What size wheel to go with???

[THRILLBILLY]

I'm getting ready to do my 1 ton swap, right now I have 15" wheels and am running 44's. The tires are old, don't have much life left, and will need to be replaced soon. I've always liked the look of a smaller wheel with a bigger tire just the old school look i like. But when it comes time to do the swap and replace the tires at some point I'm questioning myself if I should stick with a 15" wheel or go with a 16.5 wheel. As far as what's more popular here I see more 44's for a 15. I know the back spacing for a 15 will have to be really offset and so on, but should I switch or stick with a 15? Is it easier to find 16.5 tires in your areas, better to stay with a 4" back spacing to keep strain off of the drivetrain by going 16.5 etc. any opinions would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Hogback Fabrication]

15's and 16.5's are the worst two choices, the 15's because they don't clear the brakes (it varies based on backspacing and wheel construction, plus it's a dying size, regardless it's not a good choice if you're buying tires too).

16.5's aren't great because 95% of them don't have a "safety bead" built into the wheel which is what keeps the tire seated on the bead. So, at street pressure, it's fine. If you want to air down for trail performance, you'll pop beads.

16's or 17's are much better, actually clear the brakes, and both have safety beads.

 

[blazinzuk]

17s is what I would go with.

Although most big sizes are still made in 16.5 and more than likely will be for a little while. That size without the hummer rim craze would have gone the way of the dodo already

I would imagine any newer tires that come out of Interco or Pit Bull will not have 16.5s even produced

 

[Stomis]

As said 17s are the way to go now for larger size tires, 16s if you're in the 31-35in tire range (obviously you said you arent though).

16.5s will always live on with interco and pitbull but forget about getting a nice set of say BFG, goodyears, etc in the semi near future, that is if they arent gone already.

 

[THRILLBILLY]

Yeah I don't imagine I will ever go back down in size from 40's and up with my truck. So pitbull and interco are tire companies that I will probably stick with. As far as things like the safety bead I'm not too concerned with since I don't really air down very much for the mud. I never really considered 17's since I ain't big into the larger wheel(with a 40" and up tire it will probably even out though). What is the cheapest set of 17's there is out there? Just a mud truck so nothing fancy!

As said 17s are the way to go now for larger size tires, 16s if you're in the 31-35in tire range (obviously you said you arent though).

16.5s will always live on with interco and pitbull but forget about getting a nice set of say BFG, goodyears, etc in the semi near future, that is if they arent gone already.

 

[imiceman44]

Yeah I don't imagine I will ever go back down in size from 40's and up with my truck. So pitbull and interco are tire companies that I will probably stick with. As far as things like the safety bead I'm not too concerned with since I don't really air down very much for the mud. I never really considered 17's since I ain't big into the larger wheel(with a 40" and up tire it will probably even out though). What is the cheapest set of 17's there is out there? Just a mud truck so nothing fancy!

Yeah if you don't have hummer rims 16.5 or 17" is about the same compared to a 40" tire but the cost of the 17" tires is lower than a 16.5" and more selection from different manufacturers.
I'd go with a 17", actually I might go real soon since I founf some 17" six lug sets here for cheap so I can go 17" on everything I have and be able to swap tires if I want to.

 

[82355]

I'd look for a deal on tires, and then just buy whatever rim fits them.

Martin

 

[Stomis]

Yeah I don't imagine I will ever go back down in size from 40's and up with my truck. So pitbull and interco are tire companies that I will probably stick with. As far as things like the safety bead I'm not too concerned with since I don't really air down very much for the mud. I never really considered 17's since I ain't big into the larger wheel(with a 40" and up tire it will probably even out though). What is the cheapest set of 17's there is out there? Just a mud truck so nothing fancy!

I doubt other than the style of wheel most people have in 17 vs 16.5 you'll even be able to tell the difference.

A former friend of mine purchased some 17in black "rockcrawler" style D window wheels that were 17x8 for under $300 for a set of 4 new from summit.

 

[82355]

I could not find ANY 17" white steel wheels though. Pissed me off that I would have to sand blast and paint brand new wheels.

Martin

 

[Jester1]

I would completely agree avoid 16.5 wheels. I run 16" on all my rigs and it is becoming a pain and expensive to find tires for that. Tire manufacturers build more stock around what car manufactures are doing and they seem to be running 17 or 20 wheels now. The tires I bought a month ago are $20 less per tire cheaper in 17".

 

[82355]

I will be the voice of dissent when it comes to 16.5" wheels. I like to run them still because I like the look of the stock steel wheels with hub cabs. I run lots of 16.5" stuff.

Martin

 

[Jester1]

I had to chuckle a little after my last post and my own personal dealings with get new tires for my DD.

My father and I are rebuilding his 51 chevy truck which came from the factory with 16x5 wheels and bias ply tires. He wants to now run radial white walls on it and there a like 4 times more tires for a 15" wheel than a 16" wheel, because of the era more cars and trucks came with 15". The problem is not finding blackwall tires for it but there are about 3 choices for white wall tires that run $280.00 each (not installed). I have suggested to him to change wheels but he is a true restoration nut and refuses to do so.

 

[imiceman44]

I had to chuckle a little after my last post and my own personal dealings with get new tires for my DD.

My father and I are rebuilding his 51 chevy truck which came from the factory with 16x5 wheels and bias ply tires. He wants to now run radial white walls on it and there a like 4 times more tires for a 15" wheel than a 16" wheel, because of the era more cars and trucks came with 15". The problem is not finding blackwall tires for it but there are about 3 choices for white wall tires that run $280.00 each (not installed). I have suggested to him to change wheels but he is a true restoration nut and refuses to do so.

when you restoring, there is no point in changing to save because the true value of a restoration is with the accuracy.
In our world it's about the action so if we can do the same thing for cheaper we go for it.

 

[Jester1]

I totally respect that. I had only suggested going to a 16x6 wheel that would be a stocker from wheel vintique and it would open him up to a few more tires to chose from. That said we are now intalling a offenhauser intake, fenton exaust, dual strombergs and dual exaust to make it 50's hot rod sheik (his idea not mine). Oh and if he was staying true to the resto then he would go with a blackwall tire. He likes to do restro's with a custom touch of what it should/could have looked like or could have been a factory option. My point in it all was manufactures will build to the mass needs of the public not the speciality needs (as far as selection and price). Which they should, as they to need to move product to make profit.

That said as customizers in our own right I think it is worth looking at what is popular on the market now for price and size so you don't get hammered in the future with an obsolete size and starting all over. Especially with things like tires. I wear a set out every 2-2 1/2 years and they are not getting cheaper.