Need help with wheel size.

[busfreak]

Hey everyone I just bought me an 85 GMC short bed. I am wanting to drop it just with 2 inch spindles in the front and the 4 inch hangers in the rear.
What I am wanting to know is what is a good size wheel to put all the way around. I for sure want to put a 295/50/15 on a 10 inch wheel on the rear but I dont know what size to put in the front. I have seen a lot of trucks with 10s in the front but I dont want the tire to stick out past the fender well. Will an 8 inch rim look good and does anyone have any pictures.

Also I have a billet grill that I want to take off and replace with a factory chevy grill. Since mine is a GMC will the chevy grill fit.

[N2TRUX]

Anyone?

[lolife99]

Look at these threads:

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...archid=2733587

[SCOTI]

A 245-60 on an 8" wheel up front would be about the same height (245-60 = 26.57"; 295-50 = 26.61").

[Cue-Ball]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

A 245-60 on an 8" wheel up front would be about the same height (245-60 = 26.57"; 295-50 = 26.61").

It's true that a 245/60 is about the same sidewall height as a 295/50, but both of those tires are considerably smaller than the stock 235/75 (28.9" tall).

Personally, I wouldn't even consider shortening the sidewall like that without dropping the truck a lot further. The shorter sidewall increases the distance between the tire and the wheel lip. So, dropping two inches but then putting on a tire that's 2.5" shorter is going to make the wheel gap nearly the same. In addition, a shorter sidewall creates an optical illusion; the smaller sidewall makes the wheel gap look larger. And even though you're only lowering the suspension 2", you're lowering the body of the truck by over 3". So, you're losing quite a bit of ground clearance but the truck won't really appear to be that much lower.

Sidewalls that short really need a lot more drop to look good, IMO. I think you're going to need something more in the range of a 5/6 drop for it to look right.

[muthstryker]

Here are two pictures of my truck with a 255/60/15 Front and 295/50/15 Rear, and just a 2" drop shackle out back.

I actually miss my truck like this!

[74 stepside]

I run a 235/60/15 on a 15x7 1/2 on front and 295/50/15 on 15x10 on rear. Perfect in my opinion. If you run a 15x8 get a 4" bs. 235 or 245 will look good. My dad used to run a 265/50/15 on 15x8s with 295/50/15 on 15x10s on rear back in the day. Any of these sizes will work, its just up to your personal taste. Sorry I dont have pics yet.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by Cue-Ball

It's true that a 245/60 is about the same sidewall height as a 295/50, but both of those tires are considerably smaller than the stock 235/75 (28.9" tall).

Personally, I wouldn't even consider shortening the sidewall like that without dropping the truck a lot further. The shorter sidewall increases the distance between the tire and the wheel lip. So, dropping two inches but then putting on a tire that's 2.5" shorter is going to make the wheel gap nearly the same. In addition, a shorter sidewall creates an optical illusion; the smaller sidewall makes the wheel gap look larger. And even though you're only lowering the suspension 2", you're lowering the body of the truck by over 3". So, you're losing quite a bit of ground clearance but the truck won't really appear to be that much lower.

Sidewalls that short really need a lot more drop to look good, IMO. I think you're going to need something more in the range of a 5/6 drop for it to look right.

I was trying to keep my personal preferences out of it since they were not asked for....

[Cue-Ball]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

I was trying to keep my personal preferences out of it since they were not asked for....

And I was trying to warn the guy that he might not end up with the results he expects, and possibly save him from doing the job twice.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by Cue-Ball

And I was trying to warn the guy that he might not end up with the results he expects, and possibly save him from doing the job twice.

I just went w/what he stated.....

Originally Posted by busfreak

I for sure want to put a 295/50/15 on a 10 inch wheel on the rear but I dont know what size to put in the front.

While you & I wouldn't do a set-up like this for the reasons you stated, plenty of other guys on this site would.

[J Knight]

If all you are doing is a 2.5/4 drop you should be able to put any combination of street tire and wheel you prefer. A set of 4 15-8 / 275/60/15 or a set of 4 15-10 / 295/50/15. Or 2 245/60/15 on 8in and 295/50/15 on 10inNo more than 4in back space on the front. 5in in the rear.
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