The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline Looking for input re wheels and tires for my 1950 5-window

Digging thru my old info from Patricks Recommendations.

Wheel Smith
15x7 with a 3 1/4" back set
Nostalgia clips welded to accept original hub caps for a 1950 Chevrolet 3100 pickup

Front P215R75/15
Rear P235R75/15.

I have not yet purchased wheels and tires for my 50 at this time, all input would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks Red

Does the truck have stock hubs/brakes/springs/steering/etc? Are you looking for something in similar size to the original tires?

Everything is stock. I kinda like the 16” original wheels

Are you looking to replace the stock wheels with something wider/more modern? Or do you just not have any wheels right now?

I am not sure which way I am heading, leaning toward stock

Red

Hi Red, I think you're the third person in the last couple days looking for tire recommendations for a 1950 3100.

I purchased wheels from Wheelsmith a couple years ago for my 1950 and am very happy with them. I didn't have any hubcaps already so I opted to buy the reproduction caps that they sell to fit their wheels. I am very happy with these wheels.

15x7 is too short and too wide to handle properly on a stock truck. You can see the horrible examples that were on my truck when I got it. They looked terrible and handled worse. The tread was too wide to steer normally and impossible at low speed.

I ordered the Smoothies from Wheelsmith 16x6 3.5" backspace. If I had to do it again I'd order 16x5 to be closer to the original size.

The tires are Firestone 225/70R16. They look pretty good and handle very well. 215/85R16 would be even closer to the original diameter.

Check out Diamondback Tires for radials that look like bias ply tires if you want the tall flat sidewall that looks like the original style tires.

www.dbtires.com

I have stock 16" wheels with 650-16 Firestone Deluxe Champion bias ply on my 49 half ton.The tires are made from a newer compound than the old bias ply tires. They run smooth and don't flat spot even after sitting for a month. Very happy with them.
On my 53 I had radial tires (forgotten size) but steering when parking was a real handful. Normal driving was fine. When it comes time to replace my Firestone bias ply I will get the same.
Another thing people mention are the wheel bearings. I have read that if you run radials you should change out the ball bearings for roller bearings. I have no idea about that.

Thanks Everyone, Stock look it is.

Red

I think that's a myth. I've been driving my '56 Coupe de Ville for over 20 years with ball bearing wheel bearings and radial tires. There is absolutely no problem at any speed. The AD truck has its original wheel bearings and there aren't any troubles there, either.

My ‘50 3600 came from the factory with 15” wheels, and that’s what I replaced them with… except the new rims are 15x6

I had 215/75R15’s on my truck and I hated the way they looked and the ride I got with them. Diamond Back Auburn steel belted radials 8.20x15 & 7.10x 15 are a great tire for these trucks, and they look the part, too.

These tires look like the original bias ply truck tire with squared edge tread and pie crust style edging. Truck looks and rides great now. Keep the tires pressure below 34 psi, and the ride is perfect.


I can’t say enough good things about them… and they balanced out with very little weight on all four wheels…unlike the modern style 215’s, which required gobs of weights. They’ve got black wall and wide white walls.

Those are nice looking wheels…!

Norcal Dave, I'm glad you are happy with the DBs. They're the best tires I've ever had on my Cadillacs. The Packard has them , too.