93camaro_zzz

iTrader: (13)

Hey guys, Im fixin to order my rims and tires. Just want some last minute advice/questions. I am going with these:

15x3.5 Weld Prostar
15x8 Weld Prostar 5.5" BS
5/16" spacers for front
MT 275/60/15 Drag Radials
MT Sportsman S/R's 24.0x5.0x15

First, do I have everything I need? Like I didnt know if the fronts or rears need new longer bolts or any kind of special lug nuts. Will the factory lug nuts work? I have the factory 17" non-speedline wheels. I know I will have to do some grinding on the rears, but with the spacers will I be fine on the front? Thanks guys, Im excited, cant wait to try them out. Laters,

P.S. I love the way these fronts look:

93camaro_zzz

iTrader: (13)

I know someone has a set of these... lol.

93camaro_zzz

iTrader: (13)

Ttt.

BAIN

iTrader: (5)

Why would you want a 24" tall front tire when they make a 26??

gator's 99TA

iTrader: (2)

wow, dont put a 24" front tire on that car.

93camaro_zzz

iTrader: (13)

Oops, yeah I wrote that in there wrong. Its corrected now. I had the 26's picked out. Otherwise than that, everything else is good? Is this the correct size spacer? And do I need wheel studs or new lug nuts for the welds?

BAIN

iTrader: (5)

I have been looking at those tires as well. I am just running the metric 165 radials right now and thinking about giving them a try. I would advise you to put longer wheel studs on and use a spacer on the front. Also make sure you are using the long shank lugnuts designed for prostars.

93camaro_zzz

iTrader: (13)

Cool guys, thanks for the input. Does someone have a part number or link for the lug nuts? And would I be ok with no studs in the front for temporary or does it require them? Thanks again,

SJM Manufacturing Inc

iTrader: (5)

Choose a 10" wheel, not 8", smallest you should go is 8.5" wheel.

An 8" wheel that weld offers really isn't a good option anyways due to the small backspace they offer. IF I built you an 8" wheel (which I don't recommend), I'd set it closer to the stock backspace which is 6.25-6.75 depending on the style/year of your F-body's wheels. YES I can do that with our wheels. I'd never suggest a 5.5 backspace. Essentially, take your stock 8" wheel and push it out .75-1.25" FURTHER then how it sits currently. The wheel is not centered in the wheel-well nor does it look right from the back of the car.

There is so much discussion on this stuff. I'm still not sure why some still choose 8" wheels?? 10's are the best overall choice and offer you a much broader choice in tires that an F-body can easily run. It also provides a more stable tire and better contact pattern.

Your ABS isn't going to work either after your done just an FYI.

BAIN

iTrader: (5)

Depends. Are going to keep the stock studs for now? If so then you need a 12mm x 1.5 with a long shank with a closed end, but if you plan to go longer wheel stud later get the open ended lugs . I think it's 1 3/8 long. I will PM you a link to look at.

93camaro_zzz

iTrader: (13)

Thanks alot man. I appreciate the help. The wheels and tires and stuff are on order all from summit, so that made it easy.

Also, what do you think about what SJM manuf. said in my post? Ive seen him post alot, and it seems like he always tries to upsell his own product and bash everything else. I have already ordered the rims and tires, and I have seen and read that the 8" is the best choice for the 275/60 tire. I hope this will be alright since, like I said the parts are already on order. I see on your cardomain site, that you have a set of skinnies and slicks. Are your rear wheels the 8" size? Let me know what, if any, problems you have had if they are 8", and what you think about yours. Thank for the pm man,

SJM Manufacturing Inc

iTrader: (5)

You're kidding me with your comments towards me. I am trying to help you, said nothing about purchasing our Bogart wheels. I told you to purchase a larger wheel since your wheel is not the best choice since YOU asked for advice. I also explained why.

Some people have good advice, others could be an 16 year old kid that is a "google expert". Nothing against bain, but the recommendations to use a closed lug on the stock studs (if I read that correct) is a very poor suggestion and very unsafe.

You obviously are not an expert in this area and reaching for advice...that is a good thing. You should also NOT be using a front radial tires that "others" are suggesting...but what do I know, I only do this stuff for a living.

Just because someone does something, doesn't mean it is correct/safe. When all is said and done, if setup as you have listed will be a poor choice and unsafe, then you will probably tell others that you have this setup and it works great just as others do.

As the song goes, have a nice day.

BAIN

iTrader: (5)

I had 8" Prostars on before I went to the 10" Prostars. Only reason I went wider is to run a bigger tire 28/10.5/15. The 275 should be just fine on the 8" rim. I have run a 275 on the 10" rim and they are too narrow.

BAIN

iTrader: (5)

No offence taken, but I have personal experience in the subject since I have been running 3.5" Prostars with radials for over 3 years. I never said that stock studs and closed end lug nuts was a good idea....Yea I did it for 1.5 years with no problem, but nowhere did I say he should do so. That's why I brought up the longer wheel studs and open ended lugs (preferred setup). I have read several of your posts and of coarse you are going to be bias....I mean you are a salesman right??? That's your job to sell your product right??? Nothing against your product they are some very nice rims, but as far as you putting in you .02 in every post about drag rims and telling people not to run radial tires in getting a little ridiculous. Like I said I have been "daily" driving mine for years and long distances 6 hrs back and forth to the track, 10.5 hrs one way home for the holidays, etc... Please quit telling people not to do it unless you have personal knowledge of the subject. To me that is no better than the 16 yr old kids that are "google experts" that you referenced above.

Sorry for the rant everybody

SJM Manufacturing Inc

iTrader: (5)

Well actually, I'm not a salesman though I do also possess a BS/BA degree in management, first and foremost. I'm a degreed mechanical engineer; I believe based on my professional background and working knowledge I can offer sound advice. In addition, I’ve been practicing in the business for ~15 years.

I never mentioned our products, nor have I suggested to the poster to use them. I only suggested a better suited setup since he asked for advice. I really could care less which wheels he picked...recommendations were given based on his wheel choice.

I probably should have said nothing as I do most of the time; I figured I’d help him out…though you see what that gets. This type of posting does nothing but make me not want to even bother. That’s a shame since there are many that actually appreciate good advice from a professional working in the field.

You’re asking me if I have personal knowledge of wheels and designs, when this is part of my field??? I believe you need to read your own statement above and please stop telling others to use things they shouldn’t be. You would be providing more of service by not recommending incorrect /unsafe setups to unsuspecting people…just based on because you think it is ok because you were using it for three years.

I reiterate, many do things they shouldn’t be doing and are unsafe and not recommended. You are a prime example. You are one of the reasons why folks still to this day choose 8" wheels when there are more appropriate choices for the larger tires that are easily run on late model cars. An 8.5" wheel is really the SMALLEST and MINIMUM wheel that should be used. There are consequences of choosing smaller wheels for those tires. Contact patch changes due to sidewall compression, shells are stressed more and bead surfaces are pushed to their limits.

BAIN

iTrader: (5)

Straight from Mickey Thompson's site Mr. Mechanical Engineer

http://www.mickeythompsontires.com/s...ETStreetRadial

___ size______approved___measuring__sidewall__tread___ overall___circ.
_______________rim_________rim______width___width_ _diameter

P275/60R15____7.5-9.5_____8.0_______11.0_____9.5____28.0_____87

I don't think Mickey Thompson would suggest the wrong size tire for the rim size because of liability issues. The taller sidewall (28" tall tire) makes it a narrower tire. There should be no issues running that size tire on an 8" rim. 93camaro_zzz please go ask if anyone is running a 275/60/15 on a 15x8 rim in the drag racing tech forum to get real world experience. I bet you get your answer

BAIN

iTrader: (5)

BTW what was your specific area of study in school to be a Mechanical Engineer? You could be a Mechanical Engineer in several different areas.

BAIN

iTrader: (5)

I didn't say you brought it up in this thread. I said seems like just about every post about drag rims I have read....doesnt matter if they were asking about you rims or not there you are with your pitch. Case in point the post about "Are 15" rims really worth risking your life for?" Nobody was asking about your rims at all.

SJM Manufacturing Inc

iTrader: (5)

Mr. Google, General rule of thumb is +-1" of tread width which by the way, if you would have looked right above the numbers your quoting. Tread width 275's are ~10". So you'll sit on here and recommend to someone to run a wheel that does not fit correctly, neck a wheel down from 10" to 8" when there are much better options available to the driver at almost 0.00 difference in cost?

Certainly people do things that are not optimum, to each his own. If they feel good about it, then so be it. Just like your front radial tires . Good choice for your car. Google me some numbers on those as well. O but wait, everybody else runs them as well...so they must be ok.


An 8" wheel is a small wheel for an F-body. An 8.5 is the minimum that should be used You're correct that the 60 is a bit more forgiving BUT the less stable it will run. In addition, none of the other manufactures 8" wheel's backspace options are available to center the wheel in the in the wheel-well. An 8" wheel also limits the use of MANY other tire choices that he can easily run. Case in point, you had to re-purchase another set of lets see...10" wheels? Hmmm.

There is absolutly no reason to even consider it when an F-body can easily use the correct 10" wheel so why must you argue a loosing point?

93, good luck with your car. I don't have time to waste arguing with someone like the above. Hopefully, you or others with similar questions will sift through the BS.

BAIN

iTrader: (5)

You mean you don't have time to argue with someone like above that knows what the hell he is talking about with real world experience actually racing. I have tried many different things/setups and know other "racers" that also have tried everything and you can't argue with what has been tested and proved to work.
BTW that was not a google answer. Call Mickey Thompson and ask them yourself. I posted the #'s so you could see what MT recomends....An 8" rim! You can sit there and down the radial tires all you want, but I have never heard anybody having any problems with them including myself. As for me going with the 10" rims....I went to a 10" rim so I could run a bigger tire for personal prefference. I could probably hook on a 9" tire, but run Prostars on my car all the time and they "look" to narrow to me. That's why I went to a wider tire.

Yep your just like every other Engineer I have worked with....Calculations look good and it looks good on paper so it must be true. Not ever actually testing or trying anything that doesn't compute to you #'s. I work with Engineer's everyday and have to "fix" the crap the put on drawings that they say will work. Hell I have a BS in Architechural Engineering and a minor in Construction management myself. I found out quickly most Engineers can put something on paper that looks awesome, but actually have no idea how it works or how to put it together.

Just for you I'm going to post a poll in the Drag Racing Tech section to see what the racers think about the tire choice on an 8" rim Please check on the results whenever you fell like it. If they say differently I will eat my words.