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Tire Diameter vs. Turning Radius

Sombody help me with some math. What affects turning radius, tire width, tire diameter or both? I've got 33 x 12.5 x 15's now and considering a swap to shorter tires with an equally wide cross-section. I have AMC 20, 4.10 gears and plan to complete the drive train with an NV4500/Dana 300 behind a small block Chevy. Sound like a good setup to you guys? If you have a better idea, I'd appreciate hearing it before I start throwing down cash. Two reasons for the change:

1) I've heard that the Lock-Rite Locker should be used with no larger than 31" tires (to keep from shearing the pins). 2) Very sandy soil down here on the Florida coast. There's a lot of talk about snow and a little about mud but not much advice about sand. o_o_o_o Best Regards, /| ,[_____], Jim, WP3JQ |¯¯¯L --O|||||||O- ()_)¯()_) ¯¯¯¯¯ )_) EM60qk 30.447439N 086.628959W
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David C. Moller

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L.W.(ßill)

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It's a combination, but given the same rims, the diameter is the first problem you will encounter. The larger diameter will allow the tires to rub on the springs, but this is corrected by setting the steering stops out a few turns. If the steerign stops fall out, then you get longer ones and set them where needed to prevent rubbing.

The turning radius should not be affected so much that it becomes a problem. I run my LockRight lockers with 32s, and I haven't ever sheared a pin. I also run the 4.10 gears that you have, but I have the NP435 trans instead of the NV4500. My first gear is 6.69:1, which is close to what you have, but I only get 4 gears, where you get 5.

I am not sure the 12.50s are a good thing, or a necessary thing, but that is more of a personal choice as opposed to a problem from a mechanical perspective. I run the 32 x 11.50s.

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