68 GTO Centerline Wheels on and fronts rub....

[BAD68GTO]

Hi all, ordered the Centerline Retro wheels for my 68 GTO. I got the 18x9.5 with a 5.5" BS and mounted 305/45-18 Nitto Drag Radials on and they are perfect. The fronts however are 18x8 with a 4.5" BS and the tires are 245/45-18. The front tires are hitting in the front and the rear and the car is not even driveable the way it sits. That said, it seems like I can go 1" in with no problems at all-my sway bar has been removed for years. So if I am reading this right, I should get the BS changed to perhaps a 5.5" so they move 1" in. Does that sound right or am I missing something? Sucks as I want to drive the car, but it even chewed my new Nitto tire up just going around the block for a test drive.....

Thanks,

Gary

[BAD68GTO]

I just called Centerline and they were kewl and said that what I ordered should have worked and the most BS they can do on an 8" rim is 5.5". So I will measure tomorrow, but it looks like I will have to go to a 5.5 BS for the front.... Stock brakes, so I can't understand why this is, but it is what it is. They said I could send them back and that it would cost $150 a wheel to change the back spacing, and I have no problem with that, but sucks that I will have more down time.

[badbu68]

You need to verify what you are doing. Going from 4.5 to 5.5" backspacing is going to push the wheel out not suck it in.

[ssx]

badbu68, if he goes from a 4.5 to a 5.5 backspace, I'm pretty sure it will move the wheels in not out?

[BAD68GTO]

You need to verify what you are doing. Going from 4.5 to 5.5" backspacing is going to push the wheel out not suck it in.

More backspacing will move it into the center of the car where it needs to go. Weird that my car needs this much backspacing in the front.

[ponchopwr70]

Can you take some pics? Thats kind of messed up. Take some measuments on the inside to see how much room you have lock to lock.

[BAD68GTO]

Pics posted tomorrow of the car, will back it up, but can't even do lock to lock as it literally cut the outside of the tire on the lip of the fender's stainless steel-yikes!

[Roadbuster]

Bad68GTO,
You are on the the right track with moving the backspace in. 5.5 should clear the fender, but you need to measure for interference with the control arms. Check at full lock with the engine on if you have power steering. It will move a little bit more than it will with the engine off. I think your main problem is going to be the overall diameter and section width of the tire. A 245/45R18 is 26.7 inches tall and with that large diameter you might still have problems. A 245/40R18 would have a much better chance of fitting since it is 25.7 inches tall.

My GTO rubbed with 17x8 with 4.5 back space and a 245/45R17 on stock suspension/brakes. That was a 25.7 inch tall tire. It was just a little rubbing but annoying. I currently have 255/35R18 R888s on 18x9 rims on the front of my GTO. That is 25 inch tall tire, and a bit wider. It is close. I run a bit more than 5.5 backspacing but I can get away with it because of the SC&C upper and lower control arms and AFX spindles and Baer brakes. No interference problem with the stock 1 inch sway bar. This set up has no margin for error on the backspace due to how close it gets to the lower control arm.

68-69 GTOs can't run as wide or as large a diameter as our other A-body cousins due to the front fender shape. This problem gets worse when you get a performance alignment with some positive caster. Taller spindles will help with camber gain, bringing the tire in. If you lower it you really need the taller spindles to clear the stupid bump right above the tire in the inner fender that I only have found on a 68 GTO!

Sorry for the long post! Hope this helps!

Jon

[BAD68GTO]

Took rims off and are getting shipped back to Centerline today to go to 5.5" BS. I appreciate the input Jon, and the measurements look good, but then again the car was not going up and down through turns under load. I can always shim it out a hair with spacers and or get a smaller diameter tires too if needed, but I hope I can keep my 245/45-18's and it looks as if I will be able to. Nice to know about needing a 5.5" BS as the wheel guys I talked to when I was shopping and on the forum here the consensus was a 4.5" BS for the fronts with an 18x8.

[gearheads78]

Took rims off and are getting shipped back to Centerline today to go to 5.5" BS. I appreciate the input Jon, and the measurements look good, but then again the car was not going up and down through turns under load. I can always shim it out a hair with spacers and or get a smaller diameter tires too if needed, but I hope I can keep my 245/45-18's and it looks as if I will be able to. Nice to know about needing a 5.5" BS as the wheel guys I talked to when I was shopping and on the forum here the consensus was a 4.5" BS for the fronts with an 18x8.

Sounds like you got some really bad info. No way 4.5 with 8 will work with a tall tire like that and lowered car. The 5.5 will be a lot better but you still may need to go to a shorter tire as mentioed above.

[BAD68GTO]

My car is NOT lowered my friend, it is stock as can be height wise.

[gearheads78]

My car is NOT lowered my friend, it is stock as can be height wise.

You will be probably OK with your new BS. With tire height you selected should be OK then.

[DriverzInc]

5.5" is a lot....

[ProdigyCustoms]

4.75 to 5" BS and a 245 / 40 / 18 will make the world a happy place. Overall diameter is causing some of the problem, adding to much BS will suck the tires in and look like doo doo!

[BAD68GTO]

At 4.5 it is hitting BIG TIME, so moving it in an inch is necessary (unless I want to run doughnut tires), at least 3/4" in. If the additional 1" BS proves to be too much, I will shim it out a hair. I have the one rotor off as I am adding longer lug studs in there to better match my rim/lug combo as they are only going on 7 threads and with 7/16x20 that isn't enough for me. That said, Centerline BS are 1/2" increments and I definately need more than 1/2" more BS on this car and I do not think the 1" addl BS will make the car bad, but anyhow if it makes it look bad and or it is rubbing on the inside I will shim out, but from all measurements I did, I think it will be fine. The way it looks now, it appears to be sticking out too much so the 1" in will be just right from what I see. As for changing to 245/40-18, that is my last resort since I already purchased tires and do not want low profile tires. Hell, i didn't even want 18" tires and rims, it was the lack of tire sizes and drag radials that pushed me into choosing 18" tires. I also want taller tires on the front as my front end raises up off the ground and comes down to two wheels and I need the cushion to minimize the shock to the car. I have stoppers in there and even a welded plate, but the higher tires help the drop-lol.

[USAZR1]

Took rims off and are getting shipped back to Centerline today to go to 5.5" BS. I appreciate the input Jon, and the measurements look good, but then again the car was not going up and down through turns under load. I can always shim it out a hair with spacers and or get a smaller diameter tires too if needed, but I hope I can keep my 245/45-18's and it looks as if I will be able to. Nice to know about needing a 5.5" BS as the wheel guys I talked to when I was shopping and on the forum here the consensus was a 4.5" BS for the fronts with an 18x8.

4.5" backspacing on an 18x8 works great on a Chevelle or El Camino but Pontiacs obviously have a wider track. Your problem is why I always excuse myself from non-Chevy wheel & tire discussions.
A man has to know his limitations,right?

[ponchopwr70]

It must be a 68 thing because my 70 does not have this problem. I def want to see some pics. My fronts are 255/45-17 with a 17x8 with 4.75 bs.

[BAD68GTO]

This is one pic, I can shoot closeups and have them, but you get the idea. That said, moving them in 1" I think will be fine.

[Roadbuster]

This is one pic, I can shoot closeups and have them, but you get the idea. That said, moving them in 1" I think will be fine.

That looks way different than what I had with 17x8, 4.5bs rims.
I could at least drive mine just not turn and go through a dip at the same time.

This is with the engine in the car right? What is the camber set at? Do you have the factory 4 piston disk brakes?


Jon

[BAD68GTO]

This is with my engine in the car. I am now running a 467 CID motor which is a 428 iron block, aluminum heads and aluminum intake, a 5 Speed Richmond, scattershield, working AC and a PS pump, so stock weight. Car is on the ground on that picture and who knows about the alignment now as I just changed the body mounts as well as the tires and rims, so that would throw it off a hair I'm sure. My body mounts were old, and these were just done, but since it is hitting front and rear and impossible to do turns without cutting the tires up, I can't even align it as yet. I just see the tire is out too much. My brakes are all stock in the front so far as I can tell, and I am 99% sure of it other than different pads.