20 inch tires for my 79
 

Just got a 79 GMC 2WD step side. Looking to use a 20X9 rim. What size tires can I use with stock suspension height? Maybe I will lower the rear to level it out only. Sitting too high in the back for my taste. Thinking 275-45s or 285-50's. Want to use as an everyday driver.
Dave

Re: 20 inch tires for my 79
 

Looking to get nose bleed or what???;) running 20's on your truck with the stock height would look to GHETTO:bling2:, i've seen a few trucks around here with 20's running the stock ride height and it don't look good, I would have somebody do a photo chop or what ever you call it and see what it would look like before you take the plunge, i'm not much of a fan of Dubs on our trucks but hey if you like em go for it, but if you do it go with a 50 series tire, you'll have a little more sidewall for the ride.:metal:
John

Re: 20 inch tires for my 79
 

while i cant argue the extra sidewall for ride comfort, the 285 50 20s are over 31" tall. entirely too much tire for a stock height 2wd., not to mention being a daily driver, your gear ratios may be all out of whack.

Re: 20 inch tires for my 79
 

why ghetto?

Re: 20 inch tires for my 79
 

I think it looks slick the way it is with the dark rally wheels. Leave it, save your money.

Re: 20 inch tires for my 79
 

Everyones got their preferences, but personally I would not spend the money for 20/22/24 inch rims for a 73-87 truck. Especially a stepside.

You're taking styles from 2 very different era's and trying to mix them without modification. Think about taking some 6 lug rally's off a 1973 4x4 and putting them on an Escalade. Not gonna look good. Each wheel was designed to complement the vehicle it originally came on or the era of cars it was designed in.

A small modern touch never hurts though. A set of 17 inch wheels will most likely look good depending on what you get. They will be functional too because you can run bigger brakes and you get a shorter sidewall for better handling. That's what brought on the 16 and 17 inch wheels in the first place...braking and handling...not bling bling.

Honestly though, I think on that old 70's stepside, those 15" rally's look killer. Any other 15" muscle car styled wheel will look bad ass too, like american racing torque thrusts, weld prostars, etc.

Re: 20 inch tires for my 79
 

Whats wrong with stepsides?

Re: 20 inch tires for my 79
 

Stepsides on 20's look absolutely awsome IMO
http://img66.imageshack.us/img66/4372/picture239by4.jpg

Re: 20 inch tires for my 79
 

I think that white stepside is just right
20's http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...o/pict0003.jpg

17's http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...o/sideview.jpg

Re: 20 inch tires for my 79
 

double post

Re: 20 inch tires for my 79
 

I am not a fan of big rims at all. to each his own. But at stock high i would go with a 17. Also i think the black rallies look sweet for that truck. match it prefect. As i said before though i am mkore into big rubber rather then big rim. My cusin ran 20's on his truck at stock height and they did not look like 20's at all. they looked like 16's. after he lowered it alot it looks sweet though. Also i find that 20's or any larger wheel with low profile tires are not to much fun to drive on daily but again that is just me.
Do what you want it is your truck. It looks to be in great shape by the way.

you might want to try posting it in the photo shop section so you can get an idea of what it would look like.

Re: 20 inch tires for my 79
 

sorry no help on tires sizes on the 20s

you just have one of those trucks that some people would like to see kept vintage and unmolested . the most i would do to your truck if i had it would be some vette rallys or a crager type of looking wheel ( i think they might be refered to as tourqe somethings now adays) and some meety tires.

i do like that white truck that rc posted very much

any one know what these trucks are running with 20s

Re: 20 inch tires for my 79
 

Nothing wrong with stepsides at all, I love them. I was just refering to them stylistically...in my eyes the 73-87 stepsides have a very classic look, putting them even further from the whole "bling bling" look. Didn't mean to sound like I was hating on stepsides. That white one actually looks pretty good since it's just a larger 5 spoke muscle car type 20" rim, basically a vintage/modern kind of deal. I was talking about the modern 20/22/24 escalade-big-pimpin-bling-bling-thug-life kinda wheels that really wouldn't match the truck at all. The larger versions of older style wheels like the ones pictured on the white truck do look nice though. Those 17's on the orange truck look sweet too.

Re: 20 inch tires for my 79
 

I think 20's would look awesome on your truck, defiantly would lower it a little.

Re: 20 inch tires for my 79
 

This is the wheel I was thinking about.

Re: 20 inch tires for my 79
 

Staying with the stock height, you can probably go with either size, but the 285/50s may be a little overpowering especially in the front. A stock wheel is around 28.8" in diameter whereas the 275/45 is ~29.7" and the 285/50 is bigger at ~31.2". Plus, if you decide to lower it further in the future, you may want to go with the smaller tire to avoid any rubbing issues.

Do you have a bigger picture (3/4 view) of your truck like what you used in your avatar? BTW, nice looking truck. :cool:

Re: 20 inch tires for my 79
 

my old basketball coach used to tell us,"opinion's are like as$holes.everybody's got one and they all stink."..that being said.here's mine.20's look great on these trucks if,they fit into the wheel wells,tucked up,or very close to it.and it's gotta have some rake,that's what a pushing 50 yr old hotrodder thinks.a good example is that white stepper that was just posted.iv'e said this in other post's that ask what do you think?but it's important..your the one that's going to be paying for those wheels..buy what you like...by the way.nice truck.and in my opinion.take off those bed rails;)

Re: 20 inch tires for my 79
 

I prefer the rally's on my trucks but think a slammed truck on big wheels looks pretty cool too.
I wouldn't go big-inch on a stock hieght truck though. Even if you lower the rear to level I don't think it would look good. But maybe if you did that you would see what I'm talking about and take the plunge and slamm it!

Re: 20 inch tires for my 79
 

Thats a cool looking rim; sort of old style with the five arms, but in a new flavor.

But one thing I've noticed with the big-inch trend is just because its big, doesn't mean it looks good.

Re: 20 inch tires for my 79
 

It's good to ask the opinion of others that have gone down the road your facing. You shouldn't be in a hurry to spend money on something you may regret later down the road. There are various sites on the web that will give you alot of ideas and aid in your decision. Take some time and look through Ebay, CarDomain, etc to get some ideas.

Re: 20 inch tires for my 79
 

Here is the 3/4 shot

Re: 20 inch tires for my 79
 

this is why.

This is before I lowered it
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...r/DSCF2511.jpg

and after
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...r/DSCF2709.jpg

Re: 20 inch tires for my 79
 

doesnt look getto looks work in progress

Re: 20 inch tires for my 79
 

StepinNJ -
Here's a couple of quick chops for you. The first one is your original. The second one is stock height with 275/45s on 20s. And, the third one is with a 'mild' ;) drop.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/a...1&d=1173306355

Re: 20 inch tires for my 79
 

i love these lowering pictures cause i like to find the differences in the back ground and the trucks dont look half bad either