WHEELS & TIRES

I got it in my mind to get a set of chrome 5 spokes for my 1996 RMW.  What's best?  I read a lot of old threads and still don't know.  15x8 (5 on 5) w/4" backset and 235/70R15 tires?

This question is the start of a great many arguments. It boils down to your personal taste. Go look thru the Wagonfest pics and look thru the different styles,or do a Google search. Cant go wrong with SS wheels,happy hunting.

You should get a .25 inch offset/4.25 inch backspace for proper wheel centering. .2 inch offset/4.2 inch backspace is the more correct original amount to give you the original wheel placement. 4 inch backspace (no offset) will push your wheels out about .2 inches. There may be a slight chance of making tire contact with the body, especially in the front. I have drop spindles, and about 1 inch of drop springs. The spindles push the wheel out about .375 inches, and the travel is increased about an inch and a half. I also have the top tapered section of the bump stop removed for more travel. With Impala wheels (17 X 8 w/.2 inch offset), I must use a 215-60 tire on the front to keep from hitting the fenders. I even have a "0" camber setting (vs. .8 deg.) to get a little more clearance. If I had the original position of the spindles and the wheels were .375 inches narrower, I could run 255-60s with no issues.

You could get a .5 inch offset, and put a .25 inch (1/4 inch) spacer behind the wheel to get the offset close to OEM specs. You would then be able to use the 235s without any possibility of body contact. I have 235-70-15s on my 92 OCC with stock alloy rims, and have no issues. You can run 255-60-15s and have no contact with the stock wheels (15 X 7 w/.2 inch offset), but they are close to the body. The 8 inch width rims will make the sidewalls a little puffier at the highest point.

Thanx Fred. A lot to consider. Nothings easy. What happened to the good ole days?

My wagon has 275-60 on stock (sedan) wheels with no rubbing. It has 255-60 on the front, they rub the sway bar so I'm going to put 235 on it.

The 225s will rub the sway bar. It really does not matter what size tire you have, the stops for the steering are not properly designed. They are located on the lower arm on the rear of the arm. You could build them up, or bend them to make them stop the steering sooner, but then you lose a little of the turning radius.

My suspension is trash and not helping either. Mostly going smaller in the front for an old school look.

4oldcars wrote:

Thanx Fred.  A lot to consider.  Nothings easy.  What happened to the good ole days?

You literally have access to more information than anyone at any point in history.  You can access this information from your house, in your underwear, while drinking a beer, and you can order whatever wheel/tire combo directly to your door or local garage at prices that almost boggle the mind.  I'm going to say that no one has ever had it easier.

wrt your question, most 235/70R15 tires are junk. Good performance 15" tires around 28" diameter are virtually non-existant. You can step down to 27" and there's a bit more choice, go for a 17" tire (a set of SS wheels would be nice, some are chromed) or live with a mediocre 28" tire.

You must stay within a short window of size disparity between the front and rear, or you will get an ABS light. The ABS does not like different size diameter front and rear tires.

jasonlachapelle wrote:

4oldcars wrote:

Thanx Fred.  A lot to consider.  Nothings easy.  What happened to the good ole days?

You literally have access to more information than anyone at any point in history.  You can access this information from your house, in your underwear, while drinking a beer, and you can order whatever wheel/tire combo directly to your door or local garage at prices that almost boggle the mind.  I'm going to say that no one has ever had it easier.

wrt your question, most 235/70R15 tires are junk.  Good performance 15" tires around 28" diameter are virtually non-existant.  You can step down to 27" and there's a bit more choice, go for a 17" tire (a set of SS wheels would be nice, some are chromed) or live with a mediocre 28" tire.

Absofreakinglutely! Make Google your friend,and you will get an education quickly.

I think I've decided on Wheel Vintiques 23 chrome 5 spoke and 235/70/15 tires unless someone can voice a reason why not - - and I'm open to reason. I may increase the tire size if I can figure what will fit. I'm partial to "big fat gummies". I've looked at a lot of threads and cannot find any pics of anything near to the look I'm after. Unfortunately photobucket has seen it necessary to block most of their photos.

With 15 inch wheels, depending on width and offset, you can go to 275 in the rear. The fronts get a little tight if you go over 255s. The stock offset is 6mm (.2 to .25 inch). 9 inch width is about the most you can work with at the stock offset. Check here for comparisons; http://www.rimsntires.com/specspro.jsp

On 15 inch rims, you can use Mickey Thompson tires for a sticker compound. There are a couple of Nitto tires that have a stickier compound as well. They  give you diameter and tread width in inches, instead of metric tire sizes for the most part. A maximum of 10 inches wide and 28 inches diameter are your goals.

Keep the diameter of the tires as close to stock as possible. Stock diameter is about 28 inches. Adjust the sidewall to keep the diameter close. A 255-65-15 is about the same size as a 235-70.

Offset will make or break the fittiment of the tires. Keep them centered on the original specs.

Thanx Fred - - Good info to have. I think I'll let it set till i get back from Shades of the Past/Pigeon Forge.

Fred - the "rimsntires" site you gave won't work. The wheels I'm looking at have a offset of -19mm. Am I correct to add this to the stock offset and have a -13mm? Is this within a workable range. I don't need any rubbing/limitations. Thanx.

A - offset will cause the tire to hit the outside of the body. The maximum I would look at for an 8 inch rim and 255s is between 0 and +13 to 14 in the rear. Never a negative offset. If you are going for 255s on the front, the +6  stock offset is about the only option. If you go much from there, you are going to get some rubbing. The tires not only have a wider tread, the sidewalls have a different profile with the wider rim.

I checked the URL and it led me here; http://www.rimsntires.com/specspro.jsp I do not know why the other one did not go to the right place. Once I went to the site, and to the comparator, the link worked like it was supposed to.

Thanx - very helpful - I appreciate it

Incase anyone is curious...

FWIW,I am temporarily running a 235/75/15 set up and absolutely hate it. Very truckish,and way too tall. Just ruins the look. 235/70/15 wont be quite as tall,I just recommend you see some size you like in person first before spending the cash.

I've run 60  and 50 series for years.  for the past 8 years, 295/50/16 on the back with no rub. Can't say what the offset was as the wheels came with the car. This pic is from several years ago when I was still incredibly adorable.

1/8th mile time?

60'

1/4 mile time with the cargo area full of sheep. Lost the actual slip copies when the last hard drive died. Didn't have them backed up.

Thanx for the pictures. I've looked but cannot find any pics of a chrome 5 spoke on a car with the size wheel and tire given. You're right tho, I would like to see it before I spend the bucks.

If I remember correctly,Rev Bob is running a similar set up? Look for his pics.

I am running 235-75-15s on my 92 OCC. They make the car look a little more aggressive. I can not tell the difference in the ride vs. 235-70-15, and the speedometer is more correct. It used to be 6 mph fast, and now it is about 2 mph fast. I think the odometer is more correct as well.

I would think a google image search for 94-96 impala would net hundreds if not thousands of images.

Fred,you and I define aggressive differently.

JaySS wrote:

60'

Omg!!! Choke,..! Rotflmao!!

""Rev Bob is running a similar set up?""

17" ROH machined lip Impala clones w/Buick Trishield center caps.

255/55-17 Goodyear RS-A tires.

How about 235/70/15 on original steel Grandpappy wheels with fake wire covers?

I just looked up "Caprice wagon donk" and nearly puked.

Sorry,Rev...

I did find a good web site if anyone else has the delima as I've had - - rimsntires.com/specspro.jsp

That is the same site that I posted on Aug 28.

4oldcars wrote:

Thanx Fred.  A lot to consider.  Nothings easy.  What happened to the good ole days?

There were no good old days. You had to calculate everything just like now. There are some helpful sites, but you must still measure everything, and use common sense. There are just so many ways to make it fit, and you have to work within the base parameters you are given. Offset, wheel width, tire cross section, and diameter, vs wheel opening, frame/wheelhouse to fender distance, flange location, brake clearance and suspension travel/clearance. All of the dimensions can not interfere with the others to make it work.

If someone else has solved the puzzle, you can skip the calculations, and go with their results, but you must still make sure your car is not aligned differently somehow, that would cause dimensional differences. Sometimes 1/8 of an inch difference is too much.

Only calculating I remember folks doing in the 80s was........I wonder if these fit? Those cragar wheels from the 69 Camaro looked pretty cool on the 77 Cutlass. Once the 10 inch Centerlines were on the Camaro we realized it needed air shocks and some 2 inch spacers on the shocks.

Stuff like that, simple and fun.

Sourcing and buying things is much easier, until fed ex loses your package but I don't think that is what the Op meant

My apologies Fred. I didn't mean to steal your thunder. When you posted that web site, I tried but couldn't get to it. I was so proud that I had found something great not realizing the site that I found was the same one you supplied.

You did not steal any thunder, the site sends you to a home page, and you have to navigate to the comparator from there. I've been using it for years to help in setting up the gear driven VSS systems. I have found a number of interesting estimates for regearing the VSS in the TBI cars...an inch difference in tire diameter translates to about 4 mph on the speedo, and that translates to about one tooth on the driven gear. Larger tire = smaller driven gear.