Well i got my tires mounted and balanced on my wheels today, we have a road force balancer, and they came up with excessive road force but either way 265/35/18's fit, from what I can tell just fine. The offset is 35 and it is a 9in rim, the only problem I have is they stick out about 3/4 of an inch on ea side, but I plan on fixing that with a very minute widebody, if things go as planned.

And what I think people would want to see.... the pictures...





And from what I can tell the only thing that would cause a possible issue with rubbing is the spring perch and you can see here that there is quite a gap between the wheel and perch.



Hope this helps anybody looking for wheels, Chris

Don't hit a bump :P

Looks like it could use some flares on the back.

Looks like a DUNK. (old cars with HUGE wheels)

COIL OVERS!

Coil over's will be happening soon, just got the tires mounted and wanted to put them on. Let me know if I am wrong, but from what I understand the tire and spring perch move together when you hit a bump, so shouldn't the distance between the wheel and the perch never change? coil overs will help to lower the car, but I don't think they are needed to keep from anything rubbing.

Oh and I plan to basically flare the back end along with scoops on the 1/4 panels when i get down to sanding the car to prep for paint.


Maybe I am wrong, but that is what makes sense to me, Chris

I think he was talking about hitting the fender not the perch. Looks good to me, I like wide tires! How does it steer? Is it noticeably harder?
Thanks for posting.

I didn't notice it being any harder, I haven't pulled in and out of a parking spot yet, but I have turned the car around on the street to back it into the garage a couple times and it seamed to turn fine, then again, anybody else in my family, even when driving my formula with 195's on it complain about it being hard to steer so I might just not even think about it


Chris

Yeah, you need a Mad-Arch kit.

Curley, you get any commission from Archie for selling those things? I think I will make one myself, I don't think I need the full width of the mad archie kit, who knows maybe by then I will have the first coupe widebody, even if it is only an inch on ea side


Chris

quote Originally posted by eph_kay: Let me know if I am wrong, but from what I understand the tire and spring perch move together when you hit a bump, so shouldn't the distance between the wheel and the perch never change? coil overs will help to lower the car, but I don't think they are needed to keep from anything rubbing.

First part is correct, the wheel and perch move together.

Second part is not as correct. What we can't see in your picture is the horizontal distance between the wheel and the perch. If you have room then fine it won't change, but it could be rubbing. An adjustable coilover doesn't have that large perch and will give more clearance to keep from rubbing. Also, an adjustable coilover will give you the freedom to raise the car or adjust stiffness to keep from rubbing on the fenders.

Adjustable coilovers, are not just for lowering the car. Notice I keep saying "Adjustable" since all McPherson struts technically are coil over shock. When people say coilovers, what they are really saying is Adjustable Coilovers.

i have a question on rim sizes, do 17x7 Front and 18x9 Rear fit on a stock 87 gt? what offset do they need to be?

I am not 100% sure since I only have 88's but the fronts on here are 18x7's with a 42 offset and they seam to be a perfect offset, on the rears for them to stick out as much as mine you will need a 35 offset on the 9in rim, going with a greater offset and a coil over you could probably get them to tuck under the fender just fine, but I am unsure, because I know the 88 and pre 88 rear knuckles are differen't, I would assume the offset is different too.


jscott, I have about 1" I would say, in other words I can freely move my finger around between the tire and the strut body/spring perch, I would say it is about an inch, I just went and checked, which should be about the same with coil over's since it is gonna be the same sturt body.

And what I was saying with the "help to lower the car..." was that, the comment about "COIL OVERS!" I don't think they are needed for this tire, but they would help to lower the car to look better, that is what I meant by saying that.


Sorry I worded that funny, Chris

Geezs, the 88s strange cause a prior yrs don't stick out that far. I guess this the same issue #025 is having.

This is what it looks like on Chet's Fiero
(18x8 front with 38 offset on 225/40/18) and (18x9 back with a 35 offset on 255/35/18 Falkens 452)

Hmm, good to know... I think I'll definetely go to a 265 when my 255 G-Force's are worn out.
Happen to know what kind of price difference there is between the sizes?

And it does kind look Dunk-y... I like it

Edit to add: Madcurl, any report on how good those Falken 452s are? They have an excellent treadwear rating and look good, especially considering how relatively inexpensive they are but I couldn't find much of a review on them.

[This message has been edited by pumpkincarriage (edited 02-18-2008).]

i just found my rim size and offset

thanks madcurl

quote Originally posted by pumpkincarriage: Edit to add: Madcurl, any report on how good those Falken 452s are? They have an excellent treadwear rating and look good, especially considering how relatively inexpensive they are but I couldn't find much of a review on them.

I've purchase Falken tires so I don't know of it's quality or tread wear.

Rear fender flares will look good. Nice rims!

What tire size are you running up front?

quote Originally posted by eph_kay: I don't think they are needed for this tire, but they would help to lower the car to look better, that is what I meant by saying that.

Yeah, you probably have about an inch to come down without any problems. You need about two "Curley sized" fingers between the tire and the fender with stock springs to not have rubbing. Stiffer springs would allow you to come down even further.

I think the 88s might need more offset on the rear than previously advertised. Or a widebody or baby flare.

I have 225/40/18s if I remember right.

jscott, I agree that just little bit of a flare would be nice, or go with a widebody, get some medium sized spacer's and get them dished on the inside and they would fit, or get new ones with different offset.

On the springs I plan on running at least a 300, maybe even a 350, I want a stiffer ride and they won't hurt with the added weight of the 3800


Chris

quote Originally posted by jscott1: I think the 88s might need more offset on the rear than previously advertised. Or a widebody or baby flare.

I believe the 88 rears should be a +42 offset to sit flush, my wheels are a +40 (with a 255/35/18) and don't stick out nearly as much.

I love it.

I don't see why the 88's would need a different offset for the rear. The rear factory wheels were the same as earlier years. Also the wheel hubs and axles are the same as earlier years, and GM couldn't have increased the track without changing one or more of those... Maybe the 88s have thicker rotor hats than the earlier ones?

Nice rims!! But I'm bias. As I mentioned the alignment may have to do on how much they stick out at the top. I had more camber before so they didn't stick out that much. On last alignment (stock settings) they went out a little. Still nothing that I think is too noticeable for the benefit of traction.

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Red: TPI V8 + 6-Speed Yellow: Nitrous 3.4 + 4 speed Auto
304rwHP/366rwTQ

quote Originally posted by pumpkincarriage: I believe the 88 rears should be a +42 offset to sit flush, my wheels are a +40 (with a 255/35/18) and don't stick out nearly as much.

No need for crazy offsets for the rear of an 88 with 255's.
This is my 88 with 255 45 17's and a 35mm offset, BTW the front is 215 45 17 with 40mm offset

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Huh, that fits really well on your car, what size rim is it on?


Chris

THis info was right on time . . . Thanks

quote Originally posted by Rickady88GT: No need for crazy offsets for the rear of an 88 with 255's. This is my 88 with 255 45 17's and a 35mm offset, BTW the front is 215 45 17 with 40mm offset

What's the width of the rim? That and the offset is what matters...

quote Originally posted by eph_kay: Well i got my tires mounted and balanced on my wheels today, we have a road force balancer, and they came up with excessive road force but either way 265/35/18's fit, from what I can tell just fine. The offset is 35 and it is a 9in rim, the only problem I have is they stick out about 3/4 of an inch on ea side, but I plan on fixing that with a very minute widebody, if things go as planned. And what I think people would want to see.... the pictures... Hope this helps anybody looking for wheels, Chris

Are those TSW Kyalami wheels? 18's on front & rear?

[This message has been edited by Amida (edited 02-21-2008).]

quote Originally posted by Steven Snyder: What's the width of the rim? That and the offset is what matters...

Ha Ha, good point how did I forget that.
The front is 7"wide and the rear is 8"

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If it's just the spring/seat that's creating the clearance problem then switching to a coilover setup should take care of it. I think I saw some Tenzo 18x9.0x5x100x49mm wheels at Discounttire.

quote Originally posted by Rickady88GT: I would not use ANY rim tire combo that puts the tire under .5" to the strut. Why, ask GM about the new GTO's with 17" rims on front that had less than .5 clearance. They have MANY tire blowouts on record and who knows how many went unreported. The tire WILL flex even at the top and get closer to the strut as you drive. If the tire touches it cuts the sidewall and BAM. Just because it will fit in without touching does not mean it will drive without touching. Under hard driving that tire will flex and the rim will too. You get what you pay for just imagine the the cheap rims flexing on hard corners. How much, I don't know but I am sure it is not a lot. If you tire is to close to the strut to begin with you cant afford ANY tire/wheel flex.

Even my Porsche rims (they're STIFF) flexed ~1/16" under LIGHT cornering, to contact the strut (they are 8.5" wide with 55mm offset and are VERY close to the top of the knuckle where the strut mounts). I imagine they flex 1/8" or more at max load. That's just the rim.. the tire is going to move a lot more!