Tire/wheel upgrades: what sizes???

DS01Z28 · 08-24-2003, 01:50 AM

I have an '01 Z28 A4 Coupe with stock 245/55X16" tires on stock chrome multi-spoke rims. I am interested in filling in some of that wheel well gap and gaining some performance/handling from tire upgrades. I DON'T want rubber hanging outiside the wheel wells, especially in the front.

What size 17"wheel will give me "a bit" more meat on the front (maybe going from a 245/55 to a 245, 255, or 265/45/17)? And (same question) for an 18" rear wheel. No sticking out looking cheap and tacky. I'd like to see more meat on the rear end going inward and filling up the wheel well without sticking out from the wheel well. Would a 275 width on an 18" tire do it nicely? Are there specific offset numbers I should be looking for in the front and rear respectively to accomplish this???

Hey... Thanks gang for your input! Remember, I don't want to go WILD and stuff the biggest tires around under there, I just want subtle upgrades that get the job done in a tasteful but no b.s. way

The kind of look that requires a second look with a response that says, "whoa, that's a sweet setup on that Z28"...

Thanks again,
Daryl

99blackSS · 08-24-2003, 02:21 AM

SSs have 17 by 9.5 inch rims (275/40/17). 275s don't stick out.

Black01_Z · 08-24-2003, 02:33 AM

Im assuming that with your plans of 17s in front and 18s in the rear you have C5 rims in mind. Those come in 17*8.5 in front and 18*9.5 in the rear. You can go from 245 up to 275 in front on that size. I had 275s up front but I had to get rid of them. I couldnt stand the unresponsiveness and how extremely bump sensitive they were. At speeds over 70 mph it felt like with even a simple lane change you would lose control of the car especially with a bump. I put 245/45/17s on there now. Car has never handled better. You would probably fine with 255s as well, but I wouldnt recommend going bigger in front. In the rear 275s are great if you have BFG G-force drag radials as those hook up great (ZERO wheelspin as a matter of fact) and is my current setup. However you can and should go a little bit wider if you plan on running a street tire for some additional traction. 285-295 would be the most I would go. Bigger it does stand out and you said you didnt want that. Plus a 295 tire looks mean as hell from behind. 285 or 95 on the rear should help you hook up much better than your stock 245s.

siberiankiss · 08-24-2003, 04:09 AM

i would love to have staggered sizes front to rear on my car when i upgrade my wheels/tires, but darn it, i sure would like to still be able to rotate my tires.

i, myself, am most likely getting 18x9.5's all around. 275 for the tires.....should work all right...

95GRNZ · 08-24-2003, 12:34 PM

Maybe it's just me, but I like the look of stock 10-spoke 17" SS wheels w/275/40-17 tires on a car with a lowered suspension.

Fills in the wheelwells and definetely improves handling even just as a standalone mod. Not to mention the addition of other handling mods: SFC's, STB's etc.

TS

Y2kPewterSS · 08-25-2003, 04:54 PM

How your car handles with different size tires depends on your setup. If you have different springs/shocks it will handle differently than with stock equipment. Also how you have the car aligned will make a big difference. Right now I have -1.5 deg camber if front and the car feels much lighter and quicker to turn in then with + or no camber.

I think I could use larger bars front and rear, but otherwise my car handles extraordinarily well with 275/40/17. My car does not bounce or get step out going over bumps, not to say that you don't need to careful on a high speed corner. 18 are not going to help your handling, 17 are plenty stiff, 18 are only going to ride rougher.

Brian

DS01Z28 · 08-25-2003, 05:05 PM

Hmmm, I admit I do like the idea of being able to rotate tires with the same size on all 4 corners. I'm just concerned that having a 275 on the front will be TOO much meat up front? and/or will stick out from the wheel well... a look I'm vehemently opposed to for my tastes.

Anybody confirm/deny the 275's on the front will stick out or not? If they won't, what size wheel and offset? Would they rub (on the inner or outer fender well) if the wheel is cranked all the way to either extreme, right or left?

Cautious but anxious,
Daryl

Ken S · 08-25-2003, 06:11 PM

I ordered 17x9 (but is it actually 9.5? who knows) SS Takeoffs from SLP put 275/40's on em, works perfectly.. it what the SS's have stock, and since there is no real differnece clearance wise between the SS and Z28, you know it will work because GM does it.. (although once in a while I hear someone complain about rubbing in the extreme situation)

They feel great on my car, I also have my alignment set to max neg camber (only got -0.5), caster at +4.5, and no toe.. Unless the road is heavily rutted, the car drives straight.

The extreme would be 17x11 with 315's all around.. Play with the offsets/spacers right and you can get it to work without much work.. Don't think you want to do that on the street though..

Wonder how a 17x10 with 275 squarely moutned on would work all around...

Y2kPewterSS · 08-25-2003, 06:12 PM

My car was sold with the 275 so they don't hit under any condition. They don't stick out, they are inside of the fender lip. I just have stock 10 spoke SS I think the offset is 56 or 54, I can't remember. Pics are in my signature... Depends on the look of the car you want... I like the big front tires.

Brian

AL SS590 M6 · 08-26-2003, 02:21 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by DS01Z28
Hmmm, I admit I do like the idea of being able to rotate tires with the same size on all 4 corners. I'm just concerned that having a 275 on the front will be TOO much meat up front? and/or will stick out from the wheel well... a look I'm vehemently opposed to for my tastes.

Anybody confirm/deny the 275's on the front will stick out or not? If they won't, what size wheel and offset? Would they rub (on the inner or outer fender well) if the wheel is cranked all the way to either extreme, right or left?

Cautious but anxious,
Daryl

All fixed roof SSes and WS6s come with 275-40-17s and they do not stick out.

robvas · 08-26-2003, 08:22 AM

245/45-17 just isn't wide enough. It looks funny.

If you get 275's up front, your car will wander a bit on ruts in the road. Thats what you get for having those big meats up there. They will not stick out, they come like that stock. It looks mean.

You can put 275's in the back too. Some guys go 17x11's with 315's but that's a ton of weight.

IXLR894Z28 · 08-26-2003, 01:24 PM

I have 275 40 17's on my car and with the eibach's it looks great, wheel wells are full, no tire sticking out, no bottoming out over bumps with passengers.

Lan01z · 08-26-2003, 04:46 PM

I have 285/35/18's and they are ALMOST flush with the rim, they stick out about a half inch, but they look sweet. More rim with less tire looks funny IMO. -285 is the max for a 9.5" rim and it looks

Lan01z · 08-26-2003, 05:06 PM

From what I hear the factory SS rims are 17x9 and aftermarket rims are 17x9.5 so, 275 would be the max for a 9" rim. 275's don't stick out at all, they are perfectly flush!

robvas · 08-26-2003, 06:23 PM

275's actually fit pretty good on 17x8's

Quote:

Originally posted by Lan01z
From what I hear the factory SS rims are 17x9 and aftermarket rims are 17x9.5 so, 275 would be the max for a 9" rim. 275's don't stick out at all, they are perfectly flush!