Rims/tires won't fit.

[Bizzy]

Well, I took my car in this morning to have the rims I bought put on since it seems as if winter is finally done with us. They are the American Racing Snipers with Toyo Proxes 225/45ZR17.

By all rights these rims should fit my car. I've heard about people shaving the inner lips on their wheel wells, but I really don't want to have this done. They said where I bought them that they believe my car was lowered. I didn't do it, but I've always noticed that it has a lower ride than most 91's. What do you look for to see if it's been lowered or not?

Any suggestions other than shaving the lip? I really like these rims and would really love to keep them. I just wonder if I'm gonna be locked into 16's for the rest of my SHO days.

 

[sdpatt]

The key to the wheel and tire fitment is the wheel width and the offset. The offset is the distance the hub is spaced from the centerline of the wheel. The greater the number, the farther inboard the wheel is positioned from the hub face.

The stock SHO offset is 42mm. The 16" x 7.5" Freedom Design wheels I have on my car have a 35mm offset that spaced the wheels too far outward from the hub. That is what required me to trim 1/2" from the inner fender lip. An offset closer to 40mm should give those tires a good chance of fitting. The unstated measurements of the wheels you tried to mount on you car are the width and offset. Do you have those numbers?

 

[Bizzy]

The offset of the rims is 40.01 per the American Racing web site.

I left them at the store so I have no other info on the tires themselves other than what is above. I hate it when that happens.

They didn't think it had to do with offset...but the supposed lowering on my car. I'm lost...

Edit: Here's some info from the Toyo site. Probably not the number's you're looking for, but here they are anyway.

Overall Diameter - 24.9
Overall Width - 9.0
Static Loaded Radius - 11.6

These are with the tires inflated.

<small>[ March 30, 2002, 10:17 PM: Message edited by: Bizzy ]</small>

 

[SHO2NV]

saggy springs That's the only thing I can think of. I never thought it looked lowered but I've only seen it a couple times. Shving the lip won't hurt, from what I've noticed, alot of people have had to do it. Either way, good luck Beth and I hope you can get it figured out.

 

[Bizzy]

SHO2NV:
saggy springs That's the only thing I can think of. I never thought it looked lowered but I've only seen it a couple times. Shving the lip won't hurt, from what I've noticed, alot of people have had to do it. Either way, good luck Beth and I hope you can get it figured out.

**Laughing for the first time all day**

Egads John! First you tell me I need a bra...now you're telling me I've got saggy springs? I'm gonna start taking this personal after awhile.

Actually, I was hoping that this was not the case. *sigh* Guess I'm gonna be stuck with 16's til next tax time.

 

[NJshofear]

that is truly strange but i may have your answer... i mave alessio's with a 38 mm offset and 225/45/17 falkens with minimal rubbing (big bumps with 5 people) HOWEVER dont call me crazy but along with saggy springs, check your rear brake rotors. i got some cheap replacements at one point and they actually moved the tire out a MM or so. check the hat on your rotors (thickness) against a factory one.

 

[Bizzy]

Hey, any ideas are food for thought. Although I don't have a factory one to compare it too. It's a thought tho.

 

[sdpatt]

Yes, NJshofear is correct. The OEM rotors on the 91s were the steel hat type that had a hub face only about 1mm thick. You can still get this rotor for $19 at AutoZone, I believe. Most replacement rotors are the solid cast rotors with a hub face thickness of about 5mm. These are available at Pep Boys for $19.

If you have replaced you OEM rotors with the thicker hat type, you can recover about 4mm (1/4") of offset to provide clearance from the fender lip. Whether your car was lowered or not, does not affect the fender clearance, only the static ride height. You still must have clearance for the full range of suspension travel, the lowered suspension just starts a little lower.

I used a jig saw with a fine toothed metal blade to trim the inner lip down to the spot welds. To finish the edge, I used a grinding stone and emory paper and covered with touch-up paint. Only remove as much material as necessary to provide the needed clearance.

Scott

 

[FI4500]

Bizzy:
Well, I took my car in this morning to have the rims I bought put on since it seems as if winter is finally done with us. They are the American Racing Snipers with Toyo Proxes 225/45ZR17.

By all rights these rims should fit my car. I've heard about people shaving the inner lips on their wheel wells, but I really don't want to have this done. They said where I bought them that they believe my car was lowered. I didn't do it, but I've always noticed that it has a lower ride than most 91's. What do you look for to see if it's been lowered or not?

Any suggestions other than shaving the lip? I really like these rims and would really love to keep them. I just wonder if I'm gonna be locked into 16's for the rest of my SHO days.

 

[SHODOGG]

Beth, you have a 91. You should see my 91! 91's have saggy rear springs as a standard feature. I get people all the time thinking my car is lowered but its just the excessively saggy rear springs so if you get new stock height springs, you should be fine.

 

[Bizzy]

sdpatt:
Yes, NJshofear is correct. The OEM rotors on the 91s were the steel hat type that had a hub face only about 1mm thick. You can still get this rotor for $19 at AutoZone, I believe. Most replacement rotors are the solid cast rotors with a hub face thickness of about 5mm. These are available at Pep Boys for $19.

Ok...I went to Advance to check on what rotors I had replaced my OEM ones with. They are indeed the cheaper rotor although it did carry a lifetime warranty.

They also carry the OEM rotor. Get this...they're made by Bendix and they are $62.79 each plus sales tax. Is this price higher for me because of where I live?? Can anybody confirm that the OEM rotors were made by Bendix?

They did say that I could take my old ones back in and trade them in, but I'll still be paying $20 per rotor to replace them. How can these rotors be so much more here in Michigan? I certainly don't want to buy these and end up in the same boat I'm already in.

Thanks guys!

<small>[ March 31, 2002, 01:57 PM: Message edited by: Bizzy ]</small>

 

[fredhurderjr]

One other thing to look at is the tire width itself, Beth. at 9", and a 7-7.5" wheel, those tires are WIDE. I was talking to another guy this week who recently changed his wheels & tires, and noticed that the same tire size (235/45-17 I believe) between brands had a wider treadwidth.

Anyway, Gen 1's & wider tires & aftermarket wheels usually mean trimming the flares, unless you're able to play with the offset.

FWIW, I have 37mm offsets on my 17x7.5 wheels & 235/45-17's on my 95, no trimming. I also have 225/60-16's on my 91 (they came with the car, no yelling...), and they OVERFILL the rear wells, but only rub lightly on an offset inclined driveway entrance. The rear springs look like they could use a replacement in the next year.

 

[DeaconBlue]

Well I have some $5 off coupons with the purchase of $25 or more at Advance Auto. It sounds like you need the OE replacement rotors and some MOOG cargo coil rear springs. They are fairly inexpesive, Mark Mallory and Crazy George love them on their SHO's. That will get the SHO's rear end back to normal ride height. Both the correct rear rotors and correct ride height will yield the required clearence for those 225 tires on the back of your Gen I.

 

[SHOnuff93]

I think the problem here is your car saw the rims you were gonna try and put on it and is just finding ways to keep those sum bitches off her. Just a quick question, u did see the rims before you purchased them right, or did u get them for free? <--Only reason someone should have them

 

[SHO2NV]

SHOnuff93:
I think the problem here is your car saw the rims you were gonna try and put on it and is just finding ways to keep those sum bitches off her. Just a quick question, u did see the rims before you purchased them right, or did u get them for free? <--Only reason someone should have them

WTF?!?! Dude, you have be be the biggest **** head I have ever run across. Someone should ban your ass!

 

[noSHO]

SHOnuff93:
I think the problem here is your car saw the rims you were gonna try and put on it and is just finding ways to keep those sum bitches off her. Just a quick question, u did see the rims before you purchased them right, or did u get them for free? <--Only reason someone should have them

What the **** is wrong with you?? Learn some ******* manners you ****** salad-tossing waste of space. Your momma sure didn't teach you any manners... Moderators, I think it's about time to ban this worthless consumption of bandwidth. I think this is really the last incident in a long stay of unproductive, rude, immature posts. End it.

<small>[ April 03, 2002, 05:49 PM: Message edited by: noSHO ]</small>

 

[Bizzy]

SHOnuff93:
I think the problem here is your car saw the rims you were gonna try and put on it and is just finding ways to keep those sum bitches off her. Just a quick question, u did see the rims before you purchased them right, or did u get them for free? <--Only reason someone should have them

Hey SHOnuff93--nobody here asked for your comments on my rims. I asked for suggestions on why they don't fit right.

I suggest you keep your comments to yourself in the future. You're treading on very thin water.

And I won't dignify your questions/comments with an answer. You're not worth my time.

 

[SHO2NV]

I'm not sure what the point of this was but here's an email I got from him:

From: [email protected]
Date: Wed, 3 Apr 2002 18:01:26 EST
Subject: **** head?
To: [email protected]
X-Mailer: AOL 7.0 for Windows US sub 118

come on man, dont get upset just cause u had the same pos rims on your car. i
was just trying to explain why they wouldnt fit on the car, chill out

Like I said before...what a **** head.


I say ban him...ya know, that would make a pretty good poll question. thumbs_u

 

[RI-SHO]

Fred you defitnaly need some sort of stiffer springs, b/c I dont scrape at all, but also my SHO rides like shiiit squint .

Beth thats probaly the only reason they dont fit, b/c I also have a 40mm offset and 235mm tires with no rub at all(and a 'lil lowered wink ). Even tho my rear tires will actually get off the ground(the tire with least weight on it wel tend to free spin) when I go into an incline at an angle(can u say stiff springs lol).

<small>[ April 03, 2002, 11:49 PM: Message edited by: RI-SHO ]</small>