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1996 Buick Roadmaster wagon wheel & tire size

2514 Views 29 Replies 8 Participants Last post by  ayilar
Hi! I'm new to this forum and just purchased a low-mileage '96 Buick Roadmaster wagon. I want to get some Torq Thrust II wheels (or something similar) but don't know whether to go with a 16", a 17" or an 18" (figure on them being 8" wide). I want the wheels/tires to fill the wheel well for a modern version of the classic look. The wagon will be a cruiser and I have no intention right now to modify the suspension. Which diameter wheel is BEST supported by the aftermarket? What is a reasonable width to look aggressive but not rub the fender lips? What offset should I look for?

Thanks!

Carl
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Welcome!

Do you want to go with a larger diameter tire as well as rim?

Any of those diameters are well supported in both rims and tires. If you want to go bigger, skip 19" and go straight to 20"

Larger rim with same diameter will typically have a slightly rougher ride and make things tougher on the shocks/springs due to the heaver assembly.

I believe you can go up to ~29" outside diameter of the tire and have minimal (if any) clearance issues assuming that the car doesn't have a lot of settling, bad body mounts, etc.

If you're not looking for handling and such, easiest is to stay with ~stock width and offset, just pick the rim and tire diameter you want.

Picture for comparison - guessing you'll end up somewhere between these two
Stock on the left 15" rim, 225/75/15 tire
Not stock on the right with a 20" rim and 255/55/20 tire (31" diameter)
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