Exotica

I tried searching on this but couldn't find an answer.

Can a C5Z run 17x11s all around withouth rubbing in the front? I am considering buying a set but I have heard conflicting reports on using 11" width up front.

Todd Z

You could do it but would be better off going with 18" all the way around. 18x10.5 in the front and 18x12 in the rear. also going to eisier to find tires in 18".

Exotica

I was hoping to run same size tires all around so I could rotate front to back. Is that an unrealistic expectation?

DarkMastyr

Tom for you I'd run the 18x10.5 OEM Z06 rear speedlines all around. I was considering doing that.

tjZ06

I ran 17x11s all around on my C5 Z06 for a long time. I ran 315/35-17s all around, and a few sets of tires I ran 315/35-17s in the front and 335/35-17s on the back. They WILL rub on the control arms at full lock, but it's minor and if you avoid full-lock it won't be an issue. I was going to build delrin steering stops but never got around to it. I sold those and went to 18x11 & 18x12 CCW classics which were amazing, but also rubbed on the control arm (just in a slightly different spot). Eventually I sold those too and just run stock Z06 wheels.

Depending on what tires ppl run in your area etc it's hard to say what's easier to find tires for. Around here I see 710s for the 17x11s all the time, and nearly as much for the Z06 wheels. RA-1s and such it's getting harder to find used fronts for the Z06 wheels as a lot of ppl have gone 18" all around.

Me driving a friend's Z06 on 17x11s all around, 315/35-17 710s all around, and slaaaaaamed on coil overs:


My car and same friend's car from above (before the c/o's), 17x11s w/ 315/35-17 710s all around both of them:




My car with the 18" CCWs:


All the wheels pictured above are Grand Sport offset.

-TJ

beerkat

I run 17x11 wheels all around. My car is stock height so I have not had a issue with rubbing. You can also fine scrubs fairly easy. I picked up a set of the V710 that had about 6 heat cycles all four for $200. 315/35 tires

ltborg

I've run 17x11 CCW Classics in the front (with 17x12 in the rear) as well as the 18x10.5 stock rear wheels all around. They both stick out just a little and like tjZ06 said, they will rub just a little. The 17x11s rub on the control arm. The 18x10.5s did not rub the a-arm but depending on the tire diameter, they may rub on the inner fender in places (I was running the stock rear tire size on those wheels with full tread street tires).

In terms of getting tires, it depends on what you are looking to do. What will be available definitely depends on the area, but I've found it seems overall easier to get 18s if you are looking for HPDE type tires (non-DOT legal slicks). However if you need the DOT ones for autocrossing, I've had better luck finding them in 17s. Plus 17s are cheaper to buy new if you have to.

Exotica

Great information guys. Thanks.

What would be a fair value to pay for a set of four 17x11s with used 710s with about 50% left?

I have a line on a set of used Speedlines (17/18) as well but I think if I go Z06 wheels I would like 18's all around like some of you suggested.


Btw, TJ, it was good meeting you a few months back. I was the guy who met up with you and Jason in the parking garage and bought Jason's engine oil cooler.

tjZ06

Ah, nice meeting you too, small world! The black car pictured is of course Jason's.

One important note: w/ 11" width rims and 315s up front you will not be able to run brake cooling ducts, or you will have to significantly limit steering lock. That was one of the motivating factors for me ditching the awesome (and light) CCWs. That and tires in those sizes (I ran 315/30-18 and 335/30-18) were painfully expensive and hard to find used.

Depending on what you're doing stock Z06 wheels can be a really great, light, strong and cheap option. Aftermarket 17x11s are heavy. For AutoXing the SS class folks tend to run 295/40-17 and 315/35-18 710s on them, and are wicked fast. That of course helps since you can pickup their used tires if you're not trying to be the fastest guy in town. For road course I've had good luck finding RA-1s in 275/40-17 and 305/35-18 which are pretty awesome (not as fast as 710s, or R/A6s, but great wear characteristics and a very predictable tire to drive on). It's getting harder to find the fronts though, like I said before more ppl are moving to 18s all around.

If the 17x11s you're looking at are aftermarket (99% chance they are, the only factory wheels you want are true GM Grand Sport wheels, which are rare, 'real' ZR1 wheels are the wrong offset) I would say around $500 w/ tires. That's what I paid for mine w/ probably 60-70% 710s way back when. FWIW Jason is selling his w/ good tires (the very ones in the first pic of his car I posted) that I just raced on a few months back. IIRC the tires had a lot of life left. I have no idea what he's asking though.

-TJ

Exotica

There's a local guy selling real GM Grand Sport wheels, 17x11 all around with 710s. I think he said about 50% wear left. He's asking $1000 and that sounded a bit high so I thought I would get opinions.

Maybe I should just stick to looking for 18x10.5 Speedlines all the way around??? Those aren't so hard to find and maybe used tires will be easier to find as well?

tjZ06

Hmmm, the true GM Grand Sport wheels do fetch a LOT more $ than the replicas. Especially 4 17x11s because that'd really be 4 rear Grand Sport wheels. I don't have the cold hard #s on how much lighter they are, so I can't really say if I'd consider them worth 2x the $.

As for finding tires easier for 18x10.5s around it all depends on what tire you're looking for. In our area if you watch baautox.com you'll see 315/35-17 Kuhmo 710s for sale used a good bit, so I consider them easiest to find. If you want RA-1s or R888 the Speed Challenge Vipers used (and I believe still use) 305/35-18 fronts so they are perfect and you can usually find them from guys like John Berget. I guess most fast SS guys have switched over to A6s so you can probably find used Hoosier A6s in sizes for stock C5Z06 wheels with relative ease, but I haven't checked lately. In other words, decide what you want to do, and therefor what tire is right for you, and then you can figure out what racing series use that tire in what sizes and determine what will be easiest to find used.

Honestly, for the casual AutoXer, and HPDEs a set of (shaved and heat cycled) used RA1/R888s on stock C5Z06 wheels are pretty awesome. You can street drive them (I use them as the street tires on my Z06 now), they wear well, they hook a lot of power, they're generally cheap, and they are pretty fast track day tires and relatively fast AutoX tires.

Going a bit further up the 'fast scale' are 710s on whatever wheel you choose. I never Road Coursed with the 17x11s all around, they stuck out too far for my taste at a road course (they'd probably hit the fender in front going the The Corkscrew at Laguna Seca, and in general they'd just throw a ton of rocks 'n stuff at the car) and as mentioned before I couldn't use brake ducts with them. But I did run 295/40-17 & 315/35-18 710s on stock Z06 wheels at Infineon and they were wicked fast.

Sitting on the 295-315 710s in the pits @ Infineon:


Some of the competition I ate up:


Saying good-bye to an instructor-driven STi:


Anyway, enough of my picture show. If your car is SS legal and you want to be competitive (or at least, have a competitive car ) you have to run stock (or stock sized) wheels, and you want A6s. If you want nearly as fast of an AutoX tire, but with better wear and lower cost, get 710s. And if you aren't planning to run a class competitively for points (or if your motor is modded etc. placing you in SM2 where you have no hope against Andy McKee, like myself) you can have a lot of fun on RA1/R88s and not have to worry about changing wheels at the track.

Between my Z28 and then my Z06 I spent about 5 years doing the wheel-change at the track thing. I'm looking forward to just showing up and driving this year IF I ever get the time to make an event. Sure I'll be slower on the RA1s but it's all about fun for me these days.

-TJ

tjZ06

Oh, a few more plugs...

Check out this thread for a good deal on track-ready C5Z wheels. The '01 wheels are the (supposedly) lighter/stronger forged wheels.

Also, I have two OEM '02 Z06 rear wheels I just remember I can part with. They have 305/35-18 RA1s that were shaved, heat-cycled and then used for 1 or 2 test sessions on a Team Naykid racing Viper at Laguna. Basically, they have nearly the full life of a shaved/heat cycled tire left. PM me if you're interested, I don't even know what I would/should ask for them at this point.

-TJ

ZO SIC

Hey guys, I'll join in here.

The wheels/tires in question are mine. They are that rare 1% of true OEM/GM Grand Sport rims.

Exotica, TJ knows me like a brother, so he can vouce or diss me as he sees fit.

I do have 4 (four) true OEM/GM Grand Sport 17x11 rims that have Kumho 710's mounted/balanced to them, 315-35-17's. I figure I used them at 4-5 events and 6-9 runs per event.

I also have the matching 4 (four) true OEM/GM Grand Sport fronts 17x9.5 that I am also willing to part with.

I know these sets (two 17x9.5 and two 17x11) go for $1,000 for a bare set all the time. I'm trying to get $800 for the set of fronts. Or I could split them up and sell them for $1,000 a set and the tires can go to someone else entirely.

So:

4 (four) 17x11 GS rims
4 (four) 17x9.5 GS rims
4 (four) 315-35-17 Kumho 710's

I also have a set of never used, heat cycled BFG R1's (yes, the old ones) that are probably old and useless, but still never used

2 (two) 275-40-17
2 (two) 315-35-17

Exotica

Hey Brian,

I wasn't sure if you wanted your screenname mentioned so I just referred to you as "a local guy"

I traded PMs with David (Doje) tonight and it looks like we might be putting together a deal for a pair of his 18x10.5 Speedlines in partial trade for a set of LG headers I am selling him.

I'll know more by Thursday

spazegun2213

TJ, I'm going to have to say that you are wrong. I run 17x11's, DRM ducts and dont have a problem. Yes, every turn in the paddock becomes a 30 point turn, but thats fine.

here are some pictures, Tomzwheels GS reps 17x11 on all 4 corners, 315-35-17 V710's.



I might actually have a set or two for sale as well

ZO SIC

No problem at all... I hope you find what you are looking for. And if I get another job before my '02 Z06 sells then I'll be glad I didn't sell these wheels/tires...

drivinhard

From a previous post/inquiry about such from myself:

21.8lbs for Grand Sport 11" wheel #1
21.7lbs GS wheel 11" wheel #2


C5Z 18x10.5" rear wheels

Pro's:

1. Cheap used, plenty to pick from
2. VERY Light for OEM, 01 forged slightly heavier but probably stronger.
3. Clears most aftermarket big brakes if used on front.
4. V710 305-30-18 specs @ 25.5" tall, same as a 315/35/17, fits on a 10.5" pretty well. (315 is too wide IMHO for 10.5")

Con's

1. 18" rubber is more $$ than 17" rubber all things being equal
2. No R rubber in exact OEM size (a few that are close, typically they are taller overall, this could be good/bad depending on what you are after).

GS Wheels (17x11 OEM GM)

Pro's:

1. 11" wide
2. VERY Light also, almost the same as 02-04 Speedline 10.5's.
3. 17" rubber is cheaper, and 315/35/17 is a popular size to find scrubs
4. A little more sidewall ain't a bad thing, especially in the rear.

Con's

1. Hard to find, and can be expensive compared to C5Z wheels.
2. 17" won't clear big brakes in the front.

drivinhard

What were the sizes and weights of the CCW's? (I get varying answers on such)

fej

ZO Sic you still have the 4 17x11's? I may have just become interested again after my tax guy had some good news for me I think you and Joel were trying to work something out from last I heard. Shoot me a pm or call.

Thanks
Fej

Exotica

Drivinhard, great write up. Wish I could find this kind of thorough and comparable answer to every question I had about these cars.

Well done and thank you!