Need new wheels for an 88 formula...any suggestions? (Page 2/3)
pmbrunelle MAY 04, 12:46 PM

quote
Originally posted by Monkeyman:
AFAIK, ALL Formulas had the 2.8.


What I'm saying is that all 88 Fieros have the same suspension geometry, so the wheel fitment requirements are unrelated to the powerplant.

Maybe the GT is different (due to its different body style), but between the 2.8 Formula and the 2.5 Base Coupe, the (visual) wheel fitment requirements are identical.

So if identical wheels at all four corners is acceptable for a Base Coupe, then identical wheels are acceptable for a Formula as well.

Now, the only question is, did GM use four identical wheels on the 88 Base Coupe?
Raydar MAY 04, 09:48 PM
When sourcing wheels for an 88, I first do a search for "VW New Beetle". Anything, within reason, that fits that car will fit the rear of an 88 (or all four corners of an earlier car.)
For the 88 fronts, I search "Subaru Impreza". They have the higher offsets required by the 88 fronts.
The only real "gotcha" for the Subaru fitment is that the Subaru has a 56.1 mm centerbore, while the Fiero's is 57.1 mm. In reality, this probably won't matter, as most aftermarket wheels are "universal", with a 70-something centerbore, and use hub-centric rings.

Anyway... Once you find a wheel that you like, that is available for both cars, you should have it knocked.

Another trick... If the front of the 88 is lowered, it tends to tuck the wheels under the car a bit more. Or at least it gives that appearance.

This car has 17x8, 35mm wheels on the rear, and 17x7, 38mm wheels on the front. 38 isn't ideal for the front, but it works okay.



quote
Originally posted by carguy8t8:

Incorrect. 88 base 14" stock wheels are different front to rear due to the wider hub face on the front just like the V6 models.




Nope. Not true. All 14" wheels are the same, front to rear. I just finished removing a set from my 88 coupe, pictured above.
The Formula/GT widths and offsets are staggered, however.

[This message has been edited by Raydar (edited 05-04-2017).]

aldan78 MAY 04, 10:39 PM
I had ASA AR1 17x8 with a 35mm backspace on my 88 GT. They worked well. the fronts did stick out a little more than they did on my 85, but it really wasn't noticable unless you knew about it. steering effort was slightly higher at low speed but not bad. I really like those rims on my 85. I got the black with machined lip. they look great with the silver 2 tone on the car. My tires were getting bad and my 85 was out of commission, so I took the rims and tires off the 85 to put on the 88 till I had money for tires. Got the factory rims back on the 88 now. I was looking at maybe getting a set of these for the 88 sometime. http://www.ebay.com/itm/162275088917 ebay seems to have a bettter selection of rims than tirerack, it's just a little more work sorting through the ones that will fit. there are filters for offset, width, bolt pattern, size, finish, etc that help sorting through them. I used this chart to help understand rim width/offset in relation to the body. http://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum1/HTML/058236.html
carguy8t8 MAY 12, 08:07 PM

quote
Originally posted by Gall757:


This is news to me. I have not read or heard about Fiero 14" wheels with 2 different offsets. It sure would look funny if you accidentally swapped the wheels front to back...



Sorry I can't let this go. I hate misinformation on here.

Your right it does look funny. I discovered this when I bought a 88 coupe off the lot brand new in 1988. Upgraded to BFG's (big mistake) and soon discovered the different offset. I also just parted one out a couple years ago and the wheels are different. They are just like the Formula GT wheels. 1" lip in the rear 1/4" lip in the front. See picture:

[This message has been edited by carguy8t8 (edited 05-12-2017).]

carguy8t8 MAY 12, 09:24 PM
Sorry Raydar but you are wrong on this one. see post above.


quote
Originally posted by Raydar:

When sourcing wheels for an 88, I first do a search for "VW New Beetle". Anything, within reason, that fits that car will fit the rear of an 88 (or all four corners of an earlier car.)
For the 88 fronts, I search "Subaru Impreza". They have the higher offsets required by the 88 fronts.
The only real "gotcha" for the Subaru fitment is that the Subaru has a 56.1 mm centerbore, while the Fiero's is 57.1 mm. In reality, this probably won't matter, as most aftermarket wheels are "universal", with a 70-something centerbore, and use hub-centric rings.

Anyway... Once you find a wheel that you like, that is available for both cars, you should have it knocked.

Another trick... If the front of the 88 is lowered, it tends to tuck the wheels under the car a bit more. Or at least it gives that appearance.

This car has 17x8, 35mm wheels on the rear, and 17x7, 38mm wheels on the front. 38 isn't ideal for the front, but it works okay.



Nope. Not true. All 14" wheels are the same, front to rear. I just finished removing a set from my 88 coupe, pictured above.
The Formula/GT widths and offsets are staggered, however.


[This message has been edited by carguy8t8 (edited 05-12-2017).]

Gall757 MAY 12, 10:16 PM

quote
Originally posted by carguy8t8:

Sorry I can't let this go. I hate misinformation on here.




So not only are the offsets different, but the width is different too? I can find no references to this in the literature I have (no option code).......can you provide a photo of the wide wheel?
carguy8t8 MAY 13, 09:26 AM

quote
Originally posted by Gall757:


So not only are the offsets different, but the width is different too? I can find no references to this in the literature I have (no option code).......can you provide a photo of the wide wheel?



I don't know that the width was different just the offset. I just remember that discount tire put one rear wheel on the front and it looked very odd. It took me a few days to figure out the problem. It has been almost 30 years so my memory is fading but that is how I remember it. The picture above was taken from an eBay ad.
fieroguru MAY 13, 11:20 AM

quote
Originally posted by carguy8t8:
Sorry I can't let this go. I hate misinformation on here.

Your right it does look funny. I discovered this when I bought a 88 coupe off the lot brand new in 1988. Upgraded to BFG's (big mistake) and soon discovered the different offset. I also just parted one out a couple years ago and the wheels are different. They are just like the Formula GT wheels. 1" lip in the rear 1/4" lip in the front. See picture:







I am with you on the misinformation front...

I have owned a lot of 88 coupes and have never come across one with a deeper offset 14" wheel in the front. If you look for examples in good condition with good pictures of the wheels, it isn't hard to find them with the same offset front and rear:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/198...AOSw42dZFjh4&vxp=mtr
https://www.carsforsale.com...cle/details/30701640
https://chicago.craigslist..../cto/6126884379.html

Pontiac used the same "style" 14" wheels across nearly every model with the 5x100 pattern, so possibly the different offset came from one of them. I did some searching and the Pontiac Sunbird and GrandAM used the deeper offset versions and a couple of wheel suppliers for this style, do not list the Fiero, Citation, or Pontiac 6000 (both of which are the closest cousins to the Fiero) as an application.
http://www.wheelsandcaps.co...UtLcaO3-uRoCC_fw_wcB
http://mvpwheels.com/factor...el-rim-1368-u30.html

As to how your Fiero came from the dealer with the different offset in the front, it is hard to say.
Maybe someone at the dealer thought they looked better with the deeper offset version so they swapped them out.
Maybe someone scratched them during a customer test drive and they replaced them with a set they had on hand.
Maybe the wheel change was part of the western edition that even to this day there is little known about it as it was a regional option.
Maybe there was another little know regional option with the deeper offset front wheels.
Maybe the early 88 models had the deeper offset, but changed mid-production to using the same wheels front/back (similar to the power steering option that was designed, developed, shipped on a few car, then pulled from production).

It is hard to say for sure, but everything is pointing to the deeper offset 14" front wheels being on the front of the 88 4cyl coupe is the exception, and not the norm.

As people go to Fiero shows this summer, it might be helpful to review all the low mile stock 88 coupes to see which wheels they have on front.
fierofool MAY 13, 06:06 PM
I have an 88 coupe. I'm the second owner. I still have the original wheels and front and rear are identical to the ones I had on my 2 85GT's. The Grand Am and Sunbird wheels were identical to the Fiero's but didn't have the lip. My wife's new 93 Grand Am wheels had no lip on front or rear.

[This message has been edited by fierofool (edited 05-13-2017).]

Raydar MAY 13, 07:11 PM

quote
Originally posted by carguy8t8:


Sorry I can't let this go. I hate misinformation on here.

Your right it does look funny. I discovered this when I bought a 88 coupe off the lot brand new in 1988. Upgraded to BFG's (big mistake) and soon discovered the different offset. I also just parted one out a couple years ago and the wheels are different. They are just like the Formula GT wheels. 1" lip in the rear 1/4" lip in the front. See picture:






That's a Grand Am wheel. They came with that offset.

I'm not disputing that your brand new 88 coupe came with that wheel on the front, but it didn't leave the factory that way, unless it was a mistake. The dealer might have swapped them, or whatever.
I've owned two different, original 88 coupes. They all had identical wheels, front to rear.
My originals, that came off the car pictured above, are in storage. I can get pics if you want.
Or I can find the page in the 22P parts book.
The only difference in any of the 14" aluminum Fiero wheels, are that some of them are white (Indys) and some of them have gold slots (86-87 SE.)

Edit - Personally, I think they should have put those wheels on the front of the coupe, but probably didn't because the tires were also the same size, and were able to be rotated with the "same" wheels.

[This message has been edited by Raydar (edited 05-13-2017).]