Gen 2 rt/10 changing to gen 3 wheels. Tire sizes ?

[Bob99rt/10]

Just pickup a mint condition set of Gen 3 wheels for my Gen 2 rt/10. Started looking at tire options for the new to me wheels, I'm figuring that going from 18" rears to 19" that i will be increasing the overall height in the rear to 1.2" just by going from the 18" 335 to the 19" 345, so I'm trying to figure out the fronts. Currently with the stock 18" wheels all around there is .3 of an inch difference in wheel/tire diameter front to back, with the 18 up front and 19 rear there will be 1.5 " difference front to rear if i use the current 275/18 upfront, so i'm thinking to go to the 285 or 295 upfront to minimize the difference. I'm currently running the Eibach spring kit with stock caps. I do have lowering caps that are not installed. My thinking is to lower/slam the car on the gen3 rims and tires as to me it is the only way to make the combo work/look great together. Does any one have any info, pros and cons that may help. Thanks in advance.

[Dan Cragin]

You will need to run a 19 inch 335 rear tire. With a 345 or 355, lowered, its gonna rub in the back.

[Bill Pemberton]

Remember the Motto of VOA and Viperdom...................Dan is da Man !!! 20 plus years as Viperman Dan , his wisdom is worth listening too. Don't be fooled cuz the guy is humble , when it comes to Vipers Dan can rumble!!

[Bob99rt/10]

Hi Dan, When you say lowered, you mean spring kit and caps or spring only or it has to be completely stock ?

[uvbnbit]

I have Eibach, lowering caps, and 345/30 19 rear. I can barely get my hand between tire and fender well so, yes, it's pretty tight

[Bob99rt/10]

YES !!! Thanks uvbnbit. That is what I was hoping to hear. Can you post a picture ? Also what size tire are you running on the front ?

[uvbnbit]

0313162142.jpg
0919160736a.jpg
0326161141.jpg

I'll grab a close up of rear later. These were all I had in my phone

[uvbnbit]

My fender well a bit deformed from a heat issue (see cooked a side sill thread) but you get the idea

275/40 18 front... I think. lol. if different, I'll edit

0201170640.jpg

[Bob99rt/10]

0313162142.jpg
0919160736a.jpg
0326161141.jpg

I'll grab a close up of rear later. These were all I had in my phone

Thanks for the pics. She looks great, low and tight. Are those 18" upfront ?

[Dan Cragin]

If the car has lowering springs, or lowering springs and caps, it will rub with a 345. Normal driving is fine, but once you hit a windy road or the track they will rub like crazy.

[98RedGTS]

So then with 355's BC coilovers would be a bad idea from what it sounds like. Would caps be safe of do I need to just leave the car at stock ride height? Trying to fill in some fender gap as well as improve the ride thus why I have been planning on the BC's.

shoes.jpg
car.jpg

[Dan Cragin]

Just go with 335's and you can lower it 1 inch, more than that and you will not have enough travel in the rear.

[LATAMUD]

I'm running just Eibachs and dont rub with 345 wide rear. I did a track day with 355 rears and still did not rub.

image.jpg

[Dan Cragin]

On a Gen 2 that has not been my experience, but I guess every wheel tire and vehicle combination may differ. With 355's lowered we had big problems, 345's still rubbed with hard driving. Just my experience, yours could differ.

[Bob99rt/10]

I'm running just Eibachs and dont rub with 345 wide rear. I did a track day with 355 rears and still did not rub.

image.jpg

What size tire are you running upfront ?

[Bob99rt/10]

Hi Dan, there seems to be no 335/35/19 tires made, at least on tirerack web site. If you were to use a 335 and lower the rear 1" wouldn't that be relatively the same as a 345 and not lowering the 1", am I missing something ? Thanks

[Bob99rt/10]

I think a lot of people that bought in on that Pirelli tire deal I think didn't realize that those tires were spec out for the gen v cars, so when using them on a gen 2 they lost 3/4 to 1' of front ride height therefore increasing there fender gap in the front.The original gen 2 front tire is a 275/35 and the gen v is a 295/30 series, not sure how many people realize this but with the pictures posted it is obvious.

So then with 355's BC coilovers would be a bad idea from what it sounds like. Would caps be safe of do I need to just leave the car at stock ride height? Trying to fill in some fender gap as well as improve the ride thus why I have been planning on the BC's.

shoes.jpg
car.jpg

[Boosted Motorsports]

I think a lot of people that bought in on that Pirelli tire deal I think didn't realize that those tires were spec out for the gen v cars, so when using them on a gen 2 they lost 3/4 to 1' of front ride height therefore increasing there fender gap in the front.The original gen 2 front tire is a 275/35 and the gen v is a 295/30 series, not sure how many people realize this but with the pictures posted it is obvious.

Not true...

275/35-18 = 25.6" Diameter & 3.8" sidewall
295/30-18 = 25" Diameter & 3.5" sidewall

They only lost 0.3" in ride height and added 0.3" of fender gap switching from a 275/35 to a 295/30...

https://tiresize.com/calculator/

[Bob99rt/10]

Wouldn't that be .6 in overall diameter which would equal 1/2"+ of fender gap ? There was an article in the 2015 Viper quarterly comparing the 275/35/18 to the 295/30/18 although they did not use measurements the pictures were quite evident that the Pirelli was much shorter visually than the Michelin. My point is a stock Gen 2 has the 4x4 look more so than any other Gen Viper, so why would anyone knowingly go with a smaller diameter tire on the front.

Not true...

275/35-18 = 25.6" Diameter & 3.8" sidewall
295/30-18 = 25" Diameter & 3.5" sidewall

They only lost 0.3" in ride height and added 0.3" of fender gap switching from a 275/35 to a 295/30...

https://tiresize.com/calculator/

[Boosted Motorsports]

Wouldn't that be .6 in overall diameter which would equal 1/2"+ of fender gap ? There was an article in the 2015 Viper quarterly comparing the 275/35/18 to the 295/30/18 although they did not use measurements the pictures were quite evident that the Pirelli was much shorter visually than the Michelin. My point is a stock Gen 2 has the 4x4 look more so than any other Gen Viper, so why would anyone knowingly go with a smaller diameter tire on the front.

I agree with wanting to go with a larger diameter wheel/tire on a gen II as like you said the wheel wells do not seem to be as full as later models. But as I was describing if the overall diameter is 0.6" smaller that equates to 0.3" on either side of the rim. Not a huge difference really...

As we both can agree though I would want to go the opposite direction and fill the wheel well with more wheel/tire.

[98RedGTS]

My point is a stock Gen 2 has the 4x4 look more so than any other Gen Viper, so why would anyone knowingly go with a smaller diameter tire on the front.

Exactly my problem. When I bought the wheels and tires I went with the 18's up front as I felt it would be easier to get tires down the road being a factory sized tire. The min they were installed I've been unhappy ever since. At first I thought it was the wheels that I chose but later figured out it was the fender gap that drives me nuts since I really like the rear wheels. I've been in a debate now with lowering the car or replacing the fronts with 19's. Both look like they will cost me about $1K and I'm not sure if I would be able to sell just the front wheels and tires that are on my car now (to recoupe some of my losses).

Unless you plan to lower the car I always recommend the 19's to people now. When I bought these everyone was talking about 19 rear and 18 fronts...

[Bob99rt/10]

Just change out the front tires to 285/35/18, that will eliminate most of that gap, if you have Pirelli p zero, tire rack has them for $204.55 , I bet Jon B. Has them even lower. Then you could lower more with Eibach springs or caps.

Exactly my problem. When I bought the wheels and tires I went with the 18's up front as I felt it would be easier to get tires down the road being a factory sized tire. The min they were installed I've been unhappy ever since. At first I thought it was the wheels that I chose but later figured out it was the fender gap that drives me nuts since I really like the rear wheels. I've been in a debate now with lowering the car or replacing the fronts with 19's. Both look like they will cost me about $1K and I'm not sure if I would be able to sell just the front wheels and tires that are on my car now (to recoupe some of my losses).

Unless you plan to lower the car I always recommend the 19's to people now. When I bought these everyone was talking about 19 rear and 18 fronts...

[f80m3driver]

I have a 98 GTS, Eibach springs and standard caps. I have 18/19 inch wheels with tires the same as the stock Gen 5 sizes (295 and 355 width), and it never rubs.

[uvbnbit]

When I put the 18/19 set up on, I rented a spring compressor to put factory caps back on. But it was a POS, so I just left them in place.
Normal driving, no issues with Springs/caps unless hit a pretty good dip in the road.
I probably will put OE caps back on if I start having a rub issue.

[high flier]

GTS1.jpgPC070064.JPG

295 35 18 and 345 30 19 offset in rear definitely out further, tighter to qtr panel surface but no rubbing