Thanks for the compliments. It's dark here and I don't have a jack, otherwise, I'd be outside tryin' them on right now!

The wheels are Force AC-6, Silver 17x7, 40 mm offset, 5x100 bolt pattern.
The tires are Hankook Ventus II 405, 215/45/17 front and 235/40/17 in the rear.

I don't know if I'll be able to sleep tonight! hehe

~Tress

Edit: I own page 2! First time ever--whoo-hoo!

[This message has been edited by Miss-Tress007 (edited 03-21-2006).]

Tress , hope you get the tire/wheel in the morning.They look good !!
Was wondering why you went with the 45's up front and 40's in the rear tho.
I'll be checking them out in Daytona.
You don't have a jack for your car? I've got a spare if you need one.

Heh, you can bring your car over here and us my jack if you want. Before the St. Patrick's Day parade I went ahead and took the 4 stock 14" tech wheels off my '86 and put my 15" black honeycomb wheels off my '88 on it. It looks a lot better than it did before. You should just be able to stick the wheels on and go, WheelMax is supposed to balance them before they're sent to you. You don't need to have the car aligned unless its already in need of it.

I had sort of the same problem with WheelMax. When I got my 17" wheels off their site, I wanted to get some Hankook Ventus II's, same as you got, but in 225/40/17 front and 235/40/17 rear. They were out of stock, so I ended up getting tires from a place I can't remember. This was like the week before the Run for the Hills and I needed the tires by Friday, I had already received all 4 wheels. Only 2 of the tires showed up, and they didn't know where the other 2 were (this was on Wednesday). I ended up shipping the tires back on Thursday and getting some Fuzion ZRi in the sizes I wanted from my local Big10Tires, they mounted them on the wheels perfectly and balanced them. I still needed an alignment (I had put KONI shocks and lowering springs on the front), I got the car aligned and finished at about 4:00 pm the next day and I immediately rushed up to Asheville for RFTH10. Then, it was all for nothing because at 8:30 am the next day (leaving for the run at 9 ), my ignition coil decided it was a good time to quit on me. Moral of the story: be prepared and give yourself some time, and give companies like WheelMax LOTS of extra time, they screw up a lot.

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http://members.cardomain.com/tinton

Will it ever end?

Called Wheelmax this morning at 9:30am to get the tracking number for my new wheel (which was supposed to have shipped out yesterday). I was told that the warehouse manager needed to call me back (okay, first bad sign).

Got a call from the warehouse manager at Wheelmax about 15 minutes later.....apparently the wheel didn't ship out yesterday because THEY'RE OUT OF THE WHEELS!!!!!!! and their new shipment won't get there for another 2-3 months. The only thing he has left is one damaged one that he says he wouldn't feel comfortable even selling to anyone. (I don't know how damaged it is yet, but I'm trying to find out.)

So I talked to UPS again.....the original package arrived in Los Angeles, CA last night and shipped out back to me this morning VIA GROUND. If they'd flagged the stupid box like I'd requested so that it could be overnighted to me in GA, I'd have the wheel tomorrow. Now they're trying to track down the box with the wheel and find out what hub it's supposed to hit on the way back to Atlanta so they can hopefully intercept the box and have it overnighted to me here in GA. (Why couldn't they have done this on Monday when I first alerted them to the problem?! )

So. My options are limited.

I can either:
a) trust that UPS is going to get it right this time...and locate the original package and overnight it so I can have it here in GA tomorrow;
b) have UPS pay for the damaged wheel/tire from Wheelmax today (assuming that it's driveable) and have the "new" one overnighted to me in GA tomorrow so I can drive down to Daytona & then have UPS locate the original package today or tomorrow and send it straight to me at the hotel in Daytona; or
c) mount the 3 wheels/tires that I do have and go buy another "replacement" wheel/tire of the same size from a used rim shop/tire shop here (assuming I can find one) and then drive down to Daytona with 3 new wheels and 1 used wheel and then have UPS ship the original package straight to the hotel in Daytona. Once I got to Daytona, I'd have to swap out the used wheel and ship it back to my house in GA since there's no room for a wheel/tire of that size to fit in the car so we can drive it back to GA after the show.

Now my questions are....
1) do I have to have an alignment done if the new wheels/tires that I bought came already balanced and mounted?
2) can I put the 3 new wheels on and then have the car aligned using another used wheel/tire that's the same size as the missing one to replace the missing one, and just swap out the used wheel for the new wheel when I get to Daytona (without having to have the car aligned all over again)?

I'm trying to formulate a plan to present to UPS/Wheelmax so I can get to Daytona with wheels/tires on Friday. Our reservations are for Friday night, so we have to get to Daytona Friday afternoon.

Suggestions?

~Tress

[This message has been edited by Miss-Tress007 (edited 03-22-2006).]

quote Originally posted by Miss-Tress007: Will it ever end? So. My options are limited. I can either: a) trust that they're going to get it right this time...locate the package and get it to me tomorrow; b) have UPS pay for the scratched wheel/tire from Wheelmax and have it overnighted to me & then have them send the correct one straight to the hotel at Daytona or c) buy another "replacement" wheel/tire combo of the same size and drive that down to Daytona and have UPS ship the correct one straight to the hotel. Then I'd have to have the old rim shipped back to my house since there's no room for it in the car. Now my questions are.... 1) do I have to have an alignment done if the wheels/tires are already balanced and mounted or can I just put them on the car and go? 2) can I have them aligned using another wheel/tire of the same size & just replace the scratched one when I get to Daytona? I'm trying to formulate a plan to present to UPS/Wheelmax so I can get to Daytona with wheels/tires on Friday. Suggestions? ~Tress

I can either:
a) trust that they're going to get it right this time...locate the package and get it to me tomorrow;

answer: You can pray but, that's a long shot that they'll get it right this time around. Had it been another business would you faith in them too?

b) have UPS pay for the scratched wheel/tire from Wheelmax and have it overnighted to me & then have them send the correct one straight to the hotel at Daytona.

Answer: Now you have two parties involved making it a bigger problem then before. I would cancel my order and get my money back.

c) buy another "replacement" wheel/tire combo of the same size and drive that down to Daytona and have UPS ship the correct one straight to the hotel. Then I'd have to have the old rim shipped back to my house since there's no room for it in the car.

Answer: Now you have three parties involved. Wheelmax/UPS and now the hotel. That's a combination that will surely cause you to

[This message has been edited by madcurl (edited 03-22-2006).]

I'm really sorry that you have to deal with this cluster-fest.
I don't have any other constructive information other than if your alignment is correct now, it should be correct with the new rolling stock.

Best of luck.
I concur that the more complex the solution becomes, or the more players involved, the more likely it is that something will screw up.

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Raydar
88 Formula IMSA Fasback.............................. 88 3.4 coupe................................................

Praise the Lowered! Read Nealz Nuze!

[This message has been edited by Raydar (edited 03-22-2006).]

quote Originally posted by Miss-Tress007: Now my questions are.... 1) do I have to have an alignment done if the wheels/tires are already balanced and mounted or can I just put them on the car and go? 2) can I have them aligned using another wheel/tire of the same size & just replace the scratched one when I get to Daytona? I'm trying to formulate a plan to present to UPS/Wheelmax so I can get to Daytona with wheels/tires on Friday. Suggestions? ~Tress

The alignment has to do with the suspension of the car. Unless you modify the suspension some how, like with new shocks, struts, springs, swaybar, etc, you don't need an alignment. They align the toe, caster, and camber. If you're getting irregular or fast wear of your current tires, you probably need an alignment before you get the new ones on. If the car is already performing well, then you should just be able to stick the tires on and go. If I were you....I'd hope that the last tire/wheel arrives tomorrow, I'd put them on myself with either a borrowed hydraulic jack or the car's stock jack (you won't be going under the car at all, I wouldn't trust the stock jack if you're going under the car). There is a notch under the rocker panel on each side of the car, kind of close to the rear seam of the door. Put the jack there, it'll raise up an entire side of the car at a time so you can change 2 tires at a time. That way, it should only take you 15-30 minutes to get the new wheels on, I doubt your HOA will notice if you're only working on your car for that long.

Another thing I would consider, is going out to your local tire shops and finding some replacement wheels. They might have some wheels that work, the 5x100 bolt pattern is pretty common (I think some Hondas use it? And Subarus? And PT Cruisers?), just make sure to get the offset you want, or you'll have wheels sticking out of your wheel wells. You should be able to find some 17x7 40mm-ish offset wheels around SOMEWHERE in the Atlanta area, and you could get them put on by either today or tomorrow. If you choose to do that, just call WheelMax up and cuss them out saying they screwed up your plans, you're sending the wheels back and you want your money back ASAP.

By the way, Good Luck!

quote Originally posted by Tinton: If you choose to do that, just call WheelMax up and cuss them out saying they screwed up your plans, you're sending the wheels back and you want your money back ASAP. By the way, Good Luck!

Just to clarify....Wheelmax didn't screw up...UPS did. Wheelmax has been trying really hard to help me out. Wheelmax contacted UPS and tried to get the original package intercepted and overnighted to me from California (which UPS dropped the ball on again because the package left California via ground shipping instead of next day air). The warehouse manager at Wheelmax even offered to give me a credit and let me pick out a new set of wheels/tires that they would have overnighted to me today so I would have them tomorrow. Like I said, they've been great.

UPS was the one who repeatedly dropped the ball. Until I got to speak to a supervisor at the Athens depot today, I wasn't getting anywhere at all with getting this resolved with them.

We'll see how it all plays out.

Right now we're about to go to AutoZone and buy a hydraulic jack and check the fit of the back wheels/tires combo to make sure everything is okay. (It would be just my luck that these wheels/tires would rub and then the whole argument would be pointless because I'd need to get coilovers anyway. )

I'll post more options when I get back.

~Tress

quote Originally posted by Tinton: The alignment has to do with the suspension of the car. Unless you modify the suspension some how, like with new shocks, struts, springs, swaybar, etc, you don't need an alignment.

This is true to a point. But unless your aftermarket wheels are exactly the same diameter as the stock tire, then the suspension will be affected. More often than not an aftermarket wheel/tire combo will be more then 2% different than stock. I wouldn't neccessarily rush out and do it, but if you are buying new tires it's a good idea anyway to get an alignment.

quote Originally posted by jscott1: This is true to a point. But unless your aftermarket wheels are exactly the same diameter as the stock tire, then the suspension will be affected. More often than not an aftermarket wheel/tire combo will be more then 2% different than stock. I wouldn't neccessarily rush out and do it, but if you are buying new tires it's a good idea anyway to get an alignment.

I think she had the stock tires and wheels on her car before. If so, that would be 215/60/14. She's going up to 215/45/17 front and 235/40/17 rear. In the front, her tires will be 0.4" larger in diameter. That's 1.6% larger than the stock tire. The rear tire will be 0.2" larger in diameter, or 0.8% larger than stock. I'd say she did an excellent job finding tires that won't throw the car off much.

Sorry to her about your Luck Mistress. You can definetely see it's been UPS's fault for your inconvience, but I would lay blame on Wheelmax from the start. Working in construction, when we get an order in which has multiple boxes of the same product, the company usually will go an mark every box 1 of 4, 2 of 4.. etc...etc... If wheelmax did the same thing for you (or any of their orders), this might have been avoided. I'll give WheelMax the thumbs up for thier initiative on trying to help you out of your situation. Next time you talk to Wheelmax, give them a little advice on a simple labeling trick which might save them money.

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14.262 @ 97MPH

Well, bad news.....UPS can't intercept the package and it's scheduled to arrive in Athens, GA on MONDAY, 3/27--a full WEEK late!!! So now I have to figure out next steps. I want to take the car to Daytona--especially after all of the work I've put into the car over the last few weeks--but here's the problem: since I knew I was ordering new wheels and tires from Wheelmax, I didn't buy replacement tires for the 14" rims that are on the car now. The tires that are currently on the car are a bit worn out, but I've been driving on them.

Here's an idea of what the new wheels/tires will look like on the car:

Here's an idea of the size difference between the new ones and my current stock set:

Back:

Front:

Now I have to figure out what to do next.

My options are:

1. Buy 4 new tires for the 14" rims and just roll to Daytona with the stock wheels.
2. Roll with the tires that I currently have on the car and keep the extra money in my pocket that I would have spent on new tires for the 14's in the event that I need to replace a tire during the trip; or
3. Put the 3 new wheel/tires from Wheelmax on the car and try to find a used 17" wheel with a matching tire so I can drive the car to Daytona with my new "shoes"?

If I go with option #3, and buy a 17" rim, based on the pics of the relative size of the wheel/tire, what tire size combinations can I get away with on the front passenger side if I can't find a 215/45/17 tire to match the driver's side tire? (I'd be running 235/40/17 on the back.)

We've just picked up a hydrolic (sp?) jack and jack stands, so I'm going to test-fit the rims now (since it's not raining). If they fit okay, then I have the three options to choose from. If they don't fit in the back and I need coilovers, then the point is moot and I'll be deciding between options #1 or #2.

Suggestions?

~Tress

[This message has been edited by Miss-Tress007 (edited 03-22-2006).]

quote Originally posted by jscott1: This is true to a point. But unless your aftermarket wheels are exactly the same diameter as the stock tire, then the suspension will be affected. More often than not an aftermarket wheel/tire combo will be more then 2% different than stock. I wouldn't neccessarily rush out and do it, but if you are buying new tires it's a good idea anyway to get an alignment.

????
The only thing tire diameter is going to affect is ground clearance. The sprung weight of the vehicle has not changed!

Oh, one other thing....

If I can't find a used 17" rim/tire combination that would match the new front wheel/tire, are there other wheel/tire size combinations that I could get instead that would also work? (i.e., 14's, 15's or 16's perhaps?) Based on the pics above that show the relative difference in size between the current 14's and the new 17's, what would you recommend in another wheel/tire size that I could use that would be comparable to the 215/45/17 on the front driver's side if I was unable to get the exact same size?

After I get the wheels/tires situation figured out, I still have to go out and find the rim/tire tomorrow and install my Mr. Mike's seats before we head out late Thursday night. Fighting with UPS for the past 3 days has burned me in more ways than one.

Thanks in advance for your help.

~Tress

Wow, get those seats in!

As for a different combination....it might look a little funny, if you have 3 17" wheels and 1 16" wheel. But, if you want to do that, go for a 16" wheel with a 215/50/16 tire. That should roughly the same diameter as a 215/45/17, and it might look a little funny. I'd just get 2 front wheels like that, and have 16" wheels on the front and 17" wheels in the rear.

The anticipation is nearly killing me, hehe.

[This message has been edited by madcurl (edited 03-22-2006).]

I would go with option 1 and just get new rubber for your stockers. You can always keep them as a spare set or sell them in the mall.

This may sound stupid, but why not mount the two new rears and roll with the front stockers ?

Much better than rolling with three of a kind.

Just got back from test-fitting the wheels/tires. We had to find a local carwash where we could jack the car up and change out the tires without drawing too much attention.

After putting the first wheel/tire on, I took a look at the spring and was almost sure that the tire wasn't going to clear. So my immediate thought was that this whole drama with UPS was all for nothing and I'd have to wait and get coilovers anyway.

But after lowering the car, there was plenty of room to clear the tire! (I thought the entire spring came down when you lowered the car--what do I know? LOL) I ran my hand behind the tire and there's room for it to fit.

So I backed up the car slowly. Then brought it forward slowly just to test it out and make sure there wasn't any rubbing or pulling---no problems. Since that was okay, we then put the other 2 tires on--the rear passenger side and the front driver's side.

Here's a pic of how it was sitting when we took it off the jack.

Now to decide what to do about the "3-wheelin' " situation.....

quote Originally posted by exoticse: This may sound stupid, but why not mount the two new rears and roll with the front stockers ? Much better than rolling with three of a kind.

Exoticse, I thought about doing that.....but pictures just can describe it....you gotta see the video to see my dilemma. (You'll also get a peek at my newest "mod" (thanks to Suufmeister--thumbs up dude ....it's still a work in progress---as I still have to get a few more pieces, but you get the idea. LOL) I'll try and post some of the pics from my other mods & improvements from my list and provide further updates in my countdown to Daytona thread tomorrow. I got a little somethin' somethin' to show you guys! hehe

Now what do I do? (At least I look good on one side! hehe)

quote Originally posted by Miss-Tress007: This may sound like a stupid question, but do the arrows point towards the front of the car or the back?

BTW--I found the directional arrow on the side of the tires you guys were talking about---yup, staring me right in the face.

~Tress

[This message has been edited by Miss-Tress007 (edited 03-22-2006).]

You can get new tires for the 14"s for around $30 a piece.

Nice vid, the wheels look great!

Nolan

Nice wheels was made for that fiero Rob

Tress, one thing you'll want to do. Get yourself a GOOD torque wrench, if you don't already have one. Make sure all of your lug nuts are torqued to 100 ft.lbs, working in a "star" pattern...tighten one lug, then move to the lug directly across the center from it. That way, you tighten down the wheel uniformly. After driving it for about 100 miles, recheck the torque on the lug nuts, to make sure that they haven't loosened any.

I'm not sure which set you have two of...front or back...but I'm with Tony. I'd put on whichever set you have both of, then take the two stock wheels that have the best tires, and put them on the car. If you get the damaged wheel and tire, you'll have to deal with that later....just one more thing to mess with. If you buy a "same sized wheel and tire", you're going to end up spending money on an oddball wheel and tire, which you won't need when the right one finally shows up. Plus, it will look just as funny with one non-matching wheel and tire on it as it would with two new wheels and two stock wheels. You gain nothing there. You COULD put new tires on the stock wheels, and it would be nice as you'd have them for spares...but then, you're laying out more money for tires you MIGHT not ever use again. Although it won't be there in time for Daytona, you WILL have your matching wheel and tire soon. Enough people here are going to Daytona that your little dilemma will be known...maybe you'll win some kind of "hard luck" award! Anyway...that would be what I would do...just put on the two matching "new wheels", put the best two stock tires on the other end of the car, and drive it that way for the time being.

That video makes me miss my car that's parked for the winter SOOOOO much

Make sure when you get the fourth rim that they put the directional tire on the right way! You might want to call them to let them know which side of the car you are missing one from if they don't know already.
Those rims look great by the way!

Drive it to daytona, who cares about how it looks while you are driving, then just, conveniently place a fold up chair right in front of the passenger-side front tire

quote Originally posted by GoldFiero86SE: Drive it to daytona, who cares about how it looks while you are driving, then just, conveniently place a fold up chair right in front of the passenger-side front tire

My sentiments exactly! I've already got a folding chair too. LOL

My new wheel/tire will be back in Athens from it's California detour on Monday, so I should have it delivered to me here in Greensboro either Monday afternoon or Tuesday. Until then, I'll rock the 3-wheelin' look this weekend.

Wheelmax had actually shipped the boxes 1 of 4, 2 o 4, 3 of 4, etc.. UPS just completely bungled it and put the 4th box on the wrong truck. So I'll be able to complete my set of new wheels on Monday---a full week after receiving the other 3.

Well, I'm off to install my Mr. Mike's seats!

~Tress

Thanks for all of your help guys.

kind of off topic, but am i the only one who thinks that yellow lip looks outta place? your car is beautiful, i dont know, just doesnt look right for some reason....

quote Originally posted by KeithGT: kind of off topic, but am i the only one who thinks that yellow lip looks outta place? your car is beautiful, i dont know, just doesnt look right for some reason....

I love the added lip, but my preference would be for the gfx and chin spoiler to all be the same color, in this case all yellow, even all black would have been ok (gfx and chin spoiler), but all yellow would have been best IMO.

Tress it still looks good though !

[This message has been edited by exoticse (edited 03-23-2006).]

quote Originally posted by KeithGT: kind of off topic, but am i the only one who thinks that yellow lip looks outta place? your car is beautiful, i dont know, just doesnt look right for some reason....

That's only the beginning....we were trying to see how we wanted to finish off the sides, but I had to wait until I put the wheels on so I could make a decision. I'd originally planned to paint it all one color, but I like the two-toned effect in the front. Once I'm done, you'll see what I mean. (Besides, pictures just don't do it justice. It looks alot better in person.....especially at night! LOL)

~Tress

quote Originally posted by Miss-Tress007: My sentiments exactly! I've already got a folding chair too. LOL My new wheel/tire will be back in Athens from it's California detour on Monday, so I should have it delivered to me here in Greensboro either Monday afternoon or Tuesday. Until then, I'll rock the 3-wheelin' look this weekend. Wheelmax had actually shipped the boxes 1 of 4, 2 o 4, 3 of 4, etc.. UPS just completely bungled it and put the 4th box on the wrong truck. So I'll be able to complete my set of new wheels on Monday---a full week after receiving the other 3. Well, I'm off to install my Mr. Mike's seats! ~Tress Thanks for all of your help guys.

Well ya know what they say about great minds ahaha. Good luck @ Daytona

Great looking wheels!

The delivery thing is a bummer.

"What can Brown do for you?" LOL

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RickN
White 88GT 5spd
White 85GT Auto

quote Originally posted by KeithGT: kind of off topic, but am i the only one who thinks that yellow lip looks outta place? your car is beautiful, i dont know, just doesnt look right for some reason....

Oh, I forgot to mention that the person I got the spoiler from used to have it on his car and his car is about the same color as mine. I drove up to "test-fit" the spoiler just to see what it would look like on mine so I could make a decision about whether or not to get it. I'd originally planned on painting it all black to match the ground effects that are on the car already, but when he put it on we were all like "whoa, that looks kinda cool". LOL So, of course, now I'm working out a plan to make it all work It REALLY looks good at night though

I'm still working on installing these Mr. Mikes seats. Actually, I have a few pics of my progress so far. I'll post them in the Countdown to Daytona thread.

Back to work!

~Tress

Just a bit of personal experience here -

Now that your missing wheel has crossed the country - twice - UPS has had double the opportunity to screw it up. If it looks questionable in any way when it shows up, just refuse it. Let it go back to the shipper. If you sign for it and it ends up being damaged, you will be in absolute hell trying to get UPS to do anything about it.

Any pics of the 4th wheel?

Yup....check it out here:

https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum1/HTML/058390.html

I just took it out on the highway yesterday and the car handles great!

~Tress

Updates please?