Wheel widths and backspacing what will fit?

[baggedbigblock]

Hi guys I am trying to order a set of Cragar SS for my C10 which is being bagged. I dont need to lay frame but want it low so tire height is not too much of a concern. What I want is the wheel to be as wide as possible under the truck.

I know its safe to go 15x8 in the rear and a 15x6 in the front, like the one guy with the bagged blue/green C10. He is running hurst 30x10x15 in the rear and 5.60x15 front.

I would like to go 15x10 R and 15x8 front, will that look OK for the hurst cheater slicks? Will the front be too deep dish and look a abit odd for the age of the truck? Also what backspacing can I go with, I plan on rolling the rear fender for more clearance in the back.

[rbar]

I seem to recall that the step side has a little less room on the outside, but I would have to check again. On my fleet side I considered having wheels made but ended up narrowing the rear and widening the tubs. I would start with figuring back spacing from the brake hub to the coil spring, which is alot, then figure it from the hub to the fender, minus clearance for the tire that sticks out past the rim. Your best chance is to get more back spacing for the ten inch, but a challenge if you have 6 lug.
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[baggedbigblock]

I am 5 lug on a fleet side wit air bags in stock spring location. I will get the measurements and go from there. I have 15x8 wheels now and the 275 tires are very close to the inner fender, I am not sure of the backspacing/offset.

[CVA59]

Originally Posted by baggedbigblock

Hi guys I am trying to order a set of Cragar SS for my C10 which is being bagged. I dont need to lay frame but want it low so tire height is not too much of a concern. What I want is the wheel to be as wide as possible under the truck.

I know its safe to go 15x8 in the rear and a 15x6 in the front, like the one guy with the bagged blue/green C10. He is running hurst 30x10x15 in the rear and 5.60x15 front.

I would like to go 15x10 R and 15x8 front, will that look OK for the hurst cheater slicks? Will the front be too deep dish and look a abit odd for the age of the truck? Also what backspacing can I go with, I plan on rolling the rear fender for more clearance in the back.

I am installing a S10 rear in my 64 and putting on these 15" x 12" Cragar SS with M/T 29 x 15.5 x 15 tires. http://www.jegs.com/i/Cragar/260/612...d=#moreDetails I will be running the 6" wide on the front. Can't say much for the bagged stuff. With conventional suspension this setup should work really well.

[baggedbigblock]

how much narrower/wider is the S10 rear end? cause that throws everything way off.

[CVA59]

The one i have is out of a 96 model 2wd and it is 54.25" face of drum to face of drum.

[rbar]

Yeah, forgot to mention you can go in to the coils but the inner fender is your limit unless you widen it.
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[4x4fab]

I am wondering the same thing. I can get a tape measurer out and figure out the rear. But I've already dissasembled the front of my truck. Does anyone know the width of the front end on a 64' from WMS to WMS (wheel mounting surface)?
Also, maybe a measurement from the WMS to the inner fender? my truck is going to lay out on 22's, just need to know if the wheels I have will work or if i'm gonna be buying new ones.

[javadoc]

I can tell you that I had 15x10s on the back of my '64 step... 4" backspacing. With 295s, the tires rubbed mercilessly on the outside if it was loaded down in the back. There was plenty of room inside, so if you went with a different b/c, you could maybe run 10" rear wheels.

I switched over to 15x8's all the way around (3.25" b/c) with 265s.

[Rannos]

Not sure about on a stepside but I have 15x10 front and rear with 295 50's with no clearance issues but my truck was only 1" lower then factory ride height also.... am actually about to change from the old centerline convopros to the wheel vintiques rally for our year trucks and run a 15x6 with something like a 225 70 in the front and a 15x12 with a 325 50 in the rear.

[lakeroadster]

There simply is no substitute for measuring your specific vehicle.

Jack up the truck under the rear axle, or under the front lower a-arm, remove the wheel/tire ass'y., get your straight edge and tape measure out, and start measuring.

Deep breath... longbed, shortbed, fleetside, stepside, stock drum suspension, swapped in disc brake suspension, stock springs, lowering springs, bagged, 6 lug, 8 lug, 5 lug, 1/2 ton, 3/4 ton, stock track bar, adjustable track bar, super track bar, track arms, leaf springs, 15", 16", 18", 20", 22", GM 12-bolt rear, Eaton rear, Dana rear, 2x4, 4x4, stock spindles, dropped spindles, stock lower control arms, cupped lower control arms, stepped lower control arms

You really can't buy tires and wheel based solely on "What some other guy did", even if your truck is bone stock. If you're buying Cragars than you obviously don't have a stock set-up (none of these trucks were sold with 5 lug wheels) and other peoples advice therefore should be merely the starting point of your search.

From the factory these trucks had dimensional variations, let alone tweaking and parts interchanging after nearly 50 years of use and abuse.

Not trying to be a smart a$$, but in my experience this is one of those times where you need to follow the good old adage of "If you want something done right, do it yourself".

[baggedbigblock]

you are very right, there are too many variables. What I was going to do is run a weighted string (aka plum bob?) on inside of the fender, then measure the distance to the hub and from the front of of the hub to the inner most suspension that would hit, inner fenders or shocks etc. I think my dropped spindles even change the track width of the front end.


thanks for the info everyone.

Lastly, can anyone chime in on how cheater slicks are in the rain? I want the look but I also want to be able to cruise to meets/family members homes in bad weather.

[lakeroadster]

Cheater Slicks in the rain..... They are great if you like to do donuts!

Stay away from them for a true driver truck, especially on a pick up.

[baggedbigblock]

I am looking for a wide white to fit on a 15x10. I want it to look meaty in the rear. 275's now are ok, maybe a 295?

Thanks for the tip on the cheaters in the rain. I have driven R-comps on my M3 on the road but only in the dry.

[markeb01]

Originally Posted by baggedbigblock

Lastly, can anyone chime in on how cheater slicks are in the rain? I want the look but I also want to be able to cruise to meets/family members homes in bad weather.

I knew two people in the 60's that ran cheater slicks. Each had spun their car through an intersection trying to stop in the rain. One did a 180 and the other did a 360 and then some. Fortunately for both they didn't hit anything.

I would love to have a set of Radir slicks on my truck particularly for attending local cruises and rod runs, but I'd feel pretty stupid if I crashed because of a surprise encounter with a large puddle. A pair of grooves to make them "legal" won't really keep the wide smooth surface from turning into water skis.

[shrunken66stroker]

I have a bagged short fleet and I'm running 0 offset on front and back. The fronts are 17x8 with a 235 55 17 tire and the rears are 17x9 with a 255 60 17 tire. They fit perfect in the front and I could go a little wider with the tire in the back if I want to. There's about an inch on either side. There 12" between the wood bed and the fender lip. The lip can be cut a little to fit a wider tire but not much.