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Custom wheels for a riviera


Buickneem

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Greetings Everyone!

 

I'm a new owner of my first 65 Riviera!  I'm sure this thread has been covered many times however I can't seem to pinpoint the exact answer I'm looking for. 

I would like to do a 1" drop on the Riv and after doing so i would like to have some custom wheels made. My question is with a 1" drop how big of a wheel can i add without any fitment or clearance issues? My initial thought was to just have a 15" wheel made to the same specs as the factory wheels but i would like to know that if i decide to go bigger, how much bigger can i possibly go?  As always I appreciate all the advice that you knowledgable members have. They have already helped me out a ton and I'm very grateful. If anyone wants to see this beauty, here is a link to the car 

 

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Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love the way it looks right now. I just want to experiment with a slightly different look. I'm having a custom billet wheel made with the look based around the original hubcap spinners or possibly the turbine spinners. I just need to know what size wheel to run with. 

hubcap.jpg

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To find what tire works best on what wheel within you wheel well, take your car to a firm that specializes in custom wheels and tires.  They should have a tool that can be set for wheel diameter, tire width and diameter, and offset and backspacing.  They'll mount this to your axle and can adjust as needed to get the profile you desire.  The bolt on parts are adjusted to represent the wheel; the wire is shaped to the profile of the tire.

 

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The larger the wheel diameter chosen, the shorter the tire sidewall needs to be to compensate for it. It is the outside diameter of the tire you need to fit, then choose the wheel and tire to fit that. These cars came with tall tires, so there is lots of clearance. I am running a 255/55/17 on an 8.5" rim in the back with the car lowered about 6" from stock at ride height. Some wheels will make the front tires rub the frame inside, even at stock height. If you go wider, it needs to be offset to the outside. Try to keep a 3.5" backspacing on the front when you order wheels. More than that and they will rub the frame, unless your tire is really skinny. If you order wheels, be sure to check the center hub diameter, both front and rear. These hubs are larger than most modern cars and will require a larger center hole be machined. And lug nuts will be 1/2x20. You don't have the left hand thread issue the 63s do, so all four wheels have the same 1/2" lug bolts.

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19 minutes ago, steelman said:

I am running a 255/55/17 on an 8.5" rim

 

I still have these discontinued 17X 8.5 5 on 5 wheels that will fit my '64 Riviera. I ran the for about 2 months on the Impala SS. The offset on the front was a little too close for the tires, put the stock 17's back on. I get tempted to slip them on the Riviera every once in a while.

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Edited by 60FlatTop (see edit history)
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If you want to keep your speedometer and front alignment it get complicated and most people do not have the equipment to measure

the aftermarket wheel/tire combination.    The attached picture shows what can happen when you mess with offset, diameter, and scrub radius.

offset.jpg

M-Camber-1.jpg

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In the winter, I run the recommended 225/75R15 tire/wheel set up is on my Roadmaster wagon. In the summer I run 245/45R20's.  The Roadmaster has the same 5 on 5 bolt pattern as the 1st generation Rivieras.  Here's a comparison of the dimensions of the two tires showing how close they are in diameter, circumference, and speedometer error.  Not enough to worry about.  When driving on either set of tires, there is no noticeable difference in my speedometer - I cannot recognize 1.4 mph.  The 895 code rally wheels I run in the winter are 6"wide.  The Boss wheels for the 20s are 8.5 inches wide.  I experience some inner fender rub at full lock  with the 20s when pulling over the curb in the driveway. 

 

Specification  Sidewall  Radius  Diameter  Circumference  Revs/Mile  Difference
225/75-15         6.6in  14.1in    28.3in         88.9in        713        0.0%
245/45-20         4.3in  14.3in    28.7in         90.1in        703        1.4%

20170907_083744.jpg

 

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Edited by RivNut (see edit history)
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I had a '82 Electra wagon and used these Chevy truck alloy wheels.... worked well but had a little rub (don't remember the tire size)

Installed a pair of Koni shocks and they quit rubbing.

truck.jpg

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