Filling up the wheel well

**Jorgens** · 07-23-2011, 04:27 AM

Well as the title states...

I'm picking up a white TA this week and she's going to need wheels. I've looked high and low at different brands, sizes and threads. The biggest issue is when people post pics of the sexiest wheels and never said the size of wheel AND tire.

Filling up the wheel well seems to be the biggest factor for me, on appearance of your overall car. I've seen 18's look great and some look like crap. Some threads go so far back the pics don't work anymore.
So I'm asking if anyone has a lowered or filled out wheel well with a nice wheel and tire.

i know you can go larger overall diameter, but how much is the question... My mission is to fill that well!!!!

I appreciate your help gang....lets see some pics

**SSwt00SS** · 07-23-2011, 04:15 PM

start with lowering it, that will be the biggest gain in decreasing the 'fill' area.

personally, i feel 17" wheels look the best with 35 or 40 series tires. 18" or larger wheels are to much wheel and the amount of $$$ for tires over a 17" rim is quite significant. plus, the tires start looking like rubber bands and simply doesn't look good or balanced to the eye. its all about proportion (gap between the tire and fenders, tire sidewall height in relation to wheel diameter).

for example, here is my car lowerd (Eibach Prokit) w/17" wheels and 40-series tires:

**Jorgens** · 07-24-2011, 05:40 AM

those look good! but I'm still amazed at how much room is still in the well even after the lower. I've seen some where it just looks more full. I'm wondering if increasing overall diameter would be what I'm looking to do. i know theres about a 3% difference in stock sizes on the Bird end and I assume the Camaro end as well. Example:
Original tire
Sidewall: 5.09 in
Radius: 13.09 in
Diameter: 26.18 in
Circumf: 82.24 in
Revs/mile: 770.45

New Tire
Sidewall: 4.33 in
Radius: 12.83 in
Diameter: 25.66 in
Circumf: 80.62 in
Revs/mile: 785.93

The first is my stock 235/55/16 and the other is the stock 275/40/17. Quite the large overall diameter difference. So I'm wondering how big can we go without a lot of rubbing?

**SSwt00SS** · 07-24-2011, 06:01 AM

thanks. wheels are all 17x10 with 285/40/17 front and 315/35/17 rear. you need to be careful when considering sidewall heights as it will affect your speedo, unless you get it calibrated for the difference. it will be off, but i can't tell you by how much.

your stock tire size is not correct for what came from the factory. stock tire size for a 16" wheel was: 245/50/16. so you are 10mm less in tire width, and 1/2 size larger in sidewall height, for a factort 16x8 wheel.

the 275/40/17 is the stock tire size that came on cars setup with 17x9 rims from the factory.

i haven't measured the gap between the tire and the fender, but if you'd like for me to, i can, no problem. the Eibach prokit lowers the car about 1.5", while the Sportline kit is about 2", and really drops the car, but the trade off that some experience in ride comfort and ground clearance under the car becomes significant. even i bottom out my exhaust on some speed bumps and inclines, if you aren't carfeul can get the front nose scrapping too.

**Jorgens** · 07-24-2011, 07:21 AM

interesting.

Maybe it does come down to which lowering kit. That would make a guy nervous depending on overall diameter. The stock birds in 02 came with 235/55/16 which is a bit larger than the 245/50/16 on the TAs. The TA I'm picking up has the 245 while I've always kept my bird stock with 235. Even looking at pics of the TA vs my bird I can tell that little bit of wheel size difference as the bird's well looks just a tad more full.

But I think you may have nailed it on the head with different lowering kits. That would be one random variable that people don't always put up when posting rims....

Maybe I just need to get to an Fbody car show!!!! LOL

**2001camaroSS** · 07-24-2011, 06:52 PM

Lowered on Strano springs
18x10 F and 18x11 R
275/35/18 F and 315/30/18 R

**Jorgens** · 07-24-2011, 07:06 PM

That looks pretty nice there boss. I've been leaning on 18's but after more looking I'm leaning on 19's. those wheels look tight on that maro my friend!!! Thanks for posting!!!

**2001camaroSS** · 07-24-2011, 07:15 PM

Originally Posted by Jorgens

That looks pretty nice there boss. I've been leaning on 18's but after more looking I'm leaning on 19's. those wheels look tight on that maro my friend!!! Thanks for posting!!!

Thanks for the compliments. 19s can look good if done right. IMO the higher end wheels allow for the larger size wheels (19s and 20s). Me personally, I would never go above an 18 because I wouldn't want a smaller sidewall than I already have.

**tatertot91** · 08-01-2011, 04:37 AM

When I had my trans am I ran 18s and I thought they fit the car just right. Some people run 19s and 20s and pull it off but imo you really can't go wrong with 18s. Would post a pic of my old car but I'm on my phone right now. What exactly were you looking at as far as wheel styles, widths, and whats your budget?

**jetaws6** · 08-01-2011, 06:33 AM

I think fikse wheels have the best wheel choice out there for fbodys

**silverWS6** · 08-01-2011, 01:09 PM

I think my car fills up the wheel well pretty good

17x8.5 with 275-40 up front and 17x9.5 with 315-35 out back, lowered on the eibach pro-kit

**tatertot91** · 08-02-2011, 07:31 PM

here are more 18s lowered on stranos
18x9 with 245/45/18s and 18x11.5s with 335/30/18s

**Furious1** · 08-03-2011, 05:39 PM

^ love those...I might have to go that route eventually. What brand are they?

**tatertot91** · 08-04-2011, 01:31 AM

Originally Posted by Furious1

^ love those...I might have to go that route eventually. What brand are they?

They are iforged senekas

**Jorgens** · 08-16-2011, 06:03 PM

Hmmm both 17's and 18's look good really. Now I'm thinking again. I was looking at 19's but the cost diff between 18-19 is HUGE. Those 18's are tight man...no doubt