Question: tire sizes on a 79

[401KVet]

I just went out and checked the distance between tire and trailing arm on my car, ( I have 255/60/15s) and there is about 3/4s to 1inch of clearance. I would suggest you have one mounted on a wheel and then see if it fits.

Thanks for all of your help. I'll let you know which way I went.

 

[TJay]

Think about 265/50/15 front, 295/50/15 rear, they fit a 79.

 

[73shark]

Think about 265/50/15 front, 295/50/15 rear, they fit a 79.

With stock wheels?

The reason I ask is cuz I have 255/60-15 front and rear. Had to trim a tad off the lower rear inside the rocker panel in front. The rears are fine but only about 1/4" to 3/8" clearance between the sidewall and the parking brake cable attachment tang on the trailing arm.

 

[TJay]

With stock wheels?

The reason I ask is cuz I have 255/60-15 front and rear. Had to trim a tad off the lower rear inside the rocker panel in front. The rears are fine but only about 1/4" to 3/8" clearance between the sidewall and the parking brake cable attachment tang on the trailing arm.

73shark, the 255/60 are they on your 73..? best I could do on our 72 was 245/60/15 all around without issues. But the 79 will handle 265/50 front, 295/50/15 rear. I test tried the 50's on the 72 and they will never fit without alot of changes.

Sorry for highjacking your post 401KVette

 

[401KVet]

Highjacker:

73shark, the 255/60 are they on your 73..? best I could do on our 72 was 245/60/15 all around without issues. But the 79 will handle 265/50 front, 295/50/15 rear. I test tried the 50's on the 72 and they will never fit without alot of changes.

Sorry for highjacking your post 401KVette

No problano!

Yesterday, I went with the 255/60/15,s for my rears. BF Goodrich TA's. They look good. I kept the 225/70/15's on the front. :cool
FYI Week before last when I was still just thinking about it, I had all 4 tires balanced and rotated. This past Thursday I pulled the car cover off and I had 3 flat tires. The right rear was also 10lbs. low. I thought, well someone is messing with me and will be killed, or I ran over a bed of nails.
I put 34lbs in each tire, and Friday morning they were all low again.
Well I had now made up my mind to get my wider rears, so I went back to the place where I had my work done, and told them about the problem. All of the weights on the aluminum rims were leaking. They said this is a common problem, especially on older aluminum rims. They rebalanced all tires and use the stick on 's on the inside of the rim. So far, all is good.

 

[zachh]

I have 275 60s on the rear of my 78 trans am...so i took a 275 of the TA and mounted it on a vette rim. It fit...but it was only about a 1/4 inch from the control arm...so i figured it was to close to fit due to the sidewall will flex when i turn and itll probally rub ...so, i put on a brand new set of bfg radial TAs 255 60s on the rear and 225 60s in the front...It looks absolutly awesome!
zachh

 

[401KVet]

Tires:

I have 275 60s on the rear of my 78 trans am...so i took a 275 of the TA and mounted it on a vette rim. It fit...but it was only about a 1/4 inch from the control arm...so i figured it was to close to fit due to the sidewall will flex when i turn and itll probally rub ...so, i put on a brand new set of bfg radial TAs 255 60s on the rear and 225 60s in the front...It looks absolutly awesome!
zachh

The 225/60's are just a little lower than the 225/70 right? The 255/60 which was my replacement for the 225/70 on the rear or about 1/8" lower,or 4.58mm. So my rear is actually lower than my front, but you really can't see the 1/8th of a inch. At least I can't. When the time comes, I may replace the fronts with the 225/60 that you used. :cool

 

[73shark]

73shark, the 255/60 are they on your 73..? best I could do on our 72 was 245/60/15 all around without issues. But the 79 will handle 265/50 front, 295/50/15 rear. I test tried the 50's on the 72 and they will never fit without alot of changes.

Sorry for highjacking your post 401KVette

Yes.

So the 295/50s are on stock rims (or wheels w/ same back spacing as stock) don't hit the parking brake cable mount on the trailing arm?

 

[petes74ttop]

They rebalanced all tires and use the stick on 's on the inside of the rim. So far, all is good.

I used the stick on weights for years, never had any problems with them. You'll be very happy with your new tires. Enjoy , PG.

 

[TJay]

Yes.

So the 295/50s are on stock rims (or wheels w/ same back spacing as stock) don't hit the parking brake cable mount on the trailing arm?

73shark,
Yes the 295/50's are mounted on aftermarket rims, but with the same back space as stock rims. The 79 is also using the stock trailing arms, I did not have any issue with the parking brake bracket everything cleared. The fronts (265/50/15) also cleared everything even under full turn lock. The 50's a just a bit over 12.4 inches wide, I believe they are about 1 inch wider than 60 series tires.

Again sorry for the highjack.

 

[TJay]

401 KVette,
You have a great size tire with the 255/60's, you will enjoy the extra tire width on the pavement, plus they fill the wheel well nice.

 

[tgauld1]

i have an 80 vette an i have 255/60R15's on all four but i'm looking to go back to stock tire size with the 225/70R15's all around. I'm pretty set on getting the BFG raidial t/a. Any suggestions?

 

[damoroso]

I know on the 81's the 255's were an optional size from the factory, therefore "stock". Just out of curiousity, why are you planning on going to the smaller tires? I've run those before and the 255's seem much better suited for the car...

 

[tgauld1]

I've just heard a lot of people say that they had issues with the 255's rubbing. What size do you have on your 81?

 

[401KVet]

As I said earlier, I had the 225/70's all the way around, which was a stock size. BFG TA's. I wanted a little wider look on the rear and put two 255/60's on, also BFG TA's. No problem with any rubbing, because this was also a stock option as damoroso has said.
The 255's are a little shorter than the 225's, about 1/8 of a inch, but you can't see that. I really like the wider look in the rear, still have the 225's in the front and it rides great.

 

[tgauld1]

So I got my tires put on my car during my Mardi Gras break. Here's what they look like...

 

[401KVet]

New Tires:

So I got my tires put on my car during my Mardi Gras break. Here's what they look like...

Looks Great. Did you go back with the 225/70's? The photo kinda makes me want to turn mine around, with the white letters out.
My wife and I rode into New Orleans yesterday going in on I-10. On the way back we took the tops off and came back across the Lake Ponchartrain Causeway. It was the first time I drove across the bridge, the longest in the World. Kinda cool with the tops off, but it was nice and sunny. Stopped in Covington a little while, and then kept going and stop in Ponchatola. It was a nice ride. 240 miles round trip.
Lator Gator

 

[tgauld1]

I went with 255/60s all around. I definitely like the white letters on the outside...it gives the tires character. Sounds like you had a fun trip. Did you go to any parades?

 

[401KVet]

Parade:

I went with 255/60s all around. I definitely like the white letters on the outside...it gives the tires character. Sounds like you had a fun trip. Did you go to any parades?

I have the 255/60's on the rear and the 225/70's on the front. When its time I'll will put the 255's in the front also.

When we got into Covington they had a parade going on down a street on the waterfront. No roads were blocked, so we ended up riding down the road in the parade. The tops were off and every was waving and giving us the thumbs up. There must have been a lot of C3 lovers there.

 

[tgauld1]

I have the 255/60's on the rear and the 225/70's on the front. When its time I'll will put the 255's in the front also.

When we got into Covington they had a parade going on down a street on the waterfront. No roads were blocked, so we ended up riding down the road in the parade. The tops were off and every was waving and giving us the thumbs up. There must have been a lot of C3 lovers there.

Sounds like fun! You should've brought some beads with you. otfl