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Looking to put new wheels/ tires on my 84 but had two questions.
Been looking for repop zr1 wheels but only finding them in the +50mm offset. Is there a reasonably priced source for the +36mm offset rears?
Also considering running the 11" wide rim all around with 315 tires. Is there any clearance issue when doing this or do they go on pretty well?
I haven't looked in a while but when I got the wheels for my 1985 off of Ebay there was quite a selection of wheels for 1984 to 1987. Mine are 18x10 in 40mm offset.
Searched ebay. Only found one wheel on there with the +36 offset and then either the +50mm or 9.5" wide.
Would be nice to run the +36mm wheels, but would it be a big deal to run the +50s with spacers?
Did some measurements on my corvette and looks like correct backspace to clear the bump stop in the rear with a 11" wide wheel would be 32-33mm and thats should be allowing 10mm clearance with a 315 tire mounted. Does that seem correct or am I way off base
Looking to put new wheels/ tires on my 84 but had two questions.
Been looking for repop zr1 wheels but only finding them in the +50mm offset. Is there a reasonably priced source for the +36mm offset rears?
Also considering running the 11" wide rim all around with 315 tires. Is there any clearance issue when doing this or do they go on pretty well?
Search for my thread on this subject. I laid out how to do this exact thing on an 85... Except I did not use 315's up front.
Consider this... When GM built the ZR1, they did not feel the need to put a 315 up front. Having a square setup is an advantage for rotating tires, but for performance the true experts saw no need for them.
And you're 100% right... Giant diameter wheels look goofy on a C4. The car is too small for them.
I've got two on the way that will for sure be mounted in the back. 17x11 +50mm, 315/35r17. I'll use them to decide if I can mount the same set in front or just go smaller.
How tight is that tire to the inside bump stop on your car with the half inch spacers PacerX?
I've got two on the way that will for sure be mounted in the back. 17x11 +50mm, 315/35r17. I'll use them to decide if I can mount the same set in front or just go smaller.
How tight is that tire to the inside bump stop on your car with the half inch spacers PacerX?
Enough clearance that they have never rubbed in spirited driving.
It's dirty and sitting high in the pics because the suspension hadn't settled yet (took a short test drive to do that later that day), but it'll give you an idea of what the thing will end up looking like.
Yeah that's a nice looking car, I like where the rear tires ended up on yours. I'm still in the middle of fixing after hitting a deer last fall and stripping paint. Previous owner had rattle canned it black and I couldn't take it anymore, but I'll update with pictures and specs when I get the new wheels mocked up.
Yeah that's a nice looking car, I like where the rear tires ended up on yours. I'm still in the middle of fixing after hitting a deer last fall and stripping paint. Previous owner had rattle canned it black and I couldn't take it anymore, but I'll update with pictures and specs when I get the new wheels mocked up.
Welp, you're resurrecting a gem there!
Someday... and it won't be long... people will begin to appreciate C4's for what special cars they really are!
You can absolutely run 11" wheels up front if you get the offset correct. People seem to run 36mm front and rear on the early C4s with 315 tires. I would have thought 32mm would be correct based on the 18mm difference in factory wheel offsets for early 9.5 and later 9.5 wheels. But not having tried this on an early car myself, I can only go by what other people post they are doing. Spacers are fine if you get wheels with 50mm offset. You'll need longer wheel studs to safely run thick enough spacers.
As for whether 11" wheels are a performance upgrade up front, they absolutely are. There is no case with a street car on street tires where wider wheels/tires don't give more grip if all else remains equal. GM's decision to stick with 9.5" wheels up front had absolutely nothing to do with that being the best case for ultimate performance. Nobody - and I really mean nobody - who races Corvettes in any competitive environment where non-stock widths are allowed sticks with 9.5" wheels and 275 tires. That would be silly.
I also agree about larger diameter wheels on C4s not looking correct. The C4 is a teensy car compared to modern goliaths. The problem is there are very few decent street tires left in 17" diameters and none in wider-than-stock widths, and only the Hoosier A7 and Toyo r888r in race tires (which are street legal but you won't want to use them for that). 18s offer more choices in 275/35, 285/35, and 295/35 sizes for street tires; and several options 315/30/18 competition street-legal tires. They don't look too silly. The main thing is to keep the outside tire diameters close to stock. 19s are starting to get into silly territory. This is my car on 18x11 and 315/30/18 tires front and rear:
Last edited by MatthewMiller; Apr 10, 2021 at 12:29 PM.
Did some measurements on my corvette and looks like correct backspace to clear the bump stop in the rear with a 11" wide wheel would be 32-33mm and thats should be allowing 10mm clearance with a 315 tire mounted. Does that seem correct or am I way off base
Finally had some time to test out fitment with some test spacers. Had trouble with rear studs, so did the front for now. Stuck a 10mm spacer in front seems to clear lock to lock looks a little tight but it really isn't much more than stock. Clearance in the front with steering full right Clearance in the back with steering full left
1984 wheels
