Are my wheels too big???

I probably should've asked this before ordering the wheels, but oh well...

I ordered a set of 8-lug, 16x10 Eagle Alloy rims to match up the new 14 bolt I'm installing in my K5 Blazer. I've now begun to question my judgement.

I'm assuming that the the stock wheels are 15x10. I run 31x10.50's on them. They are the 6-lug late-80's Rally type that normally uses a trim ring and center caps that bolt onto the rim.

I'm concerned that with the wider wheels that I might get a little tire rub. I'm not taking this thing off road just yet, still got to get some lift because I do plan on running 35's or better.

I'd still like to run the stock diameter (31") for the time being. Can I get a 31" tire for a 16" rim? I saw 33's on a Suburban recently with no lift, so I think I can fit them on there.

Or did I just do something stupid by ordering the rims without thinking it through...?

~JP

Reply to
Jon Pickens
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Honestly a 10 inch wide wheel is too big for a 31" tire a 8" would be more in order up to 33's or so because the wider the rim, the more likely there will be interferance on the front axle when turning because of increased rim width and offset. It can be a balancing act at times.

Reply to
SnoMan

Well... Just checked the clearance (visually). 33's should fit without any tire rub as long as I keep it on the street and don't drive like an idiot.

But your comment brings to mind an article I read recently about "scrub radius" or something like that. Basically it just stated that if you drew a straight line following the angle of the kingpin going all the way to the ground, the middle of the tire should meet that line for best steering results.

But still... I have 16x10's on the way and NO lift. So 33's are about as big as I can reasonably fit under there. Am I correct that my existing wheels are 10" wide? Again, they're stock K5 4x4 Chevy wheels.

I just checked some stock wheels for sale on eBay. They list the 6 lug wheels as 15x8's. I'm assuming the 10.50" tread would work fine on the

10" wide wheels.
Reply to
Jon Pickens

without

Stock GM wagon wheels were 15X8

Reply to
Steve W.

Stock Rally wheels are 8inch. You will have to do a bit of fender trimming with 35s on 10inch wheels. I am running 33x10.5-15's on 15x10's. They look perfect. fill the wheel wells great, barely stick out at all in front, and wear and handle awesome!

If you are planning on running only a 31inch tire with 4.56 gears, I hope you have an overdrive! Also, a 31inch tire less than 12inches wide will give you a pretty choppy ride on a 10inch wheel. If you run a set of

255/85-16's, the 10 inch wheels will be great! Tire selection is far to limited in that size, but it comes out to 33x10.5's. Depending on what region your in, there are a couple great mudders in that size. If your in a place that sees any serious snow/ice, look for a tread that has allot of siping.

The extra inch of sidewall from a 31x10.5 and a 33x10.5 does make a big difference. I ran the exact same wheel(15x10) on the same vehicle('85 Suburban) with the same tire brand and tread design(BFG A/T) and the ride difference was more than noticeable!

Reply to
Shades

I did notice while tire shopping online and through the magazine ads that the selection of tires for 16" wheels in general seems limited.

33's are what I'm shooting for. And yep, I have the 700R4 tranny, so I got OD too. The RPM calculator on Randy's Ring & Pinion's site shows I'll be pulling 1950rpm @ 60mph. Before, with the 3.08 gears and 31" tires I was pulling 1402. Their guidelines show the recommended RPM range on a small-block Chevy to be 1800-2800rpm, so the 4.56's and 33's should be a good combo. A buddy has the same config of gears and tires on his Jeep and it works quite well.

Well, if I can change the order (hopefully it hasn't shipped) would you recommend getting an 8 inch wide wheel instead of a 10" ?? And then using a 33x10.50R16 (or close to that)?

Reply to
Jon Pickens
265/75R16's seem pretty easy to come by. The metric to inches conversion puts them at 10.82" wide and 31.65" tall. That'd keep the stock tire diameter.

BTW, I need to be able to fit into the parking deck at work (for now). Otherwise, I'd lift and some some 35's on there :-) That's why the stock tire diameter is important to me.

Will the 14-bolt add any height? I was just thinking, being that the axle tubes are a larger diameter, won't the spring perches be higher/closer to the body, adding just a hair of lift?

~JP

Reply to
Jon Pickens

don't know abotu width-- but if you're taking this thing offroad, 16" wheels were a mistake. Investigate the issue of the rim bead and you'll see what I mean.

Reply to
burntkat
16inch wheels are no problem taking off road for low tire pressures...its the 16.5 that has no bead holding lip...16's do!

Reply to
Shades

I would recommend going with 8inch wheels if you are going to go with less than a 33+ inch tire. Running a 265 with an 8inch wheel would be a great combination!

Comparing your full size 4x4 Chevy truck to a jeep is like comparing the MPG of a Suburban to that of a Honda Civic! You have almost twice the weight...

There are an AMAZING amount of height and width combinations when it comes to tires for 16inch wheels.

Reply to
Shades

Ok... after looking at a few previous posts on this NG, I'm seeing the opposite--that 16.5" rims don't have a good bead, and that the 16" is a better wheel.

Also, a quick eBay search turned up 106 items when searching "`16.5 wheel*" and over 4000 items when searching for 16 wheel*. There's a lot more 16" wheels available. If they are worse, why such a huge supply?

BTW, 15" wheels won't fit my 14-bolt, correct?

Reply to
Jon Pickens
15 inch wheels WILL fit a GM 14bolt but will NOT fit with un-heavily-modified front breaks(LOTS of grinding). The only 15inch 8lug wheel made is the white-spoke.

Reply to
Shades

Well, this is the FF 14-bolt REAR, and it's got the factory drum brakes...

Reply to
Jon Pickens

How much backspacing would you recommend for this thing? I did manage to cancel the order--they hadn't shipped. So I can now order 16x8's instead of the 16x10's.

Reply to
Jon Pickens

yea...and 15inch wheels will fit! I have put 15inch wheels on 3/4T trucks from early '70 into the '80 vintage. 15inch wheels fit GM 14bolt rears with no problems, they are a major problem fitting on the front.

I will send you some pics of a 10.5 ring gear 14bolt with 15inchers on if you like...I have one sitting in front of my home right now.

Reply to
Shades

Its rare to be able to select the backspacing, but if you can, ask the company that you are getting the wheels from. That's what their service dept. is there for.

I do believe that the standard backspacing is 4.5inch on a 16x8inch.

I think you said you were going with American Racing Wheels? If so, go with their AR-23! Its an awesome looking wheel on the '73-'87 style Chevy! The OutlawII is another awesome one. I wish they made the AR-23 in a 16x10! :-(

Reply to
Shades

When you say "front end" which axle are you talking about? A Dana 60? Cause I've never seen or heard of a 14-bolt front end.

I have heard of custom Dana 70 fronts, and I saw an article where Dana started making one to be offered as standard on something huge, like an F-450 or something.

Send a pic of a 14-bolt front end if you got one. I'd love to see that!

I actually have decided on Eagle Alloy's style 058. They look kinda like the AR Mojaves, which I'd really prefer, but don't want to spend twice the $$$ on.

The Mojave is available in black, the Eagle Alloy isn't... I suppose I'm gonna get em powder coated or painted later. I REALLY want black rims.

Concerning the backspacing...the loaner Suburban I'm driving now (till the K5 is fixed) has 31x10.50's like the K5, but they stick out more, so I'm supposing the wheels have less backspacing (or more). It definitely looks better, and may explain why the Sub handles exactly like my K5--it has a wider track and therefore it's more stable....?

Reply to
Jon Pickens

--inline--

I must have been more confusing than usual...The 14bolt I mentioned was the rear-end, the front I have is a HD DANA 44! 3/4T and 1T cant fit 15inchers on the FRONT without modification.

Very similar to the AR Baja...Problem I see with that wheel design is that they are VERY popular. I prefer to be different enough that I get noticed without standing out .

And aluminum too, huh?

Suburbans are also more stable due to the longer wheelbase. If the wheels stick out more on one than the other, then they are either non-stock or different widths.

Reply to
Shades

Reply to
Cheryl and Rob

That is max tire body width, not tread or rim width and this figure is frequently used improperly for determining needed rim width. The tread width is the main factor in rim width needs.

Reply to
SnoMan

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