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#541622 05/28/2009 4:57 PM
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 99
M
Wrench Fetcher
Wrench Fetcher
M Offline
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 99
What is the largest tire diameter that can fit on a stock height 55-57 Chevy truck with stock rims? This is overlooking all drive train power issues and focusing strictly on fender and frame clearance.


Neil
1955 Chevy 3200
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 12,029
F
Cruising in the Passing Lane
Cruising in the Passing Lane
F Offline
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 12,029
the width of the stock rim will limit the tire size before the body/frame is an issue, although fatter car radials will rub the drag link/pitman joint on hard left turns ... if you can find a narrow profile, about 30-32" is as much as you can expect I think, about stock height .... 700R15LT for me, 16" LT's might get a bit higher

Bill


Moved over to the Passing Lane

"When we tug a single thing in nature, we find it attached to the rest of the world" ~ John Muir
"When we tug a single thing on an old truck, we find it falls off" ~ me
Some TF series details & TF heater pics
Joined: May 2006
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L
'Bolter
'Bolter
L Offline
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 8,351
I would agree with the size range. I have 30" tires on mine. Another thing that will be a limiting factor will be what type of tire construction you want. Radials will be limited to about a 27-28" tire for a stock 15" rim, anything taller will be too wide for the stock wheel. 16" wheels open up more choices, with the 215/80/16 or 235/80/16 being the largest narrow choices.


Bill Burmeister
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 239
5
Wrench Fetcher
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5 Offline
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 239
My truck has later model, 70's era stock wheels on it. I think they're 15x6.5. I bought it with 30x9.50s on the rear, P.O. had had them on the front also so he said. No signs of prior rubbing in the fenders.

Devin


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L
'Bolter
'Bolter
L Offline
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 8,351
30x9.50x15 fits very nicely in the TF trucks. However, a 6.5" rim is a bit on the narrow side for the wide of a tire. rule of thumb is that the rim width be approximatly 2" narrower than the tire section width. This is for proper sidewall support. So in the case of a 9.50 tire, a 7"-8" rim would be best (I'm running an 8" Rallye). Too narrow of a rim will cause handling problems, especially wander. This is aggrivated with shorter weelbases. In the case fo the OE rim, which is a 5 1/2", the 7.00-15 would be ideal.


Bill Burmeister

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