hello all, this is my first post and i have read faq's and done searches but couldn't find exactly what i was looking for. if there is a thread with this info, please point me to it. i have been thinking about getting some new wheels for my firebird. i got the car with 16 inch 4th gen wheels on it with 2 inch hub adapters. the car needs new rubber as it is, and i was thinking of getting some crager 15x8 wheels with the new tires. however from what i can see they only make them with 4 inches of backspacing. anyone think i will run into any problems running that wheel all the way around? i would like to have a 275 tire in the back and a 245 up front. i'd also like to know what you guys would suggest in regards to tire height. i was thinking of getting 50 or 60 series all the way around, any thoughts on this? basically i am looking for some cheap wheels and decent tire combo for your average tooling around and infrequent track usage.

 

Any reason you want to go to a smaller wheel? With 16's you can pick up some 245 50R16 tires from tire rack for like 60 bucks a tire. If you already have the backspacers for 4th gen wheels you should look into getting some vette wheels to put on there. But if your serious about getting some cragars or TT2s or something make sure you sell those spacers to someone on these boards

 

thanks for the help. if i were to get 16's i am sure that 4 inches of backspace on the front will do fine, as that is the stock backspacing up there. however would the rear play nice with 4 inches of backspace and a 275/50 tire?

 

is it true that you could use four front wheels all around and that the backspacing would work?

 

four 8" wheels w/ the front backspacing works, just sticks the rear tires out even w/ the top lip of the fenderwell. If you're gonna do that, atleast go to a 9" wheel so that you can get a fatter tire out back. (w/ a 9" wheel, just run an inch more offset than front) I wouldn't go to smaller diamter wheels, as you'll loose handling due to the fatter sidewall. My 17"ers capable of 1.66 60's on the track so I wouldn't say you'd see much improvement in straightline either....

 

hey ****....i've heard that 17"fronts would be the best upgrade for handling...is that 'cause the 18's would make the ride too harsh? i'm currently running the 16" iroc rims with 245-50's pumped up to 40lbs for autoX only...just for turn-in speed. would 17's or 18's improve on this package?

 

these kinda wheels with these size tires?

https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...95#post2701595

trade ya.

 

two reasons I didn't go 18" - 1st off, tire choices. Limited sizing, limited brands, limited sticky. - 2nd ride quality. I didn't want to go over 26.5" tires. Otherwise, they'd be big in the wheels wells w/ my ride height. That short of tire wouldn't have enough side wall. Rattling your teeth and bending your wheels running around town didn't interest me. Mainly I wanted readily available WIDE tires. I enjoy driving the car, cutting corners and otherwise, but when I do race it that 1.66 60' is nice... I usually run around 30 psi front, 25 rear. My tires burn fairly even there. I set pressure according to wear pattern. I run the same at the track as I do running down the highway...

 

for those who asked about my 17's, here's a pic of my tire/wheel combo. -

 

whats that in the garage? those are big tires.

 

blown, methanol burnin' BBC 68 camaro(15x33.5's). That's my parents' house. The birds' there to keep it garaged while its down/getting ready to be re-done. That's my burban(daily driver) as my car won't be daily anymore when done(more...Power Tour/week-end warrior)

- sorry to be off topic -