What Size Tires
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 471
Likes: 1
From: Hometown The best
What Size Tires
I just bought a set of 17 X 8 Crager wheels for my 1979 coupe. Im not sure what size tires will fit without any issues with rubbing or bottoming out. Does anyone running this size wheel have suggestions? 
Pro
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 640
Likes: 1
From: Mertztown Pa
Here is a nice tire calculator. You can enter the current tire and rim and then see the outside tire size. Then enter the new rim size and play with the numbers until you have the right width and size.
http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html
http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 471
Likes: 1
From: Hometown The best
Thats a great calculator and I could certainly find the size that would match the original specs but I would like to know what the largest tire is that I could run without rubbing. Is anyone running this size wheel and what size tires are you using
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 471
Likes: 1
From: Hometown The best
I'm thinking about trying 255/50-17 tires on my 17 X 8" rims w ith 3 1/2" backspace. They should be about the same height as the original tires but I think they may be a little wider. Has anyone run this combination and is there any tire rub issues with them.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 14,935
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From: NYC NY
With 3 1/2" backspace you have a 1/2" less than stock. If you go with the 255/50-17 you may get some rubbing in the front on the fender lip on the front edge and rear corner at the rocker. The fenders were "trimmed" from the factory on the cars with 255/60-15s that were mounted on 8" wheels with 4" backspace. Just throwing that out there for you to think about before you spend your money. You may want to go staggered fit with a 245/50-17 or 245/45-17 in the front and a 255/50-17 in the rear.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 14,935
Likes: 3,344
From: NYC NY
4" backspace would be better but that still only gets you back to where the stock wheel places the tire. You still could have to trim the fender to avoid rub like the '78 and '79s did when the cars were ordered with 255/60-15s. Check out any Pace Car to see what I'm talking about.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 471
Likes: 1
From: Hometown The best
Well, I mounted a 255/50-17 tire on one of the rims today and tried it on the car. It fit the back just fine but when I put it on the front and turned the wheel left and right it hit the fender lip just as you said it would. I will mount a 245/45-17 tire on another wheel tomorrow and see if it will clear the fender lip. The radius on the 245 is 7/10" less than the 255 so I hope it wiil work. I'll use the 255's on the rear and run 245 on the front. Even with the 255 on the rear it looks like i'm going to have to lower the rear of the car to make it look right.
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Race Director
Joined: Jan 2007
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From: NYC NY
When you go to 17" wheels to get the stance or "look" you almost always have to lower the car. 
Good luck I hope everything works out for you and your car.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 471
Likes: 1
From: Hometown The best
We put the 245/45-17 tires on the front of the car today and they fit fine. No rubbing issues at all. Sooooo, I'll be running the 245/45-17's on the front and 255/50-17's on the rear. They look awesome, but I'm going to have to lower the car a bit in the front and rear because there is just to much space between the tires and the fender lip at the top of the tires.
Pro
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 620
Likes: 23
From: MA
Pics of the wheels please!
Glad to see that size fits nice on the 8's.
Not to kijack, well, yeah, just a little!
I have some 17x9 0MM offset, Cragar SS's that I cannot use on my 82 since 9" is a just a bit too wide & they hit the tie rod in the front & the trailing arms in the rear.
The outer look was mint though & did not extend past the fender lips at all.
That said, I was thinking of going with a 17x8 with a 0MM offset using my 275/40/17 tires which now with your experimentation, look like there will be no issues.
Pics of my rims:
And a side question, I was told by an ebay wheel seller that Cragars need spacers on a C3.
I can't for the life of me understand that one!
Is he blowing smoke up my butt or is it true with certain offsetts of some Cragars?
Glad to see that size fits nice on the 8's.
Not to kijack, well, yeah, just a little!
I have some 17x9 0MM offset, Cragar SS's that I cannot use on my 82 since 9" is a just a bit too wide & they hit the tie rod in the front & the trailing arms in the rear.
The outer look was mint though & did not extend past the fender lips at all.
That said, I was thinking of going with a 17x8 with a 0MM offset using my 275/40/17 tires which now with your experimentation, look like there will be no issues.
Pics of my rims:
And a side question, I was told by an ebay wheel seller that Cragars need spacers on a C3.
I can't for the life of me understand that one!
Is he blowing smoke up my butt or is it true with certain offsetts of some Cragars?
