18 or 20 wheels with larger tires - not staggered
 

So while I'm watching the world end outside I'm sitting around daydreaming about my C10 and the direction I want to take on wheels and tires. I've been searching through endless wheel/tire posts, facebook images, shopping tirerack and using tire diameter calculators to try and come up with a solid plan.

So my wishlist - I want to modernize the look of the truck, 18's or 20's, currently looking at the Ridler 695s (yes, everyone has them, but they look good and are well priced). However, I still need to use it as a truck. Towing my boat, sometimes unimproved roads, and I live in PA so I've already blown out a tire on my wife's car nailing a pothole at night on the highway.

Also, tire cost and availability is a concern. I need to replace these things from time to time. The ability to rotate them to extend their life is attractive.

My truck is currently riding at it's stock height, and I plan on keeping it that way, or perhaps a very mild drop (2/4 or so) for the same reasons above.

It seems like *most* folks running 20's are also running a fairly low profile "car" tire - 35 or 40 series sidewalls. They're also usually running a staggered setup, even with 18's. The problem with the staggered setup - besides not being able to rotate them - is finding both a front and rear tire in the sizes that I want. If I find a front tire size I like, often there's no matching rear that I also like. Or, to match the tires is expensive.

So anyway. The idea is to have matching wheels/tires all around, with a good amount of sidewall (at least 45 series or more). Lots of modern trucks are running 20's with a lot of meat (I had a 2016 RAM until recently with 275/60/20s on it) but I don't see many squarebody folks doing the same thing. It seems like for more sidewall, 18's or smaller are the wheel of choice.

I saw a guy on facebook who was running 275/45/20 on 20x10's all around, and I really kind of dug the look of the truck, again, stockish height. However the picture was only from a quartering angle, so from the side not sure how it would look. He said he had no issues with rubbing, but I'm wondering if anyone else here has tried running 10" wheels on the front. Any other tire sizes that may work with my ideas that can be run all around in a 20" diameter? The Ridlers also come in a 8.5" width, 4.75 BS. Everyone seems to want to stick to the 29"-ish tire diameter, unless they are running mud tires. Why not more meat on a street tire, like I had with the RAM? 31-33" offroad tires, no one blinks. Or does it just look too awkward on this body style?

With 18's, I've seen a lot of trucks running 255/55/18 and it looks pretty good as well, but I'm not sure what width wheel would work on all four corners - the Ridlers come in a 8" (4.5 BS, seems too skinny of a wheel for 255's) or 9.5" (5.5 BS). Would the 9.5's cause a problem on the front with that backspacing?

I know wheel and tire posts are beat to death, but would appreciate any insight, pictures, personal experience with those running tires with bigger sidewalls on these larger wheel options. Plus I just like looking at truck pictures :lol:

Re: 18 or 20 wheels with larger tires - not staggered
 

Have you see this handy tool?

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/p...0aAuWcEALw_wcB

Here’s a fun wheel/tire simulator you can use.
There are others. Just an example.
Some you can upload your truck onto too.

https://www.bigotires.com/wheel-visualizer

Re: 18 or 20 wheels with larger tires - not staggered
 

What is your ideal tire diameter? How much is your truck lowered depends on how you approach tire selection. I prefer to lower then decide on tires, and trim a little if it can be fit better.

From there you can play on tire rack to find what tires have that rough outer diameter.

Also towing with car 20's can overload them, and increase of tire failure.

18's at the same tire height as low profile 20's have a good deal more capacity.

So I in general at this point go with 18's of your two choices.

A size to consider is 17's, and on a stock height truck 275/60/17's fit well, and look like 15's. In terms of wheel to tire ratio. They have good weight capacity, and meet the other then looks qualities you sound like you want. 255/50/17 look good on a lowered truck, and work all most as well.

Re: 18 or 20 wheels with larger tires - not staggered
 

I guess the desired diameter is part of the question. It’s really the fronts that are the limiting factor with size. I’d like the widest tire I can in the front, that I will match on the back, with good sidewall for ride/towing capacity, that won’t look silly or cartoonish.

Here is the picture of the 20x10, 275/45 all around truck I saw on Facebook. The thread has since disappeared, the owner may be a member here as well. I really liked this look.

https://imgur.com/a/lCEEDPT

Re: 18 or 20 wheels with larger tires - not staggered
 

Nice truck!
Sits just right in my opinion.

Re: 18 or 20 wheels with larger tires - not staggered
 

The PO had 20’s on my truck when I bought it. I never liked them, I don’t care for skinny tires. And the wheels where ugly! So anyways, I went with 18’s. My god my truck rides so much nicer. Truck has a 2/4 drop and the tires are
265/65R18
Before and after

Re: 18 or 20 wheels with larger tires - not staggered
 

Ive seen your truck pop up in many of these wheel threads. Love it. Ended up going through your build thread one afternoon.

I wonder if a similar ride could be accomplished with slightly fatter 20s than you had. They look pretty skinny in your “before” pic.

Re: 18 or 20 wheels with larger tires - not staggered
 

Maybe, I have to admit, I really don’t know that much about wheels and tires. I just told my friend that has a shop and a bunch of Classic Cars, that I wanted something else for Big Red. He set everything up for me. I had the truck into him for a radiator replacement and I had fuel hoses that were leaking under the truck. And then he had my wheels & tires done.
I was pretty happy!!

Re: 18 or 20 wheels with larger tires - not staggered
 

Just FYI, those tires are around 2.5" taller than the old school 235-75x15 and 255-70x15. Depending on what, if anything, the PO did, you might want to check and adjust your speedo/odo calibration. There a several iPhone apps that will show you road speed and distance.

Re: 18 or 20 wheels with larger tires - not staggered
 

Already did, thank you:metal: