Didn't know where to put this.
I knoe fron and rear wheels are different, but haw much difference is the offset? Do the thicker standoff wheels( by looking at them) go on front or rear? My 91 rs has larger tires on the rear and seems to push the front at low speed turn- parking lot and such. Could just be me as I am not used to a car with short sidewalls and wide tires, this is my first car! I have always had trucks and still do. Someone please explain which wheels go where. I just want to make sure they are correct.

 

On a "stock" 91 RS with 16" rims the tires should be the same size 245/50 16 if you have different rims than stock that could be the issue if your car has the 15" rims they also are the same width 7" front and rear and should have 215/ 60 15s for stock sizes no camaros came with different size rims or tires from the factory 82-92, there were different offsets on the front and rear rims on the IROC wheels for some cars but they were clearly marked on the rim and used the same tire size there were also small rim "spacers" used on some models from 85-92 on IROCs and some Z28s these were only around 1/8" thick so they woulden't make much difference if they were gone ..

 

225 55 16 stock tire size. Stock factory alum rims. My question is not tire size. If you look at the rims mounted on the car, there is clearly a backspacing difference that comes from the thickness or depth of the center part of the rim. I would guess it to be 1 1/2". It is easy to spot, but I don't know if the wheels with the thick center go on rear or front. I cannot tell that the front or rear tires/ wheels sit closer to the edge of the fender than the others, but my perspective might be off due to larger than stock tires on the rear. Would the rims be marked front or rear? I plan to put stock size tires onb the rear soon, just trying to figure out which rims go on which end.

 

If they are factory rims that came on your car but have different backspacing, the words front and rear should be clearly marked somewhere on the backside of the rim. I had an 85 Trans Am that had different backspacing and was plainly marked, but I don't remember which went where. I would think the shallower backspace rim would go on the front because it has a lot more suspension components to move around than the rear.

 

You can't mistake which ones go where if they're 16" factory wheels. They have either "front" or "rear" cast into the hub area of the rim where the lugs go. Btw, the fronts have a 16mm offset, the rears are standard offset. I remember a guy posting on here that a tire shop put the rears on the front of his car, and they were rubbing on the tie rod ends. I have the 91-92 16" rims, and it's marked on the front side of the rim where the lugs are.

 

Thanks, I thought they were correct, but wanted to make sure. The thicker hub center rims are on the front. Just somthing different with the pushing feel, I am used to trucks that are much larger.

 

That "pushing" feeling in parking lots and such where you are making tight radius slow turns is suspension issues.

1st - a wonderbar will do wonders (pun intended) - if you don't have it, get it - it's a necessity - it's amazing that any of these cars without the wonderbar made it this far!

Next the rest of the suspension up front - check it out piece by piece - ball joints, tie rod ends, sway bar bushings and endlinks, the idler arm makes alot of difference too. All these things get worn out over time, and make for those terrible noises and wheel pushing on those parking lot turns.

My 1990 had it bad - the wonderbar cleared up about 70% of it, the idler arm I found worn made up another 20% of it. The rest on mine is in the ball joints, tie rods ends, and other goodies I haven't gotten into since I started sinking my time/cash into my 1992.

 

All of my mechanicals are good, no loose parts. Tie rods, sleeves etc. all new. I will have to get a wonderbar, I have heard good things sbou using them. I think my biggest issue is not being used to a car, muchless a sporty car with wide, stiff front tires.

 

Yeah, they do feel quite different with the wide tires on them. My 89 RS originally came with the 15x7, 15 inch rims and tires. When I upgraded to the 245/50/16 Z/28 wheels, it felt way different. You get used to it after a while, but it definitely makes the car handle differently. I put the wonderbar on mine, 36/24mm front and rear swaybars, Iroc springs, and rebuilt the front end with all new tie rods, ball joints, center link, idler arm, etc. I also installed the PST polygraphite bushing kit. The biggest thing that bugs me about the wider tires is how they like to "track" whenever you hit a stretch of road that has bad ruts from semi trucks. It also rides a lot rougher. In the winter I run my original 15x7's with 225/70/15 snow tires, and it rides alot smoother and doesn't track at all, but it definitely handles better with the Z/28 wheels on it. I have to remind myself that I have taller sidewalls with the winter tires on. I'll go to take a turn at a high speed that's no problem with my summer tires, and the sidewalls start to give, and the tires start squealing.