I need some pointers before I buy the wheels

[Joeycamaro]

Basically my car is on jack stands in the garage getting a UMI Stage 4 handling kit installed. This includes coilovers in the front, with 2in drop springs, taller ball joints and standard spindles and drop springs in the back. I'm also installing 4 wheel disk brakes (11in rotors). Basically, I don't have wheels now because my little 14 inch pizza cutters don't fit lol. That's fine because I planned on switching up to a 17in rim with wide tires, I would like the pro tour look.

Without having a test set of wheels to establish ride height, the endless possibilities of the front coilovers, I'm not sure where to start to establish a good start to determine the perfect wheel height to achieve the desired look. I do have a Percy wheelrite. I would really like some advice as to how to get set up right before I put the wheelrite on

[TheJDMan]

I would recommend you consider 18" wheels over the 17" due primarily to a better selection of 18" tires.

[andrewb70]

Knowing the kind of car you have would help a lot.

Andrew

[csouth]

OK, I edited this post because I see you have asked in a different thread for advice on wheel selection.

Andrew, appears he has a 66 Skylark.

Joeycamaro, I don't know if I ever seen someone use the Percy tool for establishing wheel the desired "look" of the car as opposed to "will these wheels and tires fit". I think you will have a hard time determining ride height without the weight of the car on the ground, which you cannot do with a wheel fit tool. If you are trying to achieve a "tucked" stance, use the wheel tool to determine clearance and tire size, you're ride height setting would presumably wait until the car is set on the ground.

You'll see in this pic here of my friends Chevelle he's using the tool to determine clearance. The final ride height can be set later because he knows he had the inner fender space available.





IMO as long as your wheels clear the suspension, you should be able to achieve whatever stance your suspension and drivetrain geometry allows.

[Joeycamaro]

And budget....

I'm not asking what kind of wheels. I need some pointers in the setup. Do I put the car on all 4 jackstands with the Jack stands under suspension components? What's the best way to establish a ride height with coil overs? Stuff like that.

[Joeycamaro]

Car is a 66 skylark

[andrewb70]

A-bodies look nice with a 27 inch tire in the rear and a 26 inch tire in the front.

Andrew

[csouth]

I'm not asking what kind of wheels. I need some pointers in the setup. Do I put the car on all 4 jackstands with the Jack stands under suspension components? What's the best way to establish a ride height with coil overs? Stuff like that.

On all my cars that have had coilovers I've never been able to establish ride height with the car on jack stands, mostly VW's but the principle is the same. I've gotten the best initial settings by jacking one corner of the car, adjusting the coilover first and then setting the car on the ground for reference. Once I have one corner set I would count the available threads from the adjuster down, I would then move to the opposite corner and set the corresponding coilover. Because corner weights are different its not an exact science, but would get me within a thread or 2 of being even with opposite side.

Some may chime in on a different way, but I could not achieve the desired ride height I wanted on jack stands. Once you have a ride height you could use the Percy's tool to check for clearances if need be, but since you said 17's in your other thread you should be ok...

[72BBSwinger]

I would DECIDE on a ride height, then set the coilovers to that height on jack stands. Its pretty impossible to duplicate ride height with jack stands under your control arms. Otherwise you can make some of these.....
http://image.hotrod.com/f/35077562+q...aer-brakes.jpg