Wider Rallye Wheel Sizing
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 246
Likes: 0
From: San Diego CA
Wider Rallye Wheel Sizing
Seeing this picture in the C3's For Sale section got me thinking...
The Rallye wheels on the rear seem to be substantially deeper dish than the fronts or the 8" rallye's I have on all four corners of my 1972 coupe. Looking at several of the online dealers, I would guess that they're 15x10" wheels.
What backspace would I need to get if I was interested in getting two for the rear of my vette? 5" or 5.5"?
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/WVI-30-503405/
Something like that?
ERIC
The Rallye wheels on the rear seem to be substantially deeper dish than the fronts or the 8" rallye's I have on all four corners of my 1972 coupe. Looking at several of the online dealers, I would guess that they're 15x10" wheels.
What backspace would I need to get if I was interested in getting two for the rear of my vette? 5" or 5.5"?
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/WVI-30-503405/
Something like that?
ERIC
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 12,681
Likes: 3,134
From: Shamong, NJ
I doubt that either will work with stock Corvette rear suspension.
Factory offset was 3 3/4" on Corvette wheels. Some people have gotten away with 4" offset wheels, but that's cutting it close, especially with 15" diameter rims. You'd probably need offset trailing arms, to use rims with 5" backspacing.
Your best bet is to have your rims widened. Check around to see if you have anyone in your area that does wheel work. We have a shop here in South Jersey that widens and narrows steel and aluminum wheels, and also trues wire wheels. Check with some local street rodders or motorcycle customizers, as they often know where to get wheel work done. There's got to be a number of shops that will widen wheels, in So Cal.
Factory offset was 3 3/4" on Corvette wheels. Some people have gotten away with 4" offset wheels, but that's cutting it close, especially with 15" diameter rims. You'd probably need offset trailing arms, to use rims with 5" backspacing.
Your best bet is to have your rims widened. Check around to see if you have anyone in your area that does wheel work. We have a shop here in South Jersey that widens and narrows steel and aluminum wheels, and also trues wire wheels. Check with some local street rodders or motorcycle customizers, as they often know where to get wheel work done. There's got to be a number of shops that will widen wheels, in So Cal.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,695
Likes: 65
From: Kissimmee fl
Finalist 2021 C3 of the Year - Modified
2017 C3 of Year Finalist
Cruise-In VIII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '07
Your backspacing will need to be kept at the original 4" or maybe go to 4 1/4". After that, you risk clearance problems unless you have offset trailing arms. Some have claimed to use 4 1/2" with no problems, but more than that and you will need spacers or adapters.
