Here's my experience.
My '55 2nd series half ton is original except for tires and wheels. The previous owner had put on some 15" aluminum wheels with wide, low profile tires. The tire size was 275/70R15. I didn't like the look, and it was really hard to steer at low speed.
I had Stockton Wheels make a custom set of 16" x 6" steel wheels. I specified the backset at 3" to make sure the wheels clear the tie rods (standard backset is 4-4.5"). I had them powdercoated with a semi-gloss black. Stockton Wheels also had a set of hubcaps for the wheels that are close to the original look. I bought a set of Goodyear Wrangler AT sized 235/85R16. The tire diameter went from about 26" to 32."
First, the truck seems to run a lot better with the new tires/wheels. It shifts better. It's an original automatic trans, and with the old tires, it seemed to shift too early, so I'd shift it manually a lot. Now, I just leave the shift lever alone 90% of the time.
Second, it steers almost like it has power steering. I can literally use one finger on the steering wheel when driving at low speeds. Freeway driving was almost impossible with the old tires; with the new ones, it's actually practical.
Finally, I like the looks of the new tires and wheels a lot better. The truck sits higher by 2" which to my eye is an improvement, and the tires make it look like a truck, not a rod, which is my preference.
The 3" backset worked, but after mounting the tires and wheels, I learned that I probably could have used 3.5" or even 4" backset.
Downside, the custom made wheels were expensive, and if I had it to do over again, I'd look a little harder for off-the-shelf wheels before paying a premium for custom made ones. But overall, it's worked out better than I expected.
LT
