How big can I go?

Hey everyone,

I got a 1972 GS 455 running 235/R60/14's on front and back. From experience, who here knows how big one can go on those rims with tires without issues hitting the wheel well and whatnot?

 

14in tires are all but extinct, need to go to.15's

 

Well, the tires you are running now are actually only 25 in. in diameter which is about 1 1/2 or 2 in. less than your car came with new. You can safely run a 26.5 to 27 inch tire on those rims. In looking at the BFG Radial TA lineup, about the only larger tire available for your 14 inch rims would be the 225/70 x 14 which is about 26.5 inches tall and would fit fine on your front and back. It also has a little more tread width.

Should you ever decide to go with 15 inch rims, the modern equivalent of the old G60 x 15, which were optional on your GS, would be a 245/60 x 15. That tire also would fit fine on front or rear of your GS.

 

Thats what 1970GSLARRY keeps telling me to at least run 15's on the back. If I can find rims locally cheap enough from Bruno or someone else in the NY area I will.

Good to go. I was looking at those or cooper cobra radial GT

 

If you do find some 15 inch rims and want to put some bigger, fatter tires on the back, you can go as big as 275/60 x 15 without any clearance issues.

 

u will have to go to an 8" wide rim.

 

While it is advisable to run the 275/60 x 15s on 8 inch rims, it's by no means a must. The tires will have a better contact with the road with 8 inch wide rims but can be run just fine on the 15 x 7 stock Buick Rallyes. I ran them for years on several of my GSs.

 

I have 275-50-15 they do touch the outer lip of the quarter panel nothing a
little messaging wont take car of..

 

And, if you really want to walk on the wild side, you can try the 295/50 x 15s. They are very fat and also the same diameter as the 245/60 x 15s for a stock look from the side. Several of us are running them with 15 x 8 Buick ralleys and they don't rub as long as they center in the wheel wells.

 

What's your locale, have brand new wheel and tire combo I might sell. 15/7 and 15/8. 8" are 4.5" backspace. Mickey Thompson tires, 235/60/15 and 295/50/15.

 

I'm in NYC area.

I just hit up John Csordas, he said he has 2 pairs of 15's and just needs to find the other two. I had found a pair of 15's (not sure if 6's or 7's) on ebay that would've matched my front wheels for like $125 shipped but I'll just wait on John. Seems like a lot of people run the 275/60 15's, it would be nice to have that kind of traction and lift to the stance. Mine sits pretty low, fairly certain I need stiffer rear springs at the least

 

my car had 295-60-15 the rims are only 8 inches wide not exactly wide enough and to much bulge

 

Hey Ricky, You have any pic's of the car would like to see :TU:

 

+1

 

Here's some photos I had on my phone when I lived in Hawaii. It looks the same, just NY Historical plates now haha

 

I'll bet it wasn't cheap to get it to NY from Hawaii. Or, did your employer pay for it? Nice GS. :TU:

 

A 255 60 looks better on a stock 7in wheel imo, 275's will wear uneven on a 7in wheel 8 to 10in is a better route, I myself run 10in wheels with 325's

 

Here's 15x8s all around
245 60s on the front
295 50s on the back

I may look for a new/nice pair of 15x7 rims for the front, as the 245 seems a little stretched on an 8" rim.

 

Hmmm, Save those 15 x 8s if you take them off. I may need another pair of 15 x 8s to mount drag radials on after my new motor gets installed. :laugh: