Ryan77

I plan to get a set of the Boyd Coddington Timeless 5 wheels and would like to run the 17"x8" with a 4" backspacing on the front and 17"x9.5" on the rear. My question is what backspacing do I need for the rear and what has to be done to make them fit? I believe if you have stock trialing ams you can just relocate the e-brake and they will fit. What size tire is the best for 17"x9.5"? I would prefer to not have the wheels stick out past the stock fender flares if it is possible. Thanks in advance :cheers:

mrvette

Ryan, here is where it get a bit crazy, for some reason a wheel mfgr measures the rim width from tire bead to tire bead where the rubber meets the rim...no matter how thick the rim it...steel being thinner tha aluminum obviously....but measurig a rim the easiest way without calipers and such is taking a straight edge across the rim diameter and measuring offset to the rim mounting inner face....stock steel 8" rims for say a '72 vette are measuring 3.5 inches MY way....now the typical mounting means the center of the tire is on bearing centerline, to reduce wear....
the '92 vetter /95 inch rims I have in the rear measure 7" offset MY way...
and I use a 2.5 inch wheel adaptor....making 4.5 inches net....
nearly the same....

hope that helps....

GENE

WA 2 FST

Ryan,

This is the exact combo I have on my '69 roadster. I do have offset trailing arms, but you might not need them (will definitely have to move the e-brake bracket and cable) with the 4.75" BS I run. These wheels do not require a spacer, so you will not have to take that into account when ordering.

I went with the neutral offset to help give the wheel bearings a long life. Also, I knew for SURE these would fit.

Do they stick out? A tiny bit. The car sits low, and it looks muscular. The tires aren't sticking out 1+" or more. I run 285/40-17s on the back and 245/45-17s on the front. This allows the rear tires to be just slightly taller than the front tires. A 275/40 is shorter than a 245/45, albeit by a few tenths of an inch.

Ryan77

Thanks for both the replies :yesnod:. I can get offset T/A's but don't want to go through the hassle and cash if I don't have to. WA 2 FST--- where did you get your offset T/A's from? I plan on going with the Vette Brakes suspension, and could get a set then. If I have too, i'll do the suspension first and then add the wheels :cheers:


[Modified by Ryan77, 4:29 PM 2/21/2003]

PrarieShark

I test fitted my 17x9.5s with a 5in back space the cable for the E-break does have to be removed and it's bracket cut off. They will be a very tight fit and the wheel does stick of the well just a bit add the tire they may stick out as much as an inch. My car sits prity low to the ground so I decided a 275/40/17 would give me the look I'm going for, we'll see. The Kumho's are 25.5 in tall and just over 10in, wide.Thats about the same size as the 255/60/15s I have now.
If you want to see how much the wheel sticks out of the fender check out my page there is a pic of how they fit.





[Modified by PrarieShark, 3:56 PM 2/21/2003]

Ryan77

Thanks for the info :cool: You can relocate the bracket and still use the e-brake right? I know it will be a tight fit but have your ever had any problems with the tire rubbing or hitting the fenders on a hard bump?

PrarieShark

The 255s I have on now do rub in the back if I hit a realy bad enough bump and being the new tires are about the same hidth that problem is'nt gonna change. Yes you can still use the break.


[Modified by PrarieShark, 4:14 PM 2/21/2003]

WA 2 FST

Ryan,

I did indeed get the VBP ones. Very quality pieces. Actually the entire rear suspension was done recently (before I bought the car in Nov. '02) with VBP stuff, and the car rides wonderfully even with stiff components (at least from a C3 perspective).

I can send you pics from the rear of how far the tires stick out. To me its not bad at all, but I'm a hot-rodder and like a low, wide stance. Actually when I look at the way my rear tires on my Z06 fit (aftermarket wheels, but stock offset and tire size)... from the rear on both cars, the tires stick out a tad. It just doesn't bother me, but I'm not a purist. :)

Ryan77

WA 2 FST-- I have to agree with you, I'm not a purist either. My car is getting a 470 hp 383 this fall, VBP suspension, ROD 6 speed, the new wheels, this list goes on :jester . Do you know which VBP system you have by any chance?

norvalwilhelm

Offset trailing arms do not move the axle flange away from the stock location. They offer more clearance at the front where the trailing arm goes into the frame but nothing where the wheel mounts. A 5 inch backspacing will put the inside of the wheel very close to the frame, maybe into it. 4 1/2 inch backspacing is alot safer. If you want to check backspacing make yourself a gage.
Take a piece of scrap angle iron about 18 inches long and drill 2 1/2 inch holes so it can be slid over 2 of the wheel studs. This is the back facing of the rim or mounting flange. 7.5 inches out from the center of the wheel drill a 1/4 inch hole and using threaded rod 9.5 inches long for the rim width you want to run put this rod through the 1/4 inch hole and lock it in place with 2 nuts. This will show the back spacing you want to run. Another hole 14 inches out from the center for a 28 inch tire and a piece of threaded rod the width of the tread tells you how the tread would clear. A final hole with a piece of threaded rod at the sectional width of the tire and about 12 inches out tells you how the sectional width clears the frame.
I know this is confussing but you can make a homemade gage or like Monty buy a really nice one but it works and you can try different offsets and sectional widths.
Hope someone can understand what I just tried to say.
I have a gage like this and tried many combinations until I totally filled the wheel well
This 305 tire is resting on the lower strut rod and the upper is disconnected or the top of the tire would be in a little more

WA 2 FST

Sounds like one very sweet hot-rod to me. :) You'll love the ROD. I have the Richmond 5-speed and its awesome. I do not know which offset TA I got, as I ordered them through a local shop that is a distributor for VBP. They were $190 ea.

Norval knows a 1000x more than I do on this stuff, but I would say that with my 285s, I could run 5" BS (instead of my 4.75") and be fine. No way the tire would hit anything. That being said I'm pleased with the way it turned out. The car looks downright mean. :D

norvalwilhelm

Norval knows a 1000x more than I do on this stuff, but I would say that with my 285s, I could run 5" BS (instead of my 4.75") and be fine. No way the tire would hit anything. That being said I'm pleased with the way it turned out. The car looks downright mean.

Norval knows a 1000x more than I do on this stuff, but I would say that with my 285s, I could run 5" BS (instead of my 4.75") and be fine. No way the tire would hit anything. That being said I'm pleased with the way it turned out. The car looks downright mean.

Thank you but what are you going to do about the spring. I had to shorten my rear spring about 3 inches to fit the 5 inch backspacing and also slightly modify the frame just where the training arm goes into the frame.
I have rims with 4.5 backspacing, 5 inch and 6 inch in 17 inch and try all of them at one time or another. I do have offset trailing arms and a short rear spring and spring bolts that are moved in 1.5 inches per side.
12.50 x 28 x 15 inch mickey thompson sportsman pro's fill my wheel well from frame to modified outer lip.

WA 2 FST

Norval, I would also have to shorten my fiberglass VBP spring if I was going to run more than my current 4.75" BS. I agree with you there. The tire would NOT be a problem, but the wheel would could interfere with the spring. If I raised the rear ride height up some, the spring might fit inside the wheel lip without interference. Lowered the way it is now...probably not. Mine _might_ work with 5", but I would shorten the spring anyway, just to make sure it wouldn't rub. Your spring must've been _really_ long in order to have to shorten it 3 in to run 5" BS. I would probably shorten mine 1".

It's a moot point for me. I went with 4.75" and didn't have to do anything to the spring, I have plenty of clearance to the frame, even with the 285mm wide tires. :)


[Modified by WA 2 FST, 8:37 PM 2/21/2003]

norvalwilhelm

Can you shorten a fiberglass spring? I would go fiberglass but was afraid to cut and make new holes. How would you do this.
With my steel spring I cut one end off then drilled a new 3/4 inch hole the exactly in the middle of these 2 holes I drilled a new 3/8 hole for reassembling the spring.

WA 2 FST

Norval,

That's a good question, and I'm not gonna be the guinea-pig. Seems to me you could. Would have to do what you did, and just be extra careful. Then again it might seriously compromise its integrity. Drilling it wouldn't be a problem, but then getting some sort of bushing in the hole where the bolt passes through would be important, I'd think.

Ryan77

So, if I have 17"x9.5" wide wheel on the back, with a 4.75" backspace, stock T/A's, and 285 tire, it should fit without modification? Or do I need to get the offset T/A's :confused:

PrarieShark

Norval .. I had the wheel on and the wheel cleared my composite spring without modifacation. I dont know what the diffrances are but it does fit.


[Modified by PrarieShark, 3:00 PM 2/22/2003]

norvalwilhelm

I have 5 inch backspacing with 8.5 inch rims and 305 tires with 8 inch hanger bolts and offset trailing arms. With this combination my tire was almost against the frame just above where the trailing arms go into the frame and the sectional width of the tire was too close to the spring.
I ended up shortening the spring and using a 3/8th spacer on the drivers side to move the tire away from the frame and a 1/2 inch spacer on the passengers side. I do run oversize 1/2 inch studs 3 inches long and nuts threaded all the way through.
My section width of my MT tires was 12.5 inches. My present 305 TA's are a little smaller.
If it fits go for it.

79BlueBlue

i got p255-60's on the front and p275-60's on the back with a spacer