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Widest Possible Wheels for stock bodied 88 Fiero by fieroguru
Started on: 01-22-2012 02:22 PM
Replies: 60 (8798 views)
Last post by: fieroguru on 04-18-2016 06:39 PM
Pete Matos
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Report this Post02-22-2012 11:40 AM Click Here to See the Profile for Pete MatosSend a Private Message to Pete MatosEdit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
At the risk of sidetracking this cool thread more here, I am curious as to what the widest wheel and tire combo anyone has been able to put on a pre-88 chassis? I think that extra wide wheel looks great on guru's car and should allow him to get some much needed rubber under that car. I am anxious to see what it looks like all done. Peace

Pete
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fieroguru
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Report this Post02-23-2012 08:31 PM Click Here to See the Profile for fieroguruSend a Private Message to fieroguruEdit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
Started working on the strut relocation at the top:




I will remove the raised lip on the top of the strut tower and make a flat triangular aluminum piece to cover the enlarged hole and mask the relocation.
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JSzpotek
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Report this Post02-23-2012 10:14 PM Click Here to See the Profile for JSzpotekSend a Private Message to JSzpotekEdit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
Just picked up some Z06 wheels not to long ago, got them for dirt cheap so I couldnt pass up the offer.. Gonna have some fun trying to make em ..







------------------


JSzpotek's 3800NA Series III L26 White 87 Fiero GT

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tbicreations021
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Report this Post02-24-2012 12:20 AM Click Here to See the Profile for tbicreations021Send a Private Message to tbicreations021Edit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
wow that is awesome work . great job.
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Lonster
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Report this Post02-24-2012 06:48 PM Click Here to See the Profile for LonsterSend a Private Message to LonsterEdit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
 
quote
Originally posted by fieroguru:

Started working on the strut relocation at the top:


Couple of questions... Was modifing the strut tower to permanent as in Fog's mod or was the layers of metal a factor? I see that his mod was in an earlier model year Fiero. Was this mod not possible for a '88?

//www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum2/HTML/104511.html

Great work!!! I look forwar to your updates daily!

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fieroguru
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Report this Post02-24-2012 06:59 PM Click Here to See the Profile for fieroguruSend a Private Message to fieroguruEdit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
[QUOTE]Originally posted by Lonster:

Was modifing the strut tower to permanent as in Fog's mod or was the layers of metal a factor?


Fogs method would work as well.

Template of the topside beauty panel:


Flattened the raise portion of the strut tower with a grinder:



Still needed to remove more material (die grinder with carbide burr):


Welded up the stock inboard hole as it would have been too close to the new hole:


Test fit:




Looks pretty good for a strut relocation!

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Bloozberry
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Report this Post02-24-2012 07:33 PM Click Here to See the Profile for BloozberrySend a Private Message to BloozberryEdit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
Nice job! Have you calculated how much of an angular change this gives to the strut?
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fieroguru
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Report this Post02-24-2012 08:04 PM Click Here to See the Profile for fieroguruSend a Private Message to fieroguruEdit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
 
quote
Originally posted by Bloozberry:

Nice job! Have you calculated how much of an angular change this gives to the strut?


On a stock Fiero, the strut angle I am showing is 71.8 degrees. Moving the top in, 1" changes this to 70.1 (or a 1.7 degree change).

However, I also moved the bottom in 1 5/8" (74.4 degrees if that is the only change, 72.7 degrees with the 1" move at the top), then lowered it 1 1/2" which brings it back to 72.0 degrees or about 0.2 degrees overall change, but not in the favorable direction. It is not ideal, but I will take the .2 degree change from stock to get an extra 1.5" of rear tire in the back.

[This message has been edited by fieroguru (edited 02-24-2012).]

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Jim88GT
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Report this Post08-07-2012 08:39 PM Click Here to See the Profile for Jim88GTSend a Private Message to Jim88GTEdit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
Bump for a great thread!
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lou_dias
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Report this Post08-08-2012 09:55 AM Click Here to See the Profile for lou_diasSend a Private Message to lou_diasEdit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
I just ordered 2 of these for the back: http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SUM-141-7961GM25
With some 275/40/15 Nitto NT555R rubber.
I'm using the HELD bearings for 5x4.75" pattern already and have my body widened maybe an inch along the rear fender.
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fieroguru
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Report this Post08-08-2012 01:52 PM Click Here to See the Profile for fieroguruSend a Private Message to fieroguruEdit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
 
quote
Originally posted by Jim88GT:

Bump for a great thread!


Thanks, been busy getting things situated from my move in June and taking care of customer parts. I have now made 4 sets of 88 rear uprights with the 4 3/4" pattern and getting ready to do a set in 5x115 and checking out another 5 x 4 3/4" bearing that might reduce the needed machine work to make it fit (but it costs more up front).

I am hoping to get back to finishing the engine swap on the car to get it running/driving in a month or two and then will spent some time this winter finishing up all the suspension tweaks for the large tires.


 
quote
Originally posted by lou_dias:

I just ordered 2 of these for the back: http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SUM-141-7961GM25
With some 275/40/15 Nitto NT555R rubber.
I'm using the HELD bearings for 5x4.75" pattern already and have my body widened maybe an inch along the rear fender.


Is your car an 88? If so did you confirm that a 17" wheel with 6" of backspacing will clear the upright/strut bolt area. On the 88's this area is higher than the 84-87's and you must run 18" to get over the top of it, on 17's this will be the area of first interferance.

The primary focus of this thread is to fit the widest wheels on an 88 w/o any widening of the body. I am currently on track to shoe horn some 305's in the rear under the stock body, so being able to run 275's with a 1" wider body doesn't contribute much to the content of the thread.
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lou_dias
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Report this Post08-08-2012 02:26 PM Click Here to See the Profile for lou_diasSend a Private Message to lou_diasEdit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
My car is an 87 with coilovers from RCC. It is currently using 16x8 1999 Camaro SS wheels with about a 1/4" to 3/8" spacer. Those wheels have 6.5 - 6.75 inches of backspacing. I was hoping to eliminate the need for the spacers by going to 6" of backspacing. I'm also not concerned with them sticking out a bit. Sorry that I am OT.

Are your 88 uprights "backwards compatible" with 87's because the HELD bearing quality is suspect. I can't tell you how many I've replaced and I'm looking for a new solution to the problem of 5x4.75" bolt pattern...
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fieroguru
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Report this Post08-08-2012 04:30 PM Click Here to See the Profile for fieroguruSend a Private Message to fieroguruEdit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
 
quote
Originally posted by lou_dias:

Are your 88 uprights "backwards compatible" with 87's because the HELD bearing quality is suspect. I can't tell you how many I've replaced and I'm looking for a new solution to the problem of 5x4.75" bolt pattern...


My uprights are stock 88 parts with the center bore enlarged to 3.060". They only work on 88's. I take the S10 wheel bearings and maching them down to 3.055" OD, 1.66" flange spacing, and to accept the fiero 3 bolt pattern on the upright. This whole process is quite involved... but you get a larger bearing on the 88 rear.

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rogergarrison
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Report this Post08-08-2012 07:15 PM Click Here to See the Profile for rogergarrisonSend a Private Message to rogergarrisonEdit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
Just remember the same tire sizes can vary between brands by as much as an inch in width or height. When you cut it very close, it will make a difference. ie/ Dunlop may fit everywhere fine, but Goodyear wont work at all.
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fieroguru
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Report this Post08-08-2012 08:12 PM Click Here to See the Profile for fieroguruSend a Private Message to fieroguruEdit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
 
quote
Originally posted by rogergarrison:

Just remember the same tire sizes can vary between brands by as much as an inch in width or height. When you cut it very close, it will make a difference. ie/ Dunlop may fit everywhere fine, but Goodyear wont work at all.


Most of the critical dimensions are posted on tire rack for all tires and sizes they carry. Just part of the research...
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gmctyphoon1992
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Report this Post08-08-2012 11:56 PM Click Here to See the Profile for gmctyphoon1992Send a Private Message to gmctyphoon1992Edit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
this is great thread

I cant believe how good those wide wheels look tucked into the fender.. I wanted to widen the body just to put wider wheels on my car.. but now im thinking of something more like this..
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Will
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Report this Post08-14-2012 12:36 PM Click Here to See the Profile for WillSend a Private Message to WillEdit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
If 18x10 wheels fit under stock bodywork, then 18x13 should fit under an IMSA wide body
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Lonster
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Report this Post05-17-2014 07:05 PM Click Here to See the Profile for LonsterSend a Private Message to LonsterEdit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
Any progress ???
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fieroguru
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Report this Post05-18-2014 07:40 AM Click Here to See the Profile for fieroguruSend a Private Message to fieroguruEdit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
I kept the 16x7 wheels on the car last year so I could get the LS4/F40 swap on the road and I have been having too much fun driving it to take it back down to rework the axles and halfshaft for the wider wheels. I am currently bogged down with other projects that are taking all my time/$$$ at the moment, so it will likely be a year or so before I get back to installing the wider wheels.

[This message has been edited by fieroguru (edited 05-18-2014).]

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DKcustoms
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Report this Post04-18-2016 04:52 PM Click Here to See the Profile for DKcustomsSend a Private Message to DKcustomsEdit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
bump to remind guru for those of us looking at aftermarket/vette wheels for our 88's
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fieroguru
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Report this Post04-18-2016 06:39 PM Click Here to See the Profile for fieroguruSend a Private Message to fieroguruEdit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
I doubt I will ever get back to this method of machining wheel bearings and uprights. Just too much work for what the gains and limitations are, plus there seems to be more/wider wheels in the 5x100mm pattern than ever.

Enkei Tuning Kojin wheels come with 5x100mm in the following sizes and offsets:
Front: 17x8 45et
Rear 18x9.5 45et


So I am going to give them a try with 235/40/17 front tires and 285/30/18 rear tires.
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