cragar wheels help

Posted By: joedee

cragar wheels help - 03/28/15 01:00 AM

Hi,
Found some wheels and need to know what I really need for my 1970 GTX. I do not understand all the back space stuff. The ones I am looking at say Cragar SS wheels with 3 5/8 backspace. Will these work on the GTX? They are 15 x 8 wheels.

Thank you,
Joe

Posted By: DaveRS23

Re: cragar wheels help - 03/28/15 01:54 AM

Backspace is the measurement from the inside wheel lip to it's hub.

What did the wheels come off of? 8" wheels on the front might rub the fender when turned with some sizes of tires.

The rears are easy to measure for since they don't turn, but the fronts are a bit tougher. Any chance you can take one and try it on the front of your car?

Posted By: joedee

Re: cragar wheels help - 03/28/15 02:11 AM

Hi,
They came off of '76 Camaro . Mounted on 245-60-15 tires.

Posted By: DaveRS23

Re: cragar wheels help - 03/28/15 02:30 AM

Unless someone here has experience with that particular combination on a similar car, I would test mount one on the front and on the rear of your car. Turn the front fully left to right on the ground and check for tight spots or points of contact.

Only way to know for sure.

Posted By: Car Nut

Re: cragar wheels help - 03/28/15 02:45 AM

Quote:

Hi,
They came off of '76 Camaro . Mounted on 245-60-15 tires.

Is the bolt pattern the same? You'll need 5x4.5 bolt pattern.

Posted By: OzHemi

Re: cragar wheels help - 03/28/15 03:16 AM

Quote:

Quote:

Hi,
They came off of '76 Camaro . Mounted on 245-60-15 tires.

Is the bolt pattern the same?

Alot of Cragar SS's were uni-lug.

And I would think closer to 4 1/2" back spacing would be needed?

Posted By: Car Nut

Re: cragar wheels help - 03/28/15 03:37 AM

Quote:

Quote:

Quote:

Hi,
They came off of '76 Camaro . Mounted on 245-60-15 tires.

Is the bolt pattern the same?

Alot of Cragar SS's were uni-lug.

And I would think closer to 4 1/2" back spacing would be needed?

I don't think the Cragar SS on my 70 Challenger were, but that was 24 yrs ago.

Posted By: OzHemi

Re: cragar wheels help - 03/28/15 03:45 AM

Alot...but not all...

I deal with Carlise/Carlstar who make Cragar....see them "fresh off the line" in big piles all the time.

Posted By: therocks

Re: cragar wheels help - 03/28/15 04:42 AM

Cragars i bought in 71 were unilug.They had a piece that webt in the back to be either 4 1/2 or 4 3/4. Rocky

Posted By: mopar346

Re: cragar wheels help - 03/28/15 05:41 AM

I have some of all 3 4.5, unilug and 4.75. The come in many configurations but as stated A LOT are unilug, easier for tire stores to stock back in the day, easier for guys to move them from car to car, worse to be truly balanced cause you never get them exactly centered.

Posted By: 6PAX

Re: cragar wheels help - 03/28/15 02:07 PM

Quote:

Found some wheels and need to know what I really need for my 1970 GTX. I do not understand all the back space stuff. The ones I am looking at say Cragar SS wheels with 3 5/8 backspace. Will these work on the GTX? They are 15 x 8 wheels.

I have 15x8 Cragar SS wheels with 4 1/4" BS on the rear of my 70 GTX with 275-60 tires. I can't say if the same tire on a wheel with 3 5/8 BS would fit but I wouldn't think a narrower tire like a 245-60 or 255-60 would be a problem.

Posted By: GTX MATT

Re: cragar wheels help - 03/28/15 03:05 PM

In my opinion, no. If they will you will have to run a skinny tire, and unless they're very cheap not worth the hassle they are going to cause you.

Posted By: Silver70

Re: cragar wheels help - 03/28/15 04:10 PM

People run 10" wheels, 295 tires with 5" of backspacing. So that leaves 6" on the outside. An 8" wheel with 3-5/8 would be 5-3/8 on the outside... So I don't see the problem.

Posted By: skicker

Re: cragar wheels help - 03/28/15 04:40 PM

Mine are 17x9.5 with 5 1/2" bs outside to outside of lip measures +/- 10 3/8".
The 15x8 with 3 5/8" bs outside to outside should measure about 9".
If you do the math they are going to stick out about 3/8" further than mine do. If your car sets low they will try to rub on the outside. If it sets high you may be able to make them work.
Before you buy them verify that they are unilug...if not they won't fit in the first place.
Here's the kicker that a lot of guys don't realize...the wheel width is measured from the inside lip where the tire bead sets to the other lip where the tire sets...not at the outside. If you measured these and they are 8" on the outside they will work since it is only really a 7" wide wheel.

Attached picture 8473453-9RodRun2013.jpg

Posted By: joedee

Re: cragar wheels help - 03/29/15 09:50 PM

Not sure what wheel size will work with all this info. I did find another set of 15 x 7 rally wheels but here is the spec. 5 x 4 inch bolt pattern with 4.25 inch backspace. Will this bolt up to my gtx and fit correctly? What tire size will work? I would like larger tire in the rear.

Joe

Posted By: OzHemi

Re: cragar wheels help - 03/29/15 09:53 PM

No, 5 on 4" bolt pattern will not fit a B body... (that would be early-ish A body)

An 8" wheel with the right back spacing and a 275/60-15 is a pretty nice combo on the back.

Posted By: Car Nut

Re: cragar wheels help - 03/29/15 09:56 PM

Quote:

Not sure what wheel size will work with all this info. I did find another set of 15 x 7 rally wheels but here is the spec. 5 x 4 inch bolt pattern with 4.25 inch backspace. Will this bolt up to my gtx and fit correctly? What tire size will work? I would like larger tire in the rear.

Joe

I know my Charger has a 5 x 4.5 inch big bolt pattern, so I believe the GTX is the same. Those are the small bolt pattern.

So, they're not unilug?

Posted By: joedee

Re: cragar wheels help - 03/29/15 10:15 PM

So, only 5 x 4.5 inch big bolt pattern will work on a 1970 gtx? The back space is? Just trying to limit the ones I am looking at. I am thinking 15 x 7 for all 4 or 15 x 7 for front and 15 x 8 for the backs.

Joe

Posted By: OzHemi

Re: cragar wheels help - 03/29/15 10:25 PM

Correct, your GTX is 5 on 4 1/2 bolt pattern. And yes, 15 x 7 up front and 15 x 8 out back will be a good combo as well. (235/60 and 275/60 seem to be a no-brainer combo for "most" B bodies..)

Posted By: joedee

Re: cragar wheels help - 03/29/15 10:28 PM

what it the correct back space? is that the 4 1/2 of the 5 x 4 1/2?

Joe

Posted By: OzHemi

Re: cragar wheels help - 03/29/15 10:31 PM

5 on 4 1/2" is your bolt pattern... 5 lug, and 4 1/2" from the edge of one stud to the center of one opposite of it.

Been a little while since I set up wheels for a B body, but from memory around 4 1/2 to 5 inch of back spacing was correct? If you search around a little it has been discussed before at least a bunch of times.