Aug 20th 2025
EVO 7/8/9 wheel & tire guide: the best CT9A fitment
It’s only a matter of months before the first EVO 7s are eligible for import to the US. We thought it would only be right if we made a fitment guide for the entire CT9A platform. After all, we already made one for the EVO X.
- This guide covers all CT9A EVOs. This includes the VII, VIII, and IX (years 2001-2007)
These cars have always been sought after, and with their limited production, values are only going up. The right set of wheels and tires is not only going to add to this, but also generally make you enjoy the car that much more.
We’re looking for grippy tires on lightweight wheels, because who has an EVO making stock HP? But also, we want something stylish that will look period-correct.
We’re going to show you some of our favorite wheels for this platform–timeless designs and their modern equivalents.
Quick links
Basic fitment info
- Lug pattern: 5x114.3
- Lug thread: m12x1.5
- Center bore: 67.1
- Lug torque: 75ft/lbs
Take just about any EVO and you’ll find the same specs: 5x114.3, M12x1.5, and a 67.1mm center bore. The only difference is that the really old EVOs, as in 1-3, use a 4 lug.
Brake Clearance
EVO 5-9 uses the same Brembo brake package, so if a wheel clears one, it clears all.
The front rotors measure 320 x 32mm. There are a few 16” wheels that will clear, but generally, unless you’re doing a winter setup, you’ll want to stick with 17’s or 18’s.
Even then, not everything will work by default. The Brembos on these stick out far, which can cause caliper-to-wheel-spoke clearance issues, especially on retro wheels with less clearance. It’s not too uncommon to need a small slip-on spacer to solve this.
We’ll do our best to point out the wheels that require spacers to clear.
EVO CT9A wheel fitment
With that out of the way, let’s look at some fitment.
Like we said, 17 & 18” wheels are the norm for this platform.
For width, you’ll find everything from 8.5”, all the way to 10.0 with a stock body. Note that 10” wheels are closer to ‘EVO X’ fitment and almost always need fender rolling and pulling.
Offsets normally range from +20-40, depending on how aggressive of a setup you want.
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No fender rolling needed |
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If you’re looking for a nice wide tire and don’t want to roll your fenders, check out this setup.
This EVO 9 is running WedsSports wheels wrapped in 255/35 Bridgestone Potenza tires. Having a slightly higher offset lets this work without needing the fenders rolled. With a +25 or similar offset, you’ll probably need to at least roll the rears.
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While we just got done telling you that +25 will need rolled fenders, a thinner tire can make all the difference. This one is running a lower offset wheel, but also a thinner tire, which makes them work with no fender modifications.
The tires are a nice A/S from Continental. If you’re looking for summer tires, check out the ExtremeContacts–possibly one of the best mid-range performance tires on the market.
This car is also rocking a set of 17’s. This is the best size for track wheels as you can save some weight compared with 18’s.
Oh... and just about everyone is running coilovers on these cars. We carry a bunch of brands ranging from budget-friendly, like Truharts, right up to super-baller Ohlins, + everything inbetween!
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Wheels |
Work Emotion CR2P 18x9.5 +24 (effective +19) |
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HSD dualtech coilovers ARP extended wheel studs front/rear fenders rolled |
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If you're after less of a track setup and more of a stance look, this VIII might have the perfect specs. These wheels are 18x9.5, making them a little wider than the previous examples, however, they’re still easy to fit on a CT9A.
This EVO 8 GSR is pretty low and needed the fenders rolled, but at a higher ride height, it might work with stock fenders. A 5mm spacer was needed in the front to clear the calipers.
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Rear fenders rolled |
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Most people are running JDM wheels on their EVO (it makes sense), but if you want something a bit different, how about these CCWs?
The specs here are pretty similar to the last car, just with wider tires. You’re definitely going to need to roll your fenders with these specs; the rear will rub badly if you don’t.
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Enkei NT03+M 18x9.5 +27 (effective +17) |
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Notes |
10mm front spacers need for caliper clearance Rear quarter panels are shaved Front fenders unrolled but has some rubbing at full lock 2.5 F / 1.5 R camber |
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The NT03+M is an updated version of the classic NT03. These wheels are a bit heavier than RPF1s, but with the addition of a strengthening, they’re a bit more durable. Overall, a super good choice if you want a midrange wheel that isn’t overused.
Both NT03s and RPF1s need spacers in order to clear the front brakes: around 10mm–that’s what this EVO is running.
The front is pretty aggressive, and while the fenders are unrolled, there’s a bit of rubbing. Plan on getting your fenders rolled and possibly trimming the rear depending on your alignment specs.
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Slight fender roll |
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17” Gram Lights, Falken Azenis, and coilovers. This is another setup that will work beautifully on the track. Given the lower offset and 255-wide tires, you’ll likely need to roll those rear fenders–but not much.
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fenders rolled |
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Of course, we all know that TEs look good on everything, and EVOs are no different. This EVO 8 is rocking a set of TE37SL wrapped in 255/35 Hankook Ventus V12.
The specs are similar to what we’ve already seen, we just had to include these wheels because… who doesn’t like ‘em.
The front and rear fenders needed to be rolled to prevent rubbing.
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Advan TC3 18x10 +40 (effective 33) |
Advan TC3 18x10 +40 (effective +35) |
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Notes |
Fenders rolled + rear slighty trimmed |
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10” wheels are the widest size you can comfortably fit on an EVO 7-9. A 10.5” wheel will either have excess poke or rub the suspension. This EVO 9 MR is running 18x10 +40. Higher offset means these don’t have any more poke than what we’ve previously seen, just more backspacing. Because they’re 10.0” and not 10.5”, there’s still some room to spare.
The fenders are rolled all the way around. Small spacers were needed in order to clear the brakes.
The Advan TC3 has been superseded by the TC4. Some people go crazy for the retro stuff, but honestly, besides the decals, it’s hard to tell them apart. You’ll have to track down a set of TC3s, compared to TC4s, which you can buy from us right now. Plus, the newest wheels come in more specs and finishes (don’t sleep on Umber Bronze).
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Wrap up
Wheel specs on the EVO 7-9 are pretty ironed out at this point. While there’s a bit of room for creativity, the general formula is: 17 or 18” diameter wheels, 9-10” wide, and an offset somewhere in the range of +20-40.
17s are great for cars that will see the track: they’re lighter, and tires will generally be cheaper. If you want the tried-and-true, go with 18s, they’re considered to be the perfect size for this platform.
Once you get your fitment right, be sure to get some pics and upload them to our Gallery.