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67 GTX Tire Clearance Issues

67 GTX

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Hello All,

I am having rear tire fitment issues on a 67 GTX (no surprise there). Currently on the car are rims with a 4 1/8 backspacing, and 235 70R15 tires. The old leaf springs were shot and air shocks were used to raise the rear.

The leaf springs were just replaced with new ones that gave a 1 inch lift over stock, and new normal shocks were also installed. The car sits a bit lowered than preferred, and there are still tire clearance issues with the wheel well.

I know another option is to use hangers and/or shackles that have different bolt hole locations to raise the rear, but I am trying to avoid those for now.

A 235 70R15 tire is 28” tall, and 9.5” wide.
A 225 70R15 tire is 27.4” tall, and 9” wide.
The car currently has 15x7 rims that have a 4.125” backspacing (Cragar S/S).

Is my following thinking correct: Going from the 235 70R15 to a 225 70R15 tire will buy me .25” of clearance from the side wheel well, and .3” of height in the wheel well?

Has anyone run that (4.125 backspacing on a 15x7 wheel with 225 70R15 tires) and leaf springs in the stock location (with no lift or a 1” lift)?
 
Anything over stock is tight. Unless your flaring the wheel well or tubbing. I think back in the day a 7” wide wheel on g60 tires was rubbing.
 
Not sure how close your GTX is to my 67 Coronet, but I have 15 X 8 wheels on the back with a 5 1/4" backspace ( had them made) that to do again I would use a 5 1/8" backspace..... 245 60 15 tires... rubs occasionally

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On my '67 Belvedere, I am running a 15"x7" wheel with a 4 1/4" backspace and a 225 70 15 tire. I do not have any interference issues, but I would not want to go ANY bigger. The only difference between my set up and your proposal is you would have 1/8" LESS room. That should work for you, but it will be tight.

20190808_063739.jpg
 
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15x7 with 4” of backspace on my 67 Belvedere with 255/60/15. No clearance issues with this combo.
 
7's are easy, going to 8" wheels is when it gets tight
 
Did L60 x 15's 7" wheel 4" BS rubbed some corning. Had to put a bottle jack to jack spring down to get them in wheel well. 4.5" BS on a 7" wheel and 5" on an 8" wheel. Be prepared to change a tire on the road, carried bottle jack and bought a mini floor jack to jack car up. Never used it, but would want to use bumper jack.
 
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