Originally Posted by \Boost Monkey/

They will be fine.

The wheel will stick out a bit but it all depends on tire size, how low you intend to drop the car in the rear if any, and how much negative camber you are running. If you want to keep the stock tires (285 wide) on the 11" wheels, you will have a slight stretch (honestly a baby stretch) compared to the wider recommended tires (295/305) for an 11" wheel. I am confident a 305 will rub even at stock height, and 295 is questionable but depends on drop and camber. All stock including height and camber, you might be fine with 295 on this wheel but to it looks like a 50/50.

The baby stretch of a 285 stock tire coupled with keeping the car at stock height or even full drop on stock bolts and running factory camber specs should prevent any rubbing on the rear tires. The fronts are of no concern.

If you are afraid of stretching (even this little baby stretch) or prefer not to, get a higher offset wheel or one not as wide with the recommended offsets near stock. There is some play room with this car, but it is a tight window and requires, as Higgs said, custom offsets via a forged wheel line or flow formed like Forgestar or HRE flowforms that will allow you to order custom offsets to the exact mm.

Typically, I go this route on all of my cars in the past and I almost always order custom offsets to the exact mm all around after running the numbers.

Not my car below, but he is on 285's on the Veronas with what is most likely stock bolts lowered to max I would guess. I would be surprised if he was rubbing with what I see in the picture.

Originally Posted by Rockmaninoff

Thanks, this is really helpful. I'm a total noob when it comes to wheels/tires, but I think I'm getting what you're saying.

I intend to keep everything stock suspension-wise, so I'll do some more research on a 295 width. I'd like to avoid stretch if at all possible, though the 285 does not look too bad...tires will be winter tires so will be a brand-new set.

Also I'm assuming when a tire rubs, you distinctly hear or feel it? Or is it something that you just pick up by inspecting the tire?

Originally Posted by Higgs Boson

The lower they go the farther the wheel sticks out. 73 sticks out 6mm more than stock. it might not sound like a big number but when the stock sidewalls are as close as they are every mm counts.

Originally Posted by Higgs Boson

That is a good picture of where the tire sits when it will come into contact. Looks just like mine did when I had TSW's.

I've only tried 6 different sets of wheels to come to my assessment on offset/width. You can go by internet pics if you want but mine works good (now)!

Originally Posted by U8 DU5T

I am running by oem z51 tires and lowered all the way on stock bolts. I have no issues with rubbing anywhere. I am moving up to a 295 or 305 for the tea when my oem tires wear out and there will still be enough clearance.

Originally Posted by \Boost Monkey/

So there it is Rockmaninoff, if you like those Verona wheels go for it bro.

Originally Posted by Rockmaninoff

Cool! I am still a few months off from the purchase but it's good to know that I could swing 295 or even 305, especially since I'll be running stock suspension.

Thanks for that research.

Originally Posted by Higgs Boson

some say they dont rub and some say they do. mine rubbed more on the passenger side, i know the CTS-V's have the same issue where the passenger side wheel sticks out 5mm or so more than the driver side. i believe mine does as well. so, there may be some tolerance issues with our chevrolets (imagine that).

either way, your mileage may vary.....buyer beware. I'm out!

Originally Posted by Rockmaninoff

So what wheel options are there that fit properly under the fenders? Simply the stock wheels and/or replicas? Specifically looking for Z51 as I'll be purchasing a second set of wheels/tires for the winter...I was thinking of the XO Veronas, but it sounds like those could have issues.

Originally Posted by EcoBrick Bob

Let's see a pix and info on your wheels.

I salivate for a set of TSW Interlagos wheels for my Z51~~~~~!
Would take either Black or Polished!

Originally Posted by BBMedic

I have a set of the XO Verona's on my 2015 Z51, no rubbing no issues at all. I would check other post but I have found no issues at all. XO did the research and the wheels fit perfect..

Originally Posted by Higgs Boson

There are almost no wheels short of going to a custom like a Forgeline.

important to check offset before buying. nothing lower than 77-79 in the rear and stick right at 56 in the front. the wider you go on the tire, the higher you want to go with the offset number.

a 305 will stick out 10mm more than stock (285) on a wheel with the same offset (79). I recommend staying within 7mm out at the most, which means going to a +82 or +83 offset with a 305. if you go to a 325 you are now sticking out 20mm from stock and would need to go to a +92 offset, which may not be realistic, depending on the wheel.

probably the widest you can safely go is a 315 on a +87. i am running a 305 on a +83 and it is not sticking out but man, it is close. just about perfect. I can hit dips or bumps with or without a passenger and it doesn't rub. I cannot say that about any wheel I have had with less offset.

Originally Posted by 567chev

what wheel width is the 305 on the +83?

Originally Posted by \Boost Monkey/

Both. With the radio off and windows down (sometimes up) you can hear it most of the time when you go over bumps, you will know it when you hear it (it sounds exactly like you think it would sound). Also, you will see distinct rubber transfer usually on the edge of the lip of the inner fender (which is the part of the fender that "folds" into the wheel well) You can also notice distinct lines on your tires from where this lip is rubbing.

I know this is after you spend the money, but to be extra sure, a good way to test if you will rub is to back up on a semi-steep driveway with one rear wheel only on the steep driveway and the rest on the street, put the car in park and get out and look. This will push the wheel up into the wheel well and compress the suspension so as to simulate you going over a huge bump, but even more extreme. If the tire is not touching the fender doing this, you are good to go. I am serious when I say not touching at all. Even if you are only 2-3mm from touching, it will not rub in normal driving.

Originally Posted by JPK_NJ

Tested the driveway method and also put masking tape on. Passenger side consistently rubs near the upper back part of the fender. And the rubbing is actually right on the outer edge of the tread/beginning sidewall which might be why some say it doesnt rub. Hard to visually tell since it isnt directly on the tread. But touching the fender or sidewall after a short drive does yield black rubbing on the fingers.

Question is, what will happen if I keep these on long term? Is it safe?

Originally Posted by \Boost Monkey/

If there are no distinct lines on the point of contact of rubbing, and you can not hear it rub ever with the windows down, radio off etc then yes it is perfectly fine I would leave it.

I have driven many of car rubbing all over the place with very aggressive setups. Some rub to a point that it is just too much rubbing and some just slightly and I leave it or do a slight fender roll at my local shop with a heat gun and fender roller.

I will not roll the fenders at all on my vette, though, ever. I did on my last BMW though, but BMW rear fenders are horrible as many wheel gurus will tell you.

Point is, from what you have told me, you will be more than fine. Unless you can hear it all the time, you are very lowered, have negative camber to the tune of like -1.5+...then you will be fine.

By the way, rubbing your finger on the tire will always put black marks on your fingers, no matter where you rub

When you get to the point of the fender lip edge causing grooves and small shavings coming off, then you need to address it. That will not happen on your setup unless you go lower, add negative camber, or get more aggressive wheels.