I have read all day long about people running 275/60r15s on the rear of their E bodies, and 235/60r15 on the fronts with no rubbing. I am new to the E body world, but did my homework. Seen no less than 5 cars with the same wheel and tire combo.

Was at the back of the car doing a bum wheel cylinder. Took off ugly 14in Magnums and was excited to put my brand spanking new 15x8 inch 4.5 BS Rallyes on with 275/60r15s. Everyone and their brother and cousin said they would fit, and they do, but the tire sticks out PAST the wheelwell. The first bump I hit with this meager 318 column auto Barracuda would goon up the fender lip for sure.

Every other car I have seen they tuck in real nice, fill it out perfectly, and help get the stance right. I am almost kicking myself for not doing 255s.

What am I missing? Is the puny 7.25 rear end wider than the 8.75 and Dana 60? These tires have a pretty good bulge wider than the wheel IMHO.

Plan for this car is a 440 six pack, 4 speed conversion and a Dana 60. I want these tires to fit! Trying to spend $$ in the right direction on the right stuff. HELP!

How much room is there between the tire sidewall, and the leaf springs? And what is the backspacing of the rims/wheels that the OTHER guys are using? Maybe 5" or 5.5" instead of 4.5"?

What is the over all width of the rear end? Maybe someone changed it out.
Have 2 E-bodies and a 71 B with 275/60-15 and no issues.

Maybe a previous owner has switched out the axle from another vehicle.

I can get a rough drum to drum measurement tomorrow. It has a coilover and leaf combo, so it is not beyond the realm of possibility.

The sidewall at the apex of the outside of the tire would surely hit with a legit pothole. Leaf spring clearance is fine. If I dropped a ruler from the outside of the fender straight down, I would surely hit the sidewall.

71 Barracuda should be 61 5/8 drum to drum regardless of rear end correct?

Everyone I spoke with said 4.5 BS was money for the rears. 4.25 for the fronts with a 235. No issues lock to lock.

Sorry to reference an outside source, as the first place I go for my knowledge is here.

http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?topic=19470.0

Agree check everything... especially tire to spring clearance. FWIW I run 265's and 9.5" wheels with 5.5" (custom) backspace. Trimmed fender lips also. That is wide as I would want to go with stock spring location and stock sheetmetal on my car which is set a bit low and pushed on corners.

Can anyone verify for me that on 71 E bodies, the rears were the same width regardless (7 1/4, 8 3/4, or Dana 60)?

Okay. most definitely Mopar 7 1/4. 2.76 open rear end (tag was there) Leaf springs 3402344 on both sides. Drum to drum measures about 61.5 from outside of drum to outside of other drum.

The tires sit about an inch and half from the leaf spring, so that looks good. The lip of the fender is the concern. Tire is about an inch away and certainly looks like it could hit. Am I being over sensitive to suspension deflection/articulation?

not the wheels to spring, the TIRE sidewall to the spring. the wheel doesn't hit the spring, the tire sidewall does during tire flex on bumps and turns.

You are right to not drive it like that. Even four inches wouldn't be too much. It'll definitely mess up your fenders. Mass produced cars have many variations.

Measure measure measure and then you'll know whether you need more backspacing or a narrower tire or narrowed axle.

Really, THIS IS THE PERFECT EXCUSE TO BUILD A DANA 60! You can get the axle width just right, plus you need it eventually, right? Also buying different rims may cost nearly half of the D60.

Voice of the Devil,
R.

A battery powered Sawzall is probably your cheapest option!

If you have the same wheels with the same offset as others are running with the same tires, and you have that much interference then its pretty simple.... someone changed the differential at some time in the car's life and replaced it with one that was several inches wider. Only way to tell for sure it to measure drum to drum width.

Get a B body wide rear end for it and move the springs in 3/4"-7/8 with offset hangers and be able to run 10" wide wheels. Even with a E body width rear end you can run 10" wide wheels and fit no problem with offset spring hangers.

B body rear would be icing on the cake and use 5.5" offset rims.

If you have 1.5" from the springs then you are using the wrong backspaced rims. You should only have about a 1/4"- 1/2" clearance from the tire sidewall and the spring. 1.5" is way too much.

My 71 and 74 has 3/4" Direct Connection offset spring hangers and 10" wide rims with E body wide rear. Clears the quarter.

I have room between the spring and tire to go early B body width(more narrow) and it would be perfect on this gold 71 with in stock 5.5"BS rims. Next time...





26" tall MT tires on the 74 and 28" tall MT on the 71. These old rims were chosen only because they had the right backspacing in 1986 when I built this car, not so much because I loved the rims. I love the fit and look of them. I did a ton of research before I ordered them from Center line. Long before the internet.

Challenger 1 beat me to it, but I also think you need to double check your back spacing

The only car that had an axle as wide as an E body was a C body. The C body cars never got a 7.25 axle as far as I recall. What if the car has replacement quarter skins? Those sometimes have thicker wheel well lips than a stock quarter.

I ordered up custom 4.75 backspace rally wheels from Summit for my Dana equipped 70 Challenger to run 275-60-15's. On 8 inch wheels. Run 235's on front with 7 inch wheels.

I have one set with 275 Goodyear radials and a second set with OE type bias Goodyear Polyglass(L-60-15,,,same 28 inch diameter as 275's).

Perfect stance for me. 4.5 inch backspace gave only 1/4 inch clearance from fender lip on one side with perhaps 3/8th on other. I would never consider trimming fender lips,,,,unless I decided that self inflicted masochism was my new calling.

255's or G-60's if Goodyear Polyglass will work fine with 4.5 backspace.

Incorrect.

71 and up B-Bodies rear axle is wider than an E-Body rear axle.

He needs to measure the rear axle with to know what's actually under the car.
Who knows what might have been made to fit under there.

If the rear axle width is correct, did you actually measure the new rims? Could they be 10" wide with 4.5" backspace?
Doug

Simple anwser, these things are old and were not built to tight specs even back it the day. Throw in the fact that the actual size of a tire can vary greatly, with the same P metric spec. I've seen 225/75-15 that was the same as a 245/75-15 You need to measure your car and the tires/wheels, or be prepared to make them work. I've had a car that had over 1" difference in wheel well width, A no accident CA rust free car. You have found out what will fit YOUR car, what you gonna do?

I agree.

When I built my 71 I had the dana 60 built with loose spring perches so I could center the rear end in the rear wheel wells. Typically there is about an inch different side to side on a stock car which makes it even tougher to pick the right backspacing. Not a easy decision and not the same on all cars.

But like said above, now you know what you need, sorry it did not workout the first time. Welcome to the club, I am in it.