My new favorite tire. (mounting 285’s on the front)

1986 Buick GX1

GX1 #001 [The One and Only]
Joined
Apr 24, 2015
I was checking out tires again and I think I found my new favorite tire.

Nitto NT05
99W 200 treadwear
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Close 2nd

NT555G2
99W 320 treadwear
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Yes, I know, guys have been running the G2 for years. I really like the NT05's.






And as always, Spoolfool rocks!
 
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I liked them so much I bought them.

This is what they look like in real life.

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Man, I like them!
 
Mean looking. Which one is that?

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

The NT05 200 treadwear rating

Good looking tire. What size are they?

The one pictured is 275/35-18 mounted on a 10" wide wheel for the front.
The wheel has a 5.5" backspace and will use spacers to see if it's possible to fit it on the front without the GNS fender extensions, although I have my doubts, but I have to try.

The rears are 285/35-18's and will be mounted on 10.5" wide wheels to keep the same sidewall profile. Backspacing yet to be determined.
 
The NT05 200 treadwear rating



The one pictured is 275/35-18 mounted on a 10" wide wheel for the front.
The wheel has a 5.5" backspace and will use spacers to see if it's possible to fit it on the front without the GNS fender extensions, although I have my doubts, but I have to try.

The rears are 285/35-18's and will be mounted on 10.5" wide wheels to keep the same sidewall profile. Backspacing yet to be determined.

I have 275/35-18s on the front of mine. They fit without fender extensions. Also running -1.5 degrees of camber
 
I have 275/35-18s on the front of mine. They fit without fender extensions. Also running -1.5 degrees of camber

That’s good to hear. I have UMI upper and lower A-arms w/ C5 (base) brakes and everything looks good so far. I have to get the car on dollies to turn the front back and forth to check clearances and to set steering stops.

I don’t think a 275 will fit on the front with stock A-arms, but it may.

What setup do you have?
 
I don’t think a 275 will fit on the front with stock A-arms, but it may.

If you get the offset right and use a 9.5" rim, they'll fit with stock arms... sitting still.

The problem is the stock arm geometry goes camber positive in bump, so it'll ram the tire into the inside edge of the fender lip.
 
If you get the offset right and use a 9.5" rim, they'll fit with stock arms... sitting still.

The problem is the stock arm geometry goes camber positive in bump, so it'll ram the tire into the inside edge of the fender lip.

Thank you, I forgot about the less than ideal camber curve of the stock A-arms.
 
The NT05 200 treadwear rating



The one pictured is 275/35-18 mounted on a 10" wide wheel for the front.
The wheel has a 5.5" backspace and will use spacers to see if it's possible to fit it on the front without the GNS fender extensions, although I have my doubts, but I have to try.

The rears are 285/35-18's and will be mounted on 10.5" wide wheels to keep the same sidewall profile. Backspacing yet to be determined.

The test wheel 18x10 with 275/35-18.
7C57EE4C-DDD5-4DCD-9E8A-27DE97EF9B88.jpeg


With UMI street A-arms and 1” taller upper ball joints and standard lower ball joints along with their C5 brake kit using the Wilwood aluminum hub and 12.88” (base) rotors there was enough room to run 6.25” backspacing with a 1/4” clearance at the sway bar and the same for the caliper to frame bracket (brake line) through the entire suspension cycle (I removed the springs and shocks).

There was 1/2” clearance at the firewall (I heated the plastic and pushed it back for a previous setup) and 3/4” clearance on the front at the inner edge (lip) of the air dam.

With the provided clearance I decided to go with 285/35’s on 18x10 wheels.

I wanted a more flush look so I opted for 5.75” backspacing and will install GNX style fender extension pockets.
BB028DDA-DEE8-4037-9636-1A8F2DC651A6.jpeg


To achieve a similar look on the rear I opted for 295/35’s on 18x10.5 wheels with a 5.25 backspacing to work with the extra thickness of the rear disc brake rotors which will necessitate rolling the fenders.
0E92EDDA-8F44-4EDB-9D52-E57EE7765874.jpeg


When I’m able to lift more than 5lbs due to an accident and a broken arm I’ll update this with the wheels on the car after installing the fender extensions and rolling the fenders.
 
Some photos of the clearance with 275/35’s on 18x10 wheel (5.5 bs).

They do hit the top inner fender with the bump stop squished.


At firewall.
F85A5A16-09DB-4388-BC08-31E134A1E22B.jpeg


At air dam lip in front.
141A56A3-E621-4344-8D96-12B5D7A16F88.jpeg


At sway bar in front.
13C7E30E-4A87-4ACE-8DD6-FB45A221B963.jpeg


At frame in rear looking up.
B1AF48BE-4CE4-41F9-BF46-0C81CC4CA320.jpeg
 
The front and rear clearance of the front wheel (285/35-18 on a 10” wheel, 5.75” bs.)

Full lock at rear w/ shortest UMI steering stop.
0FAE21D0-5DDC-4790-88F9-7019D1CAD851.jpeg


At closest point at the front fender.
816ECF1D-9AB6-4E70-A214-7E97B948E2E6.jpeg


Overall side shot.
F11A47B7-ADD0-45CC-B059-76AD20AC159D.jpeg


Front slight angle showing fender to tire relationship. Front wheel 1” lip. Rear wheel 3” lip.
5C6C04DC-3049-4077-9110-B17C66955F90.jpeg


Front angle with rears (295-35-18 on 10.5” wheel, 5.25” bs.)
8B0A8DB7-5AA9-442C-B11C-8A3595A1C8B0.jpeg
 
You're frame is notched, right?

No frame notch. The inside of the rear tire is 7/16” from the frame and the plastic plug is closer. The wheel is 1/2” from the frame. The sidewall is 1/16” wider at the rim protector area.

When you put a straight edge on the outside of the tire it’s 1/2” from the outer edge of the fender so the lips will have to be rolled.

My goal is to have the outside of the front tire 1/2” from the outer edge of the front fender as well.
I’ll have to see where it ends up after an alignment, but it should be really close.

Just a reminder, the 5.25” backspacing works with no frame notch because of the rear disc brake rotor thickness.
If I had stock drum brakes I would have went with 5” backspacing.

Here’s another photo of the 295/35-18 sidewall profile on the 10.5” wide wheel.
D2124ECA-9AA6-414D-865C-810A8AAF0783.jpeg
 
Well, that's interesting. No spacer, right? I thought, no way could a 5.25" backspace work with a fat tire, let alone have 7/16" clearance to the frame. I just took off my GN, the reason being no sidewall = NO TRACTION, 305 30 20s, mounted on a 10" wide rim, with a 5" backspce -- that also, I had to use a .40" universal spacer to give me about a quarter inch frame clearance. I was critical of wheel manufacturers offering, in an 18" wheel X 9.5" wide, with the only choice of backspace being 5.25". I wanted someone to prove me wrong and apparently, you have. Apparently, the 305s I used are a wider section width than the tires you have chosen for your car. I would like to go to 18" X 9.5 like those offered by US mags and use a 295 40 18 -- coincidentally, the same section width as the size you're using. The 9.5 width wheel should put it inside the outer wheel lip, which I have already trimmed about a 1/4". What do ya think?
modified 653.jpg
 
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