![]() Therefore, I consider 4 ¼” BS wheels to be unacceptable for my use. A little bending of the upper control arm lip solved that issue, but the tire tread rubbed the frame rail before the wheels could be turned to full lock, effectively limiting my steering travel. The bead lip of the wheel contacted the upper control arm on both sides. I also tried the same tire with a 15 X 7” wheel with 4 ¼” backspacing. Slight rubbing on the right side has worn a slot in the plastic inner fender at the top of the wheel opening about 3” inboard of the fender lip when wheels are turned hard left. No clearance issues with suspension and no rubbing on the frame rails or the left inner fender. Ride height (distance from the wheel opening lip to the ground at the wheel center)įront tires: BFG T/A 235/60-15, 26.1” diameter, 9 ¾” section widthįront wheels: GM Corvette Rallys, 15 X 8”, 4” backspacingĬomments: I’m pushing the envelope with this combination. Subject vehicle: 1987 El Camino Conquista Hopefully you can use the info I provide to find a good-fitting set of tires for yours. I’ve been fortunate to have a good friend in the tire business, which gave me access to different wheel and tire sizes, so my ’87 is loaded with as much rubber as will comfortably fit in the wheelwells. So what does this have to do with fitting tires to your El Camino? This drawing explains the common terms used. Too much positive offset moves the tire inboard and causes clearance issues with frame rails and suspension parts. ![]() Many other production and aftermarket wheels are designed with positive offset, meaning the hub mounting surface is outboard of the centerline of the wheel. I mention this fact because it relates to the difficulty 5th gen owners often have in trying to fit a larger wheel and tire combination. It actually resulted in a large scale front wheel bearing recall in 1978, when a number of bearings failed due to the increased load. In 1978, when the new “A” body (later to be designated “G” body) cars were introduced, GM departed from tradition and moved the tires more outboard of the chassis than in previous models. Considering the large number of tire / wheel fitment questions asked about 5th Gen Caminos, I decided to incorporate a number replies I had posted over the years into a single post in the effort to share my experiences over the years with fitting larger tires to my ‘87.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |