[jons70gto]

I Just have a couple questions,

If i swap form original 15 x 8 wheels to the 17 x 9, I'm looking for 275/45/17 on the rear what's the best for the front without it looking strange?

Also can I leave height alone?

I would like to fill up the front without lowering

TIA

[Lee]

I went with 255/50 rear and 235/50 front on my YearOne 17" Rallys.

[nas t eh]

Who makes a 275/45/17 performance tire? That would be great as you could match them up with either 245 or 255/50/17. I have 285/40/17 and I think they are too short. I'd go 255/50/17 all round if doing it over. But if 275 or 285/45/17 is available that could work on the rear too.

It takes a 27" tall tire to come close to filling up the wheelwell, even then most people think you need a 1" drop to look good on a Firebird. Lee's TA pictured above shows a reasonable gap that I think looks OK and that is with a 27" tall tire out back.

[Grand73Am]

I've looked for a 275-45-17 before, since it would be only about 1/4" shorter than 27", but I couldn't find any.

So, it seems that 255-50-17 at 27.04" is the only one that's a good size to fill the wheel openings with stock height.

[gtohurstjudge]

Be advised that when I installed a set of the 17x9 wheels on a customer's
79 Trans Am, I had to replace all the wheel studs on the car because the factory
studs were the wrong length to use with those wheels. The factory studs were too
short and the lug nuts were only catching a couple of threads on the studs before
tightening down. If you don't replace the studs with longer ones you will be an accident waiting to happen.

[Grand73Am]

You can avoid changing the lug studs by using these lug nuts. They have an extended shank to engage more threads.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/20-ET-STYLE...pZ-OH~&vxp=mtr

[dreamn69]

Those have a tapered flange instead of flat. won't that make a difference?

[Grand73Am]

The first 17x9 snowflakes Year One made did use the original type of flat lugnut seat.

But they don't sell those now. The 17x9 snowflakes that they've been making for the last several years and sell now use a conical seat. I have some.

So, for anyone buying new YO 17x9 Snowflakes, you need conical seat nuts.

[Larry Navarro]

Originally Posted by Lee

I went with 255/50 rear and 235/50 front on my YearOne 17" Rallys.

awesome bird Lee!!

[jons70gto]

Correction. Yes rears I'm thinking 275/40/17 or 285/40/17 Nitto 555, as they are awesome for traction

The 275 are a little short for the rear

The front needs to be similar sized for height but with clearance for turning.

Thanks to all for sharing

[Grand73Am]

I've seen several cars with 285-40-17 rear and 255-45-17 front, both about 26" tall. It's a good looking combo, but the cars were lowered a bit with PTFB's GT kit, so they didn't look short in the wheel openings.

[76TA462]

I am trying to sort out tire size a swell, to match heights of my front and especially rear (275 60 15 at 28 inches). Seems best performance tire choices are 18-inch but I too prefer 17-inch. Agree with comment about 255 50 17 for front although I wonder about width fit and hope that would work. For rear, thinking on 275 50 17 for height? 76 TA

[dreamn69]

These are 255/60/17

[dreamn69]

And here they are on the new Fire Am, yes it's lowered

[Aus78Formula]

A couple of quick things, I may be repeating what others have said but i'm not about to read every wheel thread over again either. If using the same diameter tyre then it doesn't matter what the rim size is, the height of the car and fender gap is the same. That said, certain diameter rims look better lowered or with some gap. It's good to see if you have matching diameters or tyre styles front and rear, sometimes it doesn't matter, sometimes it does. Also, some like to have the same size tyre front and rear, good for them. I find that the wider track on the front and the wider fenders on the rear make the car appear silly and exaggerates that the front rubber is larger when it's the same. So I still prefer slightly wider in the rear even if not much to get a similar look.

[nas t eh]

Originally Posted by Aus78Formula

A couple of quick things, I may be repeating what others have said but i'm not about to read every wheel thread over again either. If using the same diameter tyre then it doesn't matter what the rim size is, the height of the car and fender gap is the same. That said, certain diameter rims look better lowered or with some gap. It's good to see if you have matching diameters or tyre styles front and rear, sometimes it doesn't matter, sometimes it does. Also, some like to have the same size tyre front and rear, good for them. I find that the wider track on the front and the wider fenders on the rear make the car appear silly and exaggerates that the front rubber is larger when it's the same. So I still prefer slightly wider in the rear even if not much to get a similar look.

I think we agree, On a 2 gen Bird it takes a 27in dia tire to fill the wheel well and look OK. But if you go to 17 or 18" rim diameter, besides still needing a 27 tall tire, you almost have to drop the car an inch or two to get the look right. Sadly the widest 27" tall Summer performance tire in 17 rim diameter is 255/50/17. There is no 285/45/17 to match up with it on the back, so you end up stuck to run the 255 all the way around or go smaller in front.
If you go 18" rims there are more tire choices and you can stagger the front and back.

[Skip Fix]

If they are not the conical seat lug wheels you will need hubcentric rings to center the wheel as the stock type lug nuts are too loose in the holes to center it.
275-50-17s are almost 28" and Nitto makes one.

[jons70gto]

I was checking out the Nitto 275/50/17 but then what size on the front to make it look right?

Thanks

[76TA462]

On Summit the 17x9 Snowflake shows a 6.5 in back spacing. Dreamn69, on the 79 Formula what back spacing did you use front and rear. My current 15 in. Cragars use 4.25 front and 4.5 in rear back spacings - but whatever you used works!!

[jons70gto]

The 275/50 shows to be 27.83 inches tall and the 285/50 is 28.22 inches tall has anyone used the 285 tires without lowering?

And then again what sizing up front?

Does it fill it up?

Thanks