Wheel fitment tool mock-up. How much tire clearance to allow.

[Phabricator]

When using a wheel fitment tool and an actual tire for mock-up how much tire clearance do you allow? I'm building a 67 Camaro with a roadster shop spec chassis. I have the verifiedfabrication.com fitment tool and plan to full cycle the suspension with coilovers removed to verify fitment. How much clearance from tire to fender, frame etc... do you need as a safety factor?

[SPLATT71MC]

Interested as well.

[srode]

1/2 inch everywhere is the normal clearance you want. For the front full turn / lock both directions and the suspension fully compressed. For the rear, suspension fully compressed. The real worst case in the rear is with one side compressed fully and the other not which tilts the compressed side tire in, the uncompressed out but I think the 1/2 should cover that.

[68Formula]

About 1/2" for a =<4.5" tire section (side wall height) like running short profile tires. For >4.5" section, 3/4" clearance (smaller rims or tall drag radials like 275/60s).

Edit: Looks like you're shooting for 345/30s (~4.1" section height), so 1/2" minimum clearance to the inner/outer fender wells.

[Phabricator]

Thanks for your input. That helps a lot. Roadster shop suggests 255/35R18 front and 345/30 R19 rear but I am leaning towards 325/30 R19 rear because I plan to log lots of miles and there are way more 325 tire choices.

[68Formula]

I would definitely go with the 325/30R19s for reasons you stated. It's a C6 Vette size so more common and don't know if it's an OEM size, but seems to be popular on late model Mustangs.

[Phabricator]

Here are a couple of pictures (Not my car) with the same Roadster Shop chassis and tire size combination. It's nice having the Roadster Shop guidance on tire combination. They have provided great support. They sent me renderings of a 3D scanned image of an actual car showing the tire/wheel cross sections at full compression added through solid modeling. It is quite impressive. I just have to do fitment mock-up for back spacing. They give you the backspacing but with the expected disclaimer to not buy wheels using their information.

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[Pedigry]

interesting take on the thrust D rim. Do you know who makes that one? nice dish in the rear. Looks awesome.

[Phabricator]

That wheel is the RS5 by Forgeline. It was designed along with the Roadster Shop.

[Phabricator]

I am considering that same wheel (Forgeline RS5) but I have 2 young adult sons that think it's too "Old school" and are pushing me towards the newer multi-spoke style. Wheels are a big, high stakes decision. I've been trying to choose for 2 years but I'm at the point in the build where I've got to decide.

[68Formula]

Your car, build it how you like. Nice thing about old-school styled rims, as they tend to still fit the character years later. Modern wheels tend to change in trend, so what looks hot now can appear dated after a number of years.