Low fleet side wheel well clearance

[64Downunder]

Hey I'm Building a 64 fleet side and have a porter built rear for it and i was looking at the wheel well and my rear rims are bout 4" inside the guard which i was looking at getting different offset wheels ( they are 5.25" backspace foose )but the rear wheel well looks like it curves real far in and when having it sit so low "the ground" i don't see how i can get it and closer than where it is.

[donthekawguy]

Find a hot rod shop that has a fender lip rolling set up and have them roll the inner lip. Do not cut the inner lip out like a PO did on my truck. If you cut the lip the bedsides will become weak and flex so much it will crack the paint and then you will have to fix them like I have to.

[64Downunder]

not sure if we are talking about the same thing, if you were to run your hand from the lip of the guard up it curves in a fair bit where it joins at the point i cant see how the tyre can passed that point when lowering the truck so much it will hit the wheel well.
Step sides don't have this problem neither will you if your not lowering the truck to the floor.

[DURG]

Pictures please.

[64Downunder]

/Users/garyss13silvia/Pictures/64 Chev Pickup/Pre strip pics/IMG_7171.JPG

[64Downunder]

Here is the pic , I'm talking bout the middle where the outer guard and the wheel tub meet , but if i trim this down flush i think it will weaken it to much. http://s1201.beta.photobucket.com/us..._7167.jpg.html

[DURG]

If you are lowering it with a porterbuilt rear setup, you will be raising or widening (or both) the wheel wells anyway to get you more clearance if you are raising the bed floor. If you are only doing the small notch where the top of the frame rail is not raised, you will have to work with your wheel offsets I guess. I have some pictures in my build thread of raised, widened rear wheel wells with Porterbuilt rear suspension.

[64Downunder]

Hey Durg was checking out your build thread ( very nice by the way) and was wondering if you could measure the gap from rim to guard lip to see if I'm much different. Yours looks a lot closer than how mine sit but hard to tell in pics.

[DURG]

I have about 5/8" between the tire/wheel and the vertical panel that the outside edge of the wheel tub bolts to on each side. I have a very long panhard bar which should limit side to side movement of the rearend to 3/8" at the most under full vertical suspension travel.

[64Downunder]

what is the total distance between these points?

so i can compare against mine
Thanks

http://i1201.photobucket.com/albums/...rancewheel.jpg

[64Downunder]

[DURG]

So you want me to measure the width of my stock fleetside bed to compare to the width of your stock fleetside bed??? The 5/8" dimension doesn't get you the info you need? You have more clearance than I do. I can tell by the picture. I have modified and raised my wheel tubs so they are not an issue.

[chevyrestoguy]

I think a rim with a 4.0 or 4.25 backspace should get you what need. If your truck is air bagged, then the issue is more with outside edge of the wheeltub versus the vertical support strips. If you have plans to raise the bedfloor and move the wheeltubs up, then it will solve your clearance concerns. I think that's what DURG was trying to get convey.

Maybe a better way to solve this is to ask what rim width, backspace and tire size guys are running. If your rear axle is the stock one, then I think you can get your answer quickly. 5.25" is way too much backspace. Most of the new wheels (like Foose) are geared towards the late model cars that have wheel hubs very close to the edge of the fender lip. You can stuff a large tire under them, but it's all to the inside. The rims have little to no "dish" on the front side, and usually lots of backspace (sometimes 6" or more)

[creep]

I may not completely understand the original question but it sounds to me like you want to move the outer edge of the rim out towards the wheel well opening?

[kieth]

There are spacers which could move the wheel tire combo closer to the outer fended well, that would be cheaper than buying new wheels. ? Kieth

[64Downunder]

Hey "creep" you are correct that's what I'm trying to say,
But any see how I can get much closer with the back lowered to the ground and the fleetside rear inner guard not being straight up ( it curves in )
Not to good at explaining things I guess but hope that makes some sence .
Hey "keith" spacers is a great option but in Australia are not allowed to use them
Posted via Mobile Device

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by 64Downunder

Hey "creep" you are correct that's what I'm trying to say,
But any see how I can get much closer with the back lowered to the ground and the fleetside rear inner guard not being straight up ( it curves in )
Not to good at explaining things I guess but hope that makes some sence .
Hey "keith" spacers is a great option but in Australia are not allowed to use them
Posted via Mobile Device

If you want to move the wheels you have out closer to the bed lip & cant use spacers, you want a wider rear-end housing. 71-87 trucks have a 1.5" wider rear housing (.75" each side); 71-72 housings can be a direct swap. 88-98 housings are even wider (3" more total).

[creep]

Originally Posted by 64Downunder

Hey "creep" you are correct that's what I'm trying to say,
But any see how I can get much closer with the back lowered to the ground and the fleetside rear inner guard not being straight up ( it curves in )
Not to good at explaining things I guess but hope that makes some sence .
Hey "keith" spacers is a great option but in Australia are not allowed to use them
Posted via Mobile Device

If you're trying to get the rear all the way down to the ground you can't really move the wheels out to much because they have to tuck up inside the bed. You may be able to trim out some of the inner bed panel and move them out a little bit. If you aren't trying to get the rear to lay out you could make new inner supports out of thicker steel that tuck up closer to the inside if the bed side.
Posted via Mobile Device