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Smallest wheels that fit over s2k suspension? (not brakes!)
I searched and couldn't find the answer so I'm hoping one of you gentlemen might know. In order to understand why I ask the question, this is for a locost project (you know, like a Lotus 7?) that will be considerably smaller and lighter than an s2k. I want to use s2k suspension because I really like the design, but in order to keep the unsprung weight down I would like to use smaller than oem wheels and brakes (because on a light lower-powered car smaller wheels/tires = faster), soooo... ignoring the brake rotors and calipers, what is the smallest diameter wheel that will fit over an s2k's front and rear suspension? Thank you for any and all help!
C'mon guys, 100+ views and no responses? Surely someone out there must have some idea about this.
How about if I ask the question in a simpler way: How close is the nearest suspension component to the wheel, and what diameter/width/offset is the wheel?
If you want to use custom brake rotors, calipers, knuckles, etc. it will depend on the wheel offset. A 17x9 +63 pretty much hits the A-Arm at full lock on front.
If you spec out a custom brake kit with calipers and rotors in say a 260mm size, and keep the upright, maybe you could get a 15 inch wheel on there? Plenty of performance tires available in that size.
If you want to use custom brake rotors, calipers, knuckles, etc. it will depend on the wheel offset. A 17x9 +63 pretty much hits the A-Arm at full lock on front.
If you spec out a custom brake kit with calipers and rotors in say a 260mm size, and keep the upright, maybe you could get a 15 inch wheel on there? Plenty of performance tires available in that size.
Finding smaller rotors and either new calipers or fabricating a caliper bracket would be fairly easy. For reasons of both cost and ease of replacement I would like to keep the oem knuckles though. Yes, I am shooting for a 15" wheel because of the tire options, but in a car that weighs about HALF of what an S2000 weighs I don't need huge tires/wheels/brakes. I really like the design of s2k suspension since it works extremely well, is reasonable light, has lots of aftermarket support, and isn't too rare. I do appreciate your comment about 17x9 wheels with large positive offset barely clearing the A-arm, but at this point in my research all I really need to know is how much a 15" wheel clears the front and rear suspension sans brake calipers. That will tell me if I should continue down this path or start looking for something else.
Still not clear what you're really trying to do here. You're going with a different chassis, but want to replace that suspension with the full S2K suspension? Then you'd need to re-create the S2K control arms' mounting/pickup points on the new chassis, correct? But those points are based on the S2K hub, which is sized to carry S2K rotors & calipers...?
Whatevs. Here are a couple schematics of the AP1 suspension. Rims shown are the 16" AP1, so you can scale from there.
Its a lowcost 7, so the frame is custom. He is either fabbing it up himself, or buying one from a vendor. Its so low volume that he could likely order the frame sans suspension mounts, and add those himself.
Those photos from 2whose (sorry, couldn't resist playing on the name) should get you pretty close to an answer, since the wheels are to scale.
07-26-2018, 06:50 AM
Smallest wheels that fit over s2k suspension? (not brakes!)
Here are a couple schematics of the AP1 suspension. Rims shown are the 16" AP1, so you can scale from there. 
