17x9 with 275 on the front

malibu795

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the lip here would most likely need trimmed... i rub it going backwards
ride height is 25" even at the top of the wheel well verctilly above the axle center line when wheels are striaght... 1 3/8" sway bar engery suspension bushings everything else is stock..
 

StreetBu

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Mar 21, 2004
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Cant wait to see it with the tires on!
 

malibu795

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StreetBu said:
Cant wait to see it with the tires on!
need 3 more rims and 700.00 in tires. :x
looking at this 3 tires all 160-170.00 each
cooper zeon sports a/s
coo-25501_cp.jpg

bfgh g-force ss
bfg-06557_w.jpg

Kumho Ecsta ASX
kum-1705013_w.jpg
 

LS6 Tommy

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I'd stay away from the Coopers. They don't stick anywhere as well as the BFGs or the Kumhos & theyr wear faster.

Tommy
 

Doober

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Hey malibu795 did you wind up going this route?

If not here is what I've found on mine, seems only a few people have done this, at all. I'll start out saying mine are 17x9.5, not 17x9, and the tires are 275/40/17.

IMAG0737.jpg

IMAG0738.jpg

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IMAG0739.jpg


17x9.5 is a bust when it comes to lowering spindles. Where the wheel/tire sits in those pics is about the best you'll get, because the location of the tie rod is in the way... this would change with stock spindles because the actual hub location is moved 2" down on the spindle, clearing the tie rod. It's clear that the only way this would work would be if you could stretch the lip of the fender out probably at least 1.5" for clearance, possibly 2". The edge of the tire sidewall is exactly 1" from the outer lip of the fender.

Next hurdle, backspacing. With stock a-arms, the most you'll get comfortably is 4.875" (4 7/8"), possibly 5" if you're lucky. 4.875" is the backspacing the wheel is at in the pics. If you go tighter (only way would be with stock spindles) you will likely come into contact with the a-arm, frame, or both depending on tire height, which leads to the next topic.

If everything sits properly, the car is 3" lower than stock: 2" Belltech spindles and 1902 Hotchkis springs (1" advertised drop). At this height with 275/40/17s the tire just barely rubs the rear of the inner fender at full lock, possibly worse if the suspension is moving. The tire also contacts the lower 'tip' of the wheel well lip (where the wheel well lip comes down and meets the very bottom of the sheetmetal), so it's possible that would need to be either trimmed or modified somehow for clearance, again just barely.

Do I want to run a set of 275/40/17s on all 4 corners? Yes I do.

Is it an easy job? No it's not. You would need to either modify the suspension - either by running different a-arms with stock spindles for more wheel clearance, or modify the fenders to clear the wider tire with lowering spindles.

Either way it won't be cheap, and to match the wider track you would gain with the front tires + lowering spindles, you would either need to modify the rear fenders as well to match and go with less backspacing on the rear (think about 2" less)... this would give the car more of a 'Trans Am'-ish look, but if done right it would almost be hard to tell by someone who isn't that familiar with a G-Body. To get the front tires to sit in line with the rears (4.875" is just about perfect for a 17x9.5 btw, only light trimming or rolling of the fender lips is all that's required), you would have to go the a-arm/stock spindle route and find some way of making clearance with the inner fenders.
 

malibu795

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OH snap!!!!! likey very much!!!!!
i havent gotten much of anything done broke the tailgate glass voe the 2nd time in oct pull the engine and put in my 75 K20 for the winter and it have sit since. i still have the 17x9 x5"bs havent mount a tire on it yet. with 1/16 or 1/8" space sounds like it would be the ticket. if i did the rough math right your 9.5 sit out almost 5/8" more then 9" would.. those Fbody or C5 wheels?
that sitting on its own weight right now?

i have since gone self employed as a hotshot trucker.. with a 99 3500HD 6.5/4l85E now has a LBZ dmax/4l85E repower in it. build thread on it same build two different sights with plenty of pictures between the two and some what repeatative.
http://www.thetruckstop.us/forum/showthread.php?34120-setup-for-26-000gcvw-on-a-6-5
http://www.duramaxdiesels.com/forum/showthread.php?t=39285

i have a virgin IV BBC with KP pistons eagle crank and rods waiting for the green light at a machine shop.. goign to sell the parts then drop lbz engine in the wagon
 

Doober

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It's sitting on its own in those oics, but I put some other wheels on the front for now. I don't want to risk messing up the fenders and unless I get a pair of regular spindles again I won't be able to run any more backspacing... it wouldn't make a major difference anyway because I would wind up with a wider turning radius.
 

malibu795

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hey doober... i see you changed your sig picture... those 275s on it? i just got my wagon up and running again.. rear tires are bout due to being replace..
 

Doober

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Yup, 275/40/17. The lip will likely need rolling though. With 4.875" backspacing on a 9.5" wheel there is a comfortable amount of room for any extra suspension movement. Forget about that width in the front, better off with 17x8 & 255/40/17 or 245s and it will probably still be tight with a lowered car. With stock style spindles you may be able to move the wheel in another 1/2"-1", but you'll gain a little on the turning radius, because it will want to rub on the rear of the lower control arm. I'd like to find an a-arm that would give some clearance there, then possibly run a slightly wider wheel.
 

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