scholtmj

iTrader: (3)

315s have been done before but here are a few more pictures. 7" backspacing on the wheels.

Jim85IROC

iTrader: (2)

what did you have to do to the car for them to fit? Typically anything past 295s seems to require inner fender work or a silly offset that pushes the tires out of the wheel well.

scholtmj

iTrader: (3)

Cut off the bumpstops and massage the front lower section of the inner fender. Visually the 17x11s look no different than the 17x9.5s I previously had on the rear i.e. same amount of dish on the wheel, extra width went on the inside.

BlackenedBird

iTrader: (5)

Exactly what I did to my ROH Snypers about 3 years ago. Had a pair of 17"x9" 5"bs widened to 11" 7"bs with 315s. But I found out that depending on the brand of tires you choose that the width can vary up to almost 1.5" So while what you have now, the next 315s may not & require a bit more "massaging" to clear. And I added Tubular LCAs with Rod Ends with offset bushing for the extra clearance.

http://www.wheelsamerica.com/index.php?page=widening did the widening on my wheels & powdercoated the centers like yours room.

85_ZED28

Looks great!

InfernalVortex

iTrader: (4)

Thats an interesting looking lower control arm... Did you do anything unique with them to clear the wheel/tire?

T/Aperformance

Those wheels look perfect on your car, Makes me rethink what wheels I want on my car, I didn't even know you could get those in 17x11, I'm guessing the fronts are 9.5, what size tires are on the front?

watajob

iTrader: (29)

I'm with you. My 295/35-18 BFG DR's just barely fit. I'd cut the bump stops but have never been able to get an answer to: so, then what? What does one do to keep the axle from bouncing off the frame rail?

scholtmj

iTrader: (3)

The control arms are from Metco Motorsports - tire is a little more than 1/2" from touching them. I kept the Spohn adjustable LCAs for the future in case I run into tire size trouble.

Front tires are 275/40-17 on a 9.5" rim. The wheels are model CL205 available with custom offsets.

I'll be using the on shock style bumpstops once I finish the project.

92droptopws6

iTrader: (10)

Those 17x11s look real good back there, especially from behind.

watajob

iTrader: (29)

Have a link for those?

scholtmj

iTrader: (3)

http://www.ground-control-store.com/...php/II=10/CA=1

Just an example, haven't decided what to buy yet.

watajob

iTrader: (29)

Pretty cool but I'm not seeing how they'd be installed on a rear shock.

scholtmj

iTrader: (3)

88fastgta

iTrader: (9)

shouldn't have to do any work if your running a lt1 or ls1 rear end... the rear sticks out and inch further... but we shall see when I decide to get my 17x11 rear tires..

scholtmj

iTrader: (3)

Disagree. The rear end is wider but to get a 17x11 wheel under the fender you still need to do the inner fender work. That is, unless you're OK with a 4x4/Joe Dirt look.

watajob

iTrader: (29)

Scholt,
Steve specifically says, "front shock/strut." A front, many times, does not have a dust cover permanently attached and the top mount is usually a cut down, threaded extension of the shaft thereby allowing you to slide the stop down onto the shaft and have it contact the bottom of the lower retaining washer. A rear shock usually has an integral dust cover and a "ring" to which the cover is welded to and is also welded to the shaft of the shock at the transition point from shaft to mount. I'm thinking a whole lot of surgery would be necessary to install them and to get them to work. Also, rear stops are usually larger/taller than front ones. I wonder if either of those you listed would correspond to the correct point in suspension travel as to where contact is initially made. Not trying to be a di_ck, just trying to figure out how this is done as I would love to go wider in the rear without the "bow-legged" look or major wheel-well surgery. There's a guy on here with about an '84 Camaro in silver, (LSx swap, I think), that had 10.5" TT II's on the rear w/315's, (17"). They were tucked pretty well and, IIRC, he claims to just have done a little 5# ball-peen work, shaved the stops and that's it. If that's true, a set of those stops functioning correctly would be just the ticket.

BlackenedBird

iTrader: (5)

Because of the different offset with 4th gen & Vette wheels, on a 4th gen rear under a 3rd gen they do not set out all that bad. Yes just a bit, but not to the extent of a "joe dirt look". What I don't like about it is when just 9" wheels are used, is the open space between the inside of the tires. It isn't bad when nice wide 11" wheels & 315s or 335s are used. But when you do the same 11s with 315s or 335s on a stock width 3rd gen rear, then I think it is even better looking. Gives it almost that Pro Street look from behind.

But it is more than I like which is why I cut, hammered, cut some more & hammered some more until my 11s fit well under the fenders. Roughly a full 1.5" in from the edge. Even with a 2.75" drop in the rear, I never rub & have room to go lower without any danger of rubbing/hitting anything.

Here is a 4th gen wheel on a 4th gen rear under a 3rd gen with 275s.

InfernalVortex

iTrader: (4)

4th gen rears are 2 inches wider on each side. With 4th gen wheels they should be exactly in the same place as they are stock. That's a 4th gen rear with 3rd gen wheels and it looks awful. The only way that look is salvagable is with really wide tires. It visually makes sense.

BlackenedBird

iTrader: (5)

Yes & no. LT1 rears are 2" wider per side, LS1 rears are closer to 1.5" wider per side.

scholtmj

iTrader: (3)

Good questions, all of them. The bump stop style I listed will work on my Koni Yellows so shock selection is an important part of the equation.

A 10.5" wheel is not an 11" wheel so it doesn't surprise me said dude didn't have to break out the BFH.

TPIVette

Looks awesome and those are the best damn street tires ever made. I'm so pissed they discontinued the TA/KD. They were the stickiest street tires I've ever owned.

mminneman

These do look great. I'm presently shopping around for street wheels and want to go as wide as possible without the expense of a back-half. Just to summarize, you are running...

Rear Wheels 17x11 w/ 7"BS 315/35R17 (not sure on the 35, tried to read it in your pic)
Front Wheels 17x9.5 w/ ???BS 275/40R17 (it only mentions custom BS)

Did you only need to trim the wheel tubs? Or did you need to get into the rear control arm mount? Obviously the bump stops have been covered.

Thanks.

scholtmj

iTrader: (3)

You have the correct tire sizes. The fronts have 6.0" backspacing and a half inch spacer to clear the brakes. If you have stock brakes go with 5.5".
No need to touch the rear control arm mount, trim bump stops and massage the front of the wheel well till they fit.

InfernalVortex

iTrader: (4)

Im aware the early and late fourth gen rears have different offsets but that's not really the point of my post. Those wheels in your picture are clearly thirdgen wheels on a fourth gen rear and stick out WAY too far. 4th gen wheels on a 4th gen rear will sit exactly the same as 3rd gen wheels on a thirdgen rear. I imagine the difference in offsets between the late and early 4th gen rears is the same as the difference in offset in our cars between the front and rear. They probably standardized it, but it's not noticeable difference.

89mulletbird

iTrader: (4)

Hey scholtmj - I have the exact same setup as you, but only 5" backspace on the rears and they stick out too far. I cut one of the tires on my fender lip. Do you think if I went with 6.5" BS I would get away with not having to do any mods except roll the fenders? I have tubular LCA's.

Also, where are these bump stops you speak of?

scholtmj

iTrader: (3)

Stock bumpstops or new ones?

I'm not sure if you can get away with 6.5" and not touch the bumpstops. Here is my old car/wheels that were 17x11 with 6" BS for reference, I did not cut anything to fit these but it does look like a 4x4.

89mulletbird

iTrader: (4)

Your pic with 6" backspacing looks just like my car with 11" wheels. So just increasing to a 7" backspacing tucked them in nicely?

I found my bumpstops and read several posts of modding them so I'm good there.

scholtmj

iTrader: (3)

7" will tuck with a stock width rear. Verify that first before you order new wheels.

BlackenedBird

iTrader: (5)

I had 17" x 11 w/6.5"bs & it required complete removal of the stock bumpstops & a good bit of cutting to the inner front & rear of the wheelwell plus some BFH work. And they sat in about 3/4" from the upper most point of the fender lip. 18"s & above give more room for the bumptstops to clear the wheel/tire on a lowered car.

7"bs.....? I don't really wanna know how much wheelwell work would be needed to clear. With a 4th gen rear you can get away with more bs & less clearancing needed, but end up with a shallower lip on the outside.

scholtmj

iTrader: (3)

4th gen rear vs 3rd gen rear does not make a difference if you want to fit 17x11" under the rear fenders. Your wheels will have different offsets but the inner fender work required is still the same.

All my "point of view/this worked for me" comments should be read knowing that I have BFG G-Force KD tires which are fairly square. Sumitomos would be easier to fit, Goodyear GSD-3s would be more difficult to fit because they are wider.

Maybe I should add the disclaimer "your experience may vary."

89mulletbird

iTrader: (4)

BlackenedBird - how are you measuring backspacing? Are you measuring like this? I'm trying to order some custom offset 17x11 rims and still can't figure out the best backspacing.

BlackenedBird

iTrader: (5)

Seriously? You really think that the 2" difference of where the bs is measured from doesn't make a difference? You don't really understand what bs is, do you? I guess "approximates" are good enough for you too since measuring from 2 different points, 2" apart, DO make a difference!

BlackenedBird

iTrader: (5)

Backspace is measured from the wheel mounting surface (car hub to wheel mounting center) period, just like in the pic. Offset is more involved, dunno why it ever came into use. A ruler & a straightedge is all one needs to figure bs. Offset requires measuring 3 different things then doing math. Not exactly hard, but why put in the extra work?

But looking through my pics, I did realize something. I have 7" bs & anything more would not have been fun to make room for & keep the interior looking 100% stock. The pic is from measuring the stock wheel before I had it custom widened by 2".

scholtmj

iTrader: (3)

You missed the rest of the sentence. Read this again.

"4th gen rear vs 3rd gen rear does not make a difference if you want to fit 17x11" under the rear fenders. Your wheels will have different offsets but the inner fender work required is still the same. "

BlackenedBird

iTrader: (5)

I did read the whole thing & have you ever actually thought about it any? I've seen it done, not just thought about it. It is also why people can run 17" Vette wheels on 4th gen rear without touching the wheelwell or the spacers.

A wheel that mounts 2" FURTHER AWAY will OBVIOUSLY require less cutting to move things that are not in the way. I've see people put 17"x11" wheels on a 4th gen rear under a 3rd gen with ZERO wheelwell work. So yeah....The 3rd vs 4th gen rears obviously make a difference.

scholtmj

iTrader: (3)

I don't think you're getting my point. I want to (and did, see photos at top of thread) fit 17x11 wheels under the rear fenders so they don't stick out. To do that on a stock 3rd gen rear end I bought 17x11 wheels with 7" backspacing and cut off the bumpstops.

Now let's shoot for the same look with a 4th gen rear end; I would buy wheels with 9" backspacing. The outside of the wheel will line up with the same spot as the 3rd gen rear setup but the wheel dish would be different (more offset, less dish on a 9"BS wheel). Since the wheel is still 11" wide and still occupies the same space under the fender you will still need to cut the bump stops in order to get them to fit.

A 4th gen rear with 17x11 wheels at 7" BS would not require cutting or modding the inner fender because they would be 2" farther out from the inner wheel well. BUT, it'd look like a 4x4.

BlackenedBird

iTrader: (5)

Now you make sense, when you talk about 2 different wheels (7"bs vs 9"bs) but that was not what the discussion was about.

It was about 2 IDENTICAL wheels (same diameter, same width, same bs) on 2 different rear ends under the same car.

89mulletbird

iTrader: (4)

Now that you guys are in agreement Do you think a 6.5" BS would clear the outer fender lip on a 3rd gen rear, or you need the full 7" BS to clear the lip?

BlackenedBird

iTrader: (5)

LOL Just some miscommunication.

CLEAR the lip with 6.5"? No. It will physically be under the lip. I barely fit in from the edge by about 3/4", iirc. But if you are lowered far or hit a big bump/dip? The tire will meet the body. I'm down by 2"-2.5" from stock & still can rub, even with 7"bs. You will very likely end up with a pressed up inner sheetmetal lip & a cut sidewall. I had 1 cut sidewall about 2 weeks after I put the 11"s & w15s on, from a big dip in the road.

And if you lower it, get an Adjustable Panhard Bar first. The rearends are slightly offset towards the Drivers side to start with & lowering makes it worse. You are going to need an adjustable bar to center it & keep the Passenger side from rubbing the inner real bad while the Drivers sticks out past the quarter panel.

89mulletbird

iTrader: (4)

I'm lowered 1" and have adj. panhard and tubular LCAs. I'm really thinking about ditching the 315s and going narrower in back 275 or 285 to avoid all this hassle!

BlackenedBird

iTrader: (5)

If you already everything on there, why would you wanna take it off? What hassle was there once it was already done? It was worth the hassle for me to do, even 1-handed!

89mulletbird

iTrader: (4)

You mentioned you cut a sidewall after you did all this work though? I can easily handle all the mods, but don't want to deal with cut tires.

BlackenedBird

iTrader: (5)

At first I had a set of the factory slip-on aluminum drum brake spacers and the rear wasn't 100% centered. I had done both sides of the fenderwheels the same day & I was freaking tired, so when I "centered" it, I was like "Good enough". Apparently it wasn't! lol

I took the factory slip-in spacers I has used off, hammered the fenderwheels some more & no problems since. The cut is what I got for trying to take shortuts & not doing it right.

The tire never lost air, was still good & passed Inspection when that time came for the next 3 years. It was more of the shoulder edge of the sidewall to tread pattern than the sidewall itself that was cut.

89mulletbird

iTrader: (4)

Cool thanks. Now I just have to figure out how to get a pair of black 17x11 Torq Thrust II with 7" BS... I think they will be $$$$.

BlackenedBird

iTrader: (5)

If what you want isn't made, but close? Buy what is made & have them cut, widened and poswdercoated. I think after buying the wheels plus the widening & powdercoating, I have $1000 in just the 2 wheels without the tires.