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Maximum Rear Tire Size?


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Asking this question for a friend. Does anyone know the maximum rear size tire you can use on a 70-72 Monte with out modifying the rear wheel wells? My friends wants to go with a 295 and wanted to know if it would work without rubbing.

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I can not imagine that tire fitting without some type of modification to the lip or possibly even the inner wheel well depending on the offset. Of course if the car was jacked way up in the rear someone could put any tire in the rear but it would look funny in my opinion.

 

Here's a link to how I got my 325/50/15 tire to fit under my Monte...LINKY Probably not what your friend wants to do but I thought I would throw it out there.

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I personally saw a 72 Monte with 295X50X15 on the rear and I thought it looked tough. No idea how he did it but if I knew they wouldn't rub I would do it in a heart beat.

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If you get the custom back spaced 15x10" rallies for our cars through vintage wheel works or others (Speak to them, they'll know) a 295-50-15 will only fit if the insides of the wheel lip are trimmed back a bit. If he is not willing to trim his wells its a no go. We have a guy that ran them here on Long Island.

 

Dan

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I do know a guy running 295/50/15 on a 71 SS..he has a 15x8 rim with a 5 inch back space and I can fit my hand in between the tire and wheel well...he said stock srprings but of course they are newer

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I have 295/50 on a 15x10 rim with 5" backspacing or what they call center. I had to trim the wheel well lip and needed the rear end sit a little high(air shocks and the coil spring helpers) or the tires would rub. And I don't have any picture of the car with the 295/50's under it.

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I do know a guy running 295/50/15 on a 71 SS..he has a 15x8 rim with a 5 inch back space and I can fit my hand in between the tire and wheel well...he said stock srprings but of course they are newer

 

Rick, any trimming involved?

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hi guys,

this is my first post because I'm contending with this very soon.

what's the limiting factor in the rear wheel wells? is it the wells them selves or is it suspension/frame rail?

does anybody have a body off frame shot? I'm looking at coil over kits (if they'll offer up some more real estate) and I'm just wondering what it will take to get tire in the range of 325-345 in there.

Thanks

Warren

p.s. it's a 71

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hi guys,

 

what's the limiting factor in the rear wheel wells? is it the wells them selves or is it suspension/frame rail?

does anybody have a body off frame shot? I'm looking at coil over kits (if they'll offer up some more real estate) and I'm just wondering what it will take to get tire in the range of 325-345 in there.

Thanks

Warren

p.s. it's a 71

It's the frame rail that the tire will rub along with the inner well, they pretty much are even in where they meet so "mini tubbing" is not an option either. The lower shock mount starts to come close to hitting when running 5.5" of b.s. on a 15" rim (larger diameter wheels clear the shock mount. Not sure if you seen my post above as you mentioned trying to fit a 325-345 tire(if you can even find a 345 tire I imagine the sidewall would be too big no matter what, unless you actually "tubbed" the car) but I posted a link in it how to fit a 325...

 

Originally Posted By: 502ci
Here's a link to how I got my 325/50/15 tire to fit under my Monte...LINKY
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thanks for the info.

my plan is to run an 18" rim in the back with a short sidewall tire, (haven't plugged the dimensions into the calculator yet to keep overall height the same...probably be a 35 series)

 

that for sure points me in the right direction. thanks again

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cudax, No he did not trim the wheel wells. Only reason I know is after he said it I looked. No cut metal..my only problem with his look is the fronts are 15x8's with the standard "vette rally" offset. So the fronts look like deep dish the rears look like a 7" rally.....But they do fit....

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  • 10 years later...
10 hours ago, Vastingray said:

Willa 275 R 15 fit in the wheel  well with a 15x8 with 51/2 in of backspace ? Thanks for any help

Yes ... however, a 5 1/2" backspace on a 15 x 8 rim pushes a 275 R 15 tire inboard further than necessary, leaving plenty of clearance with the wheel well lip (untrimmed) but very little clearance (1/2" - 5/8") with the inner wheel well, frame and possibly tailpipes.  Small clearances should work fine for normal driving but allow little margin of error for body shift during hard cornering, rough roads or even hard acceleration or braking.

If you have a choice regarding backspace (and you many not), I would recommend a 5" or 5 1/4" backspace (+12 or +19 mm offset, respectively) to better center the wheel/tire combo in the available space of a first gen Monte.  I run that same rim/tire combo on the rear with 5" backspace (+12 mm offset) with no lip trimming or clearance issues.  Good luck.

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