Wheel Fitment Guide

jrm81bu

Comic Book Super Hero
Jul 9, 2008
3,000
63
48
Antwerp, OH
Coy's C5's. Although American Racing has there Torque Thrust M's that are pretty much the same. Coy's are cheaper though.
 

Bonnewagon

Rocket Powered Basset Hound
Supporting Member
Sep 18, 2009
10,540
14,217
113
Queens, NY
I have an 83' Bonneville wagon with raised suspension. 225-75-15's fill the wheelwells and rub a bit on tight turns,not in normal driving. They are on 15x7 Pontiac RallyII's that were on my 77' Trans Am that never rubbed at all on that car. I tried Firebird 15x7 snowflakes on this car and an 81' Malibu wagon. No good.The lip on the lower control arm rubs the snowflake rim,gouging out the aluminum. Before that ,any wheelweights on the inner rim get gouged and eventually knocked off. I know snowflakes were offered on A/G bodies but they must have used different offset on those. I've never found a way to identify snowflake specs from the code letters. Also any type of mag wheel lugnut used with snowflakes will eventually crack and fail. You must use Pontiac's own snowflake specific lug nuts which are very expensive.Too bad,they look great on these cars. PS. I just tried 225-70-15 Faulkens on American Racing w/4" bs. Better,but still rubbed a bit.
 

all4gss

Apprentice
Aug 8, 2009
63
0
0
Bella Vista, AR
What is the right width tire for an 8" wheel? I know it will vary some by brand but I saw some 225/45/17's on clearance at the local shop and thought about getting them instead of the 235/50/17's I had planned on. I'm just concerned they'll be too short and not wide enough. I have 235/60/14 on now and I wanted to go a little taller to fill up the wheel well a bit w/out droping the suspension.

Thoughts on the "right size" for an 8" wheel?
 

383Camino

Master Mechanic
Mar 1, 2006
265
1
18
South Dakota
All4gss, BFGoodrich reccommends a 7-8.5" rim width for that size tire, so presumably, it would work.

However, I feel it'd be a little on the small side, from an appearence stad point. It could work in teh front, but I would not put that size in the back.
 

turbo78

Greasemonkey
Nov 1, 2009
208
0
0
billings, montana
the full size caprice /impala steele wheels from the mid 80's are 15x7 with a 4 inch backspace. they will work on a bu with 275/60-15's as long as you use a 1/4 inch spacer. last year i built some 15x8 with 3.75 backspace steel wheels and they worked great for my dragradials no clearance problems at all...
 

clean8485

Comic Book Super Hero
Dec 18, 2005
2,860
2,136
113
Ontario, Canada
I'm looking at the 17" x 9" wheels that Year One is selling now. These rims look like the older Z28 & Chevelle SS rims. Anyway, in the ads, its says that these rims have 5" backspacing. Does anyone know if these rims will work on a G body, and what size tire would work with them? Thanks in advance.
 

FE3X CLONE

Comic Book Super Hero
Dec 2, 2009
2,714
47
48
Ohio
clean8485 said:
I'm looking at the 17" x 9" wheels that Year One is selling now. These rims look like the older Z28 & Chevelle SS rims. Anyway, in the ads, its says that these rims have 5" backspacing. Does anyone know if these rims will work on a G body, and what size tire would work with them? Thanks in advance.

What's the measurement from your brake drum face (where the wheel bolts) to the frame at the rear? What about from the brake drume face to the fender lip?

That will tell you how much room you have to work with. Then take a tire, say a 275/40R17 and look up its section width based on the recommended wheel width.
For a Kuhmo Ecsta MX has an 11" section width on a 9.5" rim. On a 9" rim that should drop to 10.8" section width.

So with a 5" backspace, you should end up with roughly 5.90" from the mounting face of the wheel to the tire bulge (frame side). There should also be 4.90" from the wheel mounting face to the tire buldge (fender lip side).

Just compare those measurements with the measurements from your actual car and you'll know if they fit! Rember to keep roughly a 1/2" clearance (more is better unless you have aftermarket bushings/control arms) between the tire and frame/fender.
 

SafariWagon

Master Mechanic
Jan 15, 2009
390
11
18
The short answer.........NO! I have 17X9 Coy's wheels. In my opinion all G-body rearends are too Narrow. Most standard offest aftermarket wheels will not work on a G-body. Not unless you stick with something fairly skinny. My solution was to go to a aftermarket 9" Ford rearend that is 1 3/4 inch wider than a standard G-body rearend. My wheels have 4 1/2 backspacing. P275/40 tire. I would guess with a 5" backspacing you would need to have a rearend that is 2 3/4 wider than a standard G-body. A 8.5" G-body rear with posi sells for about $800-$1000. My Quick performance rear was made to order for $785 with axles and no center section or brakes. I had a disk set-up already and Ebay you can find stock type locker center sections for $400 if you shop hard.
 

83cutlassowner

Greasemonkey
Oct 4, 2009
207
2
0
yankton,sd
clean8485 said:
I'm looking at the 17" x 9" wheels that Year One is selling now. These rims look like the older Z28 & Chevelle SS rims. Anyway, in the ads, its says that these rims have 5" backspacing. Does anyone know if these rims will work on a G body, and what size tire would work with them? Thanks in advance.
if you run a spacer you might be able to make them fit. depends on the car. i hear the cutlass' have less wheel well space. i'm no expert though
 

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