How To: Fitting 97-02 rims on your 93-96 F-body

[blindeyed]

The problem with the 97-02 wheels fitting on the 93-96 models is that they fit fine on the front hubs, but don't fit on the rears. Here is a detailed write-up that any person could easily do to solve this.


First you got to get yourself a set of 97-02 wheels: (Mine were from a 2002 Firebird)



Now turn them around, and look at the back side.. Dirty, I know:



Notice that little lip in the center of the hub opening:



What you're going to have to do, is file that lip down a tad bit. That is what is preventing you from fitting these newer wheels onto your rear hubs. In '97, GM decreased the size of the rear hubs a tad bit, and added a hub ring in the rims. So for this process, you can use a file, sandpaper, a dremel.. or whatever your heart desires. You're just going to need something to grind that lip down a bit.

I chose a dremel. Why, because I'm impatient, and didn't feel like wasting a bunch of time. It was really hot out, and I was ready to get back inside my cool air conditioned house. Took about 5 minutes tops for each wheel.



You've just got to grind it down a little, not alot. Maybe about 2 or 3 passes around the circle going at a medium to slow pace. Not to fast, and not to slow. Now go do a test fit, see if it slides on. If it doesn't, then keep on grinding until it does fit.

Now, viola. Once you've completed sanding them down, put them all on, and you're done. Nothing complicated here. Stand back and enjoy..




I would also like to point out that if you use non-directional tires, then you may wan't to do this process to all 4 wheels, instead of just the back 2. That way, in the future, you can have your wheels rotated with no problems. I use directional tires that can't be rotated, and I have larger tires is the back than I do in the front, so I had no reason to worry about sanding down all 4 hubs since I can't rotate my tires.

Also, please don't get suckered into the lie that dealerships and shops will tell you, about how you need longer studs in the back to accommodate the newer rims. Once you grind the hub ring down, you're good to go, there's nothing else you need to do.