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Tire size with 17s

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Old Dec 4, 2004 | 08:15 AM
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Default Tire size with 17s

To all that have responded to the post on 16s 17s or 18s that is great info. I would like to know what size tires you are running and do you have any interference problems.
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Old Dec 4, 2004 | 11:48 AM
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I have an 80 coupe and I am running 225/50/17 front and 275/50/17 rear, Nitto 450's. I tried 245/50/17 front and they rubbed at full turn, and 295/50/17 on the rear and they stuck out of the fender well about 1/2". I also had to remove or relocate the e-brake bracket for the 17" rims to fit on the back. Hope this helps.

Keith
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Old Dec 4, 2004 | 12:50 PM
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I was going to try the 245 45 17s up front. They seem a little smaller. Right now my 245 60 15s don't rub and the 245 45 17s are a little smaller in diameter so I should be OK.

Last edited by Gordonm; Dec 4, 2004 at 01:04 PM.
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Old Dec 4, 2004 | 02:57 PM
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Those wheels look great.

Santa............!!!
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Old Dec 4, 2004 | 07:59 PM
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Your new wheels look great Gordon

Here's a shot of mine with 255/45/17's in the front, and my strip 275/60/15's on the back

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Old Dec 4, 2004 | 09:18 PM
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Originally Posted by Gordonm
I was going to try the 245 45 17s up front. They seem a little smaller. Right now my 245 60 15s don't rub and the 245 45 17s are a little smaller in diameter so I should be OK.
Hi Gordon, I've been debating whether to go with 17s. How much of a difference do you notice? Those wheels look great, but damn you again for putting them on your red vert first.

I've been thinking about going with the vintage wheels aluminum rallyes but they are $$$.
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Old Dec 4, 2004 | 11:50 PM
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255/50-17 on all four corners. They rub the inside lip of the lower 4" of the front wheel well lips at/near full lock. I'm just going to cut that material out.

Not a great picture, sorry.
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Old Dec 5, 2004 | 07:56 AM
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CGGorman, That is where mine are rubbing right now also with 255 50 17s. I might ry 255 45 17s and see how they fit. If not I'll have to go down to 245 45 17 in the front.

Jack71, I have not driven the car yet as I don't have the proper lug nuts for them. The picture I have is only with the wheel on one side just to see how it looks. I think I might have to cut the front spring a 1/2 coil also. Looks a little high in the front.

SmokedTires, Do you have any rubbing with the 255 45 17s in the front. I think the rubber bumper cars also have a little more wheel well clearance than the chrome bumpers.
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Old Dec 5, 2004 | 09:26 AM
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No I haven't had any rubbing. I had 255/60/15's before ths 17's and they fit fine also.
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Old Dec 5, 2004 | 10:59 AM
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Originally Posted by Jack71
Hi Gordon, I've been debating whether to go with 17s. How much of a difference do you notice? Those wheels look great, but damn you again for putting them on your red vert first.

I've been thinking about going with the vintage wheels aluminum rallyes but they are $$$.
Gordon is a tough act to follow...
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Old Dec 6, 2004 | 08:04 AM
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Gordon...from my experiences with my father and friends running 17s on their C3s...245/45zr are the only sizes that don't rub on full lock. 255/50zr and 255/45zr are nearly identical in width, but different in diameter.
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Old Dec 6, 2004 | 10:04 AM
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Originally Posted by Gordonm
I was going to try the 245 45 17s up front. They seem a little smaller. Right now my 245 60 15s don't rub and the 245 45 17s are a little smaller in diameter so I should be OK.
Gordon,
That's the 2nd car I've seen on here with 17's with white letter tires.
Did you do them yourself?
How did you do it?
If not, then where did you get them?

Looks Great. . .
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Old Dec 6, 2004 | 10:15 AM
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Gordon bought my TTII's off of me and I let him try them with the tires to check for clearance issues.

A company called Moose make a great white tire pen, takes two coats....sticks really well as long as you clean properly (I used simple green).

Just takes a little time and a little patience.

Heres a close up on my buddys GTO



cheers,
Nick
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Old Dec 6, 2004 | 11:35 AM
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Originally Posted by lvrpool32
Gordon bought my TTII's off of me and I let him try them with the tires to check for clearance issues.

A company called Moose make a great white tire pen, takes two coats....sticks really well as long as you clean properly (I used simple green).

Just takes a little time and a little patience.

Heres a close up on my buddys GTO
cheers,
Nick
Thanks, Nick.

You were the other one.
Where can I pick up 1 of these pens? Does it hold up well when cleaning the tires?
That GTO looks real good!
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Old Dec 6, 2004 | 06:09 PM
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Originally Posted by Redshark6974
Gordon...from my experiences with my father and friends running 17s on their C3s...245/45zr are the only sizes that don't rub on full lock. 255/50zr and 255/45zr are nearly identical in width, but different in diameter.
The 255 45 17 is an inch smaller in diameter than the 255 50 17. I am rubbing on the back of the wheel well not the sides. I am thinking tha tthe 1 inch smaller in diameter will keep the wheel away from the back of the wheel well. I was hoping to stay with the 255 50 17s rear and something not drasticly smaller in the front. The 255 45 are 1 inch smaller and the 245 45 are amost 1.5 inches smaller.
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Old Dec 6, 2004 | 07:23 PM
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Wow gordon ,they look great on your car,doesnt even look like the same car.
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Old Dec 6, 2004 | 08:53 PM
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Thanks Pat. Looks like I might have to drop the front end a little now.
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Old Dec 6, 2004 | 09:49 PM
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Default 17" tires

Iceman59,

What width/backspacing are your rear rims, and do you have offset trailing arms?

Thanks
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