6" ORD lift - What size wheels/tires?

[brianfeiden]

Okay - I need some help/feedback. I'm doing frame off restomod on my 1972 K5. LS3 and 4L70e is drivetrain. My ORD springs arrive tomorrow, everything powder coated and I'm ready to order wheels/tires so I can assemble rolling chassis. I was originally going with 35" tires, but wondering if I should do 37"?

Anyone have experience with 37" on 6" ORD lift? I'm looking at the Mickey Thompson Classic Black III - 17x9 with 37" BF Goodrich A/T. Would love your feedback/experience!

 

[CK5]

37's and 9" wheels with 6" lift may be close while flexed out but "should" clear I would think, you could wait until you have the body back on for test fitment. I think Mark @Bent77 ran 6" ORD's with 37"s on his old 72 but he had a lot of hacking the fenders going on.

 

[skunked]

once you jump on 37's (a true 37" tire btw) you'll get into the sheetmetal pretty easily with those smaller wheel arches.

I would do 35's since your truck is pretty much a street slayer.

 

[brianfeiden]

Since I won't be taking this resto mod offroad at all, I wonder if they'll clear. Would love to hear from anyone who has done 37's with 6". I want to have rolling chassis well before waiting on body, so I can get everything else wired up while body work/paint being done...but I'm a 'cake and eat it too' kinda guy sometimes.

 

[6872xtc]

The old bent72 K5 had some old "kit" springs. And the 37" tires were only 35" actual height. But yes, there was a lot of sheet metal cut off.

 

[skunked]

Since I won't be taking this resto mod offroad at all, I wonder if they'll clear. Would love to hear from anyone who has done 37's with 6". I want to have rolling chassis well before waiting on body, so I can get everything else wired up while body work/paint being done...but I'm a 'cake and eat it too' kinda guy sometimes.

open up the wheel arches before it goes to paint and/or limit travel. My buddies 72 runs 37" interco's on a lift roughly 6" (he's also on tons so there's another inch or so). If he flexes at all or if people ride in the back he's into the fenders.

 

[obijuank5]

The backspace on that M/T wheel is pretty deep. It's going to help keep the tires under the truck more than your typical 15" wheel would. You might get away with it but I bet it will rub.

Also what ord lift did you get? Does it move the axle forward any?

 

[Bent77]

On the bent72:

Fronts were 4” lift (tough country) with a 6” shackle to add 1”, and hockey pucks for a 1” body
Rears were 2wd GM rears and a flip with longer shackles

Tires were 35.5” new. Fronts did interfere on hard flex

 

[70jimmy]

6" lift and 37's with no cutting I would stay away from. I have 37" Krawlers which are true 37" I did have 6" ORD springs, I also put in a 1 inch zero rate, extended super shackles and cut at least 2 inches out of fenders. I also cut the tang of the front lower fenders in front of the wheel.

70jimmy

• 70jimmy
• Nov 6, 2007
• 2

New soft top

70jimmy

• 70jimmy
• Nov 6, 2007

Fins n things

poser 3

• 70jimmy
• Feb 20, 2006

 

[ryoken]

didn't read the replies..

but I'm at 7" on Mutt with the axle moved up 1.5"... not first gen, but for reference...

I still get into the back of the stock fenders every once in a while while turned and articulating (big driveway bump ) on 37 x 12.5 Bajas...

I'm betting the ORD's will flex hella better than my Superlift's too....

 

[skunked]

@ryoken it's a Gen 1 K5

 

[ryoken]

@ryoken it's a Gen 1 K5

I know, i mentioned it was just for an overall reference... i can't imagine those back lower corners are that far different between the 2..

 

[skunked]

I know, i mentioned it was just for an overall reference... i can't imagine those back lower corners are that far different between the 2..

Quite a bit different actually. You can stuff a 37” up into square body wheel well, cannot on a first gen.

 

[Bent77]

Quite a bit different actually. You can stuff a 37” up into square body wheel well, cannot on a first gen.

And my 77 fenders are different (if slightly) than the 84

 

[1-ton]

My vote is for 35". There will be no problem with 35" tire clearance and 6" suspension lift. There are a lot more tire choices in 35". Plus, there is the question of gearing with tires bigger than 35". Your truck looks like it is going to be clean enough to eat off of.

 

[Bent77]

A 35" tire looks real nice on a first gen

So buy Goodyear MTRs. They say 37, but they are 35s. best of both world right?

 

[CK5]

For reference here is mine with 35" tires on 8" wide wheels with 4" back spacing, no rubbing with 3" front suspension lift and 5" in the rear. If I had 10" wide wheels or flexed the suspension at all they would probably rub but so far it's been a street whore so all good and I love the stance.

0ct2017 1

• CK5
• Oct 25, 2017

 

[ryoken]

Quite a bit different actually. You can stuff a 37” up into square body wheel well, cannot on a first gen.

well, not on my rig, and it's not even a wheeler...

 

[Brad j.elky]

well, not on my rig, and it's not even a wheeler...

On my'72 K5 I have a 4" soft ride in front with a shackle flip in the back.
I had 39.5" boggers on 16.5x12"welds with no rubbing, but now on a new set of 37" pitbulls on 17"beadlocks.
But it took some major surgery to make it happen...
I put it in the complete vehicle section here on ck5. Here's some pics, more in the listing. Take a look...

 

[venevidivicci]

4” front and rear springs 1” body lift. Larger spring perches that move the rear axle back 1” on the rear axle and lifts about 1/2” with 14 bolt SF rear (1/2”?) on 35x12.50r15 BFG A/T. When wheel it It doesn’t rub. For wheeling I would love 37” for ground clearance when aired down but know it would start rubbing. Mine sees mainly street, backroads and hunting. If I crawled it more I would go with 37” but would have to go higher. Not worth the money in tires and wheels when you make the jump to 37”.

I’m running an 01 LM7 with a 4l60e mated to a NP205.