fitting 17x11 in the back
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 589
From: Sacramento CA
fitting 17x11 in the back
Hey guys, I just bought a 1971 firebird. Pretty clean, no rips in the interiour except the dash bored.
Just wondering if you can fit 17x11 on a second gen with out modifing the suspension and if not, what's the biggest I could go. Looking into buying some torqe thrust II. So what do you guys think?
Just wondering if you can fit 17x11 on a second gen with out modifing the suspension and if not, what's the biggest I could go. Looking into buying some torqe thrust II. So what do you guys think?
Registered User
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 246
From: Wilton, Ca.
Johnny,
Here's a website link to a guy who used them on a 70 Camaro. He has VERY detailed pics of the build-up. Check it out.
http://carbuff.homeip.net/
Jody
Here's a website link to a guy who used them on a 70 Camaro. He has VERY detailed pics of the build-up. Check it out.
http://carbuff.homeip.net/
Jody
Registered User
Joined: Dec 1969
Posts: 3
From: Durham, NC
Hey, that's me! 
(Hi Jody)
I don't get here a lot, but I saw this post... Yes, you CAN fit them, but it's a tight fit... I'm running 17 x 11 with 315/35 tires in the rear. I have had slight tire rubbing at times on the fender lip, but no problems on the inside.
I've been told that some cars are closer on the 'hump' for the rear seat seatbelt. I think that's on later 2nd gen cars though, so you hopefully would be ok.
I trimmed the fender lip as much as I could, but I didn't roll it. I was afraid I would damage the paint by doing so.
One thing I discovered during this process is that the rear axle in our cars come shifter to the passenger side by 1/4". That means that if you put the exact same wheel on the rear of the car on each side, the pass. side will stick out from the wheel well edge 1/2" more than the driver's side will! To compensate for this, my pass. side rear wheel has 1/2" more backspacing than the driver's side wheel does! You can't tell unless you know though.
If I had it to do over again, I'd probably use 6.0" of backspacing on the driver's side, and 6.5" on the passenger's side. I would then use thin spacers to get the wheels/tires exactly where I want them.
NOTE! I don't recommend you purchase wheels based on this comment, as every car is different! If at all possible, get a wheel to test fit on your car first. Things that will cause interference are the tail pipes, the fender lip, and the seat belt pocket hump. The springs and shocks are close, but I didn't have any problem with them (I would hit other things first).
Good luck!
Bryan
(Hi Jody)I don't get here a lot, but I saw this post... Yes, you CAN fit them, but it's a tight fit... I'm running 17 x 11 with 315/35 tires in the rear. I have had slight tire rubbing at times on the fender lip, but no problems on the inside.
I've been told that some cars are closer on the 'hump' for the rear seat seatbelt. I think that's on later 2nd gen cars though, so you hopefully would be ok.
I trimmed the fender lip as much as I could, but I didn't roll it. I was afraid I would damage the paint by doing so.
One thing I discovered during this process is that the rear axle in our cars come shifter to the passenger side by 1/4". That means that if you put the exact same wheel on the rear of the car on each side, the pass. side will stick out from the wheel well edge 1/2" more than the driver's side will! To compensate for this, my pass. side rear wheel has 1/2" more backspacing than the driver's side wheel does! You can't tell unless you know though.
If I had it to do over again, I'd probably use 6.0" of backspacing on the driver's side, and 6.5" on the passenger's side. I would then use thin spacers to get the wheels/tires exactly where I want them.
NOTE! I don't recommend you purchase wheels based on this comment, as every car is different! If at all possible, get a wheel to test fit on your car first. Things that will cause interference are the tail pipes, the fender lip, and the seat belt pocket hump. The springs and shocks are close, but I didn't have any problem with them (I would hit other things first).
Good luck!
Bryan
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