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why do new trucks have such small wheel openings??

boggerless

boggerless

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a customer of mine has a 2003,chevy 2500HD with a six inch lift(it's a crew cab) with 315/75-16's and there is not much room before they rub.the tires are BFG A/T'S.i hate the way they screw you into smaller tires .i don't know to many people who will /forums/images/graemlins/hack.gif a new truck. /forums/images/graemlins/k5.gifto /forums/images/graemlins/truck.gif
 
Unfortunately , trucks aren't made to really work and play anymore. They are made to haul people and maybe a trailer with ATV's , or a boat. They used to have generous wheelwells back when people bought trucks to work with them. Tires used to lettered differently too , and mostly bias ply until the 70's. /forums/images/graemlins/k5.gif
 
my 79 has a 6in lift and 36's with plenty of room.thats the only reason i didn't buy a new chevy,they are low riders from the factory and cost to much to lift. not to mention the indy front sus. /forums/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif /forums/images/graemlins/k5.gifto /forums/images/graemlins/truck.gif
 
The wheel well openings are the same size they have always been. You can squeeze 33s (or even 35s) on a stock truck just like you always have been able to. They will rub under flex, just like they always have. New trucks are no different in this respect than the older ones.
 
[ QUOTE ]
You can squeeze 33s (or even 35s) on a stock truck just like you always have been able to.

[/ QUOTE ]

Maybe on a super duty, but like the new chevy's good luck with a 33. I think they have gotten smaller
 
[ QUOTE ]
The wheel well openings are the same size they have always been. You can squeeze 33s (or even 35s) on a stock truck just like you always have been able to. They will rub under flex, just like they always have. New trucks are no different in this respect than the older ones.

[/ QUOTE ] the wheel wells MAY(not sure) be the same BUT, the inner fender wells are right there the same size as the fenderwell, effectively our older style setups have fender wells that are an inch bigger all the way around.
 
No, your Z71 is a 1/2 ton. 265/75R16s aren't usually rated higher than a "C" load rating which isn't good enough for a 3/4 ton, although a couple tires are available in "D" load rating.

I know this because some jackass put 265s on my C30, and I had to pay $160 a tire to find some "D" rated 265s. /forums/images/graemlins/angryfire.gif /forums/images/graemlins/angryfire.gif

Had I wanted four brand new tires I would have bought 245/75s or 235/85s which is what belongs on a 3/4 or 1 ton truck, not 265s. /forums/images/graemlins/angryfire.gif /forums/images/graemlins/angryfire.gif /forums/images/graemlins/angryfire.gif
 
They probably make em smaller for aero reasons. Kinda like nascar at daytona, the wheel well is all over the tire, at bristol they have a big gap. Make the opening smaller, and less wind will go into the opening and slow it and use more fuel.
 
You can fit 285's stock on a new 4x4HD. Close enough to a 33 for me.

And I beg to differ about the new trucks not being able to do work. They may cost an arm and a leg, but they work real nice. /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

The IFS is not good for serious offroading, but it will work with anything up to about a 35. No not very flexy but it rides real nice at 80 on the highway, or carving up a backroad with the factory warrantied MPFI 496. /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

I like old cars, I like new cars, I just like cars...even little ones...when I gas up my big one. /forums/images/graemlins/histerical.gif
 
They look narrower but taller to me. I like it becuase you can't stuff an over sized tire on a newer chevy, helps keep more air between the tire and top of the fenderwell.
7068sweet_03HD_strait_axle-med.jpg
Here's what I'm talking about. I wish my K5 had smaller wheelwells.
 
if I worked as a truck designer, all fullsize rigs would have plastic panels that made the outter fender (like nissans or sorta like the avalanche) and they would allow 33s to be mounted without problems. Cool part though is that those panels would be easy to remove, leaving a roundish (think 1st gen k5) metal-edged outter fender that would fit 44s... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

j
 
They have smaller wheel well openings so the grinder disc people and sawzall people can make more money. They are all in cahoots together. /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif
 
Small wheel welled trucks and California women are alike, they just haven't been modified yet. /forums/images/graemlins/eek.gif /forums/images/graemlins/ignore.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
I think especially on the newer Chevys, the IFS has a lot to do with the fender size. Generally speaking, the tires move straight up and down with IFS, where as with the leaves up front they didn't.
 
wheel openings are one of the largest area's for gas mileage gains on a vehicle. There is so much loss in air-flow in a wheel well that its amazing. If you notice, almost every little high mpg car has tiny little wheels/tires and tiny little wheel openings... because they can boost MPG dramatically that way. The honda gas/electric hybrid has a shield over the rear wheels for mileage and they tried for years to get the front one on but finally ditched it because they couldnt get it to work with the turned tires.

So, if you looking for a reason, thats probably the #1 reason.

Gas Mileage.
 
my hp is gonna roll all over that shiattttt!!!!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif
 
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