Need pics of widest tires you can use with 16" GTAs????

[turbobuick1]

I'm really looking to change the stance on my car. When I bought it, it came with GTA wheels with 235/60/R16 Kumho's all around. I love the GTAs, but I don't really care for its stance too much with those tires, the ride height is too high in my opinion and I would prefer to change this setup.

I'm aware of the standard 245s all around combo, and the few who put 255s in the rear like on the GNX. I'd like an even wider tire in the rear.

So what do you guys with GTAs have in the rear? Did you need to do anything special to allow wider meats? Spacers, have the backspacing altered, widened the rims, etc?

Don't be shy about putting up pics! Street tires and slicks are all welcome! I appreciate any feedback I can get on this.

[WLDWST]

I used the standard 255/50/R16 MT's on the back without spacers and 245/50/R16 BF Goodrich on the front. They are four fronts and fit perfect with no rubbing. The selection of larger 16" tires is slim. Especially a drag radial. I also have Eibach lowering springs all around. A wider tire may cause you grief.

[toofastforyou]

Originally Posted by turbobuick1

I'm really looking to change the stance on my car. When I bought it, it came with GTA wheels with 235/60/R16 Kumho's all around. I love the GTAs, but I don't really care for its stance too much with those tires, the ride height is too high in my opinion and I would prefer to change this setup.

I'm aware of the standard 245s all around combo, and the few who put 255s in the rear like on the GNX. I'd like an even wider tire in the rear.

So what do you guys with GTAs have in the rear? Did you need to do anything special to allow wider meats? Spacers, have the backspacing altered, widened the rims, etc?

Don't be shy about putting up pics! Street tires and slicks are all welcome! I appreciate any feedback I can get on this.

Here are some pics of my GN with some 16"x10" widened GTA wheels with a rear spacing of 4.25", no spacers needed. Tires are M&H 275-55 16's...I've even had some 16"x5"'s for the front... I have more pics showing the frame clearance...let me know if needed...Hope you like 'em!

[turbobuick1]

Thanks for your input and pictures guys. Beautiful cars with great stances to 'em.

Toofastforyou, who widened your wheels? And how much clearance do you have between the frame and tire, as well as the wheelwell lip?

I'd really like a wide set of street tires for maximum handling around the twisties, but I suppose the truth is that there really is nothing wider than 255 for max performance summer tires for 16" wheels. There is a thread in the restoration section about the possibility of Bweavy making 17" and 18" GTAs! That would certainly open up a LOT of options for wide street tires.
Aluminum Grand National Rims

On gbodyparts.com, I see ttypewhite's car with widened 10" GTAs equipped with 295/50/16s!! My guess is they are BF Goodrich Radial T/As.

I still a little undecided on this, so please, any input or additional pics is appreciated! and needed!

[toofastforyou]

Originally Posted by turbobuick1

Thanks for your input and pictures guys. Beautiful cars with great stances to 'em.

Toofastforyou, who widened your wheels? And how much clearance do you have between the frame and tire, as well as the wheelwell lip?

Here are two pictures showing the clearance between the frame and the tire sidewall (both sides of the car...)
The last (third) picture shows the room between the rolled fender lip and the tire. Note that the rubbing marks you see are from the slicks, not the tires shown...
I had my wheels done by Jim Lyon at www.trudesignwheel.net .
hope this helps...
Claude.

[turbobuick1]

That's more clearance to the frame than I thought you might have! Now, did you have the lips rolled to clear these or your slicks? I'm curious if they would clear a factory wheelwell lip.

[toofastforyou]

Originally Posted by turbobuick1

That's more clearance to the frame than I thought you might have! Now, did you have the lips rolled to clear these or your slicks? I'm curious if they would clear a factory wheelwell lip.

Yes, the fender lips are rolled...but NOT because I went with this tire/wheel combo, but rather for when I'm using my set of slicks (10.5"x28.5") at the track...

Claude.

P.S: The rubbing marks on the frame and wheel opening moulding that are visible in the last set of pictures (post #5) are from the slicks...NOT from the street tires!...

[ttypewhite]

295/50/16 BF Goodrich radial tire.


Here is the front print measured on a mounted rim


But MT makes a drag radial that is bigger by a 1" I think the size is 315/40/16

Here is a comparison against mine tire

[xclrate]

I'm running GTA fronts in the back of my GN.Does anyone know if the 295/50-16 work?

[Darkcyde]

Originally Posted by xclrate

I'm running GTA fronts in the back of my GN.Does anyone know if the 295/50-16 work?

depends how wide your gta wheel is

295/50/16 sits perfect on a 16x9.5

[xclrate]

They are the regular 16x8's.I know they will bulge out a little on the wheel.I just wanted to know with the offset if they will rub inside or stick out too far.

[Rell87]

U probably aren't feeling the way your car looks due to the 60 series/height of the tires your running. Everybody that I've seen running 16" rims run 50 series tires including me.

[turbobuick1]

Originally Posted by xclrate

I'm running GTA fronts in the back of my GN.Does anyone know if the 295/50-16 work?

Nope. Using front GTAs, theres no way it will fit. You'll need to send out the wheels to have the backspacing decreased, and for matters of safety and just looks you'll need to widen the wheel to 10". Gbodyparts, True Wheel Design can handle this for you. Hope that helps.

[jdpolzin]

Originally Posted by WLDWST

I used the standard 255/50/R16 MT's on the back without spacers and 245/50/R16 BF Goodrich on the front. They are four fronts and fit perfect with no rubbing. The selection of larger 16" tires is slim. Especially a drag radial. I also have Eibach lowering springs all around. A wider tire may cause you grief.

Thats such a beautiful car! I miss my white car even though it's only been gone a week now!

[xclrate]

Originally Posted by turbobuick1

Nope. Using front GTAs, theres no way it will fit. You'll need to send out the wheels to have the backspacing decreased, and for matters of safety and just looks you'll need to widen the wheel to 10". Gbodyparts, True Wheel Design can handle this for you. Hope that helps.

Thanks for the info.where will this combo hit/rub/not clear?

[turbobuick1]

Originally Posted by xclrate

Thanks for the info.where will this combo hit/rub/not clear?

With front GTA wheels on the rear, and 255/50/R16s, it will just clear the rear framerail by approx. a hands width (from what I have read from other's personal experience). Not that much. And, almost all regals body structures are not set evenly in terms of side to side on the frame/chassis, so in some cases you have less clearance between the tire and framerail on one side than the other. So to answer your question, the framerail. Look all over this forum and the sticky on GTA wheels I believe in the general discussions forum, this has been covered time and time again. I will say that from what I have read from Ttypewhite's experience with 295s on GTA wheels, in addition to the custom offset and rim width change, He had to roll the inner lip of the quarter panel.