ET value which means that the mounting surface now passes past the centerline of the wheel and goes further inwards and thus the wheel sticks out significantly more.
Flush fitment
Flush fitment basically means that your wheels stick out as far without going past the actual bodywork of the car. This type of fitment will make your car look full and buff. It is also one of the more functional wheel fitments that you can run for your S13. let’s take a look at the pro’s and con’s. As safe flush wheel size for an S13 is 17×8 ET32 or ET35. 17 inch gives good clearance and an 8 inch wheel allows you to run anything from a 215 to a 245 width tire.
You can step up, all the way to a 19 inch rim, and all the way down to a 15 inch rim. When you run larger rims than 17 inch just make sure that they are not rubibng on anything. With a 15 inch rim, you might run into clearance issues if you upgrade your brakes. 17 inch seems to be the most popular way to go for a good looking, functional fitment.
Pros:
- Makes your car look buff/full
- Best driveability with no rubbing
- Good square contact patch with the ground resulting in more grip potential
Cons:
- Limiting in terms of wheel width
- Probably can’t slam your car to the ground
Stanced
The stanced fitment prioritises style over function. You will make a couple of compromises but you also open yourself up to more options. Let’s take a look at the pro’s and con’s. There is not really a pre determined size for a stanced fitment. This will really depend on how much clearance you have, how much camber you run, what overfenders you use, etc. Most people who run a stanced fitment tend to go with really wide tires, usually 9J or wider.
Pros:
- Some people love the look
- Allows for wider wheels
- Allows your car to be significantly lowered
Cons:
- Reduced driveability
- Small contact patch with the ground reducing grip potential
- Uneven tire wear
- Requires a lot of customization to the suspension components
Poke
Poke is basically flush fitment, but you took it an inch too far. The wheel pokes outside of the fenders of the car making your car look really wide. Poke is one of those fitments that isn’t really beneficial for anything, except fitting a much wider tire whithout using a lot of camber. Your tire will start to poke if you go wider than 17×8 ET35 so for example 17×9 ET35 will poke, but so will 17×8 ET20.
Pros:
- You can run a wider wheel than with a flush fitment
Cons:
- Your suspension can’t use its full range of travel
- Your wheels might rub on the fenders
- Dirt and stones get thrown up against the side of your car
Tucked
Tucked fitment means that your wheels will sink inside the fenders of the car. Cars running a tucked fitment usually achieve this with air ride because it is otherwise undrivable. The tucked fitment combines style with functionality. the rim size for a tucked fitment depends on a couple of factors. Are you using overfenders, how much camber you run, did you pull or roll your fenders, etc.
Pros:
- Looks cool when aired out
- You can air your car up so it’s still driveable
- Allows for maximum lowering of your car
Cons:
- Air ride is expensive
- Might require significant modifications to your suspension components
- Impossible to drive when aired out
Popular S13 wheels
So you have your fitment figured out and now it’s time to pick some wheels. Let’s look at some of the popular, guaranteed to look cool wheel options for the S13.
Volk Racing TE37
Yes I had to start with this one. Perhaps the most popular JDM wheel every created. There’s a reason for that, and that is that the TE37 looks great on practically any car. The TE37s are a strong lightweight wheel produced in Japan. They also hold their value really well on the second hand market. They are quite expensive but I think they are worth it if you are after a high quality wheel.
Enkei RPF1
The Enkei RPF1 is another one of those wheels that look good on so many cars. This is a high quality lightweight wheel that looks great on the S13. I think they work best if you keep the exterior of the car relatively stock but you can be the judge of that. Even though these are high quality wheels, they are quite affordable and don’t break the bank.
Work Meister S1 3P
Some people love three piece wheels, some hate them. But no one can deny that the Work Meister S1 3P is a gorgeous wheel. Unfortunately these start at 18inch sizing and look best with a decently sized lip. This means they don’t really fit the stock body very well, but I include them anyway because they look amazing if you have overfenders and need to fill that space up.
SSR Longchamp
SSR Longchamps are not for everyone. They usually come in either 14 or 15 inch sizes and generally only look good on relatively stock S13s. Because they are quite small in diameter they also make it nearly impossible to run bigger brakes on your S13. None the less, they are a cool option if you’re part of the small wheel gang.
Work Equip 01
Similar to the SSR lonchamps, the Work Equip 01 is a classis small diameter wheel straight from Japan. This is one of those wheels that you either love or hate, and that’s ok. With the right styling these wheels can look great on an S13.
Cosmis Racing XT206R
Unlike most of the wheels on this list, Cosmis Racing is not a Japanese brand. It is a USA brand that make some great looking wheels. The XT206Rs are relatively affordable and you can’t really go wrong with them. They look great with stock fenders, but also work really well with widebody kits.
