The Camaro Z-28 I am currently looking at has 16-inch tires stock installed. I was wondering if I can just use 17-inch tires instead.

I have heard that if you switch to 17-inch tires on a Z28 that came with 16-inch tires stock, it would mess up the CPU on the car because it was calibrated and designed to run 16-inch tires.

Is it possible if I can "upgrade" to 17-inch tires, and have someone "calibrate" my camaro's CPU to run 17-inch tires?

Where is a good place to take your camaro to do all this stuff?

 

17's shouldn't be a problem as long as you stay close to the same OD on the tires. Most places can check that for you but youd be hard pressed to find a 17" tire to fit in there that would be big enough to mess up your computer. (If thats even possible on F-bodys) I know on the newer (99+) GM trucks, going over one whole size bigger (i.e. 245/75/16 to 285/75/16 insted of 265s) screws up the Tranny, I never heard that about Camaros.

 

Yep.
The Z28 16x8 with 245/50R16 has a nearly identical diameter (difference of like 1 or 2 mm.) compared to the SS's 17x9 with 275/40/17. The width is the only overall difference.

 

Took the words right out of my mouth.
I got mine at SLP here http://slponline.com./sswb2003.asp
They are on sale now too. I got the painted 10 spoke SS wheels with the Goodyear F1's. There are better tires out there but for the price I could not resist. Welcome to the board Bud794
Later>>>>>>>

 

hmmm..........

i dont mean to take your post over or anything but i have a quick comment/question:

i have stock 16X8;s on my Z and will be putting 17X8 smoothie II's on it in march.........
my question is: do my stock 245's and the 275's i was gonna put on the smoothies have the same diameter????
in other words, my speedometer and odometer will still be accurate???
or should i put 245's on my boyds?

NOTE: i know nothing about tires in general, so if this post is messed up please forgive me.

 

http://www.dsm.org/tools/tiresize.htm

 

275's are too wide for an 8"wide rim regardless of diameter. Stick with a 245/45/17 (common 17" mustang GT size tire) for your 8" wide rim.

 

What he said and the width makes no difference..

I went from 16x8 with 235/50/16 to 17x9.5s with 275/40/17 The rim is an in. wider but the sidewall of the tire is 10 mm shorter.

no problems with the speedo

pics in my sig.

 

the 245/50/16 stock tire and the 274/40/17 tire are both exactly 25.66 inches tall.

the ONLY possible difference you might notice is a little harsher ride quality...thats it.

 

ok, what about 315 tire in a 17" by 11"rim. what about the hight(35 or 40 or 45),will that change my speedo or anything?btw they will be on the boyd coddington's Osiris 17 by 9.5 ft and 17 by 11 for the rear.

 

Just go here
http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html

this should answer you speedo vs. tire/wheel size questions. Calculator works for all tire/wheel sizes.

As for the 275 on an 8" wide rim...you can mount it but the sidewall will bulge considerably and compromise your handling not to mention being dangerous. In addition it will not give you the full 275 contact patch on the road.