I have a 1999 Chrysler Sebring 2 door coupe. The rear driver’s side rim has been bent up to the point that it caused 3 flats on that wheel in a week. I’ve been looking for a used wheel to purchase and the best deal has been with a wheel with width 7", but the other wheels on my car have width 6.5". All else is the same: 17" diameter, lug 5x114.3. Can I use the 7’ wheel without consequence? Also, would the tire from the 6.5" wide wheel work on the 7"?
Thanks in advance.
I’m not an expert but I don’t think that is a good idea. Find a matching wheel for proper stability. Buy new if you need to. They really aren’t that expensive but expand your search to a larger metro area. Can’t believe you can’t find a matching wheel. Or you can do a nation-wide or or more focused search for used on “car-parts.com”.
Thanks for the reply. I can find the proper wheel but the problem is I’m on a very tight budget and the cheapest matching wheel I’ve found is $215 while the 7" is ~$70 (both used).
I was hoping .5" difference would be fine but I’ve got no clue.
Maybe a half inch is no problem but stick around. Others know more than I do.
Sorry, Car-part not parts.com At any rate there are lots of them in the $50 to $100 range. Some folks ship and some don’t. Some are just for the caps. Don’t know where you live so you can search in your area to avoid shipping.
You could probably mount the same tire on both rims and you may be able to get away with it on the back. I would use the full size spare rim if you have one and relegate the odd ball rim to a spare. But, if the spare is a steel and the rest alloy, I would not try then I would match rims as close as possible and buy a new one that fit. Agree with @Bing.
There is a lot more to it than just the wheel diameter, width and bolt pattern. What is the hub size? If the hub size on the replacement is larger than your hub, then you will need an adapter or that wheel will always vibrate.
How about the offset. If the offset is correct, the wheel could either stick out too far or be in to far, either way that could lead to interference with the wheel well and excessive strain on the wheel bearing.
Have you looked into a wheel straightening service. If there is one in your area, the wheel can be made like new (almost) for about $50.
I put in a request on the site you recommended and I’ll keep looking.
dagosa, i don’t have a full-size spare. Thanks both for the help.
If anyone else has any more insight about using a 7" wide wheel feel free to comment.
@keith I didn’t know about the hub size, how would I find out?
& my other wheels have a high positive offset (not sure of exact value) while the wheel I am looking at has a positive offset of 40 (high)
Have you looked into a wheel straightening service. If there is one in your area, the wheel can be made like new (almost) for about $50.I've never heard of such a service. Would you happen to know if they are reliable? e.g. if the rims definitively caused another flat, would that be covered? Thanks
You measure the diameter of the hub, or just look it up for your car. Then you measure the hub hole in the center of the rim or check the specs for the rim in question. If it is a universal aftermarket rim, then you are almost guaranteed to need a hub ring adapter. Especially true if it has 10 lug holes to accommodate two different lug patterns.
The offset for a 7" rim would have to be slightly larger than for a 6.5" rim, but I can’t tell you exactly what the difference should be.
My son hit a concrete block and bent the heck out of a brand new alloy NISMO rim. He got it straightened and it has not been a problem since. You can’t tell which rim it was that got bent. Check with some tire shops in your area, they should know if there is a service in your area.
Don’t overlook ebay as a source of wheels either.
As for the tires, there is an ideal rim width for each size of tire, but you can go a 1/2" either way, maybe an inch wider in many cases so that is not an issue. Its all the other stuff.
Did you see a picture of the wheels? All Sebring coupe (1997-1999) wheels should be 6.5" wide.
The 7" wide wheel may be from a later model. Does the wheel design match?
You measure the diameter of the hub, or just look it up for your car. Then you measure the hub hole in the center of the rim or check the specs for the rim in question. If it is a universal aftermarket rim, then you are almost guaranteed to need a hub ring adapter. Especially true if it has 10 lug holes to accommodate two different lug patterns.Interesting, I've never heard of this but I'll look into it as well as the wheel straightening. Is hub size the same as or related to 'center bore'?
Don't overlook ebay as a source of wheels either.In fact, this is the wheel I was looking at: http://www.ebay.com/itm/310708116115?item=310708116115&viewitem=&sspagename=ADME:X:RTQ:MOTORS:1123&vxp=mtr Would you be able to tell anything about hub size from this?
As for the tires, there is an ideal rim width for each size of tire, but you can go a 1/2" either way, maybe an inch wider in many cases so that is not an issue. Its all the other stuff.Great. Thanks for the info.
@Nevada_545
This is the wheel in question: http://www.ebay.com/itm/310708116115?item=310708116115&viewitem=&sspagename=ADME:X:RTQ:MOTORS:1123&vxp=mtr
I don’t think it’s specific to a Sebring or even Chrysler, but then I never thought it had to be. Am I wrong?
Aftermarket wheels will work, do you have aftermarket wheels now?
@Nevada_545
No, all 4 are stock.
Do you know if this wheel would require the hub ring adapter keith referred to?
I found two Sebring wheels in my backyard. Unfortunately they are 16".
If you have a self service auto recycling yard nearby, you may find a matching wheel for $20-40.
Aftermarket wheels usually have a larger center hole, you should be able to get a spacer at a local tire/wheel shop for a few dollars.
I found two wheels in my backyard. Unfortunately they are 16".Wow, thanks for checking. I'll check the local salvage yard.
This is the piece I’m looking for?: Amazon.com
Centering ring might be the proper name. You would have to measure the center hole in the aftermarket wheel.
If you don’t mind a mismatched wheel design look at Dodge Avenger coupe and Mitsubishi Eclipse wheels in the salvage yard. These three vehicles are built on the same platform/chassis.
Assuming everything else fits, a wider rim will result in a slight change in diameter. That’s why I say you could get away with it on the back with no differential. How much? I couldn’t say for sure but I wouldn’t depend upon emergency handling being unaffected either with different rolling diameters on the critical rear end. I have seen people with tread differences and wear that may give you much more difference then a 1/2 inch increase in rim width. By the time you have it mounted and balanced and with all the worrying I would do, I would get an exact size replacement from a junk yard. But, you can do it…and it probably wouldn’t be picked up on an inspection.