315/50/16 on 16x10

[LIVE4RDO]

Hey crowd.

Just saw an article in GM High-Tech about a GNX using 315/50/16s on 16x10 in the rear. Doesn't say anything about modifying the frame.

Is it possible to fit on 1978 Malibu? Without narrowing the frame?

What is the widest I would be able to go with just rolling the fenders in 16" wheel diameter?

What rim width? Backspacing?

Thank you.

 

[FE3X CLONE]

Skip the 16's. You just don't have the tire selection with them.

If you want something larger than 15's you pretty much need to go a minimum of 17's just to have any selection in tires.

Doing a search for the 315/50R16 I don't come up with anything made in that size.

On my '87 Cutlass I had to notch the frame 1"-1.5" to fit a 17x11" wheel with a 315/35R17 tire. Even with a 10" wide wheel you'd probably end up right against the frame.

 

[LIVE4RDO]

I definitely don't want to modify the frame.

 

[RITTER]

The trick is to find the correct backspacing :idea: My 15"x 10" centerline with a 275/60R15 on it, has plenty of room on the frame side (I can slide my hand between the tire and the frame) The wheel has a 3 3/4" backspacing. I did have to roll the inner lip in on the wheel well. But, the tire does not extend outside of the top of the wheel well

 

[454cutlass]

The trick is to find the correct backspacing :idea: My 15"x 10" centerline with a 275/60R15 on it, has plenty of room on the frame side (I can slide my hand between the tire and the frame) The wheel has a 3 3/4" backspacing. I did have to roll the inner lip in on the wheel well. But, the tire does not extend outside of the top of the wheel well

backspaceing is key... i have 275/50r15 dont know backspaceing but i can fit a piece of paper between the fram and tire. have 1/4 "spacers but rub the fender. just have to roll the fenders to be all set just been to lazy

 

[RITTER]

My fender lip actually sat right on the tire 😳 I "massaged" that lip and I now have about a 1/4" from the edge of the tire to my wheel well. I can't even stick my pinky in there :shock: I think I'll get a set of the coil spring stabalizer/spacers for when I have the centerlines on the car :idea:

 

[FE3X CLONE]

No amount of backspacing is going to help something fit that is physically too large to fit.

The best thing to do is measure your car to see what actually will fit.

Take a wheel off and using a straight edge lay it up against the wheels mounting surface on the brake drum/rotor. Then measure from the frame to the straight edge.
Then tape a plumb bob to the inside edge of the outer wheel well (a string with some washers tied to it works just fine). Now measure from the string to the same face of the brake drum/rotor that you did in the previous step.

That will get you the total width of your wheel well. Then you need to subtract roughly a 1/2" from the measurement to give you proper clearance between the tire and frame. On the outer side it's up to you on what you would want to subtract from the measurement for clearance. You can either trim the wheel well lip or subtract more from your above measurement to get the proper clearance.
From there you can do the math to figure out what wheel/tire combo and backspacing will fit on your car.