Proper Wheel size for 8-lug?

[Blue85]

What's up? I have 16.5" rims and I was looking into the availability and prices of tires for other sized rims. The only thing that has hardly anything available for it is 15". On tirerack.com, for example, there are no truck tires in 33" or 35" for 16" or 17" rims. There are tons for 15" and a few for 16.5".

Can you run 15" wheels on 8-lug axles?

'85 JIMMY
'90 paint/grill/trim 5"susp 33/12.5/16.5
Fresh 350 B&M '87 TH700

 

[Emmettology 101]

What type of tire are you looking for? And depending on your set-up, you can run 15's with a little work..

Mike

See <font color=green>EMMETT</font color=green> -&gt; http://emmett.coloradok5.com

 

[Shawn]

Tire Rack has a poor selection of truck tires. Go to or call http://www.4wheelparts.com or http://www.natltire.com for more choices. I'd suggest a 16" rim even though the choices are limited. Steve Fox is running 16x10 8 hole Liberty wheels (looks like Alcoa) and 36x12.5x16 Swamper Radials. You can also get BFG and Goodyear in 16" sizes. By staying with a 16" size, you won't have to grind the front caliper (which requires a lot of grinding).

Shawn
87 K5
few mods

 

[Blue85]

Will a 15" wheel fit over the drums of a 14-bolt SF? FF? D60?

Now what about the front? Will they fit on 8-lug D44/10-bolt? D60?

There are just so many wheels and tires available in 15" and in 16" they are hard to find and more expensive.

Is there someone running 3/4 ton axles and 15" wheels that can speak to this?

'85 JIMMY
'90 paint/grill/trim 5"susp 33/12.5/16.5
Fresh 350 B&M '87 TH700

 

[Emmettology 101]

Yes, the 15" will fit over 3/4 ton 44's with some grinding and I was just told that 15's will fit on a 60 with some grinding also. I was told with the 60, with a 2.5" offset you dont need to grind but the person has seen up to a 4" offset.
The rears would be the same and I have seen people run 14FF wiht 15's..

HTH

Mike

See <font color=green>EMMETT</font color=green> -&gt; http://emmett.coloradok5.com

 

[DBLAZER]

I RUN A 15" TIRE ON MINE. DANA 60 FRONT AND CORP 14 REAR. ALL WE DID WAS USE A VERY SMALL SPACER UP FRONT AND GROUND A LITTLE OFF THE CALIPER. THE REAR WASNT AN ISSUE.

 

[BIGJ]

Yes, I am running a 1 ton rear (14bolt FF) and a 3/4 ton 10 bolt in the front with 15X10 inch wheels(4 inches backspacing). I put disks on the rear so not much grinding was required on the calipers in the back. In the front I had to grind A WHOLE LOT off of the calipers as well as the backing plates. I also test fit one of my 15X10's on my friends Dana 60. From the looks of it, you would have to grind way too much off of the calipers on the dana 60 to get 15's to fit. The dana caliper is much bigger than the one for the 10 bolt. So, if you are planning on running a dana 60 in the front you pretty much have two choices: run 15x10's with a less than desirable offset (2 inches), or run 16's , or 16.5's with no grinding and factory offset. But, even with the offset, there is no guarantee that the wheels will fit. Also, most places that sell 15X10's in an 8 lug have them made for each order. So, if they don't fit, you can't send em back. I bought my wheels from discount tire in dallas. They were about 50 bucks a piece.

BIGJ

 

[TX Mudder]

I have the same setup as bigJ, and he's right, 15x10 will fit on d44 front with some serious grinding. I am amazed that they can fit on a d60, but he said he used wheel spacers.
I think my 15x10 8-lug have a 4 inch backspacing, BTW.
-- Mike

 

[Scoobydoo]

Blue85 when you say there are no tires in 33" or 35" for a 16" rim. Most 16" tire sizes are given in the metric sizes!
Like a 305/70 is about the same as a 33x12.5 (also the 285/75 is about 33x11.5), and a 315/75 is the about the same as a 35x12.5

 

[Blue85]

That is not possible. The first number in metric sizing is the tread width, so two tires with 12.5" width will begin with the same number, something like 315. The second number is the profile, so it will vary with the rim diameter. As I have been looking around, I have had my eye on the metric sizes, as well. I am not saying that there are NO choices in 16" and 17", I just thought that there would be more since so many trucks come with those size wheels.

'85 JIMMY
'90 paint/grill/trim 5"susp 33/12.5/16.5
Fresh 350 B&M '87 TH700

 

[Blazer1970]

To be a little clearer, the first # is the section width, not the tread width, as is the 12.50 in inch sizing. The tread is substantially narrower. 305 and 315 are only one centimeter different (about 1/4"), so saying "about the same as" is pretty accurate either way.

Tim

1970 Blazer CST 4X4 350 SM465 NP205
1987 Suburban 4X4 350
1988 Chevy Pickup 4X4 350