Wheels or Rearend 1st??

[Kjm228]

Any suggestions on which to do first? I am mini tubbing my 79 Trans Am, and will be getting a new set of forgeline wheels. Should I order wheels, with backspacing I want first, or have the rearend built and narrowed, then fit wheels to the rearend?

thanks!

[cwylie]

I would order the wheels then measure for the rear end. I went the other way around and I had to run spacers.

[Kjm228]

I was thinking the same thing, just wanted to hear others experiences

[FETorino]

If you are set on a really deep rear wheel look with a big lip then I'd order the wheels first and determine the rear width based on fitting the wheels under the quarters.

Spacers in the rear won't hurt anything. It is better to error with a slightly to narrow rear and have to use a small spacer than had the rear just a little too wide and suffer with rubbing issues or worse have to rehoop your wheels.

[Musclerodz]

if you know the backspacing you want I would order the wheels first and then measure rear end to fit.

[gerno]

I just went through a wheel purchase. I agree with the others, wheels first then measure the rear.

[latoracing]

I have done it both ways. I had the rear housing for my build and ordered wheels to fit the car and housing, no spacers required. Fixing to narrow a housing to fit a set of wheels on a mini tub project that is totally custom. Guess you could look at it as the wheels are $1k each, housing and custom axles way cheaper. (if you can do the fabrication yourself) Both require a bunch of measuring and tripple checking.

[Formula43 Wheel]

Contact Detroit Speed as they have all the wheel, tire and backspacing dialed in with a mini tub and narrowed rear axle. This makes things much easier.

Are you keeping the rear leaf spring suspension or going to a 4-link?

[Kjm228]

I will give them a call. Going with a Ridetech 4 Link