# should i do 13" or 14" wire wheels



## newyork64 (Mar 8, 2017)

i own a 1981 impala coupe and a guy from long island ny offered me 14" wire wheels don't know the brand yet but i was wondering would they look a little to big on my car I'm kinda used to the 13" look on impalas but then again its a "box chevy" i just want it to sit right any help or pics of cars on 14's


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## Superfly9c1 (Jun 25, 2016)

14s should look fine, I ran 14s on my 94 Caprice because 13s wouldn't clear the brake calipers. Most old school lowriders ran 14s and they are higher weight rated for big cars. You can also go old school and get 5.20s on 14s too


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## RobLBC (Nov 24, 2001)

14's look good if you run the right tire size. You have 3 choices. 
175/75R14
175/70R14
5.20/14


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## Frogg (May 9, 2002)

13"s. Look at the 2DR Box Caprice picture thread.


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## Silentdawg (Jul 19, 2005)

the arches are too big for 13", looks good on 14" imo on that particular car.


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## IMPALA863 (May 25, 2011)

14s are for 4 wheel drives


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## moorevisual (May 14, 2009)

13s


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## cashmoneyspeed (Jun 21, 2005)

14's will bolt right on. 13's will only bolt on if you have the smaller 11" brake discs.


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## IMPALA863 (May 25, 2011)

Nothing a set of tools can't fix, or a grinder


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## lowdown64ss (Feb 10, 2002)

RobLBC said:


> 14's look good if you run the right tire size. You have 3 choices.
> 175/75R14
> 175/70R14
> 5.20/14


what he said


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## aron81 (Oct 5, 2015)

14's no way...13 on everything


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## cashmoneyspeed (Jun 21, 2005)

IMPALA863 said:


> Nothing a set of tools can't fix, or a grinder


No amount of grinding is going to allow 13" wheels to fit 11.9" rotors. 

14's with the proper tires are fine, tires last longer, more traction, speedo is closer to being correct, etc. If daily driving and not a Sunday car, 14's do the job better. Sunday cars, 13's all day if they fit.


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## IMPALA863 (May 25, 2011)

Oh it's been done, and it worked


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## JOHNER (Sep 10, 2009)

Only way i would run 14s is with 5.20s , im partial to 13s but its your car man, do what ever you want to it, who ever dont like it dont need to look at it.


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## dj short dog (Sep 5, 2004)

RobLBC said:


> 14's look good if you run the right tire size. You have 3 choices.
> 175/75R14
> 175/70R14
> 5.20/14


yup...I also think the bigger wheel openings on box chevy's compliment the 14's well.
175/75/14= taller skinnier look
175/70/14= shorter boxier look
5.20= best traditional look....imo, but not always practical for everyday driving. This tire is smaller than both the radials so it will look closer to 13"


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## cashmoneyspeed (Jun 21, 2005)

IMPALA863 said:


> Oh it's been done, and it worked


Nahh it has not. It would only "fit" without the calipers & brackets in place on the larger brakes such as municipal cars came with. I've owned 80's Chevys and dealt with more than a few spindle/brake swaps. You still have to grind the caliper brackets to fit 14'" Daytons or China's. Where are you getting this info that you can just grind the larger brakes to fit 13's?


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## jun007 (Jan 19, 2004)

14's & 5.20's!


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## IMPALA863 (May 25, 2011)

cashmoneyspeed said:


> Nahh it has not. It would only "fit" without the calipers & brackets in place on the larger brakes such as municipal cars came with. I've owned 80's Chevys and dealt with more than a few spindle/brake swaps. You still have to grind the caliper brackets to fit 14'" Daytons or China's. Where are you getting this info that you can just grind the larger brakes to fit 13's?


early 80s C-10s have them same rotors and I've helped a homie throw some 13s on his and they cleared..........


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## cashmoneyspeed (Jun 21, 2005)

IMPALA863 said:


> early 80s C-10s have them same rotors and I've helped a homie throw some 13s on his and they cleared..........


Yeah on those they use the 10.5" rotors so 13's clear the caliper brackets with minimal grinding. No grinding if the brake pads are worn. Not on the 11.8" rotors that come with the bigger brake option that was offered. 14's still require grinding on them. Something to watch out for when doing spindle/brake swaps. I've owned a few 80's & a few 90's caprices and done a few swaps onto other cars.


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## IMPALA863 (May 25, 2011)

What part of the same rotors don't you understand, they have the 11.860 to be exact


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## IMPALA863 (May 25, 2011)

Here is the rotor he has


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## cashmoneyspeed (Jun 21, 2005)

IMPALA863 said:


> Here is the rotor he has
> 
> View attachment 1961257


Cool, 13's aren't bolting onto a car with those due to the height of the caliper & brackets. Do some searching for 12" rotor fitment, use a tape measure, add the height together, or talk to other guys that are very familiar with the different sizing and you'll come up with exactly what I'm saying.


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## IMPALA863 (May 25, 2011)

Lol whatever floats your boat, it has been done, i take others opinions just to know what needs to be done for it to work whether or not the answer is it cant or can i will still try, you'd be suprised on how much can be accomolished amd how much people will guess or think they know when they know very little


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## IMPALA863 (May 25, 2011)

On 13s no spindle swap


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## ekserio (Jan 9, 2013)

that shit looks ridiculous. 13's on some cars sure, on a big body or truck like that. cmon :twak:


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## IMPALA863 (May 25, 2011)

Lol each their own


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## moorevisual (May 14, 2009)

All my junk is on 13s


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## cashmoneyspeed (Jun 21, 2005)

IMPALA863 said:


> Lol whatever floats your boat, it has been done, i take others opinions just to know what needs to be done for it to work whether or not the answer is it cant or can i will still try, you'd be suprised on how much can be accomolished amd how much people will guess or think they know when they know very little


Most definatley there's always someone that will argue something can be done even if simple measurements and physics say otherwise.


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## IMPALA863 (May 25, 2011)

Your statement is true, just not in this case, I have done it so it can be done


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## ekserio (Jan 9, 2013)

Not all 13s backspacing is the same. Daytons might fit and Zeniths might not, or chinas might when Daytons dont.


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## IMPALA863 (May 25, 2011)

That's true


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## cashmoneyspeed (Jun 21, 2005)

IMPALA863 said:


> Your statement is true, just not in this case, I have done it so it can be done


You've installed 13" wires onto 12" rotors on a 80-96" caprice/Impala? Post pics. 

Not trying to argue, just putting info out there for anyone so they don't buy 13's for a car without realizing it may need a caliper/rotor/pad swap to the smaller option or a Caprice spindle swap with brakes being done to a gbody thinking they for sure can bolt their 13's back on and ride.


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## E$TE*LADO*CUSTOM$ (Feb 19, 2011)

THE 90'S CADILLAC HAS BIGGER CALIPER AND ROTOR OR SAME AS CAPRICE, I GRINDED THE CALIPER AND PUT ONE SPACER AND DONE DEAL, SO IM GUESSING ITS THE SAME FOR THE CAPRICE BUT WILL REQUIRE A SPACER FOR IT TO WORK. Back spacing on rim plays major role also, when i replaced the front rim i had crashed and bent, the replacement rim didnt fit up front and it was grinded already so i had to move my back rim to the front and the spare new rim to the back otherwise no way that rim was going to go on!!!!!!


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## E$TE*LADO*CUSTOM$ (Feb 19, 2011)

the reason I think 13's fit over 12 inch rotors is cause if you add a spacer the rims get pushed out some and the rim goes over very little of the caliper also the caliper tappers from the front side, then with the grinding it makes enough space. what you guys think?


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## IMPALA863 (May 25, 2011)

cashmoneyspeed said:


> You've installed 13" wires onto 12" rotors on a 80-96" caprice/Impala? Post pics.
> 
> Not trying to argue, just putting info out there for anyone so they don't buy 13's for a car without realizing it may need a caliper/rotor/pad swap to the smaller option or a Caprice spindle swap with brakes being done to a gbody thinking they for sure can bolt their 13's back on and ride.


I already posted the truck and that has the same rotor. Matterfact I did a caprice spindle swap on my gbody and I believe it is the rotor as well, I will check and post pics


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## moorevisual (May 14, 2009)

i know some guys who use the caprice spindle/rotor on caddy's to eliminate the need to grind


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## E$TE*LADO*CUSTOM$ (Feb 19, 2011)

Thats the reason i had to grind my caliper on my CADILLAC cause i didnt want to do the caprice caliper and rotor swap because no need to!!!!!


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## newyork64 (Mar 8, 2017)

:inout:


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## turbospirites (Sep 5, 2005)

this thread reminded me when I threw a set of 13's on my 79 Fleetwood Hearse 155/80r13 at 60 psi tire pressure it couldn't hold the car up the tires were literally flat but the car weight was 6000 lbs + 880 lbs in batteries then you add the weight of the pumps and rack ect... it was close to 8000 lb car do whatever that floats your boat.


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