Will these wheels fit my 57 Ranchero
Wheel Sizes:
17x7" (Front)
17x8" (Rear)
Lug Pattern: 5x4.50"
Offset: 17x7" wheels: (4.00" backspacing) 1" Lip Size
17x8" wheels: (4.50" backspacing) 1 1/2" Lip Size
Center Bore: 2.788" (70.8mm)
What do you think ?
Ken,
I hope you get a lot of good answers to your liking on tire and rim size but I thought I'd chime in here and tell you my woes. I have a 63A and I've tried different tires and ended up with 205/75/14 or 15's. I use 6" rims with 3.5 " backspacing, front and rear. The 215's I had on the car had too much section width to allow me to change tires on the road easily. The amount of backspace of the wheel is inconsiquential if the section width of the tire is more than the distance between the hub and rear fender. Some guys jack thier cars up and lower the springs to put bigger tires on. I use my car for travel and I ain't going to do that along side of the highway. That's the rear.
Now for the front. I won't go past original backspace on the front because if you do the tire will get into the 1 1/8 front sway bar I have on the car. If you've drove a 57 without a HD sway bar you know that having the sway bar is more important than having wheels with a lot of backspace (unless you drive in a straight line).
From my point of view I've found out that a 57 Fairlane is a piss poor dual function vehicle. If you want to drive it like a normal car you've got to set it up for that purpose. If you want to drag race it, you can set it up for that purpose. Trying to do both has cost me a lot of money and time to find out what I just told you. Good Luck, Jim
I am running 17x7 with a 4" BS in front and fatman 2-1/2" dropped spindels and 17x8 with a 4-3/4" BS on the back with 2-1/2" lowering blocks I have a good 3/4" between the wheelwell lip and the side of the tire on the rear, I also had 17x8 with a 4-1/2" BS on the back they were a little tighter but they fit with no problems, as far as getting them on the car I jack the car up with a floor jack under the center section of the rearend high enough to let the leaf springs hang down on there own weight and tuck the top of the tire in and up into the wheel well.
Ken, the bigger the wheel, 15, 16,17 inch. The quicker and easier it slips over the,drum or disc and into the wheel well. My 57 came with a set of aluminum cragars, 14" and some very modest tires. I have to hang the rear end, let the air out of the tire, and pry it out of the wheel well. Same on my 58. That's not an option after painting the car. I have a set of mags from a 96 explorer, 15 x 7.5 with 215-65-15s. they slip right on,and clear real good. The front was quite close to the upper A frame with stock spindles, but after I put on my torino spindles I have plenty of clearance. Anyone looking for a set of cheap wheels to doll up your 57, the explorer wheels with a smaller tire are an option. Mark
57 Chero, do you have any pictures of your car posted on this site? On my custom 300 that im building I also have fatman dropped spindles.I like the tire and wheel size you say your running and was just wondering how it sits with the 17 inch wheels.also are you running disc brake upfront? Thanks!
tarheel57, my car is the blue and white ranchero in the gallery under construction section, there isnt any pictures with the wheels and tires at that time I will try to post a picture after christmas and yes I am using granada disc brakes.