The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Tire Sizes - 1941 Chevy Panel

Getting ready to move a 1941 1/2 ton chevy panel out of the barn and into shop. It's sitting on a dirt floor with 4 flats, best advice or way to get it onto a trailer? Thoughts were to slip on some cheap tires to get it rolling, then wench onto trailer. Is that a good idea? Options for modern tires that would fit, just to get it on the trailer? Thanks!

Try to pump up the tires. You might be surprised.

What size rims? 16"x4.5"?

There's no point in buying 4 new tires unless you plan on keeping and using them. Tires are too expensive these days and there's no such thing as a cheap tire these days unless $100 each is cheap to you.

215x85 R16 is the correct modern size for 16"x4.5" rims.

A 41 would have 16x4 rims, which are pretty narrow for 215-85R16 tires. An option to move it would be to borrow some used rims and tires. Try airing them up like Otto suggested, or get some new tubes if they won't hold air. That assumes the tires aren't dry rotted, but if they are, don't try to put air in them, or if you do, at least keep the pressure just high enough to make them round if you value your eardrums.

peete17,

Kevin is right about the original rim size of just 16" x 4" wide. You can however bolt up some later 16" x 4.5" wide rims (used on 1/2 Tons up through 1955) if you can find them with some still round tires as a temporary solution to putting some rolling stock under it just to get onto the trailer and home.

This is all assuming (yeah I know what that can mean - lol) that you are just looking for a temporary solution to get it home.

Dan

Good point tires aren't cheap:) I'll have to take a closer look and see if we can put some air in them.

Is there a modern tire that fits the 16x4 rim?

Hi Peete17- A 600 X 16 tire will fit on the 16 X 4 rims.

Mike

The 215/85R16 will fit, but they're designed for a rim width of 5.5 thru 7. The tread width is 6.2 inches, and they're 8.5" wide at the widest part.
But even that size is nearly $200/tire.
I'm not finding a narrower tire than a 215 on Tire Rack that would fit a 4x16 rim. Except for temporary spare tires which you don't want.

Not sure spare tire would be cheaper, but couldn't that be used short term? Spare would fit better on 16x4 rim right?

Yeah, those temporary spares would fit better on the narrow wheel, but are just as expensive as REAL tires. Visit a wrecking yard and see if they have some chevy 6 lug wheels and tires that you could bolt on. Probably cheaper than buying new temporary tires that you really can't use.

Maybe there's a Bolter near you who would loan you a set of wheels/tires to use. Try an ad in the Swap Meet.

Thanks for all the help!