# benefit of 15" over 14" stock rims?



## gtosrus (Mar 31, 2012)

Hey all, lookin to get a new set of skins and thinkin of changing to 15" rims. so couple of questions.
1. is there an actual advantage to goin to 15" vs 14?
2. do bolt patterns vary on 15" vs 14"?
3. do bolt patterns vary from car model to car model; I have a 69 gto lookin to change and found some early "70s" 15" rims. Just don't know if they'll fit.
4. any thoughts on where to get RWL firestones? 
thanks all.


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

15" tires are easier to find these days, so that's an advantage. The bolt pattern on Pontiacs is the same, most GM is the same. RWL tires are available from Coker and Lucas. Congrats on sticking with appropriate diameter wheels and not going the drug dealer/hip hop star route!!


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## leeklm (Mar 11, 2012)

:agree

It is all personal taste, (which my kids say I have none), but I just do not care for pimped-out wheels on a classic car either.

Another advantage of 15 over 14 is more room for disc brakes up front. The Right Stuff disc brake coversion I did on my car required 15" wheels to clear the calipers.


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## FNG69 (Nov 15, 2009)

I run 15's on my 64. Think it gets a better ride & a little more to bite!!


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## Rukee (Feb 8, 2007)

I run 15's on the back and 14's on the front. Like the natural rake it gives the car.


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## joesweeting (May 8, 2011)

Rukee said:


> I run 15's on the back and 14's on the front. Like the natural rake it gives the car.


I have the same size set up. However, I'm considering moving up to 15 in the front so I can install bigger/newer disc brakes. I also need to lower my front end the gap is to big in front, especially when compared to the rear. 

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## Red1970GTO (Jun 25, 2011)

gtosrus said:


> Hey all, lookin to get a new set of skins and thinkin of changing to 15" rims. so couple of questions.
> 1. is there an actual advantage to goin to 15" vs 14?
> 2. do bolt patterns vary on 15" vs 14"?
> 3. do bolt patterns vary from car model to car model; I have a 69 gto lookin to change and found some early "70s" 15" rims. Just don't know if they'll fit.
> ...


:cool 15 inch wheels and tires are easier to find than 14 inch AND the selection of available wheels and tires is greater. Bolt patterns can easily be found in 4.75" on 5. GM didn't change their "standard" bolt pattern until the '90s. I wouldn't run (real) Firestones if you gave them to me for free. Personal experience: bought a set of _Firestone "Firehawk Indy 500s" _for my '69 Chevelle, they were two years old when they delaminated (adding insult to injury: Firestone refused to stand behind them). IMHO Junk, Dangerous tires. I assume the reproduction "Firestone" Bias Belted tires from Coker Tire are Okay. Here's their link: Firestone Bias Ply Tires

Here they are at Summit: http://www.summitracing.com/parts/cok-62450/overview/


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## gtosrus (Mar 31, 2012)

so you mention disc brake upgrades. do I have to change the brake pad size with installing 15" tires?


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## Indetrucks (Apr 2, 2013)

gtosrus said:


> so you mention disc brake upgrades. do I have to change the brake pad size with installing 15" tires?


If you have drums up front and want to go with Disc brakes, you WILL need 15" wheels to clear the calipers. Not sure what your question is....

If you have drums up front and want to go to 15" wheels, you don't have to worrk about anything.
15" are just better .. which is why nothing is 14" any more.


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## Mr_Roboto (Apr 19, 2013)

Indetrucks said:


> If you have drums up front and want to go with Disc brakes, you WILL need 15" wheels to clear the calipers. Not sure what your question is....
> 
> If you have drums up front and want to go to 15" wheels, you don't have to worrk about anything.
> 15" are just better .. which is why nothing is 14" any more.


Shouldn't you be able to use stocker sized (11") rotors with 14s? I thought if you went to 12s you'd need the 15s for clearancing the calipers. 

Tire selection would be my overall motivation for doing 15s. If you want a performance tire of some kind, I would suspect it would be cheaper overall. For something in a stock style tire it could fairly easily be a push unless you're getting into fancier tires. a 205/75R14 for my 71 Lemans runs about $55 new from Pep Boys for Cornell. Now then I wouldn't want to run them for a track car or anything, but for a cruiser they're fine. I would figure out what tires you want (diameter, tread width etc.) and then compare wheel sizes if that's your motivator.

Overall though no use fixing what isn't broken. Just plan on wheels/tires if you upgrade your brakes or you want to resize tires. I'm planning on doing some 15s when I do LS1 rotors up front in my Lemans.


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

A lot of GTO's came with disc brakes and 14" wheels from '67 thru the early '70's. 15's aren't necessary with the right 14" wheel and stock GM disc brakes.


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## joesweeting (May 8, 2011)

geeteeohguy said:


> A lot of GTO's came with disc brakes and 14" wheels from '67 thru the early '70's. 15's aren't necessary with the right 14" wheel and stock GM disc brakes.


My GTO has factory style disc brakes on 14 wheels, but I would like to put a little bigger brakes on the front and most of the aftermarket brakes require at least 15. 

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