2nd gen wheel and tire width limitations

[79-TA]

Looking at what people run on their 2nd gens, it seems no one ever uses anything wider than an 8.5 inch wheel on the front. What exactly gets in the way and how hard would it be to make room for more rubber.

In short, how hard would it be for a 2nd gen guy to pull a Carl Cassanova and run 285mm tires all around? And without cutting/bending up the front fenders. (I already am familiar with spacing issues in the rear)



*edit:

shoot, that title should read "front wheel and tire limitations"

[dcozzi]

Good question. I am going to use a 9.5" on the front of my 70 Camaro with a 275/40/17.

The first thing the tire will hit is usually the sway bar but, it can also rub the wheel well. (Drivers side at full lock, it rubs the back of the well with the outside of the tire tread.) I am going to live with these things to use the big tires up front.

I suppose you could modify the wheel well and look into a different sway bar but, eventually the permanent parts of the car will become obstacles. I guess you could weld in new stops to limit the lock-to-lock travel but it eats into your turning radius.

Someone else chime in if this seems right/wrong. I have not worked on or even looked at the car in years.

[critter]

I have had 295/50s intalled on an 15X8 wheel on the back of my 74TA. It rubbed on the seat belt bulge and the fender lip would contact the sidewall of the tire when the suspension compressed, cutting the sidewall of the tire. IMHO, you need to pound down the bulge and roll the fender lip in the back before going big.

On the fronts I had a 255/60 on a 15X7 and it would rub on the sway bar at full lock. Going big up there is going to be a bigger challenge.

[WS6]

YO says they put a 275 tire on the 9in snowflakes no problem.

http://www.yearone.com/serverfiles/fbshopmain2.asp?input=snowflake&SM=1&SC=P