I have found the widest wheel/tire combo you can put on a third gen. Many pics

[Paul G]

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I did a lot of research on just how big and wide I could go on my 73. Searching here and Moparts I really didnt find a lot of 3rd gen info. So I had to measure for myself a whole bunch of times. Finally decided to go with 15x10, 5 1/2" backspace with 295/50 tires on the rear. 15x8, 4 1/2 backspace 245/60 on the front. No one I found had this combo on a 3rd gen. I just put them on the car, man are they close, but no rubbing. I have less than 1/4" clearence tire to the spring in the rear. Less than 1/4" clearance wheel to upper control arm in the front. 

[Paul G]

Pics from under the car.

[Paul G]

Pics from under the rear

[Paul G]

Pics from behind

[Paul G]

Front

[Paul G]

There is about 5" of spring travel before the rear axle hits the bump stops. I measured about 3" of travel before the fender lip would hit the tire. So I put about 35 psi in the air shocks to get the rear up a bit and give it a little more room. I don't like air shocks but they are coming in handy right now. I want to replace the rear spring bushings anyway. I guess I might as well replace the rear springs now too.

[red72chrgr]

Looks good Paul. A little too close for my comfort but that's just me. Now I have an idea what my 3rd gen would look like if I went that route. Thanks for the pics. Any problem with suspension hitting tires when turning sharply?

[Paul G]

I went to an empty parking lot this morning and did some tight left and right turns with no rubbing I could hear. We are going out tonight in the Charger, I will find out if there are any problems.

[hemihead]

Loosk great but that rear clearance disturbs me. 

[Goldfinger71]

Your Charger looks great!It's a little to close for comfort for me.Thanks for the pics!

[Paul G]

I am taking a good look at the inner sidewalls tomorrow to see if they have been in contact with the springs. My plan is to get 1/4" spacer plates to bring the tire out away from the spring if I have to. So far it looks like I wont have to.

One more thing is the car rides and handles tons better than it did before. Handles more like a sports car. Tonight we went out with some friends who have Mustangs and Corvettes. The Charger was hanging with them better than it ever has before. I can hit the gas off the line much harder now than I ever could without spinning the tires. Used to be that the other guys could launch from a stand still like rockets and I would just sit and spin. Traction is tons better with the 295's. I used to be able to scratch second gear easily. Not any more. I can still get the 295's spinning just not easily as the 245's. Better traction was the whole reason for doing this. 

We pulled through the local hang out after we left the restaurant. I cant tell you how many people were checking out the Charger. Made me feel great.

[Chryco Psycho]

 

[Paul G]

Well bad news....... the rear tires are rubbing on the springs. I went and got a set of 5/16" spacer plates. It moved the wheels out a bit which I am not happy about. Pics of the clearance between the tire and the spring now. 

[Paul G]

How the wheels look from the side. I wanted the tire completely inside the fender well. That wont be the case now. I put some masking tape around the springs to see if the tire has any more contact with it. I am contemplating clearancing the springs where the tire contacted them. We do this kind of thing at work on mill machinery all the time. Removing metal to make things fit. I am leary of removing any material from the spring. I wonder if it would weaken it or not really make that much difference if I take an 1/8" from the side of it?

[Silver R/T]

thats close, but looks mean

[Sledge57]

I'd be a lot more comfortable with the spacers if it were me.

You were so close before the spacers all I could think about is what was going to happen when you're buzzin down the freeway at 70 and the spring shreds that inner sidewall of the tire.   Wouldn't be pretty 

[67_Dodge_Charger]

The wheels look great.  I would relocate the springs before I would grind on them.  The two ply side walls tend to flex too much under extreme conditions.  Are the brakes getting too hot from the big tires? 

Look awesome.  Thanks for the pics.

-Robert

[Paul G]

To finish this thread off, and to help ppl who use it for reference in future searches, I used 15x10 - 5 1/2" backspace in the rear, 15x8 - 4 1/2" backspace in the front. I ended up using a 5/16" ( just over 1/4") wheel spacer plate in the rear, and a 7/32" ( just under 1/4") wheel spacer plate in the front. I had to extend the lug studs in the rear also. I found that 2003 Jeep Liberty wheel studs were about 1/4" longer than my stock studs. They fit well and gave me a full thread on a stock lug nut. The front lug studs were fine. I had to raise the rear of the car almost an 1" to get good clearance from the tire to the fender lip since the 295's are so wide. 

If you didn't want to use spacer plates use a 15x10 with 5" backspace on the rear and a 15x8 with 4" backspace on the front and they will bolt right up although you will have to raise the rear a little more. By going the route I went you will keep another 1/4" of the wheel/tire inside the fender well. That is the maximum that will fit without rubbing, and you wont have to raise the rear quite as much.


Overall I am happy with how it looks. The traction improvement from the 295's was well worth the effort.

[Chryco Psycho]

I wouldn`t be cutting / clearancing the leaf springs , probably create a stress crack & have the spring fail which would kill the 1/4 panel , moving the springs inward is an option though

[dodge freak]

If you do it right and move the springs in like they should be you could have even a wider tire yet!.

[Paul G]

If I move the springs can I keep the stabilizer bar?

[Nacho-RT74]

Just a question... have you noticed that on passenger front side wheel assembly is around 1" deeper down the fender than the driver side wheel ?

[Paul G]

Just a question... have you noticed that on passenger front side wheel assembly is around 1" deeper down the fender than the driver side wheel ?

I went and double checked. They are both about the same distance from the wheel lip to the tire. Both front tires are inset from the fender about 1 1/2". is that what you are referring to?

[Nacho-RT74]

 yes that is what I was reffering...was just a question... on my car and also on a buddy's mine car ( 73 Charger ), passenger side wheel is around 1" deeper down the fender than dirver side. In fact, if you measure from carb center screw ( the one that holds the air purificator ) to both fenders, you'll find also engine is offside to driver side 1"inch or so. The complete K member assembly is offsided on that way.

In fact if you complete turns to right the steering, passenger side tire get closer to Frame rails than turning to left and driver side tire with frame rail.

That is what I noticed on our cars. I wanted to compare.

Also noticed that passenger side frame rail is more angled/bended than driver side frame rail, unles is an optical ilusion to me

[Paul G]

I took a better measurement of the front wheels. My passenger side is inset 1/4" more than the driver side. That is not unusual. 1 1/2" seems like an excessive amount. I would make sure your K-frame is mounted securely. Good bushings etc.