When you put WIDER AFTERMARKET wheels on the car, WIDER THAN STOCK, then the wheel and tire can start to bump things. Especially things like tie rods, sway bar (front of tire), and the inner fender liner (rear of tire). Proper backspacing helps with all these issues. Think of the spacer as an adjustment to wheel backspacing.

And, yes, not all 3rd gens have the same width between front wheel hubs. Some are wider than others. And people with late model brake swaps also have extra width because they're stacking the new rotor hub on top of the stock rotor hub.

 

Laughing with ya! Buttttt.... From what I understand (and this thread is getting way off "track") 1LE is an after thought, (possibly after market??) and designed for what?? (fast circles???) so whats the diff? Diff, not differential. hee hee. BTW, just for the record, I have 1LE setup ready to slap on my Formy any year now, just as soon as I get done building THE house that it deserves. So I'm not poo pooing on any of this, just trying to get it all figured out, and also grateful the 17" inchers are available, especially as it seems the 16" inchers are going the way of the Dodo Bird.

 

so those other options that Hawks offer is only if you want something different than the original factory? I was was thinking different option packages got different center caps.

 

Those other options probably already exist for other rims types, such as Trans Am wheels, so they are probably just giving you options. As far as I know, Formula's only came with the one Airwolfe posted.

 

I don't remember the 88 to 92 PE0 Hi- Tech Deep Dish Formula wheels being anything other than sliver lug nut caps, sliver center cap with sliver emblem with black WS6 wording.

 

That looks like a 5-7mm (1/4") spacer. That means you are loosing 1/4" of nut engagement. Did you measure nut engagement before and after?

 

Im guessing it's these, no i didn't measure but I'd guess its a 1/4 less thread engagement. Drove fine and no signs of loose lugs in the bit i drove it. (120mph)

https://www.hawksmotorsports.com/r15...s-motorsports/

 

Great! Thanks!

I'm not too concern in straight line. Put a brick on the accelerator and it'll go fast in straight line... not lateral G's involved. Anyone can do that!

I'm thinking about hard cornering, braking and hard launch... like I do

From my own perspective, I would not accept 1/4" less thread engagement, unless I can measure and there is enough thread engagement left.

For a M12X1.5, you need minimum 8 turns, IIRC.

 

Just unboxed my white 91-92 wheels. Very impressed with how they were packaged, great job to the crew @ Hawks.

I'll post up some pics on the car once I get the General G-Max AS 07 tires mounted.

 

those look great! need to get a set for my 91z vert!

 

Very nice. Wish they had the red insert option for my 92

 

They do...

https://www.hawksmotorsports.com/199...free-shipping/

 

Thanks.

 

At the Pontiac nationals this weekend

 

Dub post

 

Did Bruce say if they will show up at the Nats in August? Maybe bring a new 'Firehawk'....

 

still unsure if he'll make the nats but it is on his radar.
He brought all 3 stages to norwalk. They were running my friends stage 2 car (black). It went 10.40s @ 139mph, theres more in it for sure. I'm guessing a 9.80 car with that mph.

 

I really do hope they show up, I would love to see and hear these cars in person. Amazing rides!

 

Well, I'm more than happy, wheels have blown my expectations out of the water!

 

I received my formula wheels, they look great. Cant believe how well they where packaged, especially with the plastic rim edge covers!

 

That's a bad a** car. All motor, drives decent. LS7 is the real deal.

 

That white Camaro looks fantastic!

 

Thanks!

 

I just went ahead and ordered the spacers from Hawks. Got tired of the front tires rubbing with my RONAL R15"s.

 

Where and what are they rubbing on?

 

Inner front wheel wells. The Ronal factory when it was in Orange County, told me I wouldn't need spacers. But after reading this, I have stock brakes and not the 1LE's. So, spacing has been an issue. I'm going to start driving my car again soon, so I can report back if this was the culprit all along. Live and learn.

 

Keep in mind that 3rd gens had different steering boxes with different internal steering stops and different front lower control arms with different steering stops depending on which wheel and tire combo was installed from the factory.

3rd gens with the 16x8 245/50 16 wheel and tire combos had more restrictive steering stops that wouldn't let you cut the tires as hard and even they still would rub the tires on an full lock turn like when getting in and out of a very tight spot in a parking lot.

If the car you are talking about the Ronals rubbing on is your 87 Camaro LT I'm guessing it came with 15x7 wheels and 215 wide tires. It wouldn't had had the more restrictive steering stops.

 

Actually, my car came with the optional silver/argent painted former Berlinetta style alloy wheels with 195/70R14 tires from factory. Base would've been 205/70R14 on steel wheels and hubcaps that mimic the optional alloy wheels. My steering box has the JL stamp on the front cover. But who really knows what the internals are. I do have an XH box from a GTA donor car.

 

Oh they were that small. I'm a Firebird guy and mainly 89+ so I was just taking a guess at the 87 Camaro LT wheel and tire size. With that small a combo you could probably turn them sideways in the fender well. LoL

Yeah with a stock steering box and lower control arms on your LT the stops on it won't be anywhere near as restrictive as say a 16x8 245/50 16 WS6 car.

Also I was somewhere on the forum within the last few days and read a post by a user with the Ronals and he said the spacers are a must with them even with 1LE brakes. IDK if they were real 17x9.5 Ronals or reproduction 17x9 Ronals.

 

Off topic but directly related to the picture above that was posted in this thread. I noticed this back when this picture was posted, and I hoped it might just be the lighting that made the Firebird console lid look of such a light grey, but it's not the lighting. I got one, and it's the same wrong color and looks just like the one pictured.

Whoever makes these "reproduction" parts that Hawk's and other vendors sells is either really bad at the details, or they're just lazy and don't care, because there are incorrect details in most the "reproduction" parts I've seen in person and in pictures.

The radio pod, at least, looks accurate, and the lid should match the pod. Is it that difficult for them to comprehend that? Whoever approves this stuff should look for a new career, IMO.

In my case, since my interior is being customized and has many shades of grey, this incorrectly colored console lid will look ok. Or, since I have a lot of extra grey leather, I will probably wrap the new lid. But it's still frustrating that nobody seems capable of nailing the details for "reproduction" parts, and that's worthy of being noted, AGAIN, because it's been noted in the past, many times, and it is here now too.

 

I don't suppose you actually weighed one of these prior to installation... I know what Hawk's posted, but is that shipping weight or actual wheel weight?

 

i didn't weigh the diamond spoke or the formula wheels. The formula wheels are still in the box so i could i guess