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By Noob - 13 Years Ago
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Anybody have any thoughts, guesses, experience with the largest tire size I could fit on 16" wheels to fit in the rear wells of my `57 bird without tubbing it? I'm a fan of tire patch, so the wider the better. I dont know the offset of these AR Torq Thrust wheels I inherited, but mounted they appear standard compared to stock. I'm prepared for some trial n error, but recommendations would be appreciated. Cheers... Brian
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By Hoosier Hurricane - 13 Years Ago
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Summit (and probably others) sell a measuring devise that you bolt to your drum, adjust the arms accordingly as you roll it around your wheel opening, and check tire clearances. Probably much better than trying various wheels and offsets.
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By Don Woodruff - 13 Years Ago
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If you are running the skirts, bout the only thing that fits is the original wheel/tire combination.
I have 14/5.5 in wheels with Coker wide whites (basically oem section width and height) from a Crown Vic on the front of mine. These just barely clear the "A" arms.I cannot put these on the back and put the skirts on.
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By GREENBIRD56 - 13 Years Ago
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I've got 225/50/16's on mine (no skirts) - you could probably go to 235's on the back with exactly the right backspace, and still have some clearance to prevent rubbing. Hoosier is right about the careful mesurements - and you need to be a bit conservative about side clearances. Due to the sidesway of the leaf spring arrangement (and assuming no add-on "track bar") - you can get contact even though things look fine sitting in the driveway.
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By 55Birdman - 13 Years Ago
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I have 205 70 15s 7 in wide all the way around. Tight in the back . Front seems ok.
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By Noob - 13 Years Ago
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Thanks, fellas... no skirts, but have track bar, so that's a helpful caution... I was leaning toward 235's, but the Summit gage/fixture could be a good investment to save me some money in trial/error. Thumbs up... Brian
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By Frankenstein57 - 13 Years Ago
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You might try digging up old posts, someone had some current mustang wheel/tire combos on a 57 bird that looked quite nice
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By Frankenstein57 - 13 Years Ago
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There it is 11 posts down in this catagory
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By speedpro56 - 13 Years Ago
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The largest I've run on my 56 tbird was 245/ 50/ 16s and alittle to close for comfort but they worked. The taller I went I had to bring in the width some. 235/ 60/ 16 and currently 225/ 70/ 16s and a little more comfort in wearing my fenderskirts. I did have traction masters with all these tires and still do.
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By miker - 13 Years Ago
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By coincidence,I spent yesterday going thru the old post, and also looking at the device at summit for measuring. Like you I'm looking for a larger contact patch. A few years ago I had Wheelsmith build me a set of 7" steel rims, I think with 5.5" of back spacing. They fit on the back with a 9" WW pie crust cheaters, and looked cool. drove terrible of course. I had to "relieve" a bulge in the wheel well (for the trunk springs) a little, or they would rub there on a tight, uphill corner. A panhard rod would also have solved the problem. The skirts weren't even close to fitting with those tires. Some of the earlier post also say a 2002 explorer 16x7 rim will fit front and rear, but I haven't had time to verify that. The consensus on front backspacing seemed to be 3.75 inches, with perhaps one person saying 4", but that could have been a real low profile tire with not much bulge. It looks to me that to get 7" rims all around, there might be more backspacing required in the back, at least to get the skirts on. There was also some discussion about spring rates, and the use of early 90's 2wd aerostar front springs. Anyone try that and care to post a report? miker
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By Noob - 13 Years Ago
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Went about making a jig from a 16" long piece of angle and a 12" piece of 1/4" allthread... dilled some lugbolt holes at one end to mount, and rotated the wheel (axle on jackstands) to determine the largest circumference without hitting... bounced the car at the tight spots just to check interferance under leaf spring compression. Drilled hole at outter end of angle for the allthread to check width interference based on backspacing of 4" American Racing 8"x16" wheels. I can do a total diameter of 29" and a maximum section width of 9", without skirts of course. This should make 235/65R16's an easy fit. I'm bettin 245's would fit as well, if slightly re-route the exhaust pipe closer to the frame. An inch deeper offset would be about all any 245's would take before hitting the inner-rear fender well. So, I'm off to buy/mount one side to confirm my findings. I have a pair of those Aerostar coils for the front, but chickend out installing them when I saw how short they were (uncompressed) compared to the uncompressed stock units... like almost three inches. I knew it was to lower the front, by about 1" - 1-1/2", and the spring rate is suppose to be stiffer, but the visual contrast was more than I had for experimenting at that time. Next time I tear down the front, or get bored with the billizon other projects going on, I may put them in just to see. Cheers... Brian
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By hustonm - 13 Years Ago
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I notice you have torque thrust wheels on your bird. It looks great. Wondering what size they are and did you need a special offset to get them to fit?
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By MarkMontereyBay - 13 Years Ago
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I have been running American Racing Torque Thrust D's on my 57 Bird. These the standard 15X7's that Summit sells. They come with a 3.75 backspacing and -6.00 offset.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/ARE-1055765/
The tires are Michelin 225/60 R15 Pilot Exalto. The fronts clear the ball joint and only rub on a near-lock tight turn over a bump (driveway). The rears will rub the outside inner fender well on a hard bounce or with added weight in the trunk or a hefty passenger. I carefully trimmed the inner lip of the fender well around the inside opening without weakening the welded seam and smoothed it out. Still not happy with it and worry about flexing the rear quarter panels. I added KYB gas-adjust shocks and a 1 inch rear sway bar that helped the side-to-side sway a lot. I am rethinking my wheels now, but custom backspace/offset wheels are costly.
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By skygazer - 13 Years Ago
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MarkMontereyBay (4/26/2011)
I have been running American Racing Torque Thrust D's on my 57 Bird. These the standard 15X7's that Summit sells. They come with a 3.75 backspacing and -6.00 offset.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/ARE-1055765/
If you prefer the salt flat look, Summit has Cragars (two piece) with the same size/offset for a lot less $$.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/CRR-391G5712/
EDIT: My mistake... 15x7 Cragar 391G is 3.5" backspace, -13 offset, about 1/4" less (further out) than the smallest backspace AR Salt Flat or TTD. Dunno if these will fit.
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By MarkMontereyBay - 13 Years Ago
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Thanks Skygazer,
I like the Cragars but bought the American's and have them mounted. Using 225 60 15 Michelin Pilot Xaltos which are now discontinued. The 15 inch tire market is drying up.
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