View Full Version : Trans am HELP
band1t
02-10-2011, 05:00 PM
were building a 1979 trans am and we need help
we ordered
17x8 with 4.5bs for the front
and
17x 9.5 with 5.5 for the rear
I am hoping we didnt jump the gun
my question is will this set up fit under a stock ride height car
You may need spacers on the rear if I remember correctly. Front's should be ok. Go to the wheel and tire section and search. You'll find a whole lot of info.
Takid455
02-10-2011, 06:29 PM
5.5 is fine. be sure to have a rear suspension centering mechanism such as Watts link or panhard bar at the least. You may experience tire rub on the leafs during hard cornering. I run that BS and it is close. there is room, but its close w/ 285 tires. I also run a Watts link.
band1t
02-10-2011, 06:40 PM
i have seen all over the net of some guys TA with 11s stuffed under the rear with NO mini tube or anything just stock
but you guys say the inside may rub ?
PLease say it wont stick out
this is drivin me up the wall hoping i ordered the right rims
tazzz25906112
02-10-2011, 06:45 PM
You should be more than fine.... I run a 17x35x315 on an 11" TT2's rim out back on my 72RS and it's Back spaced at 5.75 so you've got an additional 1/2" of clearance to the springs (considering they are both F bodies)... I believe my 73TA Warpath Light is running a 10" with 5.5BS if memory serves me with an 18X40X275 out back.... Plus you mentioned staying at stock height which is even more forgiving....
Bottom line you shouldn't run into trouble provided you're running a tire side wall profile consistent with other pro-touring cars all things equal....
band1t
02-10-2011, 06:54 PM
thanks you put my mind at ease
A 11 did you have to tub it?
do they stick out?
tazzz25906112
02-10-2011, 07:08 PM
No I didn't tub the car Band1t,,, and I could have just rolled the lip to drop the car to the level I chose but instead decided to take the quarter and work it so that I gained about an inch and some change.... Now that said the stock wheel well with a rolled lip would have been fine with an 11" wheel... It's all preferences and I just chose otherwise as I like the way it makes the rear of the car look....
aronhk_md
02-12-2011, 05:14 PM
I'm putting 18x9.5's on my 73 TA and from all measurements the 5.25 BS I'm using should work just fine and not stick out at all. Look at the backspacing on the 17x9 Year One snowflakes to give yourself an idea. They are 4 and 7/8". NOT A TA is using 11" rears with 6.75" BS.......but his car isnt lowered much if at all.
As was hinted at, the more you drop your car, the more an issue wheel width and BS become. Lots of guys running 11" wide in the rear IF they dont drop the car too low. Once you have to keep the entire tire inside the wheel well like with a severely lowered car thats when an 11" wheel wont make it. The biggest wheel tires I've heard used in those scenarios without a mini-tub or wheel well work is 285's on a 10". But the BS has to be perfect then, and everything trple checked. GM was known to install these rear axles leaf mount springs a bit off and how much room you have can vary as much as 1/2" from one side to the other.
To answer your question....you should be fine.
critter
02-12-2011, 05:44 PM
18X8 with 4.5 up front and 18X10 with 6 on the back with no problem. The seat belt bulge had to be knocked down but I'd done that year's ago. You'll be OK. Once you have the tire/wheel mounted take the time to look and feel you way around the wheel for any problems. I found an emergency brake cable that I had to tie back but that was about it.
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