I'm looking at getting some cheap 4th gen rims to put drag radials onto for racing. I need 16" rims for the future disc brakes in back.

So do the 4th gen rims fit at all? Or do you positively need the adapters. I dont care if it is a close fit or looks like crap. It's just for racing. It's also just for the rear tires.

Thanks

IIRC, the 4th gen backspacing is like 6", so they wouldn't work.

If you're interested in a cheap pair of rims, I have a pair of rear 16" '88-'92 Formula wheels that'd be perfect to mount some drag radials on. They're in nice shape, no center caps though.

You don't have to use spacers, you can install a 4th gen rear end, but then your 3rd gen wheels will stick out.

i still dont get how these spacers or adapters or whatever work. so the axle on the 4th gen is not as long? wouldnt that mean that if you put 4th gen wheels in, they would just be really far tucked in?

The 4thgen axle is longer (wider) than a 3rdgen axle 1.5-2" on each side I believe. If you tried to put 4th gen wheels on a 3rdgen car w/a 3rdgen axle.. the wheels would hit the lower control arms. hence why you need the spacers, these "spacers" bolt in between the 3rdgen axle and the 4thgen wheel to make up the difference of the wider (longer) 4thgen axle.

I'm not even going to try and explain backspacing...

i guess i understand. im selling my wheels and buying new ones at the moment. maybe i got lucky and the wheels the previous owner put on the car have spacers for 4th ... nevermind, he bought the wheels and tires in 91 american racing was cheap back then.

hey i actually tried to put on 4th gen rims for you same exact purpose and i even modified the rear tub a little bit and no way no how.

This is a pic of my wheel. You can see the spacer between the rim and axle.

Hope this clarifies where it goes.

so then you cant have a 4th gen wheel with a design where the hub is further in than the edge, otherwise it will stick out severely?

no if you actually get a fouth gen rim bolted up they only rub in one area. the front there is a tab that sticks out and presses into the tire i beat that tab back and the rim fit but the offset is such that the rim sits to far into the fendwell and looks like crap. the 4th gen rims i tried where off a 99 ws6 looked cool but they where to far into the fender well. i only wish that the rim would stick out to far.

zz4: are those spacers safe? i was wondering about that and ive read that those spacers under harsh driving conditions will snap the studs? thats what ive heard. but then again i drive harsh everywhere so......

what if you goa a fourth gen wheel but it was like dished, if thats the term. where the spokes are further inside the rims, and then there would be less on the inside part. if you get my drift.

If it is offset for a 4th gen, you will need spacers, no ifs ands or buts about it.

exactly

It will rub in a hell of lot more places than that tab. I tried having mine bolted up without the spacers and it was a no go at all. The rim will rub the shocks and the hub will stick out past the centercap of the wheel.
At least this was the case with my Eagle Alloys which are properly offset for fourth gen cars. So I had to get spacers.

And as a question of them not being safe...

Straight from Thunderracing themselves. I doubt there will be any problems, I haven't had any at all, but you never know!