Ron,
If you want to keep your 16 inch wheels and also run radials you must do a
few modifications to your wheels. The original wheels are made for tubes
and will never hold air for tubeless tires. You could put radial tubes
inside the radial tires and run them that way but then you will run into
another problem. The original rims are about 4 to 5 inches wide and the
local tire guy could get the tubed radials on the rims but I could almost
guarantee you that you would NOT LIKE the results. The rims have to be
wider. The minimum recommended wheel size for a LT215/85R16/D or a
7.5R16LT/D is 5.5 inches, SWAG optimum being 6 inches. Max rim is 7 inches
I had my original 16 inch rims modified to 6 inch tubeless rims. It cost
about $60.00 each but was worth it. Trudesign Wheel in Denver did mine.
They take out the center of your original wheel and weld it to the tubeless
rim all the while ensuring that it is true. You can't tell the difference
unless you really look close. I can still use my original hubcaps and
beauty rings and now I have to beat the girls back. Actually I have the
excess women ride in the back, only allowing the foxiest foxes in the cab.
It really works well on the colder days because it gives the cab foxes more
incentive to be nice. But I digress--.
Just like Grant, I too like the tall skinny tire look. I found 2 junk
7.50R16 tires (32 inches high) and two 215/85R16 (30 inches high) tires
mounted and they seem to work well. I have never had the 7.50s on the front
but I think that they will work OK. The transmission and rear end can
easily handle the tall tires and cruising 60-70 mph is a little easier on
the engine. Soon I hope to secure another pair of junk 7.50s and have them
all the way around my 51. I use the junkers first to see if they will work
OK before shelling out 500.00 geetos to find out that they rub somewhere.
The radials really smoothed out the ride and eliminated the lane drift. I
spent (pick one)1.mucho dinero 2.taksan okane or 3.buukuuu bucks getting my
steering redone - king pins, steering linkage, new springs, idler arms etc.
and a front end alignment only to have the alignment guy tell me that the
truck suspension and steering was a lot tighter but the 'bias ply drift' was
still there. On the way home I experienced bias ply drift and almost did
the Highway Tango with a semi truck of the extremely large red variety.
That was when I decided to get my wheels redone. Might as well do it now
because the kids wouldn't be eating for a month because of the suspension
bill. A few more weeks wouldn't hurt. They should be used to it by then!
So Ron, I really suggest that you redo your wheels to the 16 inch tubeless
rims. The 16 inchers really look manley on the AD trucks. 15 inchers will
work but they are kind of girley. Be a 16 inch man.
Durwood
51 1/2 ton 5 window custom cab
>From: "Ronald Tofani" <rontof@hotmail.com>
>Reply-To: "Ronald Tofani" <rontof@hotmail.com>
>To: oletrucks@autox.team.net
>Subject: [oletrucks] wheels and tires
>Date: Fri, 12 Nov 1999 18:11:29 EST
>
>Back again for more info....
>I am having a tough time making up my mind on what to do with my wheel and
>tire situation. I want the original wheels but with radial 16" tires with
>wide whites. Is this a possibility? Where do I get tires and what size are
>they? Will they seal or do I use tubes in them?
>
>Help!
>
>Ron from Vt
>
>oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959
>
oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959
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