17" tire options
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 85
Likes: 7
17" tire options
I'm looking at the 17" centerline qualifier wheel which are 8" wide with a 4" back spacing. Since I'm completely confused by all the tire sizes I need your help choosing the correct size tire. I don't want to end up with a 26" tire (seems to small of a Dia.) nor do I want to end up with a 29" tire (would seem to be to large of a Dia.) . the thought of slightly smaller dia. in the front of the car as opposed to the rear is good with me. if your wondering why I don't just go with 18" wheel I cant find them in the center line qualifier line. I would like a tire that is on the performance side including drag radials. any info you could pass on to me would be greatly appreciated
Last edited by d1cross; Feb 5, 2014 at 08:29 PM. Reason: misspelled word
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 1,990
Likes: 183
From: Port St. Lucie Fl
I was looking at 17s also and didnt like the way the car looks with 17 and a 26 in tall tire (easily found) and 27 tall tire is difficult to find. I found that if you go up to 18s you can easily find 27 in tall tire and you also have more choices of wheels.
go here and play around
http://www.newstalgiawheel.com/wheel_visualizer.asp
go here and play around
http://www.newstalgiawheel.com/wheel_visualizer.asp
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 2,802
Likes: 241
From: Niles, MI
Here's a chart I put together recently which might help. It shows what Tire Rack presently offers in various sizes and types. Keep in mind in a month or 2 this will be obsolete as their offerings change.
Last edited by Kid Vette; Feb 6, 2014 at 04:54 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 21,953
Likes: 1,445
From: Reno Nevada
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist- Modified
First off 8 inches is narrow if you are attempting performance. I have centerline 9 and 10 inch front rims with 4 inch BS
the 255/45/17 is highly available. 255/50 are too tall and will rub your frame in both directions lock to lock.
Without flares and offset trailing arms I used 285/40/17 rears and they fill the rear wheel well nice. I had 11 inch rear rim but a 10 with 4.5 in bs would work great
the 255/45/17 is highly available. 255/50 are too tall and will rub your frame in both directions lock to lock.
Without flares and offset trailing arms I used 285/40/17 rears and they fill the rear wheel well nice. I had 11 inch rear rim but a 10 with 4.5 in bs would work great
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
2027 Corvette vs The World: Every C8 vs Its Closest Competitor
Joe Kucinski
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 21,953
Likes: 1,445
From: Reno Nevada
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist- Modified
I forgot to say that I have used most of the ultra performance tires over the years.
The Goodyear F1 is nice because of Y speed The P Zeros and M Pilot Sports are a waste of money. I usually try and find 180 - 220 tread wear rating. They stay sticky until the tread is gone. High mileage tires like the 300 -400 wear rating. get hard and it is like driving on grease after a year and lots of heat cycles. So it is better to just buy tires and burn them out every year and get new ones
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/TireSe...erformance=ALL
The Goodyear F1 is nice because of Y speed The P Zeros and M Pilot Sports are a waste of money. I usually try and find 180 - 220 tread wear rating. They stay sticky until the tread is gone. High mileage tires like the 300 -400 wear rating. get hard and it is like driving on grease after a year and lots of heat cycles. So it is better to just buy tires and burn them out every year and get new ones
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/TireSe...erformance=ALL
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,347
Likes: 121
From: Kernersville NC
Kumho Ecsta ASX tires are pretty good and very reasonable priced. I have had them on a C5 and my C3 for a couple years. Neither were not tracked so I cannot speak to that kind of performance but they are great on a driver, smooth, and good in wet conditions. They come in 255/50-17 and are 27" tall. The 245/45-17 (25.7") will fit the front of your C3 with no rubbing if you can deal with the staggered look. Not sure if the 255 will work on the front but some have done it. Here is mine.
[IMG]
[/IMG]
[IMG]
[/IMG]
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 2,071
Likes: 147
From: S Nevada
I used 17" x 8" with a 4.5" b.s. rims. Tires were bfg g force sport comp 2, 225x55 x 17" all around. Tire diameter was the reason I went this route, very close to the stock tire diameter. Also these tires didn't break the bank, are a hi perf summer tire. I think the car looks good. Tires are wide enough for my tastes and fit inside the wheel wells nicely. Nothing looks worse than tires poking outside the fender.
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 21,953
Likes: 1,445
From: Reno Nevada
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist- Modified
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 2,071
Likes: 147
From: S Nevada
And I suppose they have a 45' negative camber too. Right?
Again, it's the look your after. My last corvette wore 275 & 295 width. I'm not trying to imitate a race car. I want it to appear stock. But.....with a nice performance tire that you cannot get in a 15" size.
Again, it's the look your after. My last corvette wore 275 & 295 width. I'm not trying to imitate a race car. I want it to appear stock. But.....with a nice performance tire that you cannot get in a 15" size.
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 21,953
Likes: 1,445
From: Reno Nevada
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist- Modified
I should not have hassled you. any 17 is better than the poor tire selection of 15 inchers!
As to my Daughter. She had to have a sporty Honda. so she got a used S2000. I don't like it because it is gutless under 4500 rpm and then it comes on to the 9000 rpm red line. It is a high tech screaming 2 liter
She could have bought a used c-6 for the same price
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 7,123
Likes: 433
From: Gladstone MO
C3 of Year Finalist (appearance mods) 2019
I have 295/40x17's on the rear and 275/40x17's on the front. Still don't have the flares filled up and the tires are too short.
Kid Vette's chart would have been real handy when I bought tires and wheels a few years ago. I couldn't find anyone that could tell me what size tire/wheel combo I could use. So I had to bite the bullet and be a guinea pig. Next round will be different.
Kid Vette's chart would have been real handy when I bought tires and wheels a few years ago. I couldn't find anyone that could tell me what size tire/wheel combo I could use. So I had to bite the bullet and be a guinea pig. Next round will be different.