Another C20 8-lug wheel question.

[derotoreut]

I don't want to highjack Rupdog's recent 8-lug wheel post, so I'm posting a new thread hoping someone can help.

I want to increase the stance on my '69 C20 by making it sit taller and fill the wheel wells, but want to make sure I have no interference probs. I am currently running 275/60-15's on all 4-corners from the PO. I like the width and how they sit at the edge of the wheel wells, but they're too short for my liking. Should I look at taller 15" tires for my current 8-lug 15" rims or change over to 16" rims?

I have searched a lot of postings but don't see where anyone really mentions backspacing on their 16" C20 8-luggers. I also see where some have used H2 wheels, but again not sure of the backspace and rim width. What you guys got?

[special-K]

With keeping 15" wheels I'd go to a 70 series.You want a 31-33" tall tire with 32" being ideal.

[derotoreut]

Originally Posted by special-K

With keeping 15" wheels I'd go to a 70 series.You want a 31-33" tall tire with 32" being ideal.

That's a thought, but I'm wondering what about 16" wheels and tires. Anyone got any ideas?

[Meatman]

Surprised you have 15" 8 lug wheels. Pretty much everything is 16" or bigger to clear brakes, but older trucks have drums so its not an issue. If you want something tall and narrow, Id would switch to a 16" wheel and run like a 245/75 or even a 235/85. Both are really common sizes.

[Shaky]

Here's what 235/85/16 tires on 16x6 later model steel wheels looks like:

[Sicklajoie]

16 X 7 Ford steel wheels on 265/75/16's.
I have 1 inch lifting blocks in the back also.

[derotoreut]

Looking good guys. Keep the pictures along with wheel and tire sizes coming. I'll find something I like. I am thinking of changing to front discs, so it sounds like I'll have to change over to 16" wheels. I want to fill the wheel wells and go with a taller stance.

[Sicklajoie]

This is what my truck looked like before I put the lifting blocks in the back. I t 235/85/16's on 16 X 6.5 Alcoas.

[allchevy58]

Originally Posted by Sicklajoie

16 X 7 Ford steel wheels on 265/75/16's.
I have 1 inch lifting blocks in the back also.

Nice looking truck!
I have some 16 X 8 with 265/75/16's and stock springs.

[Sicklajoie]

^^^Thanks!!! You too! That thing is killer!!!

[derotoreut]

Originally Posted by Meatman

Surprised you have 15" 8 lug wheels. Pretty much everything is 16" or bigger to clear brakes, but older trucks have drums so its not an issue. If you want something tall and narrow, Id would switch to a 16" wheel and run like a 245/75 or even a 235/85. Both are really common sizes.

I agree that 15" is kind of odd; especially for 8-lug wheels. I am thinking of going to front disc brakes so I'll probably have to change out the wheels in order to clear the discs. If so, I will probably have to go with 16" wheels. I have also heard that with the addition of disc brakes it pushes the width out a bit. If anyone has any experience with this I would love to hear.

[special-K]

It sounds like you want wider than what everyone is offering. BTW,15s clear the factory discs with minimal grinding of the caliper along the center casting seam. 15s look no more odd on an 8-lug than on a 6 or 5 lug. But,in 16" tires mounted on an 8" wheel a 285/75 (about 11/32)looks awesome. It will fill out the wheel well in both height and width. A 305/70 (12.50/33) even better. 285/75s will work for same size all four corners. Are you looking for a big/little combo and some rake or all four same size?
The first truck has the 12.50/33s with probably 265/75s on 10s and 8s and the second one is 285/75s on 8s all around:

[derotoreut]

Originally Posted by special-K

It sounds like you want wider than what everyone is offering. BTW,15s clear the factory discs with minimal grinding of the caliper along the center casting seam. 15s look no more odd on an 8-lug than on a 6 or 5 lug. But,in 16" tires mounted on an 8" wheel a 285/75 (about 11/32)looks awesome. It will fill out the wheel well in both height and width. A 305/70 (12.50/33) even better. 285/75s will work for same size all four corners. Are you looking for a big/little combo and some rake or all four same size?
The first truck has the 12.50/33s with probably 265/75s on 10s and 8s and the second one is 285/75s on 8s all around:

This is great info! I love the pictures. Thanks for replying. This is exactly the look that I want. I am trying to increase the stance height and fill the wheel wells. I think I want to go with same size on all 4-corneers. I like the look of a lot of rubber on the wheels. I don't mean to offend the guys that have the dropped spindles with low stance, big rims with low profile tires, but it's just not me.

It sounds like I might be able to get away with keeping my 15" rims. I just don't want to have a problem clearing disc calipers when I go with a disc conversion. I will probably look to find some 16" rims somewhere. Do you know what the difference is in putting tires like 265/75-16 on 10's vs 8's? Does it just make it wider looking on the 10's and maybe a bit shorter? Thanks again.

[allchevy58]

Originally Posted by special-K

It sounds like you want wider than what everyone is offering. BTW,15s clear the factory discs with minimal grinding of the caliper along the center casting seam. 15s look no more odd on an 8-lug than on a 6 or 5 lug. But,in 16" tires mounted on an 8" wheel a 285/75 (about 11/32)looks awesome. It will fill out the wheel well in both height and width. A 305/70 (12.50/33) even better. 285/75s will work for same size all four corners. Are you looking for a big/little combo and some rake or all four same size?
The first truck has the 12.50/33s with probably 265/75s on 10s and 8s and the second one is 285/75s on 8s all around:

Bought 285/75/16's for the 16 X 8 with 4" offset, they rubbed on the left front when turning to the right on flat ground, that's why I went with 265/75/16's, so try them before you buy them. The 2WD may not rub. The 285's are on my 83 now, downsized from 33X12.50X16.5.

[special-K]

I think even 8" rims may be a touch wide for 265/75s.

[mr48chev]

Not one of the show trucks but my daily has 245-75-16 on 16x8 ultra rims. I have no idea of the back spacing though.



It has the stock camper what ever you want to call it suspension on it. GMC with a Chevy nose due to my aunt getting in a fender bender.

[rray670]

275/55/20 on my longhorn

[k2rm]

Thanks for posting the pics of my truck special-K. You are close on the tire size. I have 285 75 R16s on the rear and 245 75 r16s in the front. The pics shown are with front drum brakes. When I switched to discs, the wheels were pushed out about an inch. Here are a couple of pics. The left wheel is mounted on a disc brake and the right wheel is mounted on a drum. This gives a pretty good perspective of how the stance will change when going to discs.

[derotoreut]

Originally Posted by k2rm

Thanks for posting the pics of my truck special-K. You are close on the tire size. I have 285 75 R16s on the rear and 245 75 r16s in the front. The pics shown are with front drum brakes. When I switched to discs, the wheels were pushed out about an inch. Here are a couple of pics. The left wheel is mounted on a disc brake and the right wheel is mounted on a drum. This gives a pretty good perspective of how the stance will change when going to discs.

When the front wheels were pushed out (because of the disc brake conversion), how did they look compared to the rear wheels? Did they line up?

I want to make sure the outer edge of the front wheels line up with the rears. I don't want the fronts pushed out wider then the rears.

I also wonder about the height of the tires mounted on the rims. A 245/75-16 has a sidewall height of 7.2 inches and a diameter of 30.5 inches. A 285/75-16 has a sidewall height of 8.4 inches and a diameter of 32.8 inches. The 285's are 2.3 inches taller. Does it make a difference having the 285's mounted on 10" rims and the 245's mounted on 8" rims? I kind of want to keep the tires the same height on all 4-corners.

Thanks for all the info. Keep those pictures and wheel/tire sizes coming!

[k2rm]

The front and rear tires line up nicely now. Before discs, I didn't like the look because the front wheels were considerably inside compared to the rears. It looks much better now.

I have a staggered look to my truck, so the front tire diameter is smaller. The second truck that special-K showed with the 285/75s may be the way you want to go.

[Sicklajoie]

That green and white C/20 looks like the same tires I have, 265's...
I've been wrong before, though.

[derotoreut]

Originally Posted by Sicklajoie

That green and white C/20 looks like the same tires I have, 265's...
I've been wrong before, though.

It's a nice look with good stance. That's kind of what I'm looking for. All though I must say that rray670's truck looks pretty nice too. The 20's may be a bit to much for me. Anyone see any of these trucks with H2 wheels on them? Pretty sure those are 17". If there are any pictures I'd love to see them and know the tire sizes used.

[FirstOwner69]

Originally Posted by derotoreut

It's a nice look with good stance. That's kind of what I'm looking for. All though I must say that rray670's truck looks pretty nice too. The 20's may be a bit to much for me. Anyone see any of these trucks with H2 wheels on them? Pretty sure those are 17". If there are any pictures I'd love to see them and know the tire sizes used.

I'm going to try chrome H2 wheels with 265/65 17s on my 69. These tires are about the same diameter as the 9.50/16.5s that were optional in 69 and about 1" wider. I mounted them on my rolling chassis to see how they line up vs. the 8.75/16.5s I had on the truck. The inner sidewall lines up with the center of the top ball joint. I'm hoping there's plenty of clearance. The 8.75s are about 3/4" outside the center of the ball joint. All I can show you is the attached picture with Chevy caps.

[derotoreut]

Originally Posted by FirstOwner69

I'm going to try chrome H2 wheels with 265/65 17s on my 69. These tires are about the same diameter as the 9.50/16.5s that were optional in 69 and about 1" wider. I mounted them on my rolling chassis to see how they line up vs. the 8.75/16.5s I had on the truck. The inner sidewall lines up with the center of the top ball joint. I'm hoping there's plenty of clearance. The 8.75s are about 3/4" outside the center of the ball joint. All I can show you is the attached picture with Chevy caps.

Those wheels are Killer! They look great! Keep me posted on how you make out with them. I am seriously considering the CPP front disc conversion, but I'm nervous about the fronts getting pushed out about an inch from the change. I want to make sure of the clearance and relationship to the rears. Anyway those wheels are cool.

[derotoreut]

Originally Posted by FirstOwner69

I'm going to try chrome H2 wheels with 265/65 17s on my 69. These tires are about the same diameter as the 9.50/16.5s that were optional in 69 and about 1" wider. I mounted them on my rolling chassis to see how they line up vs. the 8.75/16.5s I had on the truck. The inner sidewall lines up with the center of the top ball joint. I'm hoping there's plenty of clearance. The 8.75s are about 3/4" outside the center of the ball joint. All I can show you is the attached picture with Chevy caps.

Found a set of H2 wheels and tires locally on CL. Tires are 265/70-17. Might go take a look. What do you think about look and price?
http://rochester.craigslist.org/pts/2805359875.html