Wheels one more time
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Joined: Oct 2006
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Wheels one more time
I have a 96 CE Coupe and want to put on chrome ZR1 wheels. Everybody offers 4-17"X9.5" wheels when the car came with 17"X8.5" on the front. There isn't a lot of clearance left under front with the 17"X8.5" with the OEM size tires, much less the 17"X9.5". One company out of Chino, CA still offers a set with 17"X8.5" for the front. The reason GM put the 17"X8.5" on the front in the first place (according to them) was to keep the car from "seeking" as it goes down the road. Bottom line, do the 17"X9.5" ZR1s on the front provide enough clearance with OEM size tires.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2007
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From: Blue Bell PA
St. Jude Donor '09
The 17" x 9.5" wheels (with the proper offest) should work just fine. Remember, the '96 Grand Sport came with 17" x 9.5" front wheels, and there was also a 'handling' option (RPO Z07, I believe), where four 17" x 9.5" were offered.
Drifting
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From: Beaverton Oregon
The stock wheel on my non-Z51 1986E was 16 x 8.5. I recently upgraded to 17 x 9.5 on 275/40's and the difference is night and day. Car handles much better now. Note: The Z51 option came with 16 x 9.5's all the way around.
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Last edited by All2kool; Oct 24, 2007 at 07:23 PM.
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Safety Car
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From: St Marys GA
9.5" will DEFINITELY fit. Some people here are running 11" on all 4 corners with 315-series tires with no rubbing. They stick out less than half an inch on the front too (that's with 50mm offset).
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Racer
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From: Clarksville TN
93 Coupe with all 17 x 9.5, 275/40/17 tires, and intend to go to 285's on the next go-'round. Never had a clearance issue, scrapes, etc. Love the way it handles and I'm not a racer. 
Guess I should add that my wheels are sawblades.
Guess I should add that my wheels are sawblades.
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But they looked funny when I mounted them on that 9.5 inch rim. The rim width (tire bead) was wider than the tread width. I didn't like the way it looked.
That is why the 255/45 tire came on an 8.5 inch rim.
So, I put the 275/40 size on there. As others have said, this was also a stock size tire on some models.
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