rims and tire clearance issue...HELP
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 395
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From: winterville NC
rims and tire clearance issue...HELP
Ok guys I need some advice here.....I just got some rims for my 79 vette like the ones that come on it and was changing the tires out and now I have a clearance problem at the front which already has a spacer on it from the other rims....The tire size is a 245/60/15 and they hit the frame at the front when you turn steering wheel about half to 3/4 of the way......any suggestions other than buying a set of 225/70/15 tires???
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2000
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From: Shamong, NJ
What type of rims are they, the 15x8 rally wheels or the factory slotted aluminum ones? Either should fit, especially with a P245/60R15 tire.
The standard wheel on all 69-82 Corvettes, was the 15x8 rally. From 76 to 82, the 15x8 slotted aluminum wheel was optional. The optional tire on all 78-82's, was a P255/60R15, which is a bigger tire, than the one your trying to use.
Chevrolet would trim the forward edge of the inner wheel opening lip, on 78-79's that were factory equipped with 255/60's. This was to prevent the tire from making contact, with that area of the wheel opening. This was the only change Chevrolet made, when the 255/60's were used. I have heard that some people have occasionally experienced a tire rub on the frame with the 60's, but only at a combination of full lock steering and under extreme suspension load conditions. This doesn't sound like what your experiencing.
The wheel offset isn't a problem with the Corvette front suspension anyway. The offset problem occurs with the rear suspension, where the wrong offset will cause the rim/tire to either contact the trailing arm, the parking brake cable bracket and/or the ends of the rear spring.
Why do you have spacers in the front suspension? Did you try mounting the wheels without the spacers?
I would dump the spacers either way! Chevrolet didn't use them, and I wouldn't think you should need to either.
The standard wheel on all 69-82 Corvettes, was the 15x8 rally. From 76 to 82, the 15x8 slotted aluminum wheel was optional. The optional tire on all 78-82's, was a P255/60R15, which is a bigger tire, than the one your trying to use.
Chevrolet would trim the forward edge of the inner wheel opening lip, on 78-79's that were factory equipped with 255/60's. This was to prevent the tire from making contact, with that area of the wheel opening. This was the only change Chevrolet made, when the 255/60's were used. I have heard that some people have occasionally experienced a tire rub on the frame with the 60's, but only at a combination of full lock steering and under extreme suspension load conditions. This doesn't sound like what your experiencing.
The wheel offset isn't a problem with the Corvette front suspension anyway. The offset problem occurs with the rear suspension, where the wrong offset will cause the rim/tire to either contact the trailing arm, the parking brake cable bracket and/or the ends of the rear spring.
Why do you have spacers in the front suspension? Did you try mounting the wheels without the spacers?
I would dump the spacers either way! Chevrolet didn't use them, and I wouldn't think you should need to either.
Last edited by gbvette62; Jul 27, 2012 at 07:05 PM.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 395
Likes: 0
From: winterville NC
Thanks I was suffering from tooo much heat ...and decided to have a DA moment 
...all is well and thanks for all the info. I saw where you could get corvette with the 255 tires and I was like WTH these should fit also...
...all is well and thanks for all the info. I saw where you could get corvette with the 255 tires and I was like WTH these should fit also...
