Heres my situation:
I have owned from brand new, a 1980 PONTIAC Firebird FORMULA V8 4bbl that has the original size tires on the car...225-70-15(27.4" diameter). The size tire that I would like to install is in the size of 255-60-15(27.1" diameter) and I want to keep them on the same original factory PONTIAC 15x7 SnowFlake aluminum wheels that have a Zero Offset.
I have looked up the specs on this size tire and I have done some measuring under the car and it does seem that the 255-60-15 tires will fit front and rear but I hate to get them installed just to find out that there is some rubbing at any of the 4 corners of the wheel well or suspension part somewhere. Also, 7" wide rim is the narrowest width rim that is recomended for a tire that is 255-60-15 so I know that I'am pushing it a bit but, should these tires fit, it's going to look GREAT!
These cars have always needed a beefier tire and the widest tire that I've seen on the 1970-1981 TransAm/FORMULA(at auto shows) of that generation is 245-60-15(26.6" diameter) without changing the offset of the rim. But, when I have asked the owners of those cars wheather they have any information of going to a larger tire, none of them know even as much as I do about their car.
I have searched many a web site in search for this information to no avail. I think that Im on my own here and am looking for a bit of help from anyone who knows these cars.
Is there some extra measuring that I need to do?
Is there something that Im missing?
Thanks to anyone that can help
CB
I have owned from brand new, a 1980 PONTIAC Firebird FORMULA V8 4bbl that has the original size tires on the car...225-70-15(27.4" diameter). The size tire that I would like to install is in the size of 255-60-15(27.1" diameter) and I want to keep them on the same original factory PONTIAC 15x7 SnowFlake aluminum wheels that have a Zero Offset.
I have looked up the specs on this size tire and I have done some measuring under the car and it does seem that the 255-60-15 tires will fit front and rear but I hate to get them installed just to find out that there is some rubbing at any of the 4 corners of the wheel well or suspension part somewhere. Also, 7" wide rim is the narrowest width rim that is recomended for a tire that is 255-60-15 so I know that I'am pushing it a bit but, should these tires fit, it's going to look GREAT!
These cars have always needed a beefier tire and the widest tire that I've seen on the 1970-1981 TransAm/FORMULA(at auto shows) of that generation is 245-60-15(26.6" diameter) without changing the offset of the rim. But, when I have asked the owners of those cars wheather they have any information of going to a larger tire, none of them know even as much as I do about their car.
I have searched many a web site in search for this information to no avail. I think that Im on my own here and am looking for a bit of help from anyone who knows these cars.
Is there some extra measuring that I need to do?
Is there something that Im missing?
Thanks to anyone that can help
CB