Fitment issues: 10.5" wheels, 56mm offset, 315 tires, 2002 Camaro
08-14-2011, 03:17 PM
#1
TECH Resident
Thread Starter
iTrader: (27)
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 914
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Fitment issues: 10.5" wheels, 56mm offset, 315 tires, 2002 Camaro I have a few questions regarding wheel/tire fitment on my Camaro. I bought a set of OEWheels "C5 deep dish" 17x9.5" and 18x10.5" wheels, and according to their site, they have a 56mm offset.
I knew I'd probably need to do the "BFH mod" and maybe get the fender lips rolled, no biggie. My engine/trans is currently out of the car, so I haven't driven it with the new wheel/tire combo on it, but I did go ahead and bolt them on the car...and I had no problem initially.
However, I installed adjustable rear suspension components this weekend, along with Strano lowering springs. I bolted the wheels back on while the rear of the car was still suspended, and when I lowered the car back down, it didn't settle where it should. The car was "stuck" on the tires by what I'm guessing was the bump stops, and I couldn't get the suspension to settle.
I put the car back up on jackstands, and used a bottle jack to raise one side of the rear end/suspension high enough I could bolt the wheel back on above the bump stop. Once I did this it worked, and the suspension settled to where it should be when I set the car back on the ground.
I took some pictures, it looks like the metal frame part of the bump stop is nearly touching my wheel. It doesn't touch, but it's very close. I don't think jacking up the rear end and suspension to put a wheel back on is acceptable.
So now I'm wondering what to do - obviously I can use a sledge hammer to "massage" the interior of the fenderwell where needed to make the tires fit (they come very very close as well), but the bumpstop has me worried.
I was hoping someone who has put "bigger" tires on their Camaro can provide some input. I previously had Z06 10.5" rims (58mm offset, I believe) with 295 tires, and they had no clearance issues at all. I suppose I could be wheel spacers on, but the tires already protrude from the side of the car a good bit, and I don't know if it'd look silly to do that.
I knew I'd probably need to do the "BFH mod" and maybe get the fender lips rolled, no biggie. My engine/trans is currently out of the car, so I haven't driven it with the new wheel/tire combo on it, but I did go ahead and bolt them on the car...and I had no problem initially.
However, I installed adjustable rear suspension components this weekend, along with Strano lowering springs. I bolted the wheels back on while the rear of the car was still suspended, and when I lowered the car back down, it didn't settle where it should. The car was "stuck" on the tires by what I'm guessing was the bump stops, and I couldn't get the suspension to settle.
I put the car back up on jackstands, and used a bottle jack to raise one side of the rear end/suspension high enough I could bolt the wheel back on above the bump stop. Once I did this it worked, and the suspension settled to where it should be when I set the car back on the ground.
I took some pictures, it looks like the metal frame part of the bump stop is nearly touching my wheel. It doesn't touch, but it's very close. I don't think jacking up the rear end and suspension to put a wheel back on is acceptable.
So now I'm wondering what to do - obviously I can use a sledge hammer to "massage" the interior of the fenderwell where needed to make the tires fit (they come very very close as well), but the bumpstop has me worried.
I was hoping someone who has put "bigger" tires on their Camaro can provide some input. I previously had Z06 10.5" rims (58mm offset, I believe) with 295 tires, and they had no clearance issues at all. I suppose I could be wheel spacers on, but the tires already protrude from the side of the car a good bit, and I don't know if it'd look silly to do that.
08-14-2011, 03:39 PM
#3
TECH Resident
Thread Starter
iTrader: (27)
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 914
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Here's some pics from behind to show the distance the tire protrudes from the fender. I don't know if running a 3/8" spacer is going to make it look silly. And I figure I'd need longer wheel studs doing that, too. I just don't know how I feel removing the bump stops.
08-14-2011, 05:04 PM
#4
TECH Junkie
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Rutherford, North Carolina
Posts: 3,552
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
I would just cut the BS since they are already sticking out there unless you can get by with a small smaller that's just enough to get away from the BS but doesn't make the wheel/tire stick past the top part of the rear 1/4.
08-14-2011, 06:40 PM
#5
TECH Resident
Thread Starter
iTrader: (27)
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 914
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
What drawbacks are there to removing the bump stop? Just more wear on the shocks? Damage to the tire? I guess the 2mm difference in offset was enough to make a difference.
Last edited by evo462; 08-14-2011 at 06:48 PM.
08-14-2011, 06:53 PM
#7
The axle could contact the frame with out the bump stops. Use an angle grinder to trim the down enough to where they don't contact the wheel.
You could run koni bump stops on the shock shaft also, and there is also someone here running bump stops on weight jackers.
See Brd-Prey's album
https://ls1tech.com/forums/album.php...ictureid=70896
You could run koni bump stops on the shock shaft also, and there is also someone here running bump stops on weight jackers.
See Brd-Prey's album
https://ls1tech.com/forums/album.php...ictureid=70896
Last edited by lees02WS6; 08-14-2011 at 07:00 PM.
Trending Topics
08-14-2011, 07:25 PM
#8
TECH Resident
Thread Starter
iTrader: (27)
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 914
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Also, I found a thread that talked about the issue I was having by jacking the car up by the frame instead of the axle and bump stop clearance
https://ls1tech.com/forums/wheels-ti...ar-spacer.html
They recommended jacking the car up by the rear axle, then taking the wheel off like that. With lowering springs and the suspension at regular compressed level, supposedly the bump stop is well into the wheel and isn't an issue. My main concern would be hitting a pothole or something and extending the suspension and having the bump stop slash a tire. Others said in the thread I just linked they never had that problem, I dunno.
08-14-2011, 07:53 PM
#10
TECH Resident
Thread Starter
iTrader: (27)
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 914
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
What you see in the picture is me using a bottle jack to lift the axle to put the wheel back on and clear the bump stop while the car is still raised by the frame. According to that thread, had I lifted the car by the axle, I wouldn't have had that problem...but like I said, I have some concerns that I'll hit a pothole or something and the suspension will extend itself far enough that the bump stop hits the tire and causes damage.
08-14-2011, 07:58 PM
#11
The car is on jackstands on the frame. When I put the wheels back on, the tires caught the bump stop. The link in my previous post says to lift the car by the axle and then install the wheels like that - the bump stops will be well within the wheel at that point.
What you see in the picture is me using a bottle jack to lift the axle to put the wheel back on and clear the bump stop while the car is still raised by the frame. According to that thread, had I lifted the car by the axle, I wouldn't have had that problem...but like I said, I have some concerns that I'll hit a pothole or something and the suspension will extend itself far enough that the bump stop hits the tire and causes damage.
What you see in the picture is me using a bottle jack to lift the axle to put the wheel back on and clear the bump stop while the car is still raised by the frame. According to that thread, had I lifted the car by the axle, I wouldn't have had that problem...but like I said, I have some concerns that I'll hit a pothole or something and the suspension will extend itself far enough that the bump stop hits the tire and causes damage.
08-14-2011, 09:55 PM
#16
TECH Resident
Thread Starter
iTrader: (27)
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 914
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Probably, but these were the tires on the wheels when I bought them. I like the look of the wide tires, so if there's a way to run them, I'd like it. The 295's were actually what I had on my Z06 rims, and I had NO clearance issues. While I didn't check the bump stop to rim clearance, I didn't have a problem with installing the wheel while the car was raised by the frame, which leads me to believe the wheels also had more clearance.
Your post in my linked thread was what made me realize to raise from the axle. Thanks!
Your post in my linked thread was what made me realize to raise from the axle. Thanks!
08-16-2011, 08:19 AM
#20
x2. ground off the bump stop up to the bolt holes. made a small offset plate with 2 new threaded holes, bolted it back to the original bump stop and put the rubber bump stop back on using the new holes. basically slid the bump stop in a bit. running 295/55/15 MT E/Ts.