72 3/4 with 425hp bbc. need more grip!!!!!

[justins72rat]

I want a wider tire in the back, but I don't really like the look of all the wheel well showing. I would consider a minor tub job if I have to, but don't really want to. I want it streetable. I have 16x8 aluminum rims with 245 75 16's. They fit and look great. I was looking at 265 50 16's or 295 50 16's BFG radial TA's. I have Radial TA's on it now. Any suggestions, or where do I look for pix of diff. tire combos at different heights on here? The front lowered about 2" with the extra weight, and I lowered the rear by removing some of the 3/4 springs. Thanks for the help. New to this sight, but will be on much more. I will post pics soon.

[special-K]

Check out ratrod67`s thread,"Got bigger tires for the 72 P315/70 15".They`re on 10" rims.I know you have an 8-lug,but that`s the profile you need in a 16+ rim.

[smoknbarrels]

perhaps this thread might help..
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...l+tire+fitment

personally I would perhaps check out BFG's so called street drag radial tires, they will grip good and can get pretty wide, up wards to 400 i think.

but if you wanna keep it cheap, and not change rim sizes, just stick with the T/A's and get the 295's I know they make them in a 16 rim size..

[mnunn454]

I had BFG Radial T/As on my 70 Elky 454. They smoked and squeeled but hardly gripped at all. Replaced them with M/T E/T Street Radials and man am I happy. No squeel, no smoke, just Grunt and GRIP!

While the T/A's will give you more mileage (under normal circumstances) than the M/T E/Ts, there's no comparison IMO on traction.

Since mine's a weekend warrier and not a daily driver, the approx 7000 mile life of the M/T's should still last me 4 years or more of summertime cruises and car shows with occasional burnouts and trips to the dragstrip. Since they have fewer rain grooves than most tires, you will have to be very careful in the rain.

If I were daily driving, I'd look for a semi-soft rubber compound on a tire of max width for your application. I'd probably start by looking at Coopers. But that's based on feeling more than fact.

[lytemup454]

ya i would have to agree. The tires are your first problem. they look good, they'er cheep and do nice, quiet,and smoky burnouts but thats about it; they don't provide much traction at all. espically with a big block.

[Robznob11]

well i hate to be the baller but i have too, you might look at lowering the front the correct way, that extra weight not only hinders your et. 1/10 for every 100lbs but it is also killing your weight balance and likley your not getting very good weight transfer to the back on a launch, when you hit it you want the front to come up and transfer the weight to the back tires for bite thats why they have trick stiff springs if you got all that weight on the front your just spinning wheels. but to answer your question these trucks will accept huge bs so you can go wide with out the dish look, i don't know much about clearance on leaf trucks but i do know that leafs tend to wrap up and cause hop, see if you can get a caltrac system to help that problem, i know on cars a caltrack will dead hook in the rain, my cousins camaro (71) went 12s with a 383 caltrac took him to a 11 flat with no other mods....

[Rick Mills]

From a fellow BBC owner in Colorado. You'll get lots of good advice from this board. By the way... I agree with Robznob11.

[FormerMember]

Also, with the some of the springs removed from the pack, you're probably getting hellacious axle wrap. You may want to add a traction bar, which will allow the tires to hook up.

Do your rear tires "bounce" on hard take off?

[martinkh]

Put an eaton limited slip in the rear, or detroit tru-trac in it if you have an open differential.

[justins72rat]

Thanks for all the advise! I will be OK on mileage as well. I only drive it on the weedends, and not all of them, so the MT's would work well. I have 16X8 wheels on right now, and I think MT makes a street strip radial that is 255 50 and has a 9.7" tread width. Is this going to be just OK? Should I spend the money on a new set of 15x10 rims w/4.5" backspacing in the back and go with the 315 60's like ratrod67? He used 5" backspacing rims, but the rim I want only comes with 4.5" so I might be better off giong with 295 65 with 1" less of section width? I don't want any or much of any rub. I am going to lower this too, and would like to do an axle flip and shackle drop kit. Still haven't found one yet for the dana 60 though.
When you say trick stiff springs, you obviously mean trick drop springs for the front, right? I know when I used to grass drag sleds, we would strap the front all the way down, and there was no spring in the front left. Then the rear was also strapped, but with some spring travel so that it would instantly transfer the weight to the rear.
I'll google or search on here for the "caltrac system"?

[russellmarling]

Brothers now carries custom fit traction bars for our trucks. I'm thinking about buying some for my big block leaf spring truck. They're pretty pricey, but they appear to have a decent design that is somewhat similar to the cal-tracs bars- they're not just slapper bars. Does anyone have any experience with the ones that Brothers has?

[justins72rat]

dido on the brothers cal trac type bars.....anyone? I'm thinking of fabbing my own.....

[lytemup454]

cal-tracs are often imitated never duplicated they are top noch

[daryn_24]

I have a 72 c20 that is dropped 5" in the front and 4" in the back. I have 265,60R16 in the front and 285, 60R16 in the back, all on 16x8 rims. Looks great

[gmc67swb]

Originally Posted by justins72rat

I want a wider tire in the back, but I don't really like the look of all the wheel well showing. I would consider a minor tub job if I have to, but don't really want to. I want it streetable. I have 16x8 aluminum rims with 245 75 16's. They fit and look great. I was looking at 265 50 16's or 295 50 16's BFG radial TA's. I have Radial TA's on it now. Any suggestions, or where do I look for pix of diff. tire combos at different heights on here? The front lowered about 2" with the extra weight, and I lowered the rear by removing some of the 3/4 springs. Thanks for the help. New to this sight, but will be on much more. I will post pics soon.

Had the same problem no hook up....The m/t et tires are great put a set on my truck and went to the track this weekend......be careful make sure your drivetrain can handle the torque.....snapped the output-shaft on the tranny and twisted the yoke on the driveshaft....so that $400 set of traction is gonna cost me ....lmao

[mnunn454]

Originally Posted by gmc67swb

Had the same problem no hook up....The m/t et tires are great put a set on my truck and went to the track this weekend......be careful make sure your drivetrain can handle the torque.....snapped the output-shaft on the tranny and twisted the yoke on the driveshaft....so that $400 set of traction is gonna cost me ....lmao

Sooo sorry for the problems, but glad to hear it solved your traction probs. Kinda nice (even if expensive) to have drivetrain snapping torque ability.