Strike one on the 17's

[Oakmtnbody]

Help, I just ordered a set of Centerline Legend Series Retro wheels in 17x8 frt and 17x9.5 rear both w/ 4.50 back space and Kuhmo 245/45/17 frt and 275/40/17 rear and the rears rub like hell ,looks like about a half of inch too wide mostly on the left side at the lip. This is on a 1986 T-Type WH1 with stock suspension and I did not want to roll the lips and liked the way it sits and would like to switch between my stock wheels and tires and the Centerlines and did not want to make major visable mods. I would like to have some opinions on what now, the left tire is already trashed by the first rub which happens only in a swag in the road or bridges and with only a driver on board. I read a lot of threads before I made my decision and some on here said they were running this set up without issues and I know every car is a little different even left to right sides but mines not driveable at this point and what's done is done. I would love to keep the 275/40's on the rear becacause Centerline does not make a 17x9 or 8.5 in the Retro only a 17x8 and an 8 with a 255/45/17 measures 10.0 mounted but I feel I may be missing something and the wheels are not returnable.Also it appears I only have maybe 1/2 inch between the tire and frame so thats's all the numbers. The mounted 275/ 40 rear tire on the 9.5 inch wheel mearures 10.9 inches wide and I'm sure the 27 year old springs are sagging and the shocks have not been replaced because I wanted to get the wheels and tires on first.. New tires and wheels for the rear or springs and shocks I don't care which but would love to get a little help on the second swing? Any help will be greatly appreaciated Thanks, Mike.

 

[IrvJr]

Are you who texted me about my WH1? I have the same car and the same wheels and tires size and i can get a hand between the wheel and frame and no rubbing on the inner fender wells. I would check the body mounts and see if they are loose and the body is straight on the frame

 

[Oakmtnbody]

Are you who texted me about my WH1? I have the same car and the same wheels and tires size and i can get a hand between the wheel and frame and no rubbing on the inner fender wells. I would check the body mounts and see if they are loose and the body is straight on the frame

Yea Irvjr the 275/40/17's hits the quarter lip and wheel opening moulding as the tire traveles up in the wheel well. The car still has the factory spring paper tags and oem shocks and I only have a 1/2 inch clearance at the frame and 1/2 inch of tire hitting the quarter lip as the axle compresses and the tire travels up. You are saying you can get you whole hand between the frame and tire and the tire clears the outer wheelhouse? I'm lost.

 

[IrvJr]

Yes, i can get my fingers between the frame and tires on both sides and as the wheels travel into the wheel well they clear both sides. I do have newer springs and KYB shocks.

 

[49-blues]

I have the same size rims with larger tires and no rubbing anywhere. 255s front & 295s rear.

 

[Oakmtnbody]

I have the same size rims with larger tires and no rubbing anywhere. 255s front & 295s rear.

I have the same size rims with larger tires and no rubbing anywhere. 255s front & 295s rear.

Yea I keep hearing that but I am talking about a stock unmodified 86 wh1 with the oem springs and shocks, Centerline Retro 17x9.5 w/4.5 BS and Kumo ECSTA SPORT 275/40/17 on the rear and they do not clear. Irv came back and said that he did have different springs and shocks and I'll bet you do too but that makes a difference when we are talking about clearance. Mine makes contact at the quarter lip and wheel opening mldg not bottoming out in the wheelhouse. Looks like a 5 inch BS and a 9'' wheel or a 255/40 or a 255/45 may make it on mine but Centerline don't make a 9'' wheel they drop all the way down to a 8'' in a 17.

 

[49-blues]

I have bell tech drop springs in rear and Moogs drop springs in front.

 

[Westriver87]

I have the same wheels on my we4. Centerline Retros 9.5 with a 4.5 backspacing running a 285/40. I put new springs and shocks on when I put my wheels on so I can't say how they cleared, but they do fit with replacement springs and bilstein shocks. I've ran mine for a while without rolling the fender lip, but I will be rolling them when I get some time just to make sure it dont rub. It would rub with people in the back seat and no air in the bags.

 

[Oakmtnbody]

I have the same wheels on my we4. Centerline Retros 9.5 with a 4.5 backspacing running a 285/40. I put new springs and shocks on when I put my wheels on so I can't say how they cleared, but they do fit with replacement springs and bilstein shocks. I've ran mine for a while without rolling the fender lip, but I will be rolling them when I get some time just to make sure it dont rub. It would rub with people in the back seat and no air in the bags.

I rechecked my numbers between the frame and rear drum face with a carpenters square as suggested by someone on this site and found that I have an inch to spare on the backspace instead of 1/2 inch. I called Louie at Centerline and we are going with a 5 inch backspace on the 9.5 x 17's and trying it again with the 275/40's and may end up with a 255/40 0r 255/45 . These people at Centerline have been great to work with and are going beyond the call of duty and also thanks for the input from you guys here at TurboBuick. One thing I have found out is that the topic of tires and wheels for the TB's is definitly not a one size fits all deal.

 

[49-blues]

let us know how they fit.

 

[Oakmtnbody]

let us know how they fit.

Got the repaired rear wheels in today, Centerline changed them from 4.5 bach space to a 5" and the Kumo 275/40/17's fit perfect without any scrubbiing on the qtr's and plenty of clearance on the frame rails. I would stay with a 4" BS on the frt with the Kumo 245/45/17's instead of the 4.5, they don't look as tucked. This is a stock suspension on a 20k wh1 with Delco HD FE3 oem shocks with no clearance issues. Hope this helps someone,Thanks to Louie at Centerline.

 

[novaderrik]

did you ever measure to see of the body was sitting squarely on the frame? they were sometimes off by quite a bit from the factory, and only got worse over time to having soft rubber body bushings, with a few of them not even installed at the factory to maintain a ride quality that a Buick is supposed to have. add in deteriorated bushings on the upper rear control arms- the car is, after all, 25 years old and even if the mileage is low the rubber still goes bad- and you can have fitment issues on one side but not the other.

 

[49-blues]

How much does centerline charge to change the backspacing? The only problem with that backspacing s if you decide to run a larger rear tire later like a drag radial is you will most likely have to run spacers.

 

[Oakmtnbody]

Looked like the left side was over toward the frame about 1/4 inch more than the right, I know it scrubbed more. Centerline charged me a little more than the shipping because I had just bought the set so I don't know what and if it's something they normally do but Louie took care of me and will continue remember that. I'm not going to do a lot to this one, hoping to run across a nice GN to soup up so the drag radials wont be an issue for now.I tried to attach a couple of pics to show her off but might have screwed that up too. Thanks to ya'll for the help and hope be picking your brains for more info if I can swing the GN.

 

[shumpertdavid]

Man that is a good looking car, I really like the 2 tone on that here's a couple shots of my 82 Regal. The first 2 pics are pretty much how it sits now (taken 4 years ago or better IIRC), the last pic was shortly after I got the car back together (@ April 04). Wrecked it my senior year (fall of 98), hydroplaned and took out a railroad tie h-post with the drivers rear quarter and about 75 feet of barbed wire fence and posts. Took body shop at the local college and got it ready to paint over the next 4-5 years (very slow progress for me and took breaks from it to work on other body projects). Repaired the rear quarter, replaced the drivers door, both fenders, header panel (84 panel and grill), sand blasted and painted the bumpers. I run Hotwheels 68's 17x8 and 17x9.5, I cut and rolled the rears when doing body work and running a set of generic drop springs. 225-40r17 fronts (had some rub issues on right front with 245-45r17) and 275-40r17 rears.

 

[jlat]

hello; That's a fine looking TB you got there OakMtn.
IBBY

 

[Pittsburghkid]

hello; That's a fine looking TB you got there OakMtn.
IBBY

That's not a TB since there's no T in the B.

 

[jlat]

hello kid; Are you sure about that? A TB is a TB no matter if it's a GN, T-Type.
IBBY

 

[dr_frankenstein]

hello kid; Are you sure about that? A TB is a TB no matter if it's a GN, T-Type.
IBBY

well..... technically ya he is right..... thats a non turbo 82 carb motor.

 

[shumpertdavid]

I believe the confusion is in that Jlat made a reference to Oakmtnbody's Car pics, the 2 tone T-type, and because it was just under my post and pics, Pittsburghkid assumed he was talking about my non T car.