Bent Wheels???
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 34
Likes: 0
From: Las Vegas NV
Bent Wheels???
I have a few quick questions I'm hoping some kind member will answer for me.
1. If I replace my front two wheels/tires with the confiquaration shown below, will that work for my '94 convertible?
2. What effect (s) will it have on looks and/or performance?.
NOW:
FRONT-- 17 x 8.5 wheels with 255-45-17 tires
BACK -- 17 x 9.5 wheels with 285-40-17 tires
REPLACE WITH:
FRONT -- 17 x 9.5 wheels with 275-40-17 tires
BACK -- 17 x 9.5 wheels with 285-40-17 tires (no change)
3. You're buying some wheels, sight unseen, and the seller tells you the center caps are loose on all four wheels and will need to be glued. He's suggesting I glue the caps onto chrome wheels??? Is this a red flag that the wheels are possibly bent? What else could it be? The caps are bent or missing some prongs? The caps are too small? (They're corvette flag caps, if that matters). I can handle buying new caps, but if all four wheels are bent, I'd appreciate knowing that BEFORE I buy them!!!!!
Thanks, as always, for your input. (I'd be lost without this forum).
1. If I replace my front two wheels/tires with the confiquaration shown below, will that work for my '94 convertible?
2. What effect (s) will it have on looks and/or performance?.
NOW:
FRONT-- 17 x 8.5 wheels with 255-45-17 tires
BACK -- 17 x 9.5 wheels with 285-40-17 tires
REPLACE WITH:
FRONT -- 17 x 9.5 wheels with 275-40-17 tires
BACK -- 17 x 9.5 wheels with 285-40-17 tires (no change)
3. You're buying some wheels, sight unseen, and the seller tells you the center caps are loose on all four wheels and will need to be glued. He's suggesting I glue the caps onto chrome wheels??? Is this a red flag that the wheels are possibly bent? What else could it be? The caps are bent or missing some prongs? The caps are too small? (They're corvette flag caps, if that matters). I can handle buying new caps, but if all four wheels are bent, I'd appreciate knowing that BEFORE I buy them!!!!!
Thanks, as always, for your input. (I'd be lost without this forum).
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 34,873
Likes: 487
From: Lacey WA RVN 68-69
NCM Sinkhole Donor
Originally Posted by planitmedia
I have a few quick questions I'm hoping some kind member will answer for me.
1. If I replace my front two wheels/tires with the confiquaration shown below, will that work for my '94 convertible?
Should work with no problems
2. What effect (s) will it have on looks and/or performance?.
NOW:
FRONT-- 17 x 8.5 wheels with 255-45-17 tires
BACK -- 17 x 9.5 wheels with 285-40-17 tires
REPLACE WITH:
FRONT -- 17 x 9.5 wheels with 275-40-17 tires
BACK -- 17 x 9.5 wheels with 285-40-17 tires (no change)
The 17x9.5 wheels on all four corners were included on the cars with the Z07 suspension package so they will work fine and look good. The 275 tire in front was also part of the Z07 package so no problems there.
3. You're buying some wheels, sight unseen, and the seller tells you the center caps are loose on all four wheels and will need to be glued. He's suggesting I glue the caps onto chrome wheels??? Is this a red flag that the wheels are possibly bent? What else could it be? The caps are bent or missing some prongs? The caps are too small? (They're corvette flag caps, if that matters). I can handle buying new caps, but if all four wheels are bent, I'd appreciate knowing that BEFORE I buy them!!!!!
Could be that he bought cheapie aftermarket caps and they won't fit the center holes in the wheels. That by itself should not be a red flag, but buying used wheels can be a crapshoot. Ask the seller if you can return the wheels if you have them checked for bad balance, out or round, or bent/cracked/curb rash rims.
Personally, I would not buy used wheels unless I can see and inspect them off the car.
Thanks, as always, for your input. (I'd be lost without this forum).
1. If I replace my front two wheels/tires with the confiquaration shown below, will that work for my '94 convertible?
Should work with no problems
2. What effect (s) will it have on looks and/or performance?.
NOW:
FRONT-- 17 x 8.5 wheels with 255-45-17 tires
BACK -- 17 x 9.5 wheels with 285-40-17 tires
REPLACE WITH:
FRONT -- 17 x 9.5 wheels with 275-40-17 tires
BACK -- 17 x 9.5 wheels with 285-40-17 tires (no change)
The 17x9.5 wheels on all four corners were included on the cars with the Z07 suspension package so they will work fine and look good. The 275 tire in front was also part of the Z07 package so no problems there.
3. You're buying some wheels, sight unseen, and the seller tells you the center caps are loose on all four wheels and will need to be glued. He's suggesting I glue the caps onto chrome wheels??? Is this a red flag that the wheels are possibly bent? What else could it be? The caps are bent or missing some prongs? The caps are too small? (They're corvette flag caps, if that matters). I can handle buying new caps, but if all four wheels are bent, I'd appreciate knowing that BEFORE I buy them!!!!!
Could be that he bought cheapie aftermarket caps and they won't fit the center holes in the wheels. That by itself should not be a red flag, but buying used wheels can be a crapshoot. Ask the seller if you can return the wheels if you have them checked for bad balance, out or round, or bent/cracked/curb rash rims.
Personally, I would not buy used wheels unless I can see and inspect them off the car.
Thanks, as always, for your input. (I'd be lost without this forum).
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 16,475
Likes: 270
From: Kingman AZ
Cruise-In VII Veteran
Cruise-In VIII
St. Jude Donor '06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16
Sometimes the center caps have partially broken or missing tabs. I have glued them on other cars with 3M ashesive trim.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 34
Likes: 0
From: Las Vegas NV
Real Wheel Deal
Just wanted to say thanks for advise. The seller of the tires clarified the problem with the caps. The actual caps are not loose. It's the corvette flags on the caps that are loose. They just need to be glued down on the ends.
I agree, c4cruiser, I am taking a risk buying used wheels. But I don't have much choice. Someone stole my right front wheel and I'm driving on a spare. I've been searching for months and can't find an identical replacement, but my pocketbook told me that buying a new set of wheels and a tire is out of the question.
I only need two wheels w/tires, so hopefully two out of four I'm getting will be useable. I've seen pictures, and they all look great. Plus, I'm also getting them for a killer price. And, yes, I can return them but the shipping would probably cost more than the price I'm paying for the set of wheels and two tires.
Anyway, thanks again for your input.
I agree, c4cruiser, I am taking a risk buying used wheels. But I don't have much choice. Someone stole my right front wheel and I'm driving on a spare. I've been searching for months and can't find an identical replacement, but my pocketbook told me that buying a new set of wheels and a tire is out of the question.
I only need two wheels w/tires, so hopefully two out of four I'm getting will be useable. I've seen pictures, and they all look great. Plus, I'm also getting them for a killer price. And, yes, I can return them but the shipping would probably cost more than the price I'm paying for the set of wheels and two tires.
Anyway, thanks again for your input.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 46,295
Likes: 2,596
From: Northern, VA
St. Jude Donor '15
"In honor of jpee"
As to the tires you're going to use, when I do mine, I'll do the same. However, and it's important, I will put the front sizes on 9.5" wheels.
Tirerack has recommended to me to go 275 all around ,but I see no reason why I can't go 285 in the rear and the 275 up front. I may ask them again just before I buy. Doing so, should very slightly increase your front end traction which may very sligghtly increase the balance of the car toward a more neutral handling car. This is conjecture or theory, more than fact.
As to the caps, I hadn't thought about the wheels being bent. That's a possibility.
But the caps are most likely plastic, whereas the wheels are not. It is possible/probable that in putting them on/taking off, someone broke some of the little prongs that hold them on, and thus the caps are loose. It wouldn't be my first choice to glue them on not because it'll damage the rims or caps, but they could fall off with all that force on them. Maybe it's an unfounded worry on my part.
Jus saw your foll/up post re the center caps emblem. Not a big issue. Glue them.
Tirerack has recommended to me to go 275 all around ,but I see no reason why I can't go 285 in the rear and the 275 up front. I may ask them again just before I buy. Doing so, should very slightly increase your front end traction which may very sligghtly increase the balance of the car toward a more neutral handling car. This is conjecture or theory, more than fact.
As to the caps, I hadn't thought about the wheels being bent. That's a possibility.
But the caps are most likely plastic, whereas the wheels are not. It is possible/probable that in putting them on/taking off, someone broke some of the little prongs that hold them on, and thus the caps are loose. It wouldn't be my first choice to glue them on not because it'll damage the rims or caps, but they could fall off with all that force on them. Maybe it's an unfounded worry on my part.
Jus saw your foll/up post re the center caps emblem. Not a big issue. Glue them.
Last edited by AORoads; Jul 9, 2006 at 08:30 PM.
