Stock height on tires 67-72's only

[CG]

After going through a ton of threads I feel like the most popular aftermarket tire sizes being used are 33x10.5 and 33x12.5.

The tire size thing always makes my head spin, especially when you start tossing in metrics. Yes I know there are dozens of charts.

I'm just curious what our 4x4 tire height (average) was stock compared to the popular 33's of today?

A few guys are running some very burly looking bias tires that look fantastic. Very tall and skinny. But my guess they are taller than what these trucks came with stock. Maybe even taller than the 33's?

Not a practical tire though if you want to put some serious street miles on them.

[1976gmc20]

Common tire/wheel sizes back then were 7.00-15 (half ton) and 7.50-16 (3/4 ton).

So about 29" and 31" respectively since the tires were just about "square" or equivalent to "/100" today.

At least that's what I remember, but of course a lot of half-tons just had passenger car tires.


I'm not sure why you say those tall narrow bias ply ties are not practical for street miles, because folks drove all over the country on them probably millions of miles back then.

[CG]

Im talking about the heavy treaded tall skinny tires. I realize bias ply were all we had back in the day and we managed just fine with them. I drove plenty of miles on them when I was a kid. But I doubt very much the style I'm talking about were used to tour the country. I feel like the K trucks were working trucks, not long distance lets enjoy the countryside tires. These things get flat spotted just from sitting haha.

[Stocker]

When I bought my K20 in 1977, I installed 8PR 7.50-16s on it. Best I can recall, they were Armstrongs and looked like the attached pic. Made my only real cross-country trip in winter with those tires (I have never run highway treads, kinda defeats the purpose). Went from N. Calif. to eastern Kansas and back, at least 3600 miles I believe. Of course they made some noise but that's to be expected. I never got stuck with them, even after a snow plow driver piled up a bunch of the white stuff on the wide spot where I pulled over to get a little shut-eye. His plow partner said he figured they'd have to pull me out. They didn't.

Bias-ply tires with nylon cord casings would flat-spot overnight, no matter the tread pattern, but a few miles or so would smooth out the ride. Rayon cords did not seem to flat-spot, or at least not as much as nylon.

[rpmerf]

235/85R16s on my C20 are 31.7"

[1976gmc20]

Originally Posted by CG

Im talking about the heavy treaded tall skinny tires. I realize bias ply were all we had back in the day and we managed just fine with them. I drove plenty of miles on them when I was a kid. But I doubt very much the style I'm talking about were used to tour the country. I feel like the K trucks were working trucks, not long distance lets enjoy the countryside tires. These things get flat spotted just from sitting haha.

I thought you were talking tire sizes not tread patterns.

I ran a little bit of everything tread-wise over the years, but mostly within one state. Sometimes I ran ugly mud and snow tread on all four, sometimes highway on front and m/s on the back, and sometimes highway all the way around. The m/s tires don't last very long on the front.

I drove my K20 to Alaska, and back a couple years later. I did blow a couple of m/s tires on the back (one old, one new) but I was pretty hellishly overloaded on the way up there.

[CG]

Originally Posted by 1976gmc20

I thought you were talking tire sizes not tread patterns.

I ran a little bit of everything tread-wise over the years, but mostly within one state. Sometimes I ran ugly mud and snow tread on all four, sometimes highway on front and m/s on the back, and sometimes highway all the way around. The m/s tires don't last very long on the front.

I drove my K20 to Alaska, and back a couple years later. I did blow a couple of m/s tires on the back (one old, one new) but I was pretty hellishly overloaded on the way up there.

Sorry, it was a little bit of both. I should have posted pics.

[Mts67C10K20]

Running 235-85-16
Just under 32"

[CG]

That is a very nice look. Great ride!

[67mater]

31x10.5R15 right on 29". factory springs are a little worn down

[special-K]

The 7.00 -16s were darn close to same as 235/85-16 radials available today. They were 30-31" tall. The on/off road tread patterns were typical mud & snow like cars used or more aggressive "extra traction" tires like Stocker showed. Goodyears were called Extra Grips. I run Goodyear Wrangler Dura Tracs because they look the most like a traditional mud & snow tire and are radials.

[1976gmc20]

Originally Posted by special-K

The 7.00 -16s were darn close to same as 235/85-16 radials available today. They were 30-31" tall. The on/off road tread patterns were typical mud & snow like cars used or more aggressive "extra traction" tires like Stocker showed. Goodyears were called Extra Grips. I run Goodyear Wrangler Dura Tracs because they look the most like a traditional mud & snow tire and are radials.

Did you mean 7.50-16 ????