DarkoNova
08-24-2012, 08:10 PM
I'm pretty sure I know the answer to this, but I guess I just want some reassurance. And maybe to just start a discussion, I dunno lol.
Little info to preface everything: Bought the Nova, shortly after that I blew the stock 8.2" rear end. Replaced it with an 8.5" out of a later Nova and blew that, too. Got another 8.5" *supposedly* out of a Camaro (apparently I was a naive youngster, lesson learned: don't trust junkyards...or anyone trying to sell you something...) but apparently it's wider than stock. I've tried finding wheels that will fit but have found that nothing off the shelf will work. It's either pay big bucks for custom wheels, or buy a set made for modern cars and use adapters. I figure I'll buy a set for newer cars instead, since getting wheels custom made for my car and then trying to sell them later on will probably be more of a hassle (seeing as how everyone will have the stock rear end, my custom wheels would be basically useless to everybody else).
Anyway!
I'm about to pull the trigger on a Tru-Turn setup for the Nova and I just want to be sure about how backspacing works. Unless I'm overthinking things, wouldn't an 18x8 with 4.5" of backspacing be basically the same thing as an 18x8 with, say, 6.5" of backspacing and a 2" adapter? The only difference is the wheel with 4.5" would have a decent sized lip, compared to the wheel with 6.5" of backspacing.
The reason I ask is because I currently have E46 M3 wheels on the car with 1.5" adapters up front and they still hit the frame before I can get to the steering locks. I don't know how much space I have between the tire and the fender, but IIRC, I'm thinking I can push the wheels out a little more. I know one of the problems was the tie rod hitting the wheel, so if the Tru-Turn raises those, the main problem will be the frame. I'm not getting the Tru-Turn just to get the wheels to fit, I want it for all the geometry and wheel width benefits, and because I plan on getting wider wheels.
I just want to be sure I know how backspacing works before I spend a grand on the suspension and more on wheels.
Little info to preface everything: Bought the Nova, shortly after that I blew the stock 8.2" rear end. Replaced it with an 8.5" out of a later Nova and blew that, too. Got another 8.5" *supposedly* out of a Camaro (apparently I was a naive youngster, lesson learned: don't trust junkyards...or anyone trying to sell you something...) but apparently it's wider than stock. I've tried finding wheels that will fit but have found that nothing off the shelf will work. It's either pay big bucks for custom wheels, or buy a set made for modern cars and use adapters. I figure I'll buy a set for newer cars instead, since getting wheels custom made for my car and then trying to sell them later on will probably be more of a hassle (seeing as how everyone will have the stock rear end, my custom wheels would be basically useless to everybody else).
Anyway!
I'm about to pull the trigger on a Tru-Turn setup for the Nova and I just want to be sure about how backspacing works. Unless I'm overthinking things, wouldn't an 18x8 with 4.5" of backspacing be basically the same thing as an 18x8 with, say, 6.5" of backspacing and a 2" adapter? The only difference is the wheel with 4.5" would have a decent sized lip, compared to the wheel with 6.5" of backspacing.
The reason I ask is because I currently have E46 M3 wheels on the car with 1.5" adapters up front and they still hit the frame before I can get to the steering locks. I don't know how much space I have between the tire and the fender, but IIRC, I'm thinking I can push the wheels out a little more. I know one of the problems was the tie rod hitting the wheel, so if the Tru-Turn raises those, the main problem will be the frame. I'm not getting the Tru-Turn just to get the wheels to fit, I want it for all the geometry and wheel width benefits, and because I plan on getting wider wheels.
I just want to be sure I know how backspacing works before I spend a grand on the suspension and more on wheels.