Wheels & Tires?

[WarpathEngineering]

I just bought this truck and it looks like tires are in order. With the demise of 16.5" tires it looks like wheels will be a necessity. Since GM in their infinite wisdom failed to manufacture 8-lug rallies & 16" 8-lug slotted mags are about as common as an honest politician, I'm thinking about Eagle Alloy 186s. The real question is should stay with 16" or move up to 18" and I'm not sure of what width either. The truck is sitting on 33x12.5R16.5 right now and looks a little funny with the lift the previous owner put on it, almost as if it were on stilts. I either need bigger tires or lower it closer to stock which my wife would prefer, but that would mean ditching a brand new pair for front springs and possibly the 4 new shocks on it. Please feel free chime in with your opinions.

[wilkin250r]

You think it looks funny? I think it looks just about right, but I understand how perspective changes in pictures.

I'm thinking 35 inch tires might be too big, but I couldn't tell you for certain just from a few pictures. Turn the wheels until they get as close to the fenders as possible, and then imagine where the wheel will go during suspension travel. Do you really have enough room to fit a larger wheel?

[gridironkohn]

Let me say. I personally think the truck looks great as is! Love that stock look. Nice truck dude. Do you mind sharing how much you paid? Looks so darn clean

[1970pelle]

I like a wheel upgrade, because you can always go backwards. I for sure would look into a 18 inch tire. There is more of a selection than the 16 inch tire. But I wouldn't go much larger in overall size.
Its a super nice truck make it yours.

Ken

[WarpathEngineering]

Originally Posted by gridironkohn

Let me say. I personally think the truck looks great as is! Love that stock look. Nice truck dude. Do you mind sharing how much you paid? Looks so darn clean

I gave $8300 for the truck and 1K to ship from California to KY. Don't know if I made a good deal or not. Truck needs some work to get it up to daily driver status but all in all its all there. Very little rust. I have a laundry list of things I need/want to do to it so it should keep me busy for a while.

Just out of curiosity, would the dog dishes I already have work on a set of 16" steelies you think? I like the factory look, wish they were rallies mind you but I guess you don't always get what you want!

[f.monroe]

I looked at the setup you have now. It looks like they may be 8.25 wide 16.5's. They made them in 8.25 and 9.75 widths. I would look at Stockton wheel or wheel vintiques and see if a 16x10 is available. Make sure you get one that will take your caps. Then you can find all sorts of tires in 16 inch. The stock look with a 16 will give you more sidewall and make the truck look better if you want to stay factory looking.

[jocko]

I'd stick with the stock wheels personally. There are 16.5 tires out there. STA Super Traxions and there are BFG AT T/As available, thought they can be difficult to find. Firestone also makes TransForce HTs and ATs. But, even the ATs aren't a very aggressive tread if that is what you're looking for. But they do look good. If you must change, I'd only go to stock steel 16s. I personally think 18s on this truck would ruin its very cool original vibe. I looked at this truck too - but too many irons in the fire - very nice buy, really, REALLY like it. Btw, THESE are for sale on the board - they'd fit your truck nicely. I'd confirm the diameter, don't think Indy Mag made any 15x9.5 slots in 8 lug, but who knows. Am assuming these are 16.5s because of the width - a factory dia/width ratio. These would look great with STA super traxions. Anyway, you can't go wrong, that is a great truck. http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/c...108-lug&cat=18

[cochino12]

I dont think 18"s or bigger look real good on these 4x4 trucks. I do like the style wheel you are looking at though. Here is my k10 w/17" and bfg 35"s, the problem with a 17"x9 and 18"x9 wheels is the backspacing. I wish they stuck out from the fender a little more.

[cadillac_al]

If you lower that truck the front tires are going to be very close to the the fender, maybe some rubbing. I think it looks great as is.

[bw3448]

Warpath,

If you want to sell those wheels, I'm outside Dallas TX and would be interested in purchasing them.

Great looking truck!

[rich weyand]

I think it looks great as is. I'd probably put 16s on it. None of the new tires (like the BFG AT T/A KO2) are available in 16.5, and the new compounds make a big difference.

For the missus, you could put step bars on it to make it easier to get in and out. The Aries (204041 in black; 204041-2 in stainless) fit the squarebody LBs and aren't too hard to mount up. I put the 204040 on my RCSB a year and a half back, and I like them. Amazon.com: Aries 204041 3" Black Side Step...

Here's how the powder-coated black ones look on my lift. The tires are 31x10.5R15. I adjusted the angle so they would be parallel to the ground despite a split lift (+2/+3).

[hatzie]

I'd keep it 16" or at the most 17". The seriously larger wheels don't fit the look of this body style.
The GMT400 & GMT800 2500HD SRW used the same 8 on 6.5 bolt pattern they used from at least as far back as 1967. The GMT900 changed to an 8x180mm SRW and 8x210MM DRW pattern in 2011. To be safe I wouldn't look at anything newer than 2009.

Have you looked at the GMT800 2500HD series aluminum wheels?
I have two sets of the T800 2500HD aluminum wheels with 265/75 16 tires for both civvy trucks.
Here are some other members trucks with the T800 2500HD aluminum wheels on.




I have the original set of GMT400 steel wheels with narrower 235/85 16 winter tires for the T400 GMC. The T400 WT steelies have gray paint rather than white. They have a rally look on the 76 when I use the later model center caps and stainless beauty rings... The rally gray with the chromed plastic T400 or T800 Center caps and stainless beauty rings are what makes em look different. You could get the same effect with a set of 73-87 16" steels, rattle can rally gray and, the later model center caps and beauty rings.
This is a T400 2500HD with the steel work truck rally wheels.


You'll need 32 dual thread SAE lug nuts to install any of the factory T400 or T800 center caps but otherwise the steelies and the aluminum wheels fit fine.

Western and a few others made 8 lug turbine style wheels but they are as rare as the 8 lug slotted wheels and just as sought after.
More OEM 8 lug wheel ideas here... http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=457159

[MikeB]

I vote for 16" or 17" tops. Keep it looking like an old skool square body!

[Motor City GMC]

Im personally kinda in the same boat, I have 16.5 wheels and 37" military tires on now, that came on the truck when i bought it. I dont care for the tires, and want more of a wider stance and more aggressive look. I think i have decided that i am going to go with a 16" wheel but i have no idea what width i should go with, as i want them to come out just a little from the wheel well, nothing ridiculous again just a little wider more aggressive stance.
So any thoughts would help me as well.

[WarpathEngineering]

Thanks to all those who took the time to speak their mind!

Did a little more digging today and as best as I could tell it was actually cheaper to buy a set of Eagle Alloys 186s in 16x8 than getting new set of steel wheels from Wheel Vintiques. I thought long and hard about getting 16x10s but when I approached it from what tires I could reasonably run under the fenders and what was available, the 16x8s fit the bill, they just don't fit in my eyes. Now I just need to decide if I want to run LT295/75/R16 BF Goodrich KO2s, LT285/75/R16 Cooper Discoverer ST Maxx or the Discoverer ATP which is what I have on my 07 classic now.

I've got a set of the 2500HD Alcoa rims on my 07 classic and love them but am not sold on them for the square bodies, they just don't look right to me. I like the 98' steel rallies with the trim rings but in the end wanted a wider wheel than 6.5".

As far as my vertically challenged better half, Aries tube bars are in order. I've had a pair on the last two trucks and not only do they look good but seem to hold up well. Thanks for the part numbers, that'll come in handy.

I'll be sure to post pics as soon as everything is said and done.

[hatzie]

I would recommend hanging onto the center caps and the 16.5" wheels. The center caps are already getting hard to find and some folks want em.

[rich weyand]

Go with the BFG KO2s. I switched from five-year-old KOs to KO2s in November. The new tread design (only different at the edges) really helps in snow traction and cornering, and the KO2s are a new compound compared to the KOs. Big difference in the wet/snow.

The KO2s are the highest rated all-terrain tires on TireRack right now, by a lot, and my experience over the last couple months with these says they deserve it.

[mcmlxix]

Hummer H2 wheels with some Chevy 8lug cap look good and they can be found on CL for fairly cheap.



Here is an example of a square body with the wheels...
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=515184

[cadillac_al]

Those Hummer wheels do look good. I thought they were 16.5's. Are they 16's?

[mcmlxix]

They're all 17s with the exception of some special 18s that you'll never find.... They came stock with 315/75/17..

[andrewmp6]

Originally Posted by cadillac_al

Those Hummer wheels do look good. I thought they were 16.5's. Are they 16's?

The h1 beadlocks are the 16.5s your thinking of.The h2 wheels they are showing are 17x8.5

[walkerb]

17" hummer with KO2

[WarpathEngineering]

New wheels and tires installed today.....what do you think?

[hatzie]

Originally Posted by WarpathEngineering

New wheels and tires installed today.....what do you think?

Looking good.

[Zane M]

I really like the new wheels and tires!