I'm not sure if I'm using the right term. Tried to call you Neil but couldn't get ahold of you last week. Even left a message this time. :smileyb:

Anywho... The 2 piece rims I have are fantastic, but within a millimeter of my frame with the spacers I have on there. I am going to have a little fun for about a month and then send them back to have new barrels put on. What is ideal distance from the frame? At least XXmm?

Also, I always hear fender lip rolling... is that where I take a grinder to that lip of metal that comes in towards the frame and grind it down a bit so there is more clearance between the wheel on the outer fender?

Since we are on the topic of rims, I have an 8" rim up front... is that a good size for a street cruiser? What is ideal backspace for that rim if it were to be custom made?

IMO the ideal for the fronts with an 8" wheel is 4" BS. Keeps the wheels away from control arms and steering linkage without moving them far enough outboard to cause interference with the body.

Bill

Rolling the fender lip does NOT mean grinding it off. Instead, the lip is pushed back, towards the exterior. This can be done in a couple of ways. One is the old school way, with hammers and dollies. The second way is superior, but requires a lip rolling tool. This tool bolts on where the wheel goes, has a long arm on it and a roller on the end of the arm. It is rolled back and forth across the fender lip, and is lenghtened with sucessive passes, increasing the force exerted to the lip. I personally haven't seen it done, but I saw a thread about it on one of the turbo Buick forums. Eastwood makes the tool. http://www.eastwood.com/fender-repair/fender-roller/ew-fender-roller-w-instruction.html

Thanks for that post... does that alter the exterior at all or just that inner lip?

That's a lot more sophisticated tool that we normally use,,,, a wooden baseball bat! It's always just the right diameter somewhere on the bat. Jack the rear up, roll the bat through the gap between the tire and fender. If it ain't enough,, roll some more or use a thicker part of the bat! Pretty? Maybe not, but it gets the job done.

Our fender roller only folds the inner lip in and does not distort the exterior of the fender lip (if used correctly!). This will not "pull" your fender arches, only roll the inner lips in to gain extra room for that meaty new wheel/tire combo! Hope that helps!

-Matt/EW

I used the bat method as stated by Marv D and it turned out real nice just went slow and watched it I'm about to have to do it to my 83 and it will buy you a good bit of space I've seen people stuff a 295/x/15 under there with just a roll but its close with that much tire

That's a lot more sophisticated tool that we normally use,,,, a wooden baseball bat! It's always just the right diameter somewhere on the bat. Jack the rear up, roll the bat through the gap between the tire and fender. If it ain't enough,, roll some more or use a thicker part of the bat! Pretty? Maybe not, but it gets the job done.
Marv you never seas to amaze me.

I work at a wheel shop here in Phoenix and we use the fender roller for everything that needs to be "rolled" (as opposed to the bat, though my Dad swears by it). Be careful if the paint is old because it could chip, use a heat gun to protect against that... but not so much as to bubble the paint!!
I've got an '87 elky and I'm rolling on 18 x 8.0 with -8mm offset (about 4.25" back side setting) with 225/45r18 on the front and 18 x 9.5 -12mm offset (4.75" back side setting) with 275/40r18 in the rear. Fits fine.... Well, maybe a little rubbing in the front... But rubbin's racin' right!?!

Update:
maybe a lot of rubbing. Had to cut the plastic and remove the outer sheetmetal halfs of the fender well. Works like a charm now!!