exdrag77

My buddy has a set of 17" x 9 Torque Thrust IIs he just offered me today. I went over and put one under the rear of the '77 and it's too small in diameter. My current stock 15" wheels have 26" tall tires and his measured 25". I figure I really need at least 28" (preferably more) to fill up the wheel wells. Any such thing? I plan to drag race it so traction is also a concern. Any taller tire suggestions for 17" rims? Thanks!

Twin_Turbo

Hoosier Pro Streets are available for 17" wheels, somewhere around 28 or 29" diameter total

gyopp

What tire is on it now?

lvrpool32

a 255/50-17" tire is 27" tall..stock size for a 'vette, though a 255 may be a tad skinny for a 9" rim.
Come to think of it, they don't make a TT2 in 17 x 9..it should be a 17 x 9.5 and if there all 9.5's..they wont fit in the front.
Maybe a 275/45-17 thats 26.7" tall....this is one reason why a lot of guys here are going to a 18" rear wheel..for 275/40 or 285/40 - 18's to fill out the rear.

Nick

mod81

if you can live the traction issue...you could always just lower the rear with the spring bolts, and the wheel well gap will disappear, not to mention you'll handle better/look better.

exdrag77

Not sure exactly what size is on his rims now but I remember 45 series on them and they measured approx 25" tall. They're currently on a newer (maybe late '90s?) Firebird. I really don't think I would like the way they look on mine even if mine would be lowered though. They just look too small compared to the large wheelwell radiuses (I measured a minimum 18" radius in the rear). As I said, I want to drag race it as much as possible next year (my town is building a strip to host IHRA) and I know a taller tire is best for that (larger contact patch).

That leads me to the next thing that doesn't make sense to me. I can get a tire for a 15" rim that measures over 30" but why the larger the rim, the shorter the tire? I know people want them for handling, but no one else wants them for drag?

I do plan on dropping down the car once I get the right tire and a 17" or larger rim would be better so the rear springs could go inside the rim, allowing me more offset with my offset arms. Any tire height guestimates on 18" rims?

ljthe2nd

For a shorter sidewall, a shorter sidewall has less give, or flex in it, so it takes the curves better.

PatsLs1vette

I use a 275/50/17 rear nitto nt450 tire there 27.8 inchs tall.

mrvette

Pat is right on the money, as usual, same as what I have on '92 vette rime, keeping the same wheel centerline, moving ebrake cable mount....
clears sway bars too....

in front I have same rims, with 255/50/17 on them, same adaptors as in rear, still turns tighter than an '87 vette.....

gkull

I can say this with great experience

If you have any kind of motor other than a smog L-48 or l-82 your not going to be able to drag race with "street" rear tires.

My 315 dunlops right out of the box have pretty good traction. But all you have to do is a few heat cycles and a few of months old and they are like grease on the road again. They are even AA traction and A temp

Just to prove a point we had the local 1/8th mile street drags during a major car show event called Reno Nevada's "Hot August Nights". this is a NHRA sactioned event. I went out during time trials and attempted to do a 1/8th mile burn out. This is even after doing a water box burnout with my line lock. I almost did it. I got down near the end of the 1/8th mile and my 79 was doing lazy fish tails and it got to the point where i couldn't control the car and had to let off. the speedo was up around 120 mph right off the starting line till I let off.

My Corvette forum Web page has some pictures of my car with Goodyear F1 rear tires that were 27 or so inches tall that fill the year wheel well.

Here is what i have now, but they are only 26 inch dia or so

exdrag77

Thanks for all the info and suggestions! I also like the tire measure gauge! I do have a set of 15" slicks I plan to use at the strip, but was hoping for a 17" setup including matching rims with slicks. What I'm seeing is that there may be no such thing.

73-84 IMSA Widebody

Contact Sasco Motorsports in Virginia, depending on what your looking for..... I've gotten racing slicks from them and they cut tread patterns for me, many sizes available and I can get soft compound, flex sidewall tires that HOOK UP. They are great to talk to, just FYI.

jpatrick636

Wheels - $1,200.00

Tires - $700.00

Bud Light Tire Gauge - priceless