Wide tires

[Guest Anonymous]

I wanna get that wide tire look on my Z for the rear. Does anyone know the widest size that will fit in it stock. Also where i could buy them . All input appreciated.

[Guest Anonymous]

Ditto for me

Well, I'd really like to run some billet 15x10 centerlines, or welds. I have a '79 280zx.. I'd like to use the 4x4.5 lug pattern not having to get spacers. What sort of backspacing should I be using for caliper clearance? Also, I'd like to be able to swap these wheels/tires to my 240z in case I need traction (they may end up holding a set of drag radials or slicks in back).. I've found some on ebay but not sure if they'd fit because there's so much margin of probability w/ 4 more inches. I figure mine are 14x6's, so 15x10's would fit with 4 inch backspacing (or is there already a specified backspacing on stock '79 iron-cross wheels?).. if anyone has a pair of 15x10's (4), email me at oddenfam@msn.com

thanks in advance

-980mak

[Guest jwelch]

IMO the widest tire I've been able to run without fender flairs and coilovers has been 225. But I guess it depends on your rim and offset. Hopefully someone can add to this to help you guys out. BTW the pic of my car below has 245/60/14 on the rear and they stick out a couple of inches. If anyone want pics let me know I would sell them if anyone is interested. I want to go back to the stock hupcaps (SLEEPER LOOK).

Best Regards,

[Guest Anonymous]

I ran 17x8 Centerlines with 4.5" backspacing on my small block chevy powered 77 280Z with 245/40R-17 tire all around. No coilovers, no spacers, no fender mods, and I had no rubbing problems. It was about as big as I could go without sticking out.

[Guest Anonymous]

I don't mind using flares whatsoever.

In fact, it would be a decent look for my zx I'd like to have them moulded and maybe even custom flared. If that's what it takes to get 10's (255/265) on there without modifying calipers or using spacers, that's fine by me. Someone told me that 15x10's would fit on there without any spacers and not stick out very far. It seems to me that if the wheels were backspaced to sit at the same positive distance from the calipers (i.e. stick out exactly 4 inches from where they are stock, like in your pic jwelch).. Could the backspacing allow an inch or any distance shorter than stock (i.e. 10 inch wheels, 3 inch backspacing to sit one inch closer to calipers, and stick out 3 inches).. I think another 3 inches could work without flares, but that's about the most, looking at my Zx right now.. hmm..

Here's what I'm looking at

90-510042 15X10 4X4.25/4.5 6.5 $231.00

( http://www.weldracing.com/Draglite.html )

..however 6.5" backspacing seems a little much. Perhaps someone can clear one thing up for me. The backspacing is how far the center lug-indentation is from te OUTER side of the rim? So on 10" wheels, w/ 6.5" backspacing, the wheels would protrude towards the caliper by 3.5"?

I also like the billet star and apache wheels by centerline, although I don't think they have 4 on 4.5, unless it would cost me a bundle on custom sizing. I saw some 15x10 autodrag centerlines (4-lug) from somebody's 280z on ebay not too long ago but couldn't afford to bid at the time past $400, wish I could have. Honestly I'm not too picky on style, don't get me wrong, I'd like something nice, but can't really afford to be picky . 5-spoke does me just fine, drag style (filled in) also works good. Just not something that looks like a joke weld project from metal shop. Somebody please point me in the right direction, I'm gonna need serious traction soon

-980mak

[Guest Anonymous]

A 3 inch wheel back spacing without coilover springs may be very close to the stock springs for 10 inch wide wheels with tires over 265 x 15. The Tomahawk Z was literally designed around BF Goodrich Euro-radials on 8 inch wheels in front and 10 inch wide wheels in the rear with 3 1/2 inch backspacing all around. The rear tires are 305 X 15 Euro's and there is no way you can keep that combination under the stock fenders without flaring. It also maybe hard to find a 15X10 inch wide wheels in 4 lug.My wheels were special made 4 lugs and Rory Bateman creator of the Tomahawk Z used wheel adapters to get the proper back spacing and 5 lug wheel application. The way I measure back spacing is to lay the wheel face down on a flat surface with a staight edge laying across the top of the outer wheel rim ..Then take a tape measure to find the distance from the backside of the wheel's hub to the straight edge that lies across the back side outer rim of the wheel.Therefore you measure the back space of the wheel....Wheel Adapters: Phone 818-572-1938 9103 Garvey Avenue, Rosemead, California 91770 may still be in business making adapters and they can make any type of adapter>

[Georgia Flash]

Hey J. Welch, I saw some of those stock hub caps on ebay the other day that were brand new still in the bag! Well they were NOS anyways. The owner said something to the effect that they had never been on a car. I do not now if they are still there but you can run a search on Datsun and you should be able to find them. I think the stock hub caps would be the ultimate Sleeper Z look.

[Guest Anonymous]

So tomahawkz,

what you're telling me is that backspacing is actually the distance from the outer lip to the outer hub. Outer being hte side that people see, inner being the caliper side. So in other words I would be right in saying what I stated earlier... w/ 6.5" backspace .. the wheels would protrude more OUT from the car, rather than in to the calipers. So if 3.5" backspace w/ 10's clears the calipers w/ coilovers on your tomahawk (which is on which Z chassis?), what would be a good rule of thumb for clearing on my 280zx. I'm thinking probably less than 6.5

I'd hate to buy a set of wheels & tires and have them rub. That sounds like the exact kind of thing that would happen to me

-980mak

 

BTW.. tomahawk how far away are you from say.. portland? I love the beauty that rory has created, with a little cobra-esque front end to it its one of my favorite Z kits, right along with the 250gto. I'd love to see yours someday when I'm down south!

[blueovalz]

Back spacing is the distance between the edge of the back lip (side of the wheel that faces the strut) and the wheel mounting face, hence the name "back spacing". Not to be confused with offset, which is the rim's centerline plane distance from the same wheel mounting face. Thus a wheel with zero offset is exactly centered over the wheel mounting face.

[Guest Anonymous]

Thanks for clearing that up, Terry. Offset was exactly what I was describing then, I knew I had it confused somehow

So would 6.5" backspacing with those draglites I put up work on a Z (or zx?)

Are the hub-caliper clearances the same between a stock s30 and a stock 280zx?

I think that would answer a lot of my questions. Hell, I just want some wide wheels

-980mak

[Guest jwelch]

Hey 980mak,

 

The rims on mine are made by Bilbo and are 4lug. 14x8 (205/60/14 front) and 14x9 (245/60/14 rear) I bought them from Dave at AZ Z car a while back. I found them in his stash, They are very unique looking. They are direct bolt on with no spacers. If your interested make me a descent offer. I have plenty of pics too.

 

Georgia Flash, thanks for the info. I saw the hubcaps on ebay, Very Nice! I can't believe those are going for ~250.00 at the moment! I have a set that came on the car and are in excellent shape Thank goodness thats alot of $$ for hubcabs

[Guest Anonymous]

Jwelch,

Sure, send me some pics oddenfam@msn.com .. like I said I'm not too picky, especially if you have pics of them on a Z...

9" in back would work, just so long as I could find a set of 245 to fit.

I'll make you an offer!

-980mak

[Guest super280z]

980mak,

 

first of all remember that because you have a ZX that the suspension parts are completely diffrent from the earlier Z. being a fellow ZX owner, this is a pretty serious issue for me as well. i really dont want to have tires sticking out 18" from my fenderwells but i'd really like to get some 255+ series rubber under the car. the ZX rear suspension has a control arm that seriously inhibits the use of anything near accepable in my opinion. i've got 215 series tires on the car now and they allmost hit that rear control arm. just remember that many of the folks on this board are using Z cars and not ZX's, both very different cars suspension wise.

[Guest JAMIE T]

FWIW, I just had some wheels drilled for the Datsun lug pattern that came off of my Mustang. They are Steeda (made by some German or Italian wheel maker for Steeda) wheels. They have a 5.25" backspace and are 17"x9". I have just test fit them without tires to make sure they would fit OK. They fit my '71 with about a half inch to spare at the strut. I am going to run them with coilovers and 1" spacers(to set them out to the fender edge) They would fit fine under stock fenders with a smaller(just enough to clear tires on the inside) spacer and coilovers, but I have Bolt-on flares and want the wheel to set flush with the lip. If you remember the white Jap spec car that was featured here afew weeks ago, thats exactly what my car looks like. Even my Steedas look like his wheels(with about as much lip). I like deep lip wheels.

[Guest Anonymous]

Thanks: Blue Oval Z for clearing up my explaination of backspacing since I was getting confused following this thread! 980 MAK I live in a backwater of the Great River City of Eugene, Oregon which is about 120 miles south of the only city in Oregon (Portland). I have the #8 Tomahawk which is very far from finished and which maybe the only one with a V8 conversion which maybe my only excuse for not finishing it . When I got it in North Highlands,California , Rory Bateman offered to do everything but paint it for $1600.00 which regretfully I declined..I also have the kit for the Stable Auto Works GTO 250 and the Datsun/Origin convertible. I am making progress on the Tomahawk.You are more than welcome to come and visit with me.Bring your tools!

[Guest Anonymous]

Well all,

I popped off front and rear wheels and took some measurements like terry suggested. I found that up front things are real tight.. as usual. The lower perch is probably the 1st clearance issue, I measured out the stock backspacing and came to 4". That clears the perch and everything else back there by less than an inch (just enough to squeeze a finger. Super280z is correct about the rear. I still find that there is more room back there than up front (i.e. back wheels don't have to allow clearance to turn). I think a max of 4.5" spacing in back with 15's is safe. 16/17's would be risking it, at least with a 50 or 60 series tire and 255 wide. So if I find a pair of 15x8 for the front w/ matching 15x9/10's for the back with 3.5"-4.5" backspacing, I'm goin for it. That is... I won't be buying directly from a wheel shop or online, but say if I find a set on ebay, or jwelch's if he emails me

Or if anyone else has a wide set of wheels, at least 9's for the back, hook me up!

-980mak

[Guest jwelch]

980mac

 

You have mail

 

Regards,

[280Zone]

Hey John

Can you send me a copy of the wheel pictures?

Thanks

 

280Zone@cox.net

[QWKDTSN]

I just took a couple of pictures of one of my friend Kory's 15x8" Weld Draglites on my car. I don't know the offset/backspacing (can measure) but I know that they bolt right up. They are for a 4-lug 5.slow Mustang and are drilled for dual bolt patterns - the Datsun fits into the alternate set of bolt holes than the Mustang uses. The tires are 265/50s. The lug nuts for the Mustang go directly onto those for the Datsun. They clear my coilovers while on jackstands. I would definitely flare my car if I was going to use something in this same size because my car would need it! My coilover setup is a little weird.. I have made a couple of posts about it before. Suffice to say I either need to change the position of the threaded tube or get some longer springs because with the perch all the way up the car is still dumped. With the perch threaded down there will be even more room.

 

[blueovalz]

I've got 2.5" coil-over struts with 5" backspacing, and that is about the limit on the front, with just a bit more on the back. 6.5" sounds like a lot. Take the wheels off the car, then use a carpenter's square to find how much backspacing you can get away with. Do this by placing one inside edge of the square flat against the hub (wheel mounting surface), and then rotate the hub around a bit (with the square firmly held against the hub) while measuring on the other leg of the square how many inches inboard of clearance you will have. Make sure the inboard pointing end of your square is at a radius out from the hub that accurately represents the radius of the rim (Advertised wheel diameter + 1.5" then divided by 2), and just as importantly, the section width of the tire (in reality, you can use any right angled square of the correct size). Be sure to not focus on the strut only because the front and rear of the wheel wells will also surprise you, and may indeed be the contraining dimension. you may also want to consider setting the weight of the car on the measured suspension to make sure any measurements are undistorted due to the full droop of the suspension at the time of the measurement.