Rims for corvette?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2016
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Rims for corvette?
The ones i want
Hello out their. How is everyone I have a mind twist question
Can you put after market rims on a c4
I know stupid question right well
Guess NOT
I would like to put the rims in the pic on mine (this new tech is cool you can see the rims on YOUR car before you buy)
But here is the question
WILL THEY WORK
I know they will bolt on but I'm part of a classic car club and the other vette owners told me aftermarket rims don't work once you get to freeway speed your car will shake like an earthquake
They claim its an backspace or off track issues I don't know
I hear you can only put c5 or c6 rims on
This CAN'T be true but I don't know I was planning on ordering those in the pic from the internet with tires and when they come just slap them on
So before I order these dose ANYONE know about this or have put aftermarket rims on theirs. Any input would be helpful
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 1999
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From: Lacey WA RVN 68-69
NCM Sinkhole Donor
The original wheels on your '86 had a 38mm positive offset. Beginning in '88 with the optional 17" wheels the offset was 56mm. That's a difference of 18mm or close to 3/4" but GM changed the suspension dimensions to allow for the different specs.
Ideally, you want to come up with that same 38mm offset when using an aftermarket wheel. There are adapters available that you bolt to the hub which will allow for a wheel to sit properly in the wheelwell.
As far as overall rim width, you could go up to 11" wide as long as the offset is around 50mm. Keep the tire size around 315/35 or so.
The tire diameter and tread width are what is important when it comes to a good fit. You don't want to go too wide otherwise you can wind up with the tire rubbing on the frame rail or the lower corners of the wheelwell. When you look at tires, most every website will have tire dimensions for various tires sizes showing as diameter, section width, tread width, and even revolutions per mile. Use that data to match up tires with wheels.
Your "friends" are feeding you BS. There are a lot of members here with aftermarket wheels and tires that are very low profile and they work fine. The key is getting a shop to balance the tires correctly and a good 4-wheel alignment.
Ideally, you want to come up with that same 38mm offset when using an aftermarket wheel. There are adapters available that you bolt to the hub which will allow for a wheel to sit properly in the wheelwell.
As far as overall rim width, you could go up to 11" wide as long as the offset is around 50mm. Keep the tire size around 315/35 or so.
The tire diameter and tread width are what is important when it comes to a good fit. You don't want to go too wide otherwise you can wind up with the tire rubbing on the frame rail or the lower corners of the wheelwell. When you look at tires, most every website will have tire dimensions for various tires sizes showing as diameter, section width, tread width, and even revolutions per mile. Use that data to match up tires with wheels.
Your "friends" are feeding you BS. There are a lot of members here with aftermarket wheels and tires that are very low profile and they work fine. The key is getting a shop to balance the tires correctly and a good 4-wheel alignment.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 81,241
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From: altered state
St. Jude Donor '05
Your "friends" are feeding you BS
A wheel is round and doesnt know what car its on
Maybe what they are trying to say is too many aftermarket wheels dont run as true as a factory wheel which imo is true unless youre buying expensive ones its nothing corvette specific though.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 3,842
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From: SANTA CRUZ CA
Research the Cray link. You can explore the various wheel styles on various vettes:
http://www.craycorvettewheels.com
http://www.craycorvettewheels.com
Last edited by don hall; Apr 16, 2016 at 08:06 PM.
Thread Starter
Instructor
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well that explains a few things I pondered on why when I was looking at rims online I would put in corvette and the options would show up I would see some I like just for it to say DOESN'T FIT YOUR VEHICLE
So where would I go to get this adapter can I get it online or do I have to pay the mark up at the wheel shop
I kinda had a feeling this wasn't going to be as easy as I thought when I would put 86 in the search engine and only 4 or 5 choices would come up (and 2 of those are 3500 a set) what I'd really like to do is complete the color scheme I got I have BRIGHT RED paint with SADDLE TOP and SADDLE INTERIOR so some gold or copper rims would go nice
But thanks for the info cause it looks like I'll need that adapter no matter what I get
P.S can anyone recommend a good brand to get I'm GUESSING some company specialize in corvette
So where would I go to get this adapter can I get it online or do I have to pay the mark up at the wheel shop
I kinda had a feeling this wasn't going to be as easy as I thought when I would put 86 in the search engine and only 4 or 5 choices would come up (and 2 of those are 3500 a set) what I'd really like to do is complete the color scheme I got I have BRIGHT RED paint with SADDLE TOP and SADDLE INTERIOR so some gold or copper rims would go nice
But thanks for the info cause it looks like I'll need that adapter no matter what I get
P.S can anyone recommend a good brand to get I'm GUESSING some company specialize in corvette
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
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OP - the 8.5" @ 35 is close ('86 with 8.5 is @ 32) but I certainly can't see it doing well on the car. In the image you can make anything look good but in "real life" those I'd say would be outrageous.
What size tire (rubber band) were you anticipating mounting on these?
I only see 7.5 and 8.5 in the 20" - am I looking at the correct wheel?
What size tire (rubber band) were you anticipating mounting on these?
I only see 7.5 and 8.5 in the 20" - am I looking at the correct wheel?
Last edited by WVZR-1; Apr 16, 2016 at 08:16 PM.
Pro
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 706
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From: Denver Colorado
Be careful with the "Adaptors" that are intended to mount 17 inch STOCK Corvette wheels on your early C4. The "Adaptors" require that the new wheels have open coves on the back side, between the lug holes, to accommodate the lug nuts used to bolt on the "Adaptors". It takes two sets of lugnuts to install them, one for the new wheel and one set for the adaptor. Many aftermarket wheels do not have the open cove or it is not deep enough to clear the adaptor lugnuts.
You can get around that issue by using "spacers" which are just disks of the required thickness with five holes for the wheel studs. You need 20 longer wheel studs to do that right and it is probably not the best idea for high performance/race/autocross.
The right way to do this is to get wheels with the correct early C4 back spacing to begin with.
You can get around that issue by using "spacers" which are just disks of the required thickness with five holes for the wheel studs. You need 20 longer wheel studs to do that right and it is probably not the best idea for high performance/race/autocross.
The right way to do this is to get wheels with the correct early C4 back spacing to begin with.
Thread Starter
Instructor
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Well the ones in the pic were the best out of the options at AMERICAN TIRE and I don't know off hand what size the tires are
And I was looking at MID AMERICA a few minutes ago and they sell a so called UNIVERSAL ADAPTER looks like a ring with holes drilled into it to me
But I will agree I don't want to lose performance eather so I will take that into consideration when I buy
My wife's brother told me about DAYTON they claim they go on anything but I don't like the wire wheel look to me it changes the vette to a funky copy of a JAGUAR E TYPE
And I was looking at MID AMERICA a few minutes ago and they sell a so called UNIVERSAL ADAPTER looks like a ring with holes drilled into it to me
But I will agree I don't want to lose performance eather so I will take that into consideration when I buy
My wife's brother told me about DAYTON they claim they go on anything but I don't like the wire wheel look to me it changes the vette to a funky copy of a JAGUAR E TYPE
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Team Owner
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OP - Cray does some very nice wheels and they do several that are intended for the Corvette C4
http://fitment.craywheels.com/alloy-...=Corvette++C4+
Take a look at these and some of their other offerings. Quality that works well and fits. Good stuff!!
You wouldn't need "rubber bands" to substitute for tires. Their 9" @ 50 is close to a very good fit. Dependent upon what is on yours 8.5 @ 32 or 9.5 @ 38 there's not much to deter their use. Many do use them BUT NOT something seen on the majority of the C4's. I believe their more competitively priced than the wheel you considered and way less when you add the tire price to the mix.
http://fitment.craywheels.com/alloy-...=Corvette++C4+
Take a look at these and some of their other offerings. Quality that works well and fits. Good stuff!!
You wouldn't need "rubber bands" to substitute for tires. Their 9" @ 50 is close to a very good fit. Dependent upon what is on yours 8.5 @ 32 or 9.5 @ 38 there's not much to deter their use. Many do use them BUT NOT something seen on the majority of the C4's. I believe their more competitively priced than the wheel you considered and way less when you add the tire price to the mix.
Last edited by WVZR-1; Apr 16, 2016 at 09:53 PM.
Pro
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 706
Likes: 47
From: Denver Colorado
Well the ones in the pic were the best out of the options at AMERICAN TIRE and I don't know off hand what size the tires are
And I was looking at MID AMERICA a few minutes ago and they sell a so called UNIVERSAL ADAPTER looks like a ring with holes drilled into it to me
But I will agree I don't want to lose performance eather so I will take that into consideration when I buy
My wife's brother told me about DAYTON they claim they go on anything but I don't like the wire wheel look to me it changes the vette to a funky copy of a JAGUAR E TYPE
And I was looking at MID AMERICA a few minutes ago and they sell a so called UNIVERSAL ADAPTER looks like a ring with holes drilled into it to me
But I will agree I don't want to lose performance eather so I will take that into consideration when I buy
My wife's brother told me about DAYTON they claim they go on anything but I don't like the wire wheel look to me it changes the vette to a funky copy of a JAGUAR E TYPE
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2016
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ok thanks WVZR-1 I like those black and mirrored HAWKS no adapter needed and yeah some real tires that will work
I'm getting the rims as a treat for myself I'm NO tech but a few weeks ago I had a NO START problem with the 86 and had several TECHS come over and look at it and they said it was everything from ignition coil to fuel pump to nuetral switch NONE of them could start it then I was looking threw the 86 shop manual and
FUEL PUMP RELAY
Came across went to Napa and it was only 12 💰 so why not put it in and she fired right up
So I figure I deserve a treat I fixed something the experts couldn't and I want some rims
I'm getting the rims as a treat for myself I'm NO tech but a few weeks ago I had a NO START problem with the 86 and had several TECHS come over and look at it and they said it was everything from ignition coil to fuel pump to nuetral switch NONE of them could start it then I was looking threw the 86 shop manual and
FUEL PUMP RELAY
Came across went to Napa and it was only 12 💰 so why not put it in and she fired right up
So I figure I deserve a treat I fixed something the experts couldn't and I want some rims
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 25,393
Likes: 2,741
ok thanks WVZR-1 I like those black and mirrored HAWKS no adapter needed and yeah some real tires that will work
I'm getting the rims as a treat for myself I'm NO tech but a few weeks ago I had a NO START problem with the 86 and had several TECHS come over and look at it and they said it was everything from ignition coil to fuel pump to nuetral switch NONE of them could start it then I was looking threw the 86 shop manual and
FUEL PUMP RELAY
Came across went to Napa and it was only 12 💰 so why not put it in and she fired right up
So I figure I deserve a treat I fixed something the experts couldn't and I want some rims
I'm getting the rims as a treat for myself I'm NO tech but a few weeks ago I had a NO START problem with the 86 and had several TECHS come over and look at it and they said it was everything from ignition coil to fuel pump to nuetral switch NONE of them could start it then I was looking threw the 86 shop manual and
FUEL PUMP RELAY
Came across went to Napa and it was only 12 💰 so why not put it in and she fired right up
So I figure I deserve a treat I fixed something the experts couldn't and I want some rims
Go ahead "treat yourself" - there are others but the direct fit and very close fitments are great.
Do a post and ask those with CRAY wheels to show some pics!!!
Thread Starter
Instructor
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I agree that manual helps a ton I got the original 86 manual the small silver 86 handbook and even the 86 dealer sales book (gots all the options-color codes and interior and top swatches) from the original owner the only thing that gets me with the manual is why aren't the figures (drawings) with the chapter or topic they are allways somewhere else
P.S in the dealer sales book it has a story and pics on where to drive your corvette in WEST GERMANY why I don't know
P.S in the dealer sales book it has a story and pics on where to drive your corvette in WEST GERMANY why I don't know
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 117
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I agree that manual helps a ton I got the original 86 manual the small silver 86 handbook and even the 86 dealer sales book (gots all the options-color codes and interior and top swatches) from the original owner the only thing that gets me with the manual is why aren't the figures (drawings) with the chapter or topic they are allways somewhere else
P.S in the dealer sales book it has a story and pics on where to drive your corvette in WEST GERMANY why I don't know
P.S in the dealer sales book it has a story and pics on where to drive your corvette in WEST GERMANY why I don't know
Heel & Toe
Joined: Apr 2016
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The 95 coupe I bought a couple of weeks ago came with crappy sawblade wheels (chrome went bad) but brand new Nitto NT555 tires (285/40/17, 255/45/17) that I didn't want to waste. I found the selection of 17" wheels available that would work with the Nittos to be extremely limited, so I ended up having the factory wheels stripped and powdercoated. When the Nittos wear out, I'll probably end up stepping up to 18" wheels and tires. The selection is much greater at that size.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 3,751
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From: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Stay away from Chrome wheels, I have had to replace 2x chrome wheels. The chrome eventually gets attacked by brake dust and water,
the chrome peels off and when it meets the tire they forever leak.
Gets expensive replacing them.... wish I went for painted ones.
Will never buy chrome wheels again............
Shipping to Oz is becoming incredibly expensive..
