How to Make 22 Inch Rims Fit Your Car

by Jenny Carver

rims image by Brett Bouwer from Fotolia.com

Most cars are equipped with 16 inch to 18-inch rims from the factory. Some large sedans or luxury sports cars come with the option of 20-inch rims. Putting 22-inch rims on with no modifications will cause the car's body to hit the tires when driving over bumps and can cause the front tires to rub on the fenders when making a turn. Many cars equipped with smaller wheels can be fitted with 22-inch aftermarket rims, but there are some steps that must be taken to make sure the rims will fit and the car can still be driven.

Step 1

Buy 22-inch rims with the proper bolt pattern to fit your specific model of car. Any dealer or shop selling rims can look up and tell you the exact bolt patter for your car and let you know if the rims you want are available in that size. Not all rims are available in every bolt pattern.

Step 2

Purchase tires to fit the 22-inch rims, but make sure the sidewall of the tire is very low. These are called low profile tires. The surface area of the side of the tire is only a couple of inches rather than the average four or five-inch sidewalls on factory tires so they take up less room, leaving more space for the big rims to fit on the car.

Step 3

Install the rims and tires on the car and see how much space is between the rims and the inner fenders of the car. Have someone turn the steering wheel while the car is parked so you can see if the tires hit the edge of the fender.

Step 4

Use a body hammer to roll the fenders if the tire is rubbing them. This means you gently tap the edges of the fenders until they are rolled under. This leaves more space for the wheels to fit and being rolled under means they are still smooth and aren't jagged or rough and won't puncture the tires.

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