Tire size with 17x8 wheels.

[UNGN]

I am thinking a 1" lowered Cutlass will be limited to an 8" wide rim to avoid rubbing issues.

Yeah, a 9" wheel only 17" in diameter could have issues with the suspension (UCA/balljoint), if it has enough backspacing to avoid hitting the back of the fender well when turning. It would be tricky to find the right back spacing. There may be a perfect solution, but it could get tricky. A larger diameter wheel like a 19" might have better luck going wider in front. In back 9" should not be an issue, but the perfect BS between front and back wheels could be different by .5 to .75" (The perfect front BS will rub the frame in back with wider tires), so a rotatable set of large wheels/tires becomes problematic.

Finding "a guy" who puts 255's/45's on an 8" wheel would be easier than 9" wheels. 10 years ago, every tire shop you go to would do this, Today, they tell you to beat it and/or tell you a BS story about how one of their employees actually died trying to mount a "non oem recommended size tire" (true story, an NTB employee told me this one a few weeks back - because the new tires I had weren't shipped directly to NTB... What was I supposed to say.. "uh, sorry for your loss. do you have a name of the deceased so I can see if you are lying?")

 

[UNGN]

255/45R17 BFG sport comp 2's say they can go on an 8" rim. These are the factory tire height of 26.1". And they are made in the US.

We run Sport Comp 2's on our 2+2 and they are good tires. Great tires for the money.

With 255's in front, some massaging of the fender well may be needed and they will likely rub the frame and/or swaybar at full lock, but this is the largest rotatable size you can go on an 17X8" without major fender surgery in front or a frame notch in back.

 

[L67ss]

There is always the thing of swapping to an iroc box

 

[Injectedcutty]

255/45R17 BFG sport comp 2's say they can go on an 8" rim. These are the factory tire height of 26.1". And they are made in the US.

We run Sport Comp 2's on our 2+2 and they are good tires. Great tires for the money.

With 255's in front, some massaging of the fender well may be needed and they will likely rub the frame and/or swaybar at full lock, but this is the largest rotatable size you can go on an 17X8" without major fender surgery in front or a frame notch in back.

I have a new set of 17's in the boxes still as it will be next year before i need rubber for them. I have 17x7 for the front, and 17x8 for the rear...on an 87 cutlass. BS front is 4", 4-1/2" rear and it should look pretty close to perfect with all the measuring I've done.
If i measured right....the 225/50, 255/45 BFG sport comp 2's should set it right with the 1" drop without rubbing issues. Obviously i have no plans to rotate them as i want a staggered setup, but i feel our cars look better when the wheel/tire combo is staggered on larger wheels. Even on the 15" centerlines i had i had them staggered and it looked killer....my 14" factorys have BFG radial 245's all around it they fit the bill for the look i wanted....minor rub up front at full lock.
The the op, keep in mind the cutlass doesn't have as much real estate, especially out back with the shape of the wheel arch unless massaging is done to make more room.
Here is a pic i found of a malibu with the same stagger I'm after and i think it sits just right....too much tire sidewall on a larger wheel looks silly in my opinion.

 

[motorheadmike]

Here is what I know: 275/40R17 on a 17x9.5" rim (Ronal R15 with the supplied spacer to remove interference with the lower tie rod), lowered at least 2" from stock, completely stock front suspension (stock MCSS steering box), and no physical modifications to the body work.

I would care less about the measured dimensions of the wheel width and more with the measured cross section of the tire and wheel assembly. Backspacing is to taste and application, and subject to the crappiness of your car's tolerances on the day it was built.

 

[motorheadmike]

Before I got my wheels widened I was considering these: http://www.hawksmotorsports.com/gta-mesh-wheel-set-of-4-17-x-9-black-reproduction/

 

[Injectedcutty]

Here is what I know: 275/40R17 on a 17x9.5" rim (Ronal R15 with the supplied spacer to remove interference with the lower tie rod), lowered at least 2" from stock, completely stock front suspension (stock MCSS steering box), and no physical modifications to the body work.

I would care less about the measured dimensions of the wheel width and more with the measured cross section of the tire and wheel assembly. Backspacing is to taste and application, and subject to the crappiness of your car's tolerances on the day it was built.

Gotta say, that is one badass looking monte you got there man!!! Stance is dead on. That's the beauty of you guys with montes, the wheel arch is round, where as us cutlass guys have to deal with a flat line limiting the wheel/tire coming out and rubbing worse.
This is when i had my centerlines, you can clearly see the difference in the shape on the bodyline of the wheel arch!

 

[motorheadmike]

Thanks! But look at those factory flares! 😉

 

[UNGN]

Before I got my wheels widened I was considering these: http://www.hawksmotorsports.com/gta-mesh-wheel-set-of-4-17-x-9-black-reproduction/

I think when my current tires on my 2+2 go out of date, I'm going to switch to 17X9's on my 2+2 and see if 275/40's will work.

That would be cool.

 

[Injectedcutty]

Thanks! But look at those factory flares! 😉

True statement about the flares lol! Ima squeeze what i can on the back without notching, rolling lips, etc....just my plan anyway.