I have my '70 Elky ready for wheels and tires. I want the widest streel radial tire for the rear, from what I hear that's the 295/50/15. Anyway, I plan on using 15x8 with 4" of backspacing. Wheel Vintiques version for the Cragar SS is the wheel of choice. I want to use chrome trim that goes around the wheel opennings. I have heard of guys having to "roll" the wheel edge to clear this size tire. Will the tire rub the chrome?

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Cable Bright
-'70 El Camino 454 RAT
-'91 Caprice 9C1
-'87 Camaro Z28

"....alright, its a harp...and that's a dress"

-Kronk's evil shoulder angel

You will need a lot more backspacing or you will have serious tire rub issues. 5.5 inches and roll the outside lip. I have 295's with 6 inches of BS on 18 inch wheels and my lips and chrome are rolled. I have NO clearance issues and all would still clear with 5.5 inches of BS.

With 4 inches of BS you will rub the chrome, the outer wheel lip and then you will have a ruined tire as a bonus.

Dang, I just ran the numbers and those tires are about 27.6 inches tall. that means with normal suspension travel in the equation those tires WILL be up into the tire wells in NORMAL driving. You must have the 5.5 BS or you are going to have problems from the moment you put the wheels and tires on.

You might be safe going to a 10 inch wheel and that will put more of the tire footpring down onto the road surface.

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Redrum (or Mike)

I want to die in my sleep like my grandfather...

68 Corvette - 383 CI 427 HP
69 SS Chevelle being updated to Pro-Touring
97 Z-28

Not screaming and yelling like the passengers in his car.

[This message has been edited by Redrum (edited 03-13-2002).]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Redrum:
You will need a lot more backspacing or you will have serious tire rub issues. 5.5 inches and roll the outside lip. I have 295's with 6 inches of BS on 18 inch wheels and my lips and chrome are rolled. I have NO clearance issues and all would still clear with 5.5 inches of BS.

With 4 inches of BS you will rub the chrome, the outer wheel lip and then you will have a ruined tire as a bonus.

Dang, I just ran the numbers and those tires are about 27.6 inches tall. that means with normal suspension travel in the equation those tires WILL be up into the tire wells in NORMAL driving. You must have the 5.5 BS or you are going to have problems from the moment you put the wheels and tires on.

You might be safe going to a 10 inch wheel and that will put more of the tire footpring down onto the road surface.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Are yu serious? 5.5" of BS with a 15x8" wheel will look pretty weird. Are you sure you don't mean 5.5" of BS with a 15x10" rim?

Also, 295/50/15's are 26.7" in diameter, not 27.6" http://www.chevelles.com/forum/wink.gif.

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Cable Bright
-'70 El Camino 454 (in progress)
-'91 Caprice 9C1
-'87 Camaro Z28

"....alright, its a harp...and that's a dress"

-Kronk's evil shoulder angel

A 295-50 is awfully big to mount on an 8" rim. You're talking about a tire with about 12" section width and 10.5" tread width. I don't know if the Elky is any different, but I know that combo wouldn't fit on my 70 Coupe. A 10" rim with 5.5" backspace would get it in the center of the wheel well, but I think you'd still have to roll the fender lips.

I have 8.5"x15" Centerlines with 5" backspace. They're not mounted yet, but plan on putting on 275-50's, (actually 26x11.5x15's). I figure that's about as big as it will take without rolling the fenders, and I won't do that.

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Bob Von Kaenel
70 SS 53k orig miles

My friend had a 70 elcamino with 15X10 5.5 bs and 315/50R15(I think). I think he had to roll the fender, but the chrome was still there.

I have a 325/50/15 hoosier quick time on my 70 coupe with a 10 inch wheel with a 5.5 back space .However i do have a 70 monte also ,and i have 295/50/15s on it with a 15x8 ralley wheel i dont know the back space on the ralley wheel ,YES i had to trim the chrome wiyh both cars ,HAVE FUN. http://www.chevelles.com/forum/smile.gif

Well,
Mines a 66, but I run the 295/50-15 BFG on a 15X8 ralley... No problems, and the tire guys and I think even BFG said it was fine... No smaller than a 8-inch width though...

I think the rear wheel wells are smaller on my car, but I run the outer trim too, so shouldn't be a problem with the right offset...

I went with Wheel Vintiques, and measured my axle, inner and outer sides of the fender and custom ordered the offset I needed... I think it was the same price, but this was 7 years ago...

On my 71 Elco I had, on the rear, 305-50/15 BFG TAs on 15x10 rallys with 6" backspace. The shocks hit the inside lip of the rim so I had to relocate those, but there were no other issues with rubbing even with the wheelwell trim. The 15X10s had the same OUTER spacing as a 15X8 rally so from the side it didn't look any different from the front which had 235-60s on 15X8s. I had no rubbing issues even with 1 coil collapsed on the front springs.

Hth

K

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64 2 Door HT 6-230 and a 'Glide soon to get a Vette 350 and automatic :)
Formerly 71 Elco
TC Member #1155

The inner fenderwell clearance of an El Camino would have to be larger than a Chevelle's in order to fit 295s on an 8-inch rim with 5.5" of backspacing. The optimal would be 4.5". With your only having only 4" I think there's a strong possibility of hitting wheelwell lip. 5.5" would be good for a 10-inch rim.

don't know about 295s, but I have 275x15x50 BFG drag radials on my 68 chevelle and mounted them on standard 15x7 cragar ss wheels. they don't "balloon out" and don't cause any clearance problems. I was afraid they wouldn't put the proper "footprint" on the ground with the narrow wheels, but they work just fine. they also look a little better proportioned in my opinion since all 4 wheels are the same size, rather than the traditional skinny fronts and fat backs.

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68 Malibu Hardtop
406 with turbo 350
Cragars with BFG drag radials

I thought Radial TAs only went up to 295/50 15s? At least that's all that they list in the current product line up.

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J.J. Fig
MCC member #256
Maryland Chevelle Club (http://www.chevelles.net/mcc/mcc.htm)
Dad's 69 SS (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/figs_orange_69ss.jpg)
Mom's 71 SS Convertible (http://www.chevelles.net/mcc/features/aug00.htm)

I have Keystone Raider (SS clones) 15x8 with 4" backspacing. 275-50-15 is the absolute widest that would fit with the chrome trim inner lip folded up.

My friend has 295/50/15 on his 70 but with 5.5" offset wheels.
http://home1.gte.net/res096qi/71elky.htm

Cable,

I have 15x10 5.5" backspace Weld Pro-Stars with BFG 295/50-15 Radials on the back of my 70 El Camino. I had to trim the chrome on the passenger side. NO LIP ROLLING!! That was before I upgraded the suspension with poly graphite bushings. No rubs now!

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Keith
70 El Camino SS L78 396
Currently: 496ci big block, GM aluminum heads, roller valvetrain, Richmond 5 speed.
http://www.dirthurts.com/images/camino/camino7a.jpg

[This message has been edited by KAA (edited 03-16-2002).]