To stagger or not to stagger. Please help!
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
To stagger or not to stagger. Please help! Hey everyone. I just got an 02 Trans Am that came with these ridiculous wheels that stick way too far out. I'm looking to go as close to stock as I can without breaking the bank. So far, the OE Wheels ZR1s look like my best bet. I was just going to get the 17x9.5s all around, but a buddy mentioned I should stagger with 17x11s in the rear. I don't know much about cars, so my question to all of you is what are the pros and cons? I just plan on daily driving this car. I have no intention of ever going to the track or doing any performance mods. In terms of handling, comfort, maintenance cost, fuel economy, proper fit, etc, what kind of differences am I looking at? Thanks so much for any help you can provide!
TECH Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 5,798
Likes: 16
From: St.Charles MO
Im staggered on the exact wheels hes looking at, 17x9 front, 17x11 rear and Ive gone through almost 2 sets of front tires and my rears are still going strong... They are the same exact tires front and rear with different sizes. This is completely determined on how you drive the car. If you are driving normal they should all wear about the same. Im autoxing so im eating the front tires much quicker.
The only advantages staggering gives you is potentially more traction in the rear, and it looks cool, thats it.
Cons are the added weight of a wider wheel and tire, higher cost of a 315 tire on the rear vs a 275 plus less selection. Fitment is iffy as well if you don't have a watts link, as the rear suspension moves in an arc with the panhardbar setup so your tires may be scraping the inner and outer wheel wells at times.
Economically speaking going with the same sizes all around is the way to go. For what its worth these cars (ss/ws6) came from the factory with 17x9" wheels with 275/40 tires all around.
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 34,629
Likes: 2,549
From: Schiller Park, ILL Member: #317
I don't know much about cars, so my question to all of you is what are the pros and cons? I just plan on daily driving this car. I have no intention of ever going to the track or doing any performance mods. In terms of handling, comfort, maintenance cost, fuel economy, proper fit, etc, what kind of differences am I looking at?
17x11" rear wheels, with the common 315mm tire width, usually requires some sort of wheel well modification due to rubbing (could be on the quarter panel lip, or the inner structure of the well depending on wheel offset.)
The 11" wheel/315 tire setup is heavier, adding unsprung weight to the car for no reason (other than appearance) if you never plan to race it. So, to a marginal degree, that would be bad for both power and MPG.
Probably not worth doing in your case, since you don't seem to need the extra traction and weren't originally drawn to this based on seeing it and falling in love with the look or something. Based on what you've posted here, there really is no advantage to this in your case.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
Thanks, everyone. I appreciate the info. It's great to get some balanced input. Sounds like keeping things even will be the way to go. Don't be surprised if I keep popping in with this and that as I try to clean this car up a bit. Thanks again.
TECH Apprentice
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 311
Likes: 36
From: South Carolina
Before you go staggered you need to ask yourself one question:
"Is the juice worth the squeeze?"
Yes big fat meets on the back of a powerful and loud muscle car is cool and it looks great but it can be a biatch on these cars. I'm in the process of fitting some OEM C6Z wheels on my low mileage, clean 02 SS and it about makes me sick doing all this cut ting and hammering on my nice clean Fbody which are becoming rarer to find. Granted I'm trying to fit a large 19x12 and 325/30-19 wheel and tire combo which is larger than what you are talking about but it's a whole lot of clearing. The bump stops are proving to be a big PITA for me. I don't want to just cut them clean off because I want to fab up some new bump stop but even the strength ribs on the side of the bump stops makes contact with my tires.
Also role your fenders and center your axle as best you can. It's a very tight fit. A stock Fbody does hold a bunch of rear tire but it's ability to house a large front tire is impressive.
"Is the juice worth the squeeze?"
Yes big fat meets on the back of a powerful and loud muscle car is cool and it looks great but it can be a biatch on these cars. I'm in the process of fitting some OEM C6Z wheels on my low mileage, clean 02 SS and it about makes me sick doing all this cut ting and hammering on my nice clean Fbody which are becoming rarer to find. Granted I'm trying to fit a large 19x12 and 325/30-19 wheel and tire combo which is larger than what you are talking about but it's a whole lot of clearing. The bump stops are proving to be a big PITA for me. I don't want to just cut them clean off because I want to fab up some new bump stop but even the strength ribs on the side of the bump stops makes contact with my tires.
Also role your fenders and center your axle as best you can. It's a very tight fit. A stock Fbody does hold a bunch of rear tire but it's ability to house a large front tire is impressive.
