I would not put 225's on the 7" front wheel with that low of a profile. A 215 is the limit for most if not all tire manufacturers. I would bet money that when it comes down to performance you could not tell the difference between the 225's and 215's anyways, so be safe and get what is already known to fit. The 225's will rub before full turn and the 215's may also? 42mm is way more offset than I am running. A profile that low will also look like a rubber band rapped around the rim and give you a large wheel fender gap. If that is the look you want go for it. I prefer the wheel arch to be filled.
215 45 17 with a 38mm offset. The taller side wall fits the wheel arch better than the small tires.
The rear with a 265 on an 8" rim is also to wide for manufactures specs. 255 on 45 profile will fit better and is generally the accepted limit. With a very low profile you cant go as wide as a taller profile.
Thanks Rickady....In all my 88 wheel searching you appear in every thread Your car and wheel set up looks great. I am OK with the 215 fronts but I really want to go as wide as possible in the back. I do have coilovers so I can go wider.
I wrote down a few sizes people are using with sucess.
F:17x7 38mm 215-45-17 R:17x8 35mm 255-45-17
F:18x8 38mm 225-40-18 R:18x9 35mm 255-35-18
F:18x7 42mm 225-40-18 R:18x9 35mm 265-35-18
So I guess I need to find a 8.5" or 9" wide rear wheel to fit the 265's.
My car
And the wheels I was considering but now I'm not sure...I definetly want black wheels though.
Ok..Just did some more searching and came up with a list of confirmed sizes....I like how Alex4mula's car looks so I will start looking for 9" wide wheels.
Unboundmo 18 x 7.5 --- 40mm 18 x 8 ------- 32mm
Raydar 17 x 7 ------ 48mm --------215-45 17 x 8 ------ 35mm --------235-45
Alex4mula 18 x 7 ----- 42mm --------225-40 18 x 9 ----- 35mm --------265-35
Rickady88Gt 17 x 7 ----- 38mm --------215-45 17 x 8 ----- 35mm --------255-45
Artherd 18 x 7.5 --- 45mm -------- 225-45 18 x 8.5 --- 38mm ---------265-35
[This message has been edited by buds (edited 06-25-2008).]
I would not put 225's on the 7" front wheel with that low of a profile. A 215 is the limit for most if not all tire manufacturers. I would bet money that when it comes down to performance you could not tell the difference between the 225's and 215's anyways, so be safe and get what is already known to fit. The 225's will rub before full turn and the 215's may also? 42mm is way more offset than I am running. A profile that low will also look like a rubber band rapped around the rim and give you a large wheel fender gap. If that is the look you want go for it. I prefer the wheel arch to be filled.
215 45 17 with a 38mm offset. The taller side wall fits the wheel arch better than the small tires.
I'll have to disagree with you here. I don't know where you get that 42mm in a 7" rim will rub. It won't. A 225 is perfect for the front of an 88. Maybe not in a 35 profile. A 215 is fine too and ok with a 7" rim. 35mm is the highest I would do in the rear or it will stick out. I have 7x18 42mm with 225/40 front and fit perfect with no rub and my car is lowered. They don't stick out also. They fit nice inside fender. Rear I have 18x9 35mm and fit ok. With an 8" rim it will fit great. I have plenty of pics but notin this computer. Do a search on me and 18s and you will see lots.
I'm running a set of rota slipstreams that fit perfect on my 88. The fronts are a 17x7.5 with a 45mm offset, 225/45/17 tire. The rears are a 17x8.5 with a 48mm offset and a 10mm spacer (effectively a 38mm offset) with 255/40/17. They fill up the wheel wells very nicely and fit perfect on the sides.
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10:24 AM
Rickady88GT Member
Posts: 10648 From: Central CA Registered: Dec 2002
I'll have to disagree with you here. I don't know where you get that 42mm in a 7" rim will rub. It won't. A 225 is perfect for the front of an 88. Maybe not in a 35 profile.
You can turn your steering wheel all the way to one side and your 225's wont rub on the A arm?
What ever you decide to use, don't go with the 225/35/17 or 225/35/18 (a 3.1 height); unless you don't mind bending your rims. Besides, they're too small of a radius IMO and using a 35 or for that matter a 38mm sticks out too far on a 88 Fiero front suspenion.
Depends on the brand of tire. Kumho listed the ECSTA 255 45 17 as the widest "low profile" tire that will fit the 8" rim. Other brands were 8.5 or wider rim for the same size tire.
If you are dead set on 18" you need to go wider because of the low 35 profile. The tire is not made to bow in to fit the narrow rim.
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[This message has been edited by Rickady88GT (edited 06-27-2008).]
Depends on the brand of tire. Kumho listed the ECSTA 255 45 17 as the widest "low profile) tire that will fit the 8" rim. Other brands were 8.5 or wider rim for the same size tire.
Where are you finding the info ? I can change tires easily enough.
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01:17 PM
Rickady88GT Member
Posts: 10648 From: Central CA Registered: Dec 2002
Rear Rim [URL=http://www.tirerack.com/wheels/WheelCloseUpServlet?target=runWheelSearch&initialPartNumber=AR17I32SML&wheelMake=ASA&wheelModel=AR1&wheelFinish=Silver+w%2FMachined+Lip&showRear=no&autoMake=Pontiac&autoModel=Fiero+GT&autoYear=1988&autoModClar=&filterSiz e=All]http://www.tirerack.com/whe...Clar=&filterSize=All[/URL]
Originally posted by madcurl: What ever you decide to use, don't go with the 225/35/17 or 225/35/18 (a 3.1 height); unless you don't mind bending your rims. Besides, they're too small of a radius IMO and using a 35 or for that matter a 38mm sticks out too far on a 88 Fiero front suspenion.
Originally posted by buds: Ok..Just did some more searching and came up with a list of confirmed sizes....I like how Alex4mula's car looks so I will start looking for 9" wide wheels.
Unboundmo 18 x 7.5 --- 40mm 18 x 8 ------- 32mm
Raydar 17 x 7 ------ 48mm --------215-45 17 x 8 ------ 35mm --------235-45
Alex4mula 18 x 7 ----- 42mm --------225-40 18 x 9 ----- 35mm --------265-35
Rickady88Gt 17 x 7 ----- 38mm --------215-45 17 x 8 ----- 35mm --------255-45
Artherd 18 x 7.5 --- 45mm -------- 225-45 18 x 8.5 --- 38mm ---------265-35
Guys, how is the handling?
[This message has been edited by FierociousGT (edited 06-27-2008).]
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01:52 PM
Rickady88GT Member
Posts: 10648 From: Central CA Registered: Dec 2002
Madcurl is not "wrong" it just depends on a few factors. I have not had issues with my 215's on 7" wide rims and 38mm off set rubbing on my fenders. Under hard corners they will rub the black plastic inner fender wells. But after several years with this combo I will most definitely "do it again" on another car. BUT if you had some other alignment specs, maybe it would not work? I have had my car aligned several times with different specs to get the best out of my power steering and have not had issues with the tire hitting the fender. On the other hand the tires will hit the A arms if turned to far. And this is with the 38mm off set. I would like to know how the 40+mm off sets do at full turn? With the 40+ off sets the fenders could be at a "safer" distance from the wheels in corners. Not only that but not all rims can be found in any off set. So you may be "stuck" with an off set you did not plan to have, you may have to settle for the closest off set they offer.
So they wouldn't let you put 255/35/18's on an 8" wheel? That's exactly what I'm running, the tires bulge the tiniest bit, but nowhere near unsafe. 225's are going to look very skinny in the rear You couldn't do a 245/35? I believe that's the largest "by the book" size for an 8" wheel. And why did you have to go all the way up to a 45 series profile? It'll ride better for sure, but it's going to look like alot of tire, in my opinion.
And as far as front tires go, I have 205/40/17 (8" wheel, 40 offset) fronts and they rub at full turn... so I just don't do full lock to lock turns
You chose a good looking wheel though, and you can always get a different tire size next time. Let us know your opinion on the Falken 452 also, I'm thinking I'll get them next time but would like to hear a review of them on a Fiero.
Are you serious??? Do you realize how tall those tires are? The fronts are 26" and the rears are 27"! You better call them back and tell them to change that. Drop them to a 40 series if you want those widths. If they won't do a 255/40 on an 8" rim (which I don't think they will), change it to a 245. And, honestly, a 235 at 40 series profile and lower fits an 8" wide wheel perfectly. You're just wanting too fat of a tire with too narrow of a rim.
i am looking for MAX handling and grip... as i drive like a nut case.. but i want the rips to look bad ass.
IMO I'd start here and click backwards for examples. //www.fiero.nl/forum/F.../HTML/052912-11.html Once you've found a wheel combination and same body style and year of your car; then 1/2 of your work is done. You'll then know what works and what looks good and proceed to search for the staggard wheel combination.
Keep in mind, if your engine/brakes are in stock form, larger wheels will hurt your take offs and braking. However, you'll look good once you get smoked at the line.
[This message has been edited by madcurl (edited 06-27-2008).]
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08:58 PM
FTF Engineering Member
Posts: 710 From: Near Philadelphia PA Registered: Sep 2001
Yeah, that's OSG has come up before... Don't know where they got their info, but it's wrong.
Frequently quoted misinformation is the most difficult type to stamp out. It's like urban legends. They're BS, but they sound so good and they circulate so easily that it starts to seem true. That OSG has been around for years and has lots of good info in it that IS correct. The 88 wheel specs, however, is a mistake.
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10:47 PM
Jun 30th, 2008
BV MotorSports Member
Posts: 4821 From: Oak Hill, WV Registered: May 2001
I am going to order some Enkei RPF1's in 17x8 ET 45 front and 18x8 ET 35 rear tomorrow. Not sure on the tire size yet but I think this is going to look and fit my 88GT great.
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12:05 AM
EMX5636 Member
Posts: 577 From: Sellersville, Pennsylvania Registered: Mar 2002
I'm running 17x7 48mm front and 18x8 45mm offset. I was going to add spacers to the rear, but I don't know if I need to now... I'll try to get some pics up soon.
Don't forget as i found out later, if you run the corvette 12" rotors, they are 3mm thinner than stock. At least that's what I have read...
Justin W
------------------ 1988 Fiero Formula 4-spd- 3400sfi intercooled turbo Haltech ECU. Here comes 350+whp 1990 Mitsubishi Eclipse GSX - T72, under the knife 1992 S10 4x4 - lowered, bike/quad hauler, dd 1995 Kawi Ninja zx7r 2003 Honda 440ex #33W
Originally posted by FTF Engineering: Yeah, that's OSG has come up before... Don't know where they got their info, but it's wrong.
Frequently quoted misinformation is the most difficult type to stamp out. It's like urban legends. They're BS, but they sound so good and they circulate so easily that it starts to seem true. That OSG has been around for years and has lots of good info in it that IS correct. The 88 wheel specs, however, is a mistake.
Thanks FTF, I'll email them.
[This message has been edited by FierociousGT (edited 06-30-2008).]
Your car and wheel set up looks great. I am OK with the 215 fronts but I really want to go as wide as possible in the back. I do have coilovers so I can go wider.
Besides, they're too small of a radius IMO and using a 35 or for that matter a 38mm sticks out too far on a 88 Fiero front suspenion. 
