Tire/Wheel choice

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unreal1

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I have a 73 Dart Sport 340 and am going to run the stock 14X5.5 rallye wheels with a 195/75/14 tires in the front. I also have two 15X7 (4.25 backspace) matching rallye rims, or two 15X8 (4.50 backspace) matching rallye rims to use in the rear. I am being told my best tire choices are either 255/60/15 or 295/50/15. I want the wheel/tire combo to be more towards the outside (near the fender) than stock and want them to fill up all that fender well room but I don't want to overdo it and have issues. Any opinions?? Thanks.
 
Stock spring location in the rear? or offset shackle or relocated?
 
this is a very personal choice and you'll get many different answers.
for a nice balance 215 or 225 70R14 front and 255 60R15 rear.
.. and keep it stock height or lower.
 
O.K...what about which rear rim if I use 255's? The 15X7 (4.25 backspace) or the 15X8 (4.50 backspace)?? I want to bring the wheel closer to the outside.
 
ir3333 said:
15 x 7.....but it will stick the tire outside your rockers if that matters.
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As long as the tires will be inside the outer wheel well so they wont rub and are away enough from the the leaf springs and won't rub, I won't care. What do you believe??
 
Either of those rims should keep the wheels inside the quarters. The 15x7's with 4.25" of backspace will put the centerline of the rim a 1/4" further inboard than the 15x8's with 4.5" of backspace.

With a Dart Sport, an 8.25" rear axle and the stock spring locations you should be able to fit a 275/60/15 inside the quarter, and that should work on the 15x8 with 4.5" of backspace. The 8.25" rear axle is narrower than an A-body 8 3/4 with BBP axles, so actually the 15x8 with 4.5" of backspace should work fine. A 255/60/15 on a 15x7 with 4.25" of backspace should clear pretty easily.

A 295 won't fit inside the quarters though. Not with stock spring locations and untrimmed quarters. Only way to make that work would be to hang them outside of the quarters. I have 295's on my Duster, but I have a 1/2" spring offset and another 1/2" taken off of the quarter lip to make that work.
 
You really need a custom 15x8 and 4 inch backspace. That will get the tire/wheel right where it needs to be but may require some trimming of the fender lip. I saw this on a duster at a show the owner told me these specs. He had the 8.25 rear. Tires were 275/60/15.
 
QuickDart360 said:
You really need a custom 15x8 and 4 inch backspace. That will get the tire/wheel right where it needs to be but may require some trimming of the fender lip. I saw this on a duster at a show the owner told me these specs. He had the 8.25 rear. Tires were 275/60/15.
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You really don’t.

If the tire and rim is where it needs to be, there should be no cutting at all. With a 15x8” and 4” of backspace the tire will get into the quarter lips unless the car sits high in the back. It might work with SS springs, but if the tire is going to fit inside the quarters that’s the wrong combo.
 
unreal1 said:
As long as the tires will be inside the outer wheel well so they wont rub and are away enough from the the leaf springs and won't rub, I won't care. What do you believe??
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i'm an old guy.
I like them just the way they were when new....maybe a little more tire but not sticking out past the body lines,stock ride height and no jewelry.
Better performance, handling and brakes for sure,
I think i'm in the minority.
 
ir3333 said:
i'm an old guy.
I like them just the way they were when new....maybe a little more tire but not sticking out past the body lines,stock ride height and no jewelry.
Better performance, handling and brakes for sure,
I think i'm in the minority.
Click to expand...
Then I am too, tires sticking out of the body just plain sucks, it did on the dragstrip, and does on the street !
 
The car that had 15x8 wheels & 4" backspace, had it's tires and wheels tucked nicely under fenders. However, owner did state that he trimmed inner fender lips with dremel to clear tire bulge. It looked mean and had the perfect stance. This was a duster with the 8.25 rear. Think was a 73 or 74 don't remember.
 
You do realize that 195s are pretty doggone skinny for the front,right? And you are gonna have to drive like a granny, cuz you got very poor stopping power with those. And; watch out for the turns too.
I would pre-fit those 15x7s on the front and if they clear everything, mount up some 235s.You might have to space them out a tad.
With 235s and discs up front, and 275s out back, you can disable the rear proportioning, and enjoy some pretty doggone powerful stopping.
 
QuickDart360 said:
The car that had 15x8 wheels & 4" backspace, had it's tires and wheels tucked nicely under fenders. However, owner did state that he trimmed inner fender lips with dremel to clear tire bulge. It looked mean and had the perfect stance. This was a duster with the 8.25 rear. Think was a 73 or 74 don't remember.
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That’s nice and all, but if you ditch the 4” backspace for 4.5” those same exact tires will fit just fine without cutting anything. No cutting, no dremeling, and no hammering on that bulge in the wheel well.

Seems ridiculous to me to custom order a wheel with backspace that requires cutting and trimming if you can fit the same exact tire on the car with an off the shelf wheel. The stance would be the same, and you wouldn’t have to chop up your car. And the wheel would probably be cheaper too.
 
I am just glad as hell somebody ain't puttin some dumbass 18" wagon wheels on somethin. Good for you.
 
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