The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Tire Choices

Sometime down the road, I will have to decide what size and type of tire to put on my 1 Ton. I have read many posts here saying that radial tires improve the ride and handling a lot. I have read other posts about how it is much better with real truck tires, those being the ones that are tall with stiff sidewalls. I have also read that wider treads cause the old solid axle steering to react to bumps more.

My problem is that I want to get a fairly large diameter , to keep the revs down. However, with radials, large diameter means wide tires because the maximum aspect ratio is 85.

I was wondering what advice there is on these choices.

nix - "real truck tires" can be radials too, and tall don't hafta mean wide - I switched from car radials [P235R75 or 85? maybe] that were getting a bit worn to some new 700R15LT cuz that's more what the truck [58]was designed for, and it was like getting power steering - much narrower road contact of tread and about 1.5-2" taller [keep kickin the door step still!] - will get better mileage and more traction in the snow/wet and prolly las my lifetime!

you'll prolly want 16's for the 1T, but should be able to find like 700R16 or thereabouts - mine are a bit harsher ride than the P tires, cuz they're 10ply and run min 45# pressure [tire folks recommend 50-55], but it's a truck after all!!

Bill

I have 245/75 r16s on mine - just bought new chrome wheels and the tires were used and got the whole shootin match for 475. Spent another 36 and got purdy lug nuts. I am pretty sure these are light truck tires. The wheels came with decorative cans to go over the big hubs.

My truck had old big 17x5 bias belteds that were 30 years old on big heavy 2 piece rims. The PO put em on to give it a bit more speed. I gave up some of that speed, but the truck handles and drives better. Then again, these were old crud tires. The new radials actually made it easier to push around by hand. Steering effort is no big either.

The wide tires kinda make it look like a napco. Mines a 59 1 ton and with these tires I can still get on the creeper and slide easily under the truck to do stuff.

have a look - click me

Thanks guys.
Squeeze,
one of the odd things that I have discovered is that it is easier to get large tires for the 15" rims than for the 16" rims. I think that this is because of the offroad market.

Irwin,
Those wheels and tires look great, and offset a beautiful truck. I like the way the tires don't balloon on the side.
I was reading in a Trailering magazine that the 75 profile gives more stability than the 85 profile. That of course was pulling a trailer, but it was good information.

I run 215 85R 16 LT's on my '49 1/2 ton and they look stock. They are Michelin's that I bought "gently used" for a great price. Have them on STOCK rims w/ NO tubes, 4 years and counting, 1500 mile trip this summer. Improved handling, I parallel park with the truck maybe 2-3 times a month, easy.

I switched from 15" to 16" so I could get a larger diameter tire. Running 7.50R16's on the back, 8 ply Dayton mud & snow. Tire man told me not to go under 45 psi to improve stability, I air them up to 70 when I haul. They can squirrel around on the wrong pavement. Part of my problem is I'm still running bias ply tires on the front.

As far as handling, the main advantage with radials it that they allow you not to get stuck in ruts in blacktop. They do make steering harder, and they can make you squirrel around some. On a concrete surface, bias ply tires actually handle better, but the reverse is true on blacktop and gravel.

Thanks nix, but that's a 40-40 paint job!

However visited with my cuzin on New Year's day and he has some am-bish-u-ous plans for my flat bed tail gait lift. If it comes out half as nice as he's planning on, well, looks like I will be out there with the unigrit trying to make the rest of it pretty..... Skirts, inset lights, inset cargo hooks, removable sides, diamond plate locking tool boxes under the bed, headache rack, spotlights.....The guy went ape!

Truckernix,

Well I have been purchasing new tires for my 54 1 ton. Only one at a time due to the price of them. Anyhow, on mine they are 7.00 X 18" and they are made by STA (Speciality Tires of America) I have been paying around $150.00 per tire that price includes new inner tube, mounting and balancing. I didn't think that was really all out of line, since I paid right at $110.00 a piece for my 2000 Silverado last summer.

I let the tire shop mount them since they are split rims and they have the cage to do it safely.

The tires look just like the tread pattern that was on the original Firestone tires that was on my turck. I decided to stay with a highway tread, mainly for the reduction of noise and it really handles nice at 60 plus M.P.H. I had a mud/snow grip on the rear duals, and they make some noise 45 and above, then also they viberate. May have been from their age too.

The STA tires are 10 ply and I think that is more than adequate for what I would ever be hauling. It's more of a daily driver than a hauling truck these days.

I thought about changing the wheels over to 16 inch, but since all seven wheels are in great shape and I know how it handles with these wheels, why change something that works? Then you have to re-figure the speedometer and probably have to install a speed reducer at the transmission.

Now, I have heard by installing smaller wheels it improves the handling and then the factor that 16 inch tires would be easier to come by and you wouldn't have to special order the STA tires or another brand.

Plus my main thought was, by keeping the 18 inch wheels it was keeping the old truck original.

Just my $.02 worth,

John

Squeeze, What brand of tire did you get. I'm
trying to find a large diameter/narrow width
blackwall for my ' 51?

Irwin,
it would be nice to see the new bed when it is done.

John,
you have the big wheels and they are in good shape. Mine had the 17" slpit rims and I am going to a Chevy 16" rim. I am trying to get up to close to the original diameter. Around here, most places won't work on a split rim and I am not sure my front two are useable anymore.

I haven't heard of that make of tire befoe but I am going to look them up on the net.
Thanks for the information.