Is anyone running 5" backspaced wheels in the front, on a 1st gen Camaro or Firebird, equipped with drum brakes?....I need to know if the rear of the wheel/tire, equipped with a 235/60R15", will clear any front end components such as upper ball joint and outer tie rod.

I just got my Weld 15x8 prostars with 4.5 bs for xmas.
'67, all drum brakes. On mon I'm putting on 235/60-15 Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 tires on, since everybody and their sister has BFG's. Gotta be just a little different.
For "S's" & giggles, I jacked up the car and took the old tires off and put the new rims on -no tires yet- to have a look on jackstands.
It's pretty close, I don't think 5" will fit. I'll look closer when I put them on with tires and let you know.....

It's just that it's winter and cold here in Michigan and besides I have my car all covered up and tucked away for the winter or I'd check the measurements myself.....This is something I'll probably be thinking about all winter until it starts getting warm in the spring unless I get some responses from the guys in the warmer climates.

i would be more worried about the tire to frame rub. 4 3/4 inch backspace on an 8 inch rim rubs with drums. discs push them out a little. although not ideal, there is always spacers to buy...

After putting them on, IMHO, 5" backspace will NOT fit. Too close to the tie rod end, it would look like it'll ride/rub on it and the tires will likely rub pretty hard at full lock turning wise. Maybe if they're big diameter rims, like 18" plus, but the tires still rub at full lock/turn, --the flange for the rim will be past the tie rod ends, but on a 15", no. I wouldn't do it.

no. I wouldn't do it.


OK, thanks for the heads up man!....I kind of figured it would be close to the outer tie rod as these cars weren't originally equipped with that deep of a backspace....I'll check this out on my car as soon as it starts getting warm here in Michigan but I'm not going to hold my breath thinking it will work!:noway:

I know the front steering is not the same but I can tell you for sure 15" with a 5" backspace will NOT clear the suspension and steering on a '70 Camaro front sub-frame. As me how I know - the sub frames were a popular swap on fat fendered street rods way back when before everybody made "kits". Since they were a little to wide you had to run front wheels with a deep backspace. From expierence I guessing that past 4.75" your rubbing. If you go to 17" wheels the upper control arm and the tie rod end fit inside the wheel. This front end is not the same as the 1st gen but I would guess you would have the same clearence issues in those 2 areas. That should relieve some of your tension while waiting for the weather to break.

The current wheels I have on the car now are the early slotted steel Corvette ralley wheel, similar to the Camaro wheel only they are 15" X 8" with a 4.5" backspace.....These are the only wheels I had at the time and the rear's look OK but the front's are too wide, they stick out too much!.....I'll probably have to look around for the same wheel only in a 15" X 7" with a 4.5" backspace.