i have 1987 GTA and the front rims look deeper then the rear is this normal.how do i tell which wheel goes where.I know they have different offsets so how can they be put on wrong without me noticing a problem.Thanks

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1987 Trans AM GTA
305 5SPD
Hypertech airfoil
gutted maf
kn filter
High Flow Cat,
3"Walker pipe
Dynomax Super turbo Muffler
Custom Air Intake.

"Three of the scariest letters you will ever see GTA"
Take a good look you won't see em for long

 

The Offset is 0 on the fronts , also has less backspacing . All 16x8 3rd gen wheels are like that . Look at a Iroc wheel , the front lug ports are alot deeper than the rears .

What does look really good though with the GTA wheels is running front wheels all around. Take your front wheels off and put them on the back just to see how it looks , I think youll be lookin for another pair of front wheels

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Derek 90 IROC 5.7
Mods: All the usual bolt ons siamesed base , 2500 stall , 373's , SS hood ,big and littles , lotta reduced weight. Stock heads/rockers , cam ,runners , chip and TB
Best Et: 13.12@101 ...1.701 60 ft.

 

no polished aluminium looks deeper in the front then the back.

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1987 Trans AM GTA
305 5SPD
Hypertech airfoil
gutted maf
kn filter
High Flow Cat,
3"Walker pipe
Dynomax Super turbo Muffler
TB Coolant bypass

"Three of the scariest letters you will ever see GTA"
Take a good look you won't see em for long

 

Yea that was such a retarted idea. When I have my tires rotated they have to remove them from the wheels.

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Trans Am:
(Engine)305 TPI
180 Degree Thermostat
JET Fan Switch
TB Bypass
Accel 300+ 8.8 Racing Wires
Accel Super Coil
Bosch Platinium Plugs
Custom Ram Air with K&N
Removed Emissions Equipment & Cat.
(Stereo)Full Kenwood Excelon System
See my Ride:
https://www.thirdgen.org/rides/index...ew&rideid=1324
Member at kyfbodies.org

 

Just so the shop doesn't get mixed up when installing new tires, it says on the inside of the rims if it's front or back....

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www.TransAmGTA.com THE 3rdgen Firebird Site!
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[This message has been edited by 92GTA (edited June 04, 2001).]

 

CAN you actually put front rims on the rear? I heard that you cant do that and its not advisable. I have the GTA rims on my 86 TA with the WS6 option. Someone told me that the fronts are not meant to be on the rear....but if i can do this, i would find another front set to put on the back. Is it advisable?

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1986 WS6-Equipped 5.0 TPI Trans Am
Random Tech High-Flow Cat
Two Chamber Flowmaster Muffler
Megs Custom 4.5" Stainless Steel Rolled Tips
1999 Grand Am GT In-Dash CD Player w/Equalizer(fits like '86 original)
5% Tint On Rear, 35% On Sides
http://www.pitt.edu/~zyhst/trans86/

OTHER RIDE:
1998 C5 6Spd. Corvette Coupe
Silver w/Gray Leather Int.
12/14 Options
Stock(for now)
Best 1/4th: 13.5 @ 104.4MPH

 

I ran black GTA wheels for about 2 years , they were fronts all the way around with no problems . I don't see why there would be a problem as the difference in BP is so insignificant . With the rears mounted on the back it just brings the lip of the tire flush with the lip on the 1/4 panel lip . From behind imo it just ""looks"" tougher and makes the rear of the car look a little wider than it really is .

 

Yea...i figured it shouldnt be a problem. I will have to find the set of fronts for the rear....i think that would make the car look a bit meaner. Thanks.

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1986 WS6-Equipped 5.0 TPI Trans Am
Random Tech High-Flow Cat
Two Chamber Flowmaster Muffler
Megs Custom 4.5" Stainless Steel Rolled Tips
1999 Grand Am GT In-Dash CD Player w/Equalizer(fits like '86 original)
5% Tint On Rear, 35% On Sides
http://www.pitt.edu/~zyhst/trans86/

OTHER RIDE:
1998 C5 6Spd. Corvette Coupe
Silver w/Gray Leather Int.
12/14 Options
Stock(for now)
Best 1/4th: 13.5 @ 104.4MPH

 

if u have disk brakes than the offset is the same all the way around reguardless of backspaceing. Only on the drum brake cars (WS6 only) u need a 1/8 inch spacer for the back brakes. The spacers are only like 20$ a pair fom the dealer.

 

My brake are all disc, all the way around.

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1986 WS6-Equipped 5.0 TPI Trans Am
Random Tech High-Flow Cat
Two Chamber Flowmaster Muffler
Megs Custom 4.5" Stainless Steel Rolled Tips
1999 Grand Am GT In-Dash CD Player w/Equalizer(fits like '86 original)
5% Tint On Rear, 35% On Sides
http://www.pitt.edu/~zyhst/trans86/

OTHER RIDE:
1998 C5 6Spd. Corvette Coupe
Silver w/Gray Leather Int.
12/14 Options
Stock(for now)
Best 1/4th: 13.5 @ 104.4MPH

 

Putting the rear wheels on the front will cause a rubbing problem on the A-arm when the wheel is turned nearly all the way. The fronts are spaced far enough out for it to not be a problem to mount them on the front or rear.

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• My Firebird
• Others 3rd gens
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Modifying anything with an engine, is always fun

 

Mmmmmm....fronts, eh? Hmm....yes.....excellent....

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1986 WS6-Equipped 5.0 TPI Trans Am
Random Tech High-Flow Cat
Two Chamber Flowmaster Muffler
Megs Custom 4.5" Stainless Steel Rolled Tips
1999 Grand Am GT In-Dash CD Player w/Equalizer(fits like '86 original)
5% Tint On Rear, 35% On Sides
http://www.pitt.edu/~zyhst/trans86/

OTHER RIDE:
1998 C5 6Spd. Corvette Coupe
Silver w/Gray Leather Int.
12/14 Options
Stock(for now)
Best 1/4th: 13.5 @ 104.4MPH

 

if the fronts fit so nice all the way around. why did they go to the trouble of making the tooling and all for the rear wheels??instead of just making all four the same.

 

I have no idea why they did it, but we have to live with it. The fronts and rears will be different on every set of factory 16x8's regardless of whether they are disc or drum setup. I think it's because the cars weren't originally intended to have wheels that big, and so it was a non-issue with the skinny 14-15 inch wheels of the early eighties. With the stock F/R specific 16" rims, the shoulder of the tires will tuck nicely under the wheel well lip, and the 'faces' of the tires are on the same plane, ie, the rears don't stick out more than the fronts.

If you mount four 'front' wheels on your car, you will notice that the rear tires are now mounted about 3/4" (16mm) farther out board on each side. The shoulder of the tire tread will just barely be under the farthest tip of the fender lip. I haven't got a good look at any Camaros fitted out thusly, but on my Trans Am, it's dead sexy. It's like a girl in 'Daisy Duke' shorts, the tires are just barely covered up from behind.

 

I got 4 fronts for my car. I love GTA wheels, but I could not stand the front wheel having less offset than the rear. I looks backwards to me, which is why I got all fronts like on GNXs.