16" wheels?
Thread Starter
AMP Racing
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 10,753
Likes: 587
From: Washington TWP NJ
2023 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2017 C5 of Year Finalist
St. Jude Donor '09-'10-'11-'12
16" wheels?
I'm thinking of going with 16" wheels this season. Does anyone have a couple for sale?
F-body wheels are fine.
Thanks.
F-body wheels are fine.
Thanks.
Thread Starter
AMP Racing
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 10,753
Likes: 587
From: Washington TWP NJ
2023 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2017 C5 of Year Finalist
St. Jude Donor '09-'10-'11-'12
So you're saying that the spindle kit is cheaper because the cost difference between 16" and 15" drag radials? I would think it's gonna take a lot of drag radials to make that up.
Of course, I don't know how much the spindle kit costs...
Of course, I don't know how much the spindle kit costs...
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 27,231
Likes: 117
From: Short Hills, NJ
It is definitely not cheaper to go 15" than it is to simply bolt on 16" rims/tires (even if you were to buy really lightweight/expensive 16" rims instead of using the 'virtually free' F-body rims (as you'd have to still buy 15" rims when doing the spindle kit as well of course)).
But what I think Jay might mean is that 1) 15s are better and 2) if there comes a day when you're going to need to do 15s anyway (adding power etc.) then you will have gotten it done all at once instead of buying 16" set up first and then later doing 15s so it can be cheaper in that regard.
But at the moment you likely don't need 15s, those 255-50-16s can support a lot of power and can certainly generate some strong short times. If you didn't find the drag radials to your liking you could also try the 10.5" wide ET Streets on those 16x8s which should work out even better than the 17" ET Streets that Andrew's been testing but I'd still stick with the DRs.
16x8 F-body rims are available all over ebay and can be pretty cheap, just try and focus on the later model years as the stepping/inner barrels are slightly smaller on the older ones and might not clear the C5 brakes as easily (after the typical ball joint/control arm mod that is).
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But what I think Jay might mean is that 1) 15s are better and 2) if there comes a day when you're going to need to do 15s anyway (adding power etc.) then you will have gotten it done all at once instead of buying 16" set up first and then later doing 15s so it can be cheaper in that regard.
But at the moment you likely don't need 15s, those 255-50-16s can support a lot of power and can certainly generate some strong short times. If you didn't find the drag radials to your liking you could also try the 10.5" wide ET Streets on those 16x8s which should work out even better than the 17" ET Streets that Andrew's been testing but I'd still stick with the DRs.
16x8 F-body rims are available all over ebay and can be pretty cheap, just try and focus on the later model years as the stepping/inner barrels are slightly smaller on the older ones and might not clear the C5 brakes as easily (after the typical ball joint/control arm mod that is).
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Last edited by LS1LT1; Mar 2, 2011 at 11:21 PM.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 8,629
Likes: 16
From: York PA
It is definitely not cheaper to go 15" than it is to simply bolt on 16" rims/tires (even if you were to buy really lightweight/expensive 16" rims instead of using the 'virtually free' F-body rims (as you'd have to still buy 15" rims when doing the spindle kit as well of course)).
But what I think Jay might mean is that 1) 15s are better and 2) if there comes a day when you're going to need to do 15s anyway (adding power etc.) then you will have gotten it done all at once instead of buying 16" set up first and then later doing 15s so it can be cheaper in that regard.
But at the moment you likely don't need 15s, those 255-50-16s can support a lot of power and can certainly generate some strong short times. If you didn't find the drag radials to your liking you could also try the 10.5" wide ET Streets on those 16x8s which should work out even better than the 17" ET Streets that Andrew's been testing but I'd still stick with the DRs.
16x8 F-body rims are available all over ebay and can be pretty cheap, just try and focus on the later model years as the stepping/inner barrels are slightly smaller on the older ones and might not clear the C5 brakes as easily (after the typical ball joint/control arm mod that is).
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
But what I think Jay might mean is that 1) 15s are better and 2) if there comes a day when you're going to need to do 15s anyway (adding power etc.) then you will have gotten it done all at once instead of buying 16" set up first and then later doing 15s so it can be cheaper in that regard.
But at the moment you likely don't need 15s, those 255-50-16s can support a lot of power and can certainly generate some strong short times. If you didn't find the drag radials to your liking you could also try the 10.5" wide ET Streets on those 16x8s which should work out even better than the 17" ET Streets that Andrew's been testing but I'd still stick with the DRs.
16x8 F-body rims are available all over ebay and can be pretty cheap, just try and focus on the later model years as the stepping/inner barrels are slightly smaller on the older ones and might not clear the C5 brakes as easily (after the typical ball joint/control arm mod that is).
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usually the middle one
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 1,022
Likes: 0
From: Concord NC
St. Jude Donor '10
I've done pretty well with 27x10.5 ET Streets on 16" F-body wheels. I can consistently turn 1.5x 60's in a 6spd car.
That said, I'd get spindles and some off the shelf 15x10's to match my Greg Weld's up front before I spent $1500+ on a ridiculous (and heavy!!) CCW Drag Pack.
I'd love to hear the R&D done on both sets of 15" spindle kits. There is definitely some SERIOUS room for improvement in the rear suspension geometry of these cars for drag racing. Nobody has mentioned it in advertising, so I'd love to hear if anyone actually took that into consideration during design....
That said, I'd get spindles and some off the shelf 15x10's to match my Greg Weld's up front before I spent $1500+ on a ridiculous (and heavy!!) CCW Drag Pack.
I'd love to hear the R&D done on both sets of 15" spindle kits. There is definitely some SERIOUS room for improvement in the rear suspension geometry of these cars for drag racing. Nobody has mentioned it in advertising, so I'd love to hear if anyone actually took that into consideration during design....
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 32,545
Likes: 2
From: Lithia FL
Cruise-In II & IV Veteran
CI VI Drag Champ!
Two other angles on the cheaper side is a 15" tire is cheaper than a 16" tire and the other angle is with the drag radial racing being what it is today, the slightly used (sometimes 10 passes or less) market opens up some nice dollar savings. Even with those two angles still would take a while to reach a break even point but you can.
