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I've been wanting a set of 04 Sti rims forever, but there seems to be a lack of reasonably priced ones. That being said, would it be cheaper to change out everything to just get the 5x114 lug pattern for the 05-07 rims? Is that even possible? Someone said something about re-machining the 5x114 wheels to work, but that doesn't seem feasible. What's the best priced option?

I don't think so. STI hubs aren't cheap. Are 05+ really that much cheaper? You can probably find them cheaper at a junkyard or craigslist than NASIOC because some people don't know what their stuff is actually worth if they aren't on the forums. Might be cheapest to wait until you find a set that the paint is in bad condition or has curb rash and repair/paint them yourself.

yeah, that's kind of what i'm thinking. But as an example, a complete set of 5x114s with decent tires was in fall city for 300 bucks. But any time i craigslist a set of 5x100s they're 900 or 1000. I was thinking of trying to piece them together, getting one rim at a time, but i'm not having luck with that either.

Holy shit. I would buy those 5x114s! Where are they? Maybe I'll buy them lol.

lol, i think they might be gone now, but there are tons of sets of 5x114s on craigslist.

I only see one set for $950 with new tires.

mmm, *WERE* a ton of sets of 5x114s on craigslist. sorry Kimo.

Well, not 300 dollars good, but 750...

http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/pts/3280920254.html

Why would someone want his totally mismatched set of tires? lol Gonna have to pay to have them removed and disposal fee.

lol, yeah, dunno. the fall city one probably was gone immediately. So i guess the 5x114s aren't THAT much cheaper. I'd have to change all the hubs for two hundred or so to break even with a set of 5x100s.

Then if you ever change wheels in the future you're stuck with 5x114 which is harder to find that 5x100 wheels I'd think.

yeah, sounds like it's not really a reasonable swap. The only way it would become reasonable is in the future if the 5x100 rims start becoming even more rare then they already are. I mean, i'm not planning on dumping them on my legacy. But in the future I probably will have a forester or a newer legacy and i want them for that. I'm kind of in collector mode right now. I'm worried if i don't get a set they just won't be available later. It's a bad habit.

Plus the other thing to note is you'd be swapping to the R180 rear hubs which have the larger parking brake.....which causes additional work, having to upgrade the rotors/brakes...which means you'll need to do the fronts too....

So yeah....just stick with the 5x100 wheels

BLARG...

What about lug pattern adapters? My gut says that's a terrible idea.

Just look for some nice aftermarket wheels. Braid Winrace or Rota Gravels have the same look, and I love those.

You need to change out a lot of stuff to use 5x114 hubs. for example the front 5x114 bearings are bolt in, so you need new uprights too. And then you need new front struts to work with those, and the ABS won't work either. The rear 5x114 hubs don't fit into the standard bearings, so you need the whole sti upright there too. And that means different brakes. Oh, and your axles won't even fit into the rear hubs. So basically you need to do an entire sti drivetrain, brakes, and suspension swap.

The biggest problem with the lug pattern adapters is that they are usually 15mm thick, which means instead of the stock 53mm offset you're down at 38. A +38, 8" wide wheel is going to be way into the fenders unless you want to do a good amount of rolling/pulling. There are people with wider, lower offset wheels. From a strength/safety issue it's not ideal. Wheel bearing life might be a little shorter but it's not like the hub is going to break off because of it. I've used bigger spacers than that on a number of race cars.

But, in conclusion, get wheels that fit.

That sounds like a very expensive proposition.

Thanks Jamal, as always your comments are immensely appreciated.

On a side note, is the process similar for a Forester? Would I have to pretty much replace everything on it as well to get the alternate lug pattern to fit?

I had the sti wheels on my 04 FXT they were 5x100. Unless you get the newer foz thats already got 5x114.
If your dead set on finding a set of sti rims 5x100 I can find you a set up here in Canada you would also get a choice of gold or silver too

Wow, that's rad! Thank you so much for the offer! Are they easier to come by there? or cheaper? I feel as though anything I might save would be spent in shipping, plus the amount of hassle I caused you. I try some what hard not to hassle forum members.

I'll be looking for sets soon, so i'll probably post a WTB in the classifieds section. But i'm also really cheap and probably can't swing too much more than 600 for a set. Mike suggested that i piece a set together by buying one or two rims at a time. So we'll see what i can find. I would like to get a set, but i am worried about availability.

In any case, I was thinking 06 - 07 Forester at some point. i assumed they were still 5x100, but i guess now i'm not sure. By the way, your forester looks fantastic. i'm completely jealous.

I had to retire that foz back in January the engine died and it was my dd. Its an all Legacy family now see my signature.
The sti wheels are easier to find still with sets around $1200 with usually new or good tires. I sold my set in march or april

diesel devil wrote:I had the sti wheels on my 04 FXT they were 5x100. Unless you get the newer foz thats already got 5x114.

Foresters are still 5x100. Uprights/hubs/brakes etc are same as a regular impreza, they just use taller suspension and spacers between the crossmember and chassis.

diesel devil wrote: The sti wheels are easier to find still with sets around $1200 with usually new or good tires. I sold my set in march or april

Mm, that's probably a tad steep for me, plus shipping on top. But I can't thank you enough for your willingness in offering to look for a set for me!

jamal wrote: Foresters are still 5x100. Uprights/hubs/brakes etc are same as a regular impreza, they just use taller suspension and spacers between the crossmember and chassis.

Ok, so it's pretty much the same deal, get the right wheels and be happy. Thanks again Jamal.

If you split a set they come down to $600. I have connections for deals on shipping

Split a set? Like, sell the tires but keep the wheels?