Serious question about 11X17 rear wheels

[Stuart]

First of all your car looks awesome and perfect.
Now I have a feeling I'm going to get a lot of grief for this but I have a serious question about the 11X17 rear wheels. I really want to put those on my car but "people who know better" tell me that they will stick out. "Why do you think Chevy spent all that money to widen the rear of the ZR1" they say. Well I have seen pictures on this forum of a few cars with the 11X17 wheels and 315 section tires and it looks to me like the top of the wheel and tire is behind the plane of the wheel arch. Is it so? Or does the tire actually stick out beyond the widest part of the arch at the top?
I have been looking at the black A-Molds on a site called finishlinewheels. Anyone have experience with them??

 

[Stuart]

Dumb question?

So was my question above a dumb one? No one answered:ugh Go on tell the truth I can take it

 

[6 Shooter]

Stuart - Check your PM's

​

 

[XLR8]

So was my question above a dumb one? No one answered:ugh Go on tell the truth I can take it

Stuart... It's not a dumb question at all. I'd say it more likely got overlooked buried in the current thread.

I see Dwayne is trying to help you out, so the only thing I would add is the suggestion that you start a new thread with a subject line pertinent to your question and then wait for a few nibbles.

Jane Ann

 

[354RwHpLT4CE]

17x11's on 315's

I am curious too. I thought I saw something on here a while back about a mod to the rear knuckles to keep them from sticking out? I have been wanting to this for a while.

 

[XLR8]

Break away

I'm breaking these posts away to a thread of their own since we've gone beyond the topic of Jeff's LT-4 thread and the new subject is better suited the the C4 General forum.

Hopefully this will give your questions greater exposure and generate useful discussion and answers.

Jane Ann
Forums Administrator
Corvette Action Center

 

[Hib Halverson]

There are two 11x17s with different offsets.

If they are for a ZR1, they'll stick out.

If they are for a 96 Grand Sport Coupe they'll only stick out a tiny bit and if you add the GS Coupe rear fender extensions, they won't.

 

[Stuart]

There are two 11x17s with different offsets.

If they are for a ZR1, they'll stick out.

If they are for a 96 Grand Sport Coupe they'll only stick out a tiny bit and if you add the GS Coupe rear fender extensions, they won't.

Thanks Hib. You have confirmed what I have been able to find out. The Grand Sport 11X17 rear wheel (+50mm offset / 7.93" backspacing) is what works best but even those are likely to stick out a tiny bit. Then you just have to decide if that bothers you or not.

 

[COPO]

lot has to do with the tire you choose and how low your car is. If your car is not lowered you will hardly notice it. Sumis tires are smaller than Goodyrs.

 

[WhalePirot]

those are likely to stick out a tiny bit. Then you just have to decide if that bothers you or not.

My Epsilons make the tires protrude slightly; not of concern to me. The broken/severely-rubbed inner wheel wells are more of a problem.

 

[Hib Halverson]

Thanks Hib. You have confirmed what I have been able to find out. The Grand Sport 11X17 rear wheel (+50mm offset / 7.93" backspacing) is what works best but even those are likely to stick out a tiny bit. Then you just have to decide if that bothers you or not.

On a narrow-body C4, the only 11-in. wheel which works without causing the tires to stick out has the 50-mm offset. The 96 GS version is black, but if black isn't your favorite color or you can't hack the price of genuine A-molds, then look at some of the reproduction wheels out there. Zip Products has a good selection.

I have a Corvette with OE A-Molds which was not originally equipped with that type of wheel. I'm thinking about selling it but I want to keep the A-Molds as spares for my 95 Coupe. Zip's repro wheels look good to me and that's what I'll probably buy to put on the car before I sell it.

As for the 96 GS Coupe fender extensions, I'd buy the wheels and put them on, then decide if you want to add them.

If handing is a key issue with you, going to that big a tire in the back will change the balance of the car. You may want to make a stabilizer bar change to match the extra tire width in back. On the other hand, if you don't run your car hard in the turns and the 11x17s on the back is more of a cosmetic change, just put the wheels on and enjoy.

Lastly, on tires, there are not a lot of options in tires in 315/35ZR17 but whatever you choose, I'd avoid the Summitomos. From a performance standpoint, they are a poor choice and should be looked at only as a budgetary last resort.

Good luck with the wheels.

 

[zoob113]

my 93 ruby came with 315's on the back. have not noticed them sticking out, or they dont stick out enough for me to think they stick out. ( if that makes sense ) I am going to need tires when I take her out in the spring and most likely will go back to the recomended 285's for the rear and 255's for the front enless someone can tell me why I should keep the 315's
steve

 

[Stuart]

my 93 ruby came with 315's on the back. have not noticed them sticking out, or they dont stick out enough for me to think they stick out. ( if that makes sense ) I am going to need tires when I take her out in the spring and most likely will go back to the recomended 285's for the rear and 255's for the front enless someone can tell me why I should keep the 315's
steve

Hi Steve. In this thread we are talking about 315s wrapped around 11X17 inch wheels. If you have the stock rear wheel it is 9.5X17 and the stock tire size for the base suspension would be 285/40. 315 seems pretty wide for a 9.5 inch wheel, but I'm not a tire expert.
The issue with the tire sticking out is a function of going to the wider 11X17 wheel. I think that your plan of going back to the 285's is a good one if you are sticking with the stock rear wheel.

 

[Tuna]

A few years back I installed 11x17 wheels and 315 tires on my old '92 Vette. I bought factory satin finish ZR1 wheels with the 36mm offset and they definitely stuck out - 1 1/4 inches or so. I installed the GS flares and splash guards and was happy with the looks - very aggressive.

On the other hand, I recommend the GS offset wheels of 50mm as they barely extend outside the fenders if at all and look good without the flares.

As you pointed out, tire and wheel combinations should be matched. GoodYear's recommended rim width for their D3 in 315/35/17 is 10.5 to 12.5. Other companies have similar recommended rim widths. It's best to be matched up to avoid problems.

 

[zoob113]

Hi Steve. In this thread we are talking about 315s wrapped around 11X17 inch wheels. If you have the stock rear wheel it is 9.5X17 and the stock tire size for the base suspension would be 285/40. 315 seems pretty wide for a 9.5 inch wheel, but I'm not a tire expert.
The issue with the tire sticking out is a function of going to the wider 11X17 wheel. I think that your plan of going back to the 285's is a good one if you are sticking with the stock rear wheel.

having 315-35zr17s on the back I assume the wheel was 11x17 sorry

 

[tcxd40]

See pics.

View attachment 21999

View attachment 22000

'93 coupe Z07 with '93 ZR1 wheels, no GS flares.

 

[92BlackVette]

'93 ZR1 wheels or '93 GS wheels?

 

[tcxd40]

'93 ZR1 wheels or '93 GS wheels?

No such thing as a '93 GS wheel. The Grand sport package for the C4 model was only produced in 1996. Wheels were the five spoke design in black.

The wheels on mine were NOS 1993 ZR1s 11x17.

 

[92BlackVette]

Let me very specific then, the picture above represents ZR1 wheels with a 35MM offset, correct? Or do they represent a 50MM offset? I understand the difference 100% between ZR1 and GS wheels.

 

[tcxd40]

Let me very specific then, the picture above represents ZR1 wheels with a 35MM offset, correct? Or do they represent a 50MM offset? I understand the difference 100% between ZR1 and GS wheels.

Yes you are correct the picture is the ZR1 wheel with the 35mm offset.