[Hawk397]

Hi, I just purchased a 71 bird to rebuild and didn't pay much attention to the wheels until I got her home. Someone had put a set of Snowflakes on them and they look really good so I want to keep them. Did these only come in 15x7's and was there only one back spacing? Any info on sizes, back-spacing and ID methods would be much appreciated!

Thanks,

Mark

[Hawk397]

Hi, I just purchased a 71 bird to rebuild and didn't pay much attention to the wheels until I got her home. Someone had put a set of Snowflakes on them and they look really good so I want to keep them. Did these only come in 15x7's and was there only one back spacing? Any info on sizes, back-spacing and ID methods would be much appreciated!

Thanks,

Mark

[henry203]

the 15X7 rims begin right from the edge. The 15X8 ones which came with the ws6 package have anouth a 1" lip. They also have a 0 back spacing.

[Hawk397]

Hmmm, that means I've got the 15x8's?! What's the best 60 series tire to run on this rim that will clear the bird?

Thanks!

Mark

[Trev]

255/60x15" will fit all round. If your car is lowered at the front, they may rub.

[Dens71TA]

'71 Birds don't have seat belt retractors so there isn't much of a bump in the rear wheel wells. My '71 T/A had 275/60/15's on the back without any rubbing.

[Hawk397]

Thanks guys!

Thats a good point, Dennis. My 245-60's on my 74 will actually rub just slightly on that hump. That's actually what prompted me to ask the question!

Mark

[Hawk397]

One last question. I see PY offers a couple different center caps for the snow-flakes. Am I correct in assuming that they will all fit the various year wheels?

Thanks!

Mark

[Skip Fix]

All the wheels have the same cap lip including the later Turbo wheels. The 78s and I think the 79s had the round metal cap. Later Turbo wheels had the plastic hex caps, posssibly on the later snowflakes also. The "original" plastic caps ar bad and the tangs break easily. I think there is a repro set that has a metal clip . They work better and are cheaper.

[Hawk397]

Yea, thats what I was hoping for Skip, thanks!

Mark

[Gordy Doyle]

Can you guys remember the topic that dealt with that seat belt hump last year? I'm thinking somebody mentioned heating up the area and beating it in for better tire clearance. I'm wanting to put 255/60/15s on my 15x7 honeycombs. Is this too wide a tire to run front and back? It's on my 73 bird
Thanks
Gordy

[MalteseFalcon]

I'm running 255R6015's front and back on 15x8 snowflakes with no issues at all.

[MalteseFalcon]

Also, I have not modified my wheel wells in any way. Stock 1978 Trans Am - wheel wells are the same as yours.

[Trev]

255/60x15" will fit without modifications on 8" wide rims. If you are using 7" wide rims, you might want to stick with the stock 225/70x15" size. I believe the extra inch of width was added to the outside of the 8" wide Snowflake. Maybe someone with access to both types could check the backspacings and see if this is true. If it is true, then the centerline of the tire will be 1/2" further inboard when mounted on a 7" wide Snowflake. Here is my Trans Am with 255/60x15" tires all round on 8" Snowflakes.

[Trev]

OK, so here's the picture.

[Trev]

And here is my 72 Formula with 225/70x15" on 8" Snowflakes. I thought they looked really good on this car, but they were borrowed from my 79 Trans Am. In spite of owning around a dozen 2nd gen Firebirds and Tran Ams over the years, I have never owned a single 7" wide Snowflake.

[Trev]

Oops! that picture was way too big. I'll try a smaller version.

[Gordy Doyle]

Thanks Steve and Trev. Trev those are both some fine lookin birds you got. I hadn't even thought about the problem of the offset of the 7" wide rim. That definitely may add a new wrinkle to the equation. Right now I've got a set of 88 Formula 16x8 alloys with 245/50/16s and like the width but they seem too short for my taste. Plus i don't really like the third gen wheels on the car at all. I'd like to go back with the honeycombs but I want some fat rubber that fills the wheelwells.


Thanks Gordy

[MalteseFalcon]

I have a set of 7 inch snowflakes as well as my 8 inchers. I will check the backspacing, but it can't be until next weekend.

[Skip Fix]

I have had a problem with 255-60-15s on my son's 81 rubbing in the front on haed dips. They rub on the middle of the fender lip. Having good bump stops and also pulling the fenderwell out and just slightly bending back the fender lip was needed.